Outside Magazine Article on Barefoot/Minimalist Running

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An article was recently published in the April 2013 issue of Outside Magazine where Simon Bartold, Joe Hamill, Benno Nigg and myself were all interviewed regarding barefoot running and minimalist shoes, You Don't Know How to Run, for those of you who may be interested.

 

Thank you for the post! very interesting article. I'm always looking for more information for discussions with my friends and patients regarding barefoot running. I was surprised to read about the kenyan tribesman and how the study concluded that most of the barefoot runners land on their heels.

p.s. I see your going to be speaking at the Pedorthic conference this weekend, I'm very much looking forward it, I'll make a point to come over and say hi at some point during the conference. Safe travels.

 

Nick:

Please come by and say hi to me. I'll be arriving into Montreal on Thursday evening and leaving on Saturday morning. Looks like a great conference. i'm actually happy to not be lecturing on barefoot/minimalist running again! We're flying out of Sacramento International Airport at 6 AM on Thursday....oh joy!:morning::wacko:

 

Thanks for the link to this Kevin. I was originally thinking that the author might be summarising and collecting an even/balanced view of things until I read the last 2 paragraphs.


The thought that a tribe of people in northern Kenya were "new to running" struck me as odd. Ok they might not be elite, but neither are the rest of us that contriubute largely into the 8 billion dollar industry...

 

I wrote to the author after the article was published and said that he had:

"spent the first page of the article and another half page later glorifying the non-biomechanist Mark Cucuzzella, spent a number of paragraphs getting quotes from the non-scientist, non-medically trained Chris McDougall, and another page on Irene Davis. However, combined between Hamill, Nigg, Bartold and myself, we only got a few paragraphs in the whole article explaining our side of the story."

I basically went on to say to him that I was hoping for a more balanced article and that Cucuzzella, McDougall and Irene Davis are certainly not considered by many experts to be in the mainstream of science or biomechanics in regards to their thoughts on running shoe selection or their treatment of running injuries.

He did tell me, however, that he was trying to paint a balanced picture of the differences between us. I'll give him credit for trying.

However, I really can't see how one can consider an article to be balanced when the author spends five times more time talking about the lives, research and views of the barefoot/minimalists when compared to the lives, research and views of Hamill, Nigg, Bartold and myself.

I've pretty much assumed that any time I am interviewed for such a story, the author already knows what they want to write, and no matter what I say, they will still write what they want.:bang:

 

Out of interest is there an article you would recommend reading Kevin? I found the topic interesting but it was a glorification of Mark and an omission of real biomechanical input. Thanks in advance.

 

Barefoot vs Shod Running: Which is Best?

 

Thanks Kevin, I think I have read that couple times before but a good refreshment nonetheless. I do have one query for you regarding your comments afterwards I think it was directed at the query regarding what shoes you were wearing. You mentioned that you wore traditional running shoes & orthotics for training while you wore racing flats without insoles as you felt they would slow you down. Would you not think that the positive effects of the insole would outweigh the negative effect of the added mass? Do you tend to recommend athletes not to wear their insole while racing?

 

Just for the record.. he completely misquoted me, even though his editor sent me a transcript prior to publication, and I responded, in writing, that what he was proposing to write attributed to me, I not only never said, but gave him an exact quote summarising my opinion. He went with the original made up quote of course.. never let the truth etc blah blah.
it is a warning to all though.. my advice is NEVER trust a journalist and what they will write.. they will unflinchingly misquote, manipulate, or.. downright lie as this fella did!
Very disappointed to have wasted quite a few hours with this man trying to guide him through the science behind the issues.

 

For racing, where every second counts, most long distance running athletes choose to race in a shoe that is as light as possible, but is still comfortable to race in. That means that foot orthoses aren't generally worn during racing since they add extra mass to the shoe.

I recommend that my patients train in foot orthoses but race without them. If they feel they need the support on their foot to race comfortably, then either I can make a very light orthosis for them out of Plastazote #3 or just simply put some adhesive felt pads in their racing shoe insole to give them a little extra support.

Some of the barefoot/minimalist running fanatics seem to think that running in a heavier shoe is somehow harmful for runners. I believe differently since during my best racing of my athletic career, I typically wore foot orthoses on all my longer training runs and nearly all of my shorter speed-work training runs, along with my heavier training shoes. This was a common practice among many of the runners that I trained with and raced against.

In fact, Emil Zatopek, one of the greatest distance runners of all times, commonly trained in combat boots since he felt it made him stronger.



Maybe heavier shoes are better for training...sure didn't seem to hurt the great Emil Zatopek one bit!

 

I am reminded of this underlying assumption that runners are either racing or training for a race. That couldn't be further from reality. There is a population of runners who run simply because they like to run. They are not out there trying to break Olympic records, trying to impress themselves or trying to impress others. While health and fitness might be a benefit, to some runners it is nothing more than a fringe benefit.

There are runners who run because they enjoy the simple process of moving their body across the earth while spending time outside. To experience and to be part of the environment they live in. To be part of the changing seasons, the changing weather, the change from night to day and back, the moon cycles, the wildlife, the scenery and so on.

Running provides a tremendous opportunity for us to become a part of and to experience our surroundings. In our hectic culture, it gives us the opportunity to slow down and to become aware of the world we live in. The act of running can be a tremendous source of vitality.

No you don't need to be pounding yourself into the ground preparing for the next race to be a runner. A true runner has come to recognize the liberating freedom that can come with the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other and repeating.

If you believe that a certain type of running shoe is required to truly experience what running is about, then you clearly don't understand running.


As far as the article goes, one thing the author did pick up on and I believe was trying to portray is the contention and animosity between those who support minimal shoes and those who support traditional shoes. I'm not sure it was apparent in the article but the animosity and contention between the two camps is ridiculous. It is pretty obvious to me based on both sides of the debate that true running has been grossly misunderstood and both sides have missed the point.

Runners need to just wear what feels best to them and stop listening to all of the master-debaters.

 

Perhaps I am yet to be enlightened but for me the enjoyment of running is in the feel of different shoes, drawing comparisons between them and choosing my favorites. I have no interest in running in something that brings me closer to barefoot. If I were to choose flat shoe it would be an Altra which still has 12mm of cushion. I hope that doesn't make me less of a man

That is exactly why we have a large range of shoes to choose from and I don't believe it making generalizations about people with regards to shoe selection. I agree that comfort and feel is paramount with shoe selection but I think it is simplistic to choose any shoe that feels light and comfortable, there are a lot more features worth considering.

 

I have 16 pairs of running shoes that I actively use. I also enjoy and benefit from changing up my shoes as well. If the enjoyment of running for you is in the feel of different shoes, why limit your experience to a certain range of shoes? You might be surprised by the experience provided by those shoes you have no interest in.

One of the biggest things that bothers me about what is written on this forum are the generalizations and disdain for those who favor one shoe type over another. For those who do that, they are just showing their ignorance towards what running is about.

Wear what provides you with the most enjoyment and let others do the same. :drinks

 

I do just that Dana and that is exactly my point, I do not get enjoyment from more minimal shoes so I use them for other purpose. I have a pair of NB MT10, Inov8 195 and 240, Adidas Adios and Bostons so I think I have the lightweight shoes covered but do most my running in both my adidas, if you differ then more luck to you but I was condemning ppl who do generalize populations.

We were probably barking on about the same point there just with different sets of opinion :drinks

 

Twooms, I think we are agreeing! It wasn't clear to me whether you have tried light shoes or you just weren't interested in them. I struggle when people have a strong opinion about something without having the experience to support the opinion.

The best running shoe is the one that works the best for a given individual. To denigrate a certain type of shoe because it doesn't fit into their model of what a good running shoe should be, just bothers me. Given the fact that you own a whole range of running shoes and have first hand experience of what the different characteristics of a running shoe can provide, puts you in a different class. You do not need to imagine what a given running shoe might be like, you know what it is like.

 

Simon:

I just spoke with Joe Hamill at the Pedorthic Association of Canada Seminar in Montreal about the Outside Magazine article. He also said the author misquoted him. That makes all three of us that were misquoted by the author.

By the way, Joe is ready for another gig for the Tarsal Coalition....;-)

Belinda:

Joe says hi!

 

[QUOTE
However, I really can't see how one can consider an article to be balanced when the author spends five times more time talking about the lives, research and views of the barefoot/minimalists when compared to the lives, research and views of Hamill, Nigg, Bartold and myself.
[/QUOTE]

Kevin:
I have curbed my chad here on The Arena but you have no sense of professionalism and too much time on your hands.

In response to your totally unnecessary posting of a promotion of mine on another thread I reply:

No Ego, Bias, Lofty, Self-serving positions here.

Headline:
Hamill, Nigg, Bartold and Kirby to replace the four presidents on Mt. Rushmore as soon as the funding from The Podiatry Arena comes in.


We'd like to personally thank Dr. Kirby for blowing his own horn yet one more time to alert us of his comings and goings. Imagine a Pedorthic Conference in Canada with 200+ attendees was lucky enough to get Dr. Kirby to lecture. Bet you could hear a pin drop as he spoke and that all three of his Precision Intracast Books sold out.


PS:
This is the last one of these I will post here as I, unlike Kevin, I have grown up and am using more self control or haven't you all noticed?

Dennis

 

A model of what it will look like.

 

Can`t say I have, Dennis. But, I have noticed a silence when I ask you questions...both publicly here on the Arena and personally by PM and email.

 

I will revisit your question online and give as good a response as I can by weeks end (real busy). I want to be mature about that as well.

Dennis

 

Glad to hear it, Dennis. I look forward to receiving such a response from you, at your convenience.

In the meantime, unprofessional remarks such as these;

..should be retracted, with an apology from yourself. Like many others, my practice and more importantly; my patients, have benefited greatly from the clinical advice offered by all four of these esteemed researchers.