Following my post last Tuesday, Antony Bradford left an interesting comment about his experiences of wearing cushioned running shoes.
With regards to Antony's comments on actual barefoot running I must admit I am inclined to agree with him (hence never trying it), and again, like Antony, when I first started running I tended to think that the more cushioning the better.
Having said this, during the 1980's, although I did opt for cushioning whilst training I did experiment with minimalist shoes when racing (I was a lot faster in those days). In particular, the Nike Sock Racer.
At the time the sock racer (3rrd from right in photo) was one of the strangest looking shoes around and I think probably Nike's first experiment in minimalist shoes. I don't think they were very popular but I loved them!
I have a pair of Nike Free at present but only wear them for walking around in and some treadmill sessions at the gym.
Latterly though, I keep vying between cushioning and minimalism (which is why I probably keep bringing the subject up).
Since turning 50 I seemed to favour more cushioning but I realised last year that my running style (such as it is) was changing and I was becoming a more and more pronounced heel striker and I was also picking up more and more injuries.
Whether this was down to the shoes, age or a combination of both, I am not sure but since October of last year I have made a conscious effort to redress this. One of the ways of doing this has been by mixing wearing lighter/less cushioned shoes with a more cushioned shoe, along with awareness of foot placement.
If anyone else has any views or comments on the subject I would be happy to hear from you
With regards to Antony's comments on actual barefoot running I must admit I am inclined to agree with him (hence never trying it), and again, like Antony, when I first started running I tended to think that the more cushioning the better.
Having said this, during the 1980's, although I did opt for cushioning whilst training I did experiment with minimalist shoes when racing (I was a lot faster in those days). In particular, the Nike Sock Racer.
I have a pair of Nike Free at present but only wear them for walking around in and some treadmill sessions at the gym.
Latterly though, I keep vying between cushioning and minimalism (which is why I probably keep bringing the subject up).
Since turning 50 I seemed to favour more cushioning but I realised last year that my running style (such as it is) was changing and I was becoming a more and more pronounced heel striker and I was also picking up more and more injuries.
Whether this was down to the shoes, age or a combination of both, I am not sure but since October of last year I have made a conscious effort to redress this. One of the ways of doing this has been by mixing wearing lighter/less cushioned shoes with a more cushioned shoe, along with awareness of foot placement.
If anyone else has any views or comments on the subject I would be happy to hear from you
Comments
I really do hope others will post their experiences to add to this debate. I am sure there is much more to it than I can give.
All the best.
Antony