Daddy Ultra Runs is a running specialty store that’s located in Cocoa Village, Florida, heart of the Space Coast. Daddy Ultra Runs is also a member of the Natural Running Center store partner network. DUR’s owner Hernan Garcia is passionate about minimalism when it comes to footwear; and he’s definitely a maximalist when it comes…
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What I Have Learned From Barefoot and Minimalist Running
In June 2013, the second Barefoot Connections conference was held in England, and most fittingly, it met inside the prestigious Natural History Museum which is located just outside London. Several leading practitioners and thought leaders in natural lifestyle and barefoot activity (walking and running) gave talks there. Family commitments kept me from making the trip…
Casting Doubt on New Study Questioning Benefits of Barefoot-Style Running
So what should we make of the latest footwear study that suggests that barefoot-style running isn’t really the best or most economical? With it attention-getting headline, “Is Barefoot-Style Running Best? New Studies Cast Doubt,” New York Times health and fitness writer Gretchen Reynolds recently pounced on a report that was published last month in The…
Comrades “Marathon”: What Goes Up…Goes Up
Why would I travel half way around the world to run The Comrades “Marathon” in South Africa? Not sure. Anyone who has ever run this race, which is the oldest and largest ultra run in the world, talks about it with a reverence and describe the amazing emotional and cultural experience. This run has brought…
Open Letter to All Podiatrists: “Our Profession Needs to Keep an Open Mind in Regard to Shoes and Treating Running Injuries…”
The following excerpt is from an essay by Nicholas A. Campitelli, DPM, FACFAS that recently appeared on a popular podiatry forum and website: http://www.podiatrytoday.com/blogged/defending-my-position-orthoses. Dr. Campitelli, or as he likes to be known on his blog as Dr. Nick, does not represent the majority view and practice of most podiatrists who use orthotics as one…
Race Report:Harpers Ferry Half Marathon
It is always a challenge being a director of a race. You are always faced with things you did not anticipate. Twelve hours before the event here in West Virginia, we were hit with a thunderstorm of massive proportions. Most of the course markings of the run which was 40% trail were gone. Water from…
Book Excerpt from “FARMACOLOGY”
Please enjoy this excerpt from a new book called “FARMACOLOGY:What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing,” from my colleague Dr. Daphne Miller. Dr. Miller is a fellow Family Physician and we met a little over a year ago at an event promoting Nature Prescriptions. Dr. Miller is one of the nation’s…
Dr. Mark’s “The Principles of Natural Running”
For the past 12 years, I have dissected and modified hundreds of pairs of shoes, taught running form clinics around the country, opened a minimalist store in my home town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, directed races (from 5K fun runs to marathons), got local children excited about running, and most importantly listened with all my…
Harpers Ferry Race and Live Music
This Saturday on May 11, there’s the Harpers Ferry Half Marathon, 4 Mile, Kids Run (www.harpersferryhalf.org); the 4 Mile is free for kids under 18! Join me on my favorite lunch-break routes at my job at Harpers Ferry Family Medicine. The race course in West Virginia is truly an event of historic proportions. Every time…
Sock Doc’s View on Orthotics: Don’t Leave Home Wearing Them
It’s been well over a year since I’ve discussed orthotics. Orthotics, just like stretching, is an emotional and somewhat controversial topic because so many believe in their effectiveness for injury treatment and prevention. Others, such as myself, feel as though they either create, provoke, or hide a true problem. In an earlier article, “Are Orthotics…
Boston Strong…and Running
April 15 was the 117th running of the Boston Marathon, the oldest and most prestigious footrace in the world. I have had the privilege of running 20 of them. The amazing camaraderie amongst the runners, spectators, volunteers, and the City of Boston draws me and my family back every year. This race has a special…
Reflections on Boston
The Sunday before the Boston Marathon, Dr. Walter Bortz of Stanford gave a lecture that received a standing ovation (I do not think I have witnessed a lecture receive a standing ovation). Most of it was about the failings of our current healthcare mode of treatment focus and how each individual can achieve healthier lives. Dr….
Upcoming Courses and Clinics on Running
NRC readers, If you are near a military base several of our military courses are open to the public. • Oct 5-6 School of Running CME Boulder http://www.active.com/running-conference/boulder-co/newton-running-cme-and-coach-level-2-oct-5-6-2013
How to Run the Boston Marathon 2013
I’ve had the pleasure of running the Boston Marathon 19 times with a string now of 11 consecutive. My only misses since 1989 were for military duties and a foot surgery. In all these efforts, I had 5 under 2:30, 6 between 2:30 and 2:35; 3 between 2:35 and 2:40; 3 between 2:40-2:44; a 2:46…
Running as Destiny for New U.S. 5,000 Meter Indoor Record-holder
I want to share an inspiring piece about Lopez Lomong, a South Sudanese-born American track and field star and his new U.S. 5,000 meter indoor record, that was sent to me from my friend Phil Wharton. Phil and his father Jim have been innovators in the evaluation and retraining of runners for injury prevention and…
Avoid Injury: Make Slow Transition to Barefoot-style Running Shoes
Barefoot running is back in the news. Or rather barefoot-style running shoes. It’s the kind of “news story” that has “legs”. Yet the media angle is often misleading. I will quote from the first sentence of the story that appeared on the International Business Times website earlier this week: “A recent study seems to indicate…
The Arch Isn’t a Nemesis for Runners: How The Foot Can Naturally Cure Plantar Fasciitis
A personal essay titled “The Mighty Arch: A Natural Cure for Plantar Fasciitis?” by Elf Martin on Softstar Shoe’s website recently caught our attention, and as a result, we posted a link to it on our Facebook page. Martin writes, “The explanation from the barefoot/minimalist shoe community is that arch supports act as a crutch…
Got Glutes?, Part Three: How Runners Can Further Increase Power and Performance by Having “Smart Behinds”
This instructional article/video is part 3 of a 3-part series. See part 1 and part 2 here with video. We hope that your glutes will enjoy becoming smarter. And why is that? As was explained in part 1, runners often have under-performing glutes that can lead to big trouble. When your behind is slow and…
Having a Good Time in New Orleans
I was recently in New Orleans and had a blast. It was a privilege to be part of a fun and inspiring running event that is the Rock and Roll. Jenni Peters and Ryan Green of Varsity Sports (an NRC Partner store) and Newton Running supported my trip and a number of talks. The highlight…
Video: Training for a Sub-4 Mile
In this new, superbly crafted video, we watch West Virginia High School Senior Jacob Burcham train for a sub-4 mile. If Burcham succeeds in his quest, he joins only a handful of other U.S. teen runners. Running Times correspondent and filmmaker Joel Wolpert follows Burcham as he prepares for his final season of high school…
Can Music Help You Run Faster? Dr. Phil Maffetone Says “Not” When You’re Actually Running
Many runners depend on their tunes to get through their workouts. Other runners never run with music, using the syncopated beats of their breathing or footstriking as their private cadence-like metronome to propel them forward. So, is there a right way or wrong way when it comes to music and running? …
Beware of Footstrike Studies Focusing on Only One Variable
A recent study of less than 40 East African tribesman showed that most land on their heels while running at a slow pace on a compliant surface (not pavement) and when they sped up most changed their pattern to midfoot landing. Some in the media then grabbed onto this small sample and somehow arrived at…
Body Asymmetries: How Past Injuries Can Affect a Runner’s Gait
What is meant by “body asymmetry?” The term is used to describe when both parts of the body don’t line up or appear in sync. It could be as simple as having a left foot slightly longer or wider than your right one. For runners, body asymmetry can mean a drooping right shoulder or outward-turning…
Treating Running Injuries: Form vs Footwear
The following article was published in the January 2013 issue of Podiatry Management, by Dr. Nick Campitelli,DPM, FACFAS Podiatrist, Foot and Ankle Surgeon. It can also be found on his blog. As he states in an introductory note, “it was written on behalf of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and I am honored…
Testing 120 Running Shoe Models in 1979: What Running Times Magazine Learned from Its Hotly Debated Study
Ed Ayres, who has been running competitively for 55 consecutive years, was the founding editor and publisher of Running Times magazine. Ayres has competed in over 600 long-distance races, including finishing third in the inaugural New York City Marathon. He’s also the author of the new book, “The Longest Race: A Lifelong Runner, an Iconic…