A regular reader of Natural Running Center’s website, Patrick sent us the following essay– which in the interest of runners everywhere, we’d like to share. To misquote Thomas Paine, “these are the times that tries men’s soles.”– NRC I am a barefoot runner from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. As I get better at running barefoot, I…
Author: MarkC
Running and Hollywood: A Compilation of Favorite Movie and TV Scenes
Healthy Running Comes from the Arms and Head Connection
A month ago, running form guru Jae Gruenke was kind enough to email me with some of her learning and observations from years of experience teaching and developing a program now called The Balanced Runner. She has taught hundreds of runners at her clinics in New York City. She has also helped three-time Olympian Jen Rhines. From…
Treadmill Rule #1: First Know How To Use the Emergency Stop Button
Action picks up around the 1:10 mark.
Barefoot Dictionary: From A(sphalt) to Z(ero drop)
In the hand-me-down spirit of Ambrose Bierce’s “Devil’s Dictionary,” Josh Sutcliffe, aka Barefoot Josh, has created a list of barefoot and footwear terms and their definitions. Josh says that he “likes to run, write, and draw.” He works at a Dog Daycare facility, which means he plays with dogs all day. Visit his running blog here: barefootjosh.com where…
Calling All Shoes for New Shoeseum
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Two Rivers Treads want your old, and they mean really old, running shoes for their new “Shoeseum” that will originally be housed in the Shepherdstown, West Virginia store. Vintage sneakers from the 60s and 70s are especially wanted (flat-sole, thin treads, lightweight, little cushioning). This makes one think how running has…
Take the Stability Test — Practice Standing on One Leg
As we “comfortably” situate ourselves into the off-season, reducing our training mileage and racing, this is an ideal time to work on balance and form. A runner will typically average 1,200 steps a mile on one foot. And the gravity force on the body structure is 2.5 times the body weight with each step in…
The Ideal Running or Walking Shoe Complements Natural Foot Function
Last month, I wrote about the need to properly assess your own foot size when buying running shoes. And judging by the number of emails I continue to get from readers on this topic, I feel it’s important to address these concerns once again. First, abandon the notion that you have a shoe size. Instead you…
Heel-strike Experiment: Are You a Brake-Tapper?
by Jason Robillard. Go to any road race. Stand at some random spot along the course. Watch as the runners pass. Count how many land with a heavy over-striding heel strike. It’s obvious this style of running is still extremely popular. Hell, it’s even advertised for products that are supposed to be designed for midfoot…
Gaits of Hell
We came across this parody video of common awkward running styles two months ago, and was almost tempted to repost it; but for whatever reason, it got backburnered. Upon a recent second viewing, however, it made the grade. It musta been the Journey soundtrack.
Where Are All the Women in the Natural Running and Minimalist Movement?
Emily Snayd is passionate about running and even more passionate about attracting more women to the natural running movement. Ms. Snayd heads up public relations for Merrell’s Barefoot Running. And so, starting on December 1, Merrell will host a six-week series of digitalchats that address different elements of barefoot/minimal running and fitness. As she writes on…
Avoid Overtraining! — Keeping Your Body Healthy Means Active Rest and Recovery
Laura Bergmann is living example of a home-schooled athlete and teacher. I met Laura two years ago when we were both spreading the word on fitness in our small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. She was not excited about running since it often led to discomfort. Yet, in time she changed her gait; it eventually…
Take the 100-Up Exercise Challenge
As readers of Chris McDougall’s article on natural running two weeks ago in the New York Times know, the secret of good, injury-free running form is rooted in the past — going barefoot or doing this simple drill called the 100-Up Exercise that was invented in the late 19th century by a very fast miler…
New York Times Feature Article on Injury-Free, Natural Running by Who Else…Chris McDougall
The timing is perfect. And intentional. The New York City marathon is taking place this weekend. And in the New York Times Sunday magazine, Chris McDougall has written a wonderful article on natural, injury-free running with this rather emphatic headline: “The Once and Future Way to Run.” It’s available online here. It begins with an…
Reducing Stress: Don’t Let the Workouts Control You
by Bill Katovsky. Research scientists love tormenting lab rats. The furry little rodents are starved, shocked, bullied, and even water-boarded. Their torture is encouraged under the rational aegis of science—to find out how stress affects the brain. Because rats provide a fairly reliable indicator of human behavior, scientists use them to examine how stress affects…
Health Warning: Can Your Recovery Drink or Energy Bar Be Toxic?
by Dr. Steve Gangemi aka Sock Doc. Could your energy bar, fluid replacement drink, or post-workout recovery meal ultimately be hindering your performance? It’s very likely due to the many artificial processed ingredients out there. Many foods athletes consume contain the infamous MSG. We all know that person who can’t eat Chinese food because they’ll…
Semper Fly: How to Go Fast in the Marine Corps Marathon 2011
As a Lt Col in the U.S. Air Force, I have been an Air Force Marathon Team Member since 1988. This will be my 20th Marine Corps Marathon with two Masters wins and two top-five overall finishes. This Sunday, I will be competing again in the Marine Corps 26.2-mile race which is held in D.C. While I…
Alter-G Treadmill: The Ultimate in Rehab, Recovery and Even Training
Rick Meyers, owner of NRC affiliate store, The Runner’s Sole, is a serious-minded ultra runner. It’s not that all ultra runners aren’t serious about their pastime, it’s just that Rick takes it up a few notches. He approaches 24-hour runs as most runners would confront a 10K. Last month, he competed in the National 24…
Maximalist Running Shoes…Big, Bad, and Scary?
What is so frightening about these running shoes? A short video explores their terror-producing hold on the imagination.
Minimalist Running Shoes Are Popular at Outdoor Retailer Show
The just-held summer Outdoor Retailer (OR) Show, which takes place each year in Salt Lake City, can easily overwhelm the senses and send a gear nerd or wilderness aficionado into paroxysms of utter bliss. All the established companies like North Face, Salomon, Mountain Hardwear, and Columbia have huge booths, whereas newcomers in small stalls are…
The 200-Yard Rule: The Only Way To Start Barefoot Running
by Steven Sashen. I was recently on a panel discussion about barefoot running. At one point, someone in the audience asked “So how do I transition to barefoot running?” Before I could respond, a well-respected physical therapist suggested the following: “First, switch to a slightly lower heeled shoe than what you have. Run in that…
Before Apolo Ohno Ran in the New York City Marathon, the Gait Guys Checked Out His Form
Eight-time Winter Olympic speed-skating medalist Apolo Ohno has shown his athletic mastery on ice, then on the wooden dance floor when he won the 2007 “Dancing with the Stars” competition with Julianne Hough. In just a few months, it will once again be showtime for Apolo at the 2011 New York City Marathon. For months,…
Barefoot Running with the Kids
Two Rivers Treads and Dr. Mark Cucuzzella present a short, high-energy video of barefoot running in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Running Uphill: Quick Video Tutorial
Here’s a short video on uphill running that Pete Larson, who is also Runblogger (a must-read blog for anyone interested in any and all aspects of footwear science, gait, and shoes), filmed of Mark Cucuzzella, M.D. and Two Rivers Treads employee Brad Dodson going up the rocky trail on Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder, Colorado. Brad…
Small Town with a Large Foot Print: Natural Running Video Filmed in Shepherdstown, WV
A short music video created by Two Rivers Treads kicked off Newton Running’s Special Event on Monday August 8 at the historic Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. Before an invited crowd of 300 runners, company executives, specialty running retailers, and past running greats such as Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter and World Champion Zola Budd, …