It’s been a super busy past few weeks, so I got a little behind with Dr. Mark’s Desk. I’ve had a hectic travel schedule that first took me to New York City where I gave a talk on healthy running and diet to over a hundred health professionals at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital. While in…
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Tarahumara are Latest Victims of Mexico’s Drug War
It’s the kind of news story that leaves one feeling terribly sad and depressed. In this week’s issue of Newsweek, though you can read the article here on Daily Beast, reporter Aram Roston sheds disturbing light on a most unfortunate casualty of Mexico’s intractable drug war: the Tarahumara. Their remarkable ability to run far and…
Naked Foot 5K Attracts 450 Runners in D.C. (Okay, Not All Were Barefoot)
As the third stop on its 10-city tour, the Naked Foot 5K had its largest turnout so far last weekend in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland. Presented by Altra Running, which has helped make “zero drop” the go-to term for those interested in minimalist footwear (as well as the name of a…
Walking vs. Running: Why These Gaits Are Not the Same
by Dr. Phil Maffetone. Walking is associated with first striking the heel, whereas a running gait involves landing farther forward on the foot—a midfoot strike in most cases with more forefoot landing as running speed increases. Making contact with the ground imparts impact forces—the foot literally collides with the earth on each step. While impact…
Stop the Lawsuits Against “Toe Shoes” and Instead Learn About Proper Running Form!
by Dr. Nick Campitelli. For those unaware, adidas has now been named in a lawsuit regarding its version of the “toe shoes” called the adiPure Trainer shoes. Joseph Rocco claimed in a class-action lawsuit filed last week in New York federal court that the $90 pair of adiPure shoes that he purchased did not deliver…
Video: Science Behind Nik Wallenda’s High-Wire Walk Across Niagara Falls Can Help Runners!
The key to walking on a high-wire is the heel! So says this ESPN video by John Brenkus and the Sport Science team that analyzes the biomechanics and physics behind Nik Wallenda’s successful high-wire walk across Niagara Falls Typically, the foot is supported by three main balance points. But on a narrow surface…
Nik Wallenda Crossed Niagara Falls in Handmade Elkskin Footwear
by Bill Katovsky. I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out for the tie that binds Because you’re mine, I walk the line — Johnny Cash, “I Walk The Line” On Friday night before a crowd of a 100,000…
Scientists Discover that “Exercise in Moderation is Beneficial!” Really?
by Dr. Phil Maffetone. I don’t keep track of which “health” lifestyle craze we’re in the midst of right now, but the odds are there’s at least one that’s grabbing a lot of current headlines. I don’t read newspapers or magazines, watch TV or listen to the radio. That includes almost all the same junk…
Barefoot Run Through History
*** One of my favorite places to run is Antietam National Battlefield Park, which is the site of the bloodiest one-day battle in American history. Over 20,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of fierce combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s first…
Meet Your New Training Companion: The Flying Robot Jogger
Technology and natural running might seem mutually exclusive, though any number of minimal and barefoot purists regularly log their GPS-tracked workouts on mobile devices and social networking sites. The newest entry to Future Jock is the Joggobot, an airborne robot running companion.The robot is actually a quadrotor, or helicopter with four rotors. It carries…
Video: Men’s Mile at the 2012 Nike Prefontaine Classic
At last week’s prestigious Prefontaine Classic track and field meet, James Kiplagat Magut of Kenya, leads the pack in the mile race, and eventually wins in 3:54.16; former Stanford star Russell Brown (on the outside) finished second in 3:54.48. Brown’s PR for the mile is 3:51.45 , and he now competes for the Oregon Track Club. Photo…
Excerpt from New Book of Running Quotes: “1,001 Pearls of Runners’ Wisdom: Advice and Inspiration for the Open Road”
I admit that the past few months have been busy. In addition to co-authoring “Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running” with Pete Larson, I also edited and assembled a new collection of running quotes. And so I am pleased to announce that “1,001 Pearls of Runners’ Wisdom: Advice and Inspiration for…
Got Stress? Then, Running More = Running Better?
Got Stress? We all have it enter our lives, some experiencing stress more frequently than others. How we deal with it has been the subject of countless books, magazine articles, and talk shows. Too many people, unfortunately, attempt to self-medicate their way past stress, ranging from the daily jolts of caffeine to doctor-prescribed pills. But…
Endurance Sport Conference
I have been invited to speak at a sports injury conference this August in Florida, and I hope that many who regularly come to this site can attend. The First New Paradigms in Endurance Sport Conference will be held at the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida, from August 3-5. Over 60% of runners are…
“Summits of My Life” – Ultrarunner Kílian Jornet Burgada’s Four-Year Project
Kílian Jornet Burgada is a Spanish ski mountaineer, ultrarunner, mountain biker and duathlete. With that said, the 2011 Western State 100 winner is considered the world’s fastest billy goat, possessed of an uncanny ability to fly over steep, treacherous, foot-slipping terrain. Only 23 years old, his natural running talent is totally off the charts, and…
Caballo’s Last Race…Copper Canyon Ultramarathon
Hey Everyone, Dr. Mark is relaxing at the beach with his family during this holiday weekend, so I am filling in for him this time around.– Bill Katovsky. Last week, the New York Times ran a marvelous, heart-stirring, and emotional wallop of a feature story about an individual whose life, directly and indirectly, touched us…
You Can Run a Marathon with Flat Feet, No Orthotics, and Minimalist Shoes — and without Injury
by Dr. Nick Campitelli. The debate continues amongst medical professionals, podiatrists, runners, and the media as to “Should we be running with supportive shoes with motion control?” For years the norm has been to support the arch with a custom or rigid orthotic to prevent overuse injury. This device was added to a cushioned running…
Why Isn’t Cross-Country Running in the Olympics?
by Bill Katovsky. The 3,000-meter steeplechase is always a fun event to watch at the Olympics. Runners must leap over 28 hurdles and 7 water jumps. The Kenyans usually dominate. The race’s origin dates back to 19th century England. Runners hoofed it from one town’s church steeple to the next. The steeples were used as…
Bill Bowerman, His Wife’s Waffle Iron, Nike’s Early Days and Birth of the Modern Running Shoe
The following is excerpted from the chapter, “The Running Shoe” in the new book, Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running, by Peter Larson and Bill Katovsky — NRC *** Man spent several million years evolving as a runner. The athletic shoe has a much shorter history—about 180 years. But the modern…
Aerobic Training — What About Strength Workouts? (Part 3)
In the two previous parts of Principles of Aerobic Training, Dr. Steve Gangemi, aka Sock Doc, reviewed the critical components of building a healthy aerobic base that can lead to enhanced performance for all runners. In this part, Sock Doc turns his attention to strength training.– NRC We all can agree (hopefully) that strength is…
Facts on Foot Strike– Does It Matter If You Run with a Heel or Forefoot Strike?
The minimalist movement of the last few years has gotten runners focused on their feet. Many now know what research has shown: Foot-strike patterns are variable, and the specific interaction between the foot and the ground is influenced by multiple factors like speed, surface and footwear. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s…
Natural Running Center is Now on Facebook!
Natural Running Center is now on Facebook! We’ve been adding posts since late April. Lots of new stuff that you won’t find here on the NRC website. Like what, you ask? Here’s a sample: Fighting Father Time: Does Getting Older Automatically Mean Slower Times? A Mind-Blowingly Simple Way to Keep the Laces of Your Running…
Natural Running Camp for Youth
Grownups shouldn’t have all the fun when it comes to running naturally. This summer, Two Rivers Treads and For Love of Children’s Education Center will be hosting a Natural Running Camp for middle-school students from July 6-8, and high-school students from July 13-15. (Plans are underway to have an adult Natural Running Camp later in…
All Runners: No Immunity from Heart Disease
The circumstances surrounding Micah True’s untimely death while he was out on a routine 12-mile trail run in the Gila wilderness area of New Mexico have caused many runners to look inward…to their own hearts. According to the Associated Press, “While medical examiners couldn’t point to the cause of the heart disease, they said True’s left…
Barefoot Running in the Early 60s — Excerpt from New Book “Tread Lightly”
In the new book. Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running, Dr. Peter Larson (Runblogger) and Bill Katovsky (Natural Running Center co-founder and editorial director) explore the reasons why pain is so frequently a part of the life of the modern runner, and search for potential solutions to the ongoing injury epidemic….