Two weekends ago, our small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia was bustling with activity and runners. It was the third annual Freedom’s Run, of which I am the race director. From the start we intended to make this a small town event with scenery, history, fun, local flavor, and low fees compared to the big…
Category: Blog
Sciatica, More than a Pain in the Butt, and Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed; Real Culprit is Piriformis Syndrome
Dr. Stephen Gangemi, aka the “Sock Doc” discusses some natural and effective ways to deal with low back, hip, and leg pain as well as what is known as piriformis syndrome. Also, Dr. Gangemi discusses sciatica – how it is often misdiagnosed and how it can be treated.– NRC In this video I discuss…
Ask the Experts: Dealing with Sore Calves and Achilles Tendon Discomfort
Dear Mark, I follow your site and blog and your writings have been a powerful influence in getting me to start running again at age 48. After many years and many injuries I finally heeded to the doctors’ advice that “running causes injuries” and “running is not for everyone.” Doctors and experts told me that…
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…
“It’s Tough to Re-learn How to Run” (for Some People)
Pete Larson, aka Runblogger and Natural Running Center science advisor, has recently written an essay that he calls “a giant brain dump” on Vibram Fivefingers, barefoot running, shoes, heel strikes, loading rates, and injury risk. Most of that article is reposted here. Thanks Pete for allowing our readers access into your big scientific brain. –NRC…
Get Your Kids Into Minimalist Shoes to Ensure Natural Foot Development
As a family physician, I firmly believe that children should play in their bare feet or in activity shoes that complement natural foot development and proper biomechanics of movement. Runners, walkers, coaches, and the medical community are all awakening to the benefits of allowing proper natural foot motion to occur in all of our daily…
The 1:59 Marathon, Part 2: Developing Aerobic Speed
Here’s Part Two of the “1:59 Marathon” series by Dr. Phil Maffetone. Good timing! Several days ago, Patrick Makau of Kenya set a new world record at the Berlin marathon, going 2 hours 3 minutes 38 seconds and eclipsing the previous record holder, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, who had run 2:03:59 in Berlin in 2008. (Gebrselassie dropped out…
Good Barefoot Running Form: “Objectively” Unlearning Past Bad Habits
by Angie Hotz aka Barefoot Angie Bee. When I walked into the VIVOBAREFOOT Training Clinic I thought I would “wow” Lee Saxby. I had been successful so far having ran a barefoot marathon and not in “barefoot shoes” but actually naked foot. All of my previous shod race times were bested barefoot. I had been running for…
Five Common Stride Missteps — and How To Correct Them
by Steven Sashen. Let us guess, you ditched the cushioned clodhoppers only to find a new host of issues to deal with. Blisters on the bottom of your feet? Sore hips? Calves aching so much you can’t walk? Soak in some Epsom Salt and give yourself a break. No one said changing a lifetime of…
Learning from Pain: A Runner’s Lament
by Jim Everhart. Can we make pain our friend? The so-called King of One-Liners, Henny Youngman, had a famous riff on the medical profession that included my all-time favorite line on pain management: “I went to the doctor myself and I said, ‘Doc, it hurts when I do that.’” Youngman raised an arm. “The Doc …
Winning the Air Force Marathon: Natural Running Center’s Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, 44, Placed First in 2:38
When I got the email late Saturday morning from Mark with just two words in the subject line, “I won!”, my digital jaw dropped in astonishment. Just a few weeks shy of his 45th birthday, Mark topped a field of 2,500 runners at the 2011 Air Force Marathon, which started and finished at the Wright-Patterson…
First Lydiard Coaching Seminar Attracted Running Legends
by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella. I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the first Lydiard Invitational Coaching Seminar in Boulder, Colorado this past weekend. It was humbling to be in the room with running legends of the past and present, hear their stories, and listen as they shared lessons learned and “secrets” they figured…
Beware the Perils of Midstance (Not Initial Impact), Where Body Stresses Are Greatest
by Dr. Casey Kerrigan. While in Daegu, South Korea last week where I delivered a lecture on biomechanics, barefoot locomotion and minimalist shoes at the International Sports Science Congress that was held in conjunction with the 2011 IAAF World Championships, I caught this photo during the preliminary heat of the 3,000 meter steeplechase where the…
VivoBarefoot Aquas — Ideal for Everyday Use and Comfort
By Pete Larson. I’ve gotten a number of emails recently from readers asking about what type of shoe I wear to work. Given that I’ve spent most of the past 4 months either in sandals, barefoot, or in running shoes (i.e., summer attire for a college prof), none of those are likely the answer that…
VivoBarefoot Kids Shoe Giveaway
On Sunday, less than 24 hours after Hurricane Irene roared through the region, the day was calm, the sky blue, and the sidewalk outside Two Rivers Treads in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was filled with excited kids and their parents. They were there for the VivoBarefoot Kids Shoe Giveaway. Earlier in the week, I had sent…
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.
Going 1:59: What It Takes to Become Marathon’s Roger Bannister — New Series by Dr. Philip Maffetone
Over the next several weeks on the Natural Running Center website, Dr. Phil Maffetone will thoroughly examine all facets — physical as well as mental –of what it will take to go 1:59 in the 26.2-mile marathon. He believes it’s “no longer a question of if, who, or when, but how.” Part One questions the…
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…
Merrell’s Spring 2012 Barefoot Collection
The Natural Running Center’s shoe review editor is Nicholas Pang, who is also the founder and editorial mastermind of Minimalist Running Shoes, a popular blog where many runners and walkers first become aware of new models, brands, and footwear availability. Nick has both his ears and feet to the ground when it comes to minimalism…
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.
Ask the Experts: Should I Be Concerned That I Pronate When I Run?
I have been to three different shoe stores here in the Bay Area, and each store person took a look at my current running shoes (I wear them during the day) and said that “I pronate.” One youngish guy (he had the look of an emaciated, long-distance college runner) wanted to sell me some “anti-pronation”,…
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, …