Minimalist Experience

Since about October I have been running in either Saucony Kinvara or Adidas Chill (Nike Free competitor). I feel I have more support in the Kinvara's than the Chill but I have had no problems running in both. But, I have also changed my running mechanics from a heel striker to more of a midfoot striker. The transition was not easy to say the least. Now, I can run without any knee or shin issues. Even in my Adidas Sequence, I was getting very sore in the shins during long runs.

BTW, there is no way I can run barefoot. There are too many obstacles such as rocks, pebbles, etc along all my routes. It is just too painful to do so. So, I decided to stay with the minimal shoes. A big difference between traditional running and the minimalist shoe is the heel-to-toe ratio. Most shoes have a 2 to 1 or 1.5 to 1 ratio which actually puts your foot on an angle when you are running. The Kinvara has a 7mm difference between heel to toe and the chill is close to 0 even though I have not officially measured it. The goal is to be at a zero heel to toe ratio on your shoes to be in a true minimalist shoe. The heel to toe ratio is amount of cushion in the heel versus the toe of the shoe.

The moral of the story here is that you need to do what is best for you. If you want to transition to minimalist/barefoot, you need to realize you can not do it cold turkey and you could injure yourself if you are not careful. It takes a long time to fully transition out and I recommend that you do it slowly. I decided to try the minimalist approach since it is all the rage and I would not try it at home unless you are patient. I am still in transition mode and probably will be for a while.

Someone mentioned to me the other day that you can start out in a mid foot strike but change to heel strike as you get tired. I am trying to research that statement to see if it is true or not. I will report back when I find the answer. I do not find myself changing to a rear foot strike when I get tired but I could be wrong.

Is less more?

From the article in Runner's World, Is less more?, Runner's World takes a balanced approach to barefoot, minimalist trend. I have looked at this trend in detail from reading Born to Run and also looking at the research. There is still no conclusive evidence that barefoot/minimalist running approaches are better than in traditional shoes. There was one study that raised my eyebrows a bit was a study that shows that runner's in shoes $95 or more had an increased chance of injury than someone in a cheaper pair of shoes. There is also no conclusive evidence that traditional shoes prevent injury. But, their are stats that show 70% or more runners get injured during their running lifetimes.

So, what does one do? First of all, you should not go to barefoot/minimalist running cold turkey. Our feet are not strong enough to go right into the barefoot/minimalist shoe without some transition period which can be anywhere from 6 months to a year or longer. Also, you need to look at the different ways that you foot can strike the ground. Barefoot/minimalist runners strike with their mid or forefoot versus their heel. Also, their stride is smaller than a heel foot striker. Some experts suggest that heel foot strikers put a lot of stress on the shins and knees and that the forefoot style is better for you in the long run. So, if you wanted to transition into minimalist shoes than I would also suggest that you change your stride and your form to gain the benefits of forefoot striking.

I have found that in traditional running shoes I heel strike but in a minimalist shoe I forefoot strike. I am always very sore after a race because of this. You use different muscles when you forefoot strike versus heel foot strike. I have decided to transition to minimalist shoes and change my form. I use the Saucony Kinvara. I love this shoe. I was using it as a racing shoe and I now use it as a trainer also. This shoe does have more support if you are looking to transition. I will talk about my transition to minimalist shoes in this blog. I will also share some of the latest research and new running methods with you. I will also look at the different minimalist shoes out there plus my thoughts on running barefoot.

Soccer/Football Foot Problems

Hello everyone,

I have been running the store for over a month and a half now and I see a lot of kids with foot issues especially in football and soccer. Soccer and football cleats offer no cushioning or protection for your feet unfortunately. Also, you can not get soccer or football shoe in a wide. You have to buy a half size bigger and lace your shoes differently. I have been recommending to my customers, Superfeet. Our orthopedic doctors in our area recommend these insoles to their patients who have foot problems.

Goto superfeet.com for more details. I will be offering these online in the near future once my ecommerce site is complete. Stay tuned!

That is all for now.

Thanks,
Keith

Welcome!

Hello everyone,

It is time for me to get this blog rolling. I officially took over On the Run Sports in Warrenton, VA on August 8. I want to thank Coach Mike for having the confidence that I can take OTRS to the next level. We are hoping to become the running and sports specialty store of choice in the Warrenton area. We offer running shoes, gu, superfeet and spenco insoles (great for those who have foot issues), and other running gear such as compression and winter gear. We also offer soccer cleats and shin guards, swimming accessories like goggles and caps, and hockey assessories. We do have a good line of wrestling gear.

The purpose of this blog is to share information on running and sports and my personal experiences. I will share information like typical running and sports injuries, how to prevent them, nutrition, how to pick the right shoes, etc. I became a fitness fanatic about five years ago when I had major health issues. Running has become a passion of mine and a way for me to stay healthy. I will share my own journey into increasing my fitness and health. I am also a cardiac runner. I had major heart surgery in 2008 to replace my aortic valve with a mechanical one. I am on warafin everyday which I do not wish on anyone. I was born with a bicuspid valve. Even with all of those issues I am able to run 5Ks in the 19s and 20s. Today, I am healthy and fit.

I look forward to our journey together with this blog and if I am able to help one person then I feel it is a success.

Cheers,
Keith

Welcome!

Dr. Keith A. Morneau will take over the management of On the Run Sports LLC on August 8, 2010 from Mike Stanislaw. Coach Mike will stay on board as a partner for the next couple of years and will handle Race Management, Personal Coaching, and the Fauquier Running Club. Dr. Morneau is an avid runner and returned to running after a 18 year hiatus in 2004. He also lost close to 100 pounds in his quest to get healthy again. He also had an aortic valve replacement in 2008.

He was a five year letterman in cross country and track in high school. He specialized in the 800m in high school and occasionally ran in the 4x400m relay as a backup. Dr. Morneau will also offer personalized coaching utilizing a holistic approach. If you need help increasing your fitness, losing weight, or just want someone to push you, let me know. He is here to serve the community. Also, Dr. Morneau was a hockey player first than a runner second but running took over around the age of 12.

Dr. Morneau started the St Johns Crusaders, a running club for kids 5 and over at St Johns Catholic Church in 2009. He started with 20 kids last year which has grown to close to 60 kids this year. He hopes to expand kids running in the county.

You can contact Dr. Morneau at keith@ontherunsports.com. Let him know what he can do to serve the community better.