View Workout (Brice Roncace)
MMS and the heel strike debate
September 22, 2009 (Morning)
Exercise Type: Run
Weather: nice
Comments:
The run with the little ones was pretty cool. I met a kid named Austin that went by AK(-47). And yes he was deadly cool.
The MMS coach was preaching heel strike. Hmmmm. That sounds like dated info and Rusty told her as much espousing the benefits of running mid sole (did he say it would cure diseases too?). So while I've always sided with Rusty's non-heal strike camp I wanted to do a quick google search on:
"heel strike vs midfoot running"
http://hastenministries.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/the-great-midfoot-heelstrike-debate/
(+1 for heel strike) -- I liked the final analysis presented here: "run in the way that best fits you."
http://chirunning.com/blogs/danny/2008/07/25/midfoot-strike-forefoot-strike-or-heel-strike%E2%80%A6which-one-is-best/ (+1 for midfoot)
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-footstrike.html (very thorough treatment... it's not really advocating one way or the other but overall I'd have to say the article is skeptical of the Truth that midfoot striking is the Only Way so: +1 to heel strike)
And lastly from the cool running forum I liked this tidbit:
"Try running barefoot on a hard surface and see how it feels to heel strike. The best and easiest way to get away from heel striking is simply speed up your stride rate. This will force your feet to land more under your body rather than out in front so that you land on your midfoot instead of your heels." (+1 midfoot)-- I buy this. I've definitely worked hard on shortening my stride to avoid overreaching and the pounding on my legs that comes with heel striking. I've gotten a ton better but I'm sure I'm not perfect (and I pay the price in my fair share of knee pain) but ultimately when I'm running hard I just run hard. If my heel strikes it strikes!
So who wins? Is there no right answer!? I guess I'm basically in the same place I began: heel striking is hard on your legs and caused mainly by over striding, so try to land mid sole by shortening that stride.
The next time I'm running I'll pay a little closer attention to what my feet are up to!