Barefoot running was clearly one of the most talked about trends in the running industry last year. From the bestselling book Born To Run, to the explosive growth of the Vibram Five Fingers, runners everywhere seem to be talking about barefoot running.
Well, the buzz about barefoot running is about to hit a fever pitch. As we’ve talked about in previous posts, Harvard anthropologist Dan Lieberman has been studying the evolution of human running for several years. Dr. Lieberman has just published the results of his study in the journal Nature and the mainstream media is running (cough) with the story. For those of you who listen to NPR on the drive home, you might have heard this story on “All Things Considered” today. The story is also available on NPR.org and features a pretty interesting video:
Not surprisingly, Vibram Five Fingers are also getting a lot of attention from the media (Vibram sponsored Lieberman’s study). The Five Fingers clearly help people to try barefoot running, while providing some protection from rocks, glass, etc. As we talked about in the previous post, Newton’s are built for Natural Running but some of you may be wondering how Newtons compare to Vibrams. Amanda Brooks asked just that on her blog, Run to the Finish, and Newton Running’s Director of Education and Research, Ian Adamson, had this response:
Running Newton Shoes and Vibram Five Fingers have many similarities, at least from a form perspective. The primary difference is the cushioning and energy return provided by Newtons, which is largely absent in Vibrams.
Both Newton Performance Racers and Vibrams have a 2 mm heel lift, or toe drop depending on how you look at it. This translates into a 1.3% down grade in the shoe, also referred to as ramp angle or drop. Newton Performance Trainers have a 2% gradient, which although very small, can be felt by aware runners. Regular running shoes have a much steeper angle, up to 15% depending on the shoe.
Barefoot running forces you to run efficiently and preventatively with respect to injury. Vibram’s allow people to experience barefoot running with an added layer of protection from harsh surfaces, while Newton’s go one step further, adding forefoot cushioning and a significant energy return component.
Newton shoes are much kinder to the body’s structure and musculature when transitioning from a traditional running shoe to barefoot, and allow you to perfect a natural (barefoot) form while providing protection and cushioning. Newton’s active membrane technology has been carefully designed to facilitate afferent feedback, which means the nerves in your forefoot feel the ground very quickly through the shoe. This is achieved through the outer lugs and internal semi-rigid chamber that is connected to the bio-mechanical top plate adjacent to your foot inside the shoe.
Traditional shoe cushioning mechanisms dampens afferent feedback, hampering proprioception and thus hindering your ability to self-regulate the impact of your foot strike. Studies show that runners strike much harder in shoes that dampen afferent feedback, one of the causes of injury. Barefoot runners and runners in shoes that allow you to sense the ground encourage you to run protectively, as if barefoot.
Bottom line is that both Vibrams and Newtons encourage a barefoot or natural running style, but Newtons make it much easier for runners to transition from typical running shoes.
Big shout and many thanks to Mark for cluing me into the fact that Christopher McDougall, the author of Born to Run, will be here in NYC for the NYC Marathon expo this week!! I know the notice is a bit short, but if you’re here as a runner or just as a spectator like myself, here is his schedule!
Thursday October 29th: New York City Marathon Expo, 12-5, in the Moeben
Sleeves booth
Friday October 30th: New York City Marathon Expo, 12-5, in the Moeben
Sleeves booth
also, City Sports again from 5-7
Saturday October 31th: New York City Marathon Expo, 12-5, in the Moeben
Sleeves booth
also, City Sports again from 5-7
If you have not heard it yet, do check out my interview with Chris HERE!
I am SOOOO excited! Once again, the Newton Running team will be heading to the Big Apple! They’re going to be here for the New York City Marathon which is being run next Sunday, November 1, 2009.
While they’re here, they wanted to spread the love to all of those who are die hard members of the Newton tribe and to all those who are curious to see what the Newton running philosophy and shoes are all about! If you wear other brands of shoes (or none at all!) come! For that matter, even if you’ve never heard of Newton, come on by!
Danny Abshire, co-founder of Newton, will be heading up a clinic in Central Park on Friday and Saturday morning, October 30 & 31. Danny will go over the Newton philosophy and technique and then we will all go on a group run in Central Park, where he and other members of the Newton team will give pointers and tips for improving your technique and form.
As an added bonus, they’re going to come bearing gifts! Each participant in the free clinic will be given a Newton Running hat!
If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to contact me by leaving a comment or click the CONTACT ME link above! If you’d like more information on Newton Running, check out these links:
After much waiting and procrastinating, I finally went today and purchased my frst pair of Vibram FiveFingers. I went with the KSO model and I cannot wait to get home to give them a shot on the second part of my run this evening! Here are the unboxing pics!
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This month, Newton Running released their latest trainer, the much anticipated, Sir Isaac and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers. I have gotten lots of questions myself about this new shoe, but being that I have only ever seen them in person once and have only read about them, I thought it would be great to let the folks at Newton answer the questions about the details of the shoes themselves. I believe that this shoe, in particular, is a special one to highlight because it is a shoe aimed at individuals who would like to transition to forefoot running.
We’ve had some recent requests to post more information on the new Sir and Lady Isaac shoes that are now available on our website or from a specialty retailer near you. We’ll also be at the Virginia Beach Rock ‘n Roll marathon this weekend, Ironman Wisconsin Sept. 10-12 in Madison, and at the ING Distance Run in Philly Sept. 19-21. Come see us and try on a pair!
The newest addition to the Newton family offers intelligent control for all foot types. The Isaac is a neutral guidance trainer designed for runners committed to improving their running form to the more efficient midfoot/forefoot running style.
UPPER
Highly breathable, fast-drying, closed mesh
Slip-proof laces with heel-securing double eyelets
Lightweight ergonomic support strapping
Metatarsal stretch panels
Reflective logo and heel tab
MIDSOLE
Single-density, high rebound EVA that stabilizes all foot types
Second generation Action/Reaction Technology™ forefoot and heel
Midfoot/rearfoot support chassis for added stability
Beveled heel and toe
Met-flex enhanced forefoot flexibility
Enhanced sock-liner that increases energy return and protection
Accommodates orthotics
OUTERSOLE
Second generation durable, high traction actuator lugs
The debate rages on and on. Yet still, medical “experts” and shoe companies cannot produce anything that shows that over-stuffed running shoes do anything for you. And now the New York Times takes another look at the issue. One person quoted in the article, one Simon Bartold, an international research consultant for Asics, is quoted in the article as saying the barefooters, “are propagating a campaign of misinformation.” Really, Mr. Bartold? There is 2.5 millions years of research on the minimalist side, where’s yours? Click the link below to read:
Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, appeared on Comedy Central in a great interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. While it is a great interview (for being so brief), I am more than a little biased and much prefer my interview with Chris HERE.
Check out the video of Chris’ Daily Show appearance below!
Forgot to put this on the show, but a HUGE shout out to Kate and all the luck and ass kicking in the world this weekend in the America’s Finest City Half-Marathon this weekend in San Diego!!
I’m not sure of the exact date when I discovered Newtons, but thanks to this site, I can tell you the first time I spoke about them on my show. It is BMP #16 at about 29 minutes in. From that point, much of the research I did on the shoes themselves was done away from Brandon’s Marathon. I did however, talk some about the technology of the shoe and how it works. I also encouraged people to go to their website rather than hear the information secondhand from me. I STILL encourage everyone to do this.
The first time I tried Newtons was in October in Richmond, Virginia when I was picking up my race packet for a sprint triathlon I was doing. The store where the pickup was located was also a Newton dealer. I asked and they happily allowed me to take a pair of trainers for a spin around the block. They were exactly what I was looking for and felt amazing. Before anyone suggests that they felt “amazing” because I wanted them to feel “amazing”, I made a promise to myself when I began this website that I would be as transparent with my audience as possible, sharing every feeling that I had (though not necessarily every event). I have kept that promise, and not in the way our government is “transparent”, rather, for real.
Due to the fact that Newtons do cost a bit more than many running, a fact which does not escape me or my wallet, I could not immediately get my hands on a pair. Also, I wanted to wait because at the time, Newton had announced a new, all-weather shoe, that would be more appropriate for running in New York City in the winter, which would not be shipped until the end of the year or early the following year. For my birthday (December 2) my father and stepmother gave me my first pair of Newtons (which wouldn’t be in my hands for a couple of weeks, but what can you do?)!
My Newtons arrived on December 15, 2008. I know it seems excessive that I know when they arrived, but again, thanks to this site I have a record. Before then, I had been slowly transitioning to forefoot for a while and my legs were more than ready. As luck would have it, I had a race about five days after getting my Newtons, however, Mother Nature intervened and dumped a ton of snow on the city and Central Park was a cold, slushy, snowy, icy mess, so I opted for my Vomero’s. With the exception of some extremely snowy or disgusting weather runs, that was the last time I would go Newton-less.
But, WHY did I switch? The answer to that question has a few layers. First, as I said earlier, I was blissfully unaware of what running actually was. For me it was something where I just went out and did it to lose weight or to look better, but now I was doing it because it was fun! Yes some of the long, boring mile remained long and boring, but they were not so laborious as before. Keep in mind that I did not all of a sudden get my Newtons and begin forefoot/midfoot striking, I had been doing it for a while in my existing shoes. Newtons, due to their minimal heel-toe drop (about 1/6 of an inch), allowed me to use a much more “piston-like” (up and down) action with my legs rather than having to force my toes down to overcome the giant wedge of my Nike’s.
Second; I wanted to go farther and longer. This part is less about Newtons, “the shoe” and more about the technique which they use and promote. Over time, I had come to discover, through trial, that forefoot running, with a shorter, more efficient stride, allowed me to go longer with minimal fatigue. It also allowed me to get up hills, where before I had to walk, I could now run up no problem. I know that this, again, may sound like a bit of, “hey mom! look how I can run faster and jump higher in my new shoes!!” syndrome, but again, this is NOT about the shoe, but about the technique that they promote. As I said before, I am not a small, lanky runner type of guy. I am tall and big and can bench-press about 275 lbs. (or could before I began trying to lean out for my Ironman). I have not had a single injury, save for ITBS which was existing, since running in Newtons. Not shinsplints, not plantar fasciitis, not knee pain, nothing.
Third; when you go to Newton’s website, you will notice that, while they are a shoe company, they are less about the shoes themselves and more about running healthy. On their YouTube channel, there are seven videos talking about the shoes themselves but EIGHTEEN videos that are about running technique and testimonials. In my experience this embodies what Newton is all about. They are taking a stake in the general health of the world around them and promoting running healthy, shoes or no shoes. When the guys from Newton came to New York this past June and did a running clinic, about half the people there were wearing Newtons and the other half not. While they definitely told us about their shoes a bit and why they were different, not ONCE did they say, “Now go buy our shoes!”.
I wear Newtons because they work for me. I wear Newtons because they promote a technique that I believe in. I wear Newtons because when I wear them, I’m not “getting through” a run, I’m just running! If you have never tried a pair, try them! What do you have to lose? If your shoes work for you and you have zero problems, don’t try them. But don’t knock it until you try it.
I don’t work for Newton, and everything I’ve said in the parts of this article are how I feel. When I run in my Newtons, or barefoot with the same technique, I feel alive. I feel like I want to run, not like I have to.
Whether you think you’re a “heel-striker” or forefoot striker, this little video from the folks at Newton Running shows perfect technique. I posted it a while ago, but I think it is well worth revisiting!
Yesterday evening, at 5:30 on a particularly beautiful day here in New York City, a group of runners met at The Bosthouse in Central Park. We were meeting with the common interest, not only of running, but of running smart and running healthy. The vehicle through which this took place was Newton Running.
We were met by Danny, Ian and Ian. Danny, being one of the founders of Newton was not only INCREDIBLY in touch with his product (obviously), but is one of the foremost experts on running in the world today. With the help of the Ian’s, Danny explained in very clear terms the theory and technique behind using the Newtons to further proper running technique. What was of great advantage was the fact that what Danny was explaining is not some revolutionary concept that ad piles upon piles of numbers to digest, but rather, was simply common sense and utilizes our true “natural” running technique.
After we met, we went up to a part of the park where there was a traffice turn around (fortunately with no traffic) so that we could run around the circle to nail down the technique. One of the FIRST things we did was TAKE OFF OUR SHOES! I think it is important to note, to the Newton skeptics out there, that 1. Not everyone was wearing Newtons. and 2. They explained the technique WAY before the technology.
We then went on a short group run on the bridle path (not too sure how far) and during the run, the Newton crew was taking the time to look at our strides one at a time and gives us tips and encouragement. They also were more than happy to answer any questions that we had.
I will go more into detail about some of the things we discussed on next week’s show, but for now, suffice it to say that if Newton is EVER in your area you should go talk to them. In the meantime, I will be putting up videos every day (if I can remember) that come from Newton themselves. If you would like to explore more about Newton, please visit their site, or feel free to ask me any questions if that is easier for you and I can pass them along. However, they are extremely accessible and I’m sure would be hapy to help out with anything you may want to know!!
For my part, I would like to say thank you so very, very much to everyone from Newton!! If you guys EVER want to do another thing in NYC, you can count on me to drum up as many people as I can get my hands on!!
Check out this amazing article that I found on the Newton Running Blog, The Running Front which is part of a repost from an article in Popular Mechanics.
Give these articles a read, and if you want to give barefoot running a shot, but need something to protect your soft, tender footsies, you can give Vibram FiveFingers. Or, my personal favorite, Newtons!!
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About Me
Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am an opera singer living and trying to make it in New York City. This site and podcast follow my adventures on the way to competing in and training for all kinds of endurance events, especially triathlon and running. Click the "About Me" tab for more info!
The debate rages on and on. Yet still, medical “experts” and shoe companies cannot produce anything that shows that over-stuffed running shoes do anything for you. And now the New York Times takes another look at the issue. One person quoted in the article, one Simon Bartold, an international research consultant for Asics, is quoted in the article as saying the barefooters, “are propagating a campaign of misinformation.” Really, Mr. Bartold? There is 2.5 millions years of research on the minimalist side, where’s yours? Click the link below to read:
