Smart Running

Run Smarter

There are well over 32 million runners in the United States alone, but unfortunately over 70% are forced to stop running at some point each year due to running injuries (Dreyer 15). This means that there is still so much more for us to learn in order to enjoy a life of injury-free, efficient, safe running. Many specialists, doctors, and competitive runners have made a fortune selling their ideas of the “secrets” to running, and there is compelling research and information behind every theory. Some specialists write entire books on the type of shoe a runner should wear; yet there is a growing trend that supports barefoot running. Some running theories even incorporate spirituality for optimal performance and safety. After a full review of the trends, research, and literature available today, it is clear that while many extrinsic factors contribute to a successful runner, the most important factor that determines a runner’s injury-free longevity is establishing the proper running form (posture, balance, strike, etc).

An examination into injury-free running will almost always begin with shoes. Researchers have been working since the early 1960s to construct the perfect running shoe, and many theories point to the gear on the feet as the greatest contributor to efficient, safe running. In The Everything Running Book, an encyclopedia for running, the authors explain, “running shoes are designed to minimize injury and maximize form and function” (Liberman, Brown, and Myers 28). One researcher notes that Nike’s $17 billion shoe business has been successful because the company “created a market for a product and then created the product itself” (McDougall 181). It is a manipulated market and an over-priced, over-hyped item. Even with the most expensive shoes, which may or may not be beneficial to the runner, this side of the argument only focuses on what the runner cannot control. No shoe can help a runner improve his form or increase his endurance. World...