More or less?

Saturday running is officially my favorite. The conventional long run that comes on the weekends is always so relaxing. As the mikes melt by under my feet I feel the stress of the week falling away with every footfall. We went for our long run this morning at the nature reserve nearby, filled with rolling hills and soft paths to ease the stress on our legs. The run was also shorter than my recent long runs on account of the impending taper, thus my whole body feels slightly less worn down that it has lately. Running up the continuous hills, however, I noticed a difference in my stride. I know that during cross country I consciously changed my gait from low, smooth steps to more aggressive movements, but I never noticed that between the fall and springing had subconsciously switched back. Literally, I have some old pictures from races where I look like I'm speed walking. I attribute it to Nordic, since classic technique involves long and low movements to allow the body to almost fall forward. Running, on the other hand, requires mid-foot strikes and driven knees. Lately I've been running like I ski. Running form is a widely popular topic in the running community. The recent spike in barefoot running and natural shoes raises questions about the traditional function of shoes. Way back when, many people believed that shoes were meant to correct poor form. Neutral shoes were for people who didn't need corrections, while pronators and supinators bought shoes to encourage better motion. In the past few years, people have begun to favor shoes that allow the foot to move naturally-- often to the chagrin of other runners. Personally, I am of the opinion that traditional shoes with plenty of cushioning are the best bet. I am a tried and true Asics fan, and would never jeopardize my health to try the new fad, but am curious about the relative benefits of each style. Here's what I've learned: The natural craze: This includes minimalist shoes and completely barefoot running. Born to Run, a book about shoeless running, brought this option into the limelight and it has since taken hold. It's potential benefits include strengthening of the feet and leg muscles, possibly resulting in fewer injuries, and it encourages footfalls on the forefoot as opposed to heel strike. Critics say that minimalist shoes, and especially barefoot running, are impractical and dangerous because of human adaptation to shoes and the lack of support, cushioning, and stability. It also seems like it would just plain hurt. Traditional running shoes: these include all the basic brands and styles, anywhere from extra cushioning to a neutral lightweight shoe. Typically accepted as the expected running footwear, these shoes have been popular throughout the history of running, albeit in different forms (movies such as Across the Tracks feature high performance runners in Converse-- classy stuff). Benefits are the ability of shoes to correct and supplement the feet and are commonly accepted by the running community. Some, however, argue that allowing shoes to supplement feet weakens them and will ultimately lead to more injury. The third way: Sorry for the shout out to Tony Blair, but I wasn't exactly sure how to categorize this novel footwear. Somewhere between a minimalist shoe and a traditional running shoe, they do away with much of the heel structure and cushioning and focus on the forefoot. Newtons popularized this method, claiming that it encouraged a more natural stride while not compromising the traditional benefits of a full fledged shoe. Many people swear by them and believe they can help both form and speed, but others aren't able to make the switch to primarily toe running. I personally tried them once and didn't like the change they affected in my stride or the calf soreness that came with it, but I can see how different runners would really like them. In all, the shoe issue has not been resolved and will continue to be the focus of debates. I, for one, will stick to traditional shoes, but I hope this discussion gave a bit of enlightenment on the subject as a whole!