Minimalist running in the real world

Minimalist running has been a popular topic for a few years, with growing awareness and opinion about it, and why you should take the step (pardon the pun) down this path. This period of time has been accompanied by wide ranging debate and opinion, and backed up by both the birth of new running shoes companies and a change in direction by others. Some of this is balanced and well meant, but some information and resources related to minimalist running borders on evangelism.

With this passage of time, combined with my own experience, plus what I've seen in others, my own thinking around minimalist running has evolved to what is perhaps a more real world perspective. Here is some of what I come to realise and understand myself.

Minimalist running is a description covering everything from barefoot and sandals to light-weight training shoes. Rather than consider it in such absolute terms, minimalist running in the real world means a range of things, starting with just being aware of what you're putting on your feet and the effect it is having on your legs, body and running posture/form. Simply opening your mind to the range of footwear options, and importantly, what is most suitable for you, is the start of the journey to minimalist running.

Remember that running shoes are simply a tool to help with running, and are not a solution unto themselves. When you run they are part of you so you need to consider them in the full picture of your running and that they may influence your running form. In my opinion, shoes that "change the way you run" are getting into dangerous injury risk territory. Remember, they are a tool and should not control or dictate you and/or the way you run.

Further, minimalist running should be measured in relative terms compared to what you're currently wearing. So any shoe that is "less" of a shoe than you currently wear is a minimalist shoe for you. The very big thing here is the adaptability of your legs and body to a (relatively) minimalist shoe, in particular you calves and achilles. For all the benefits that minimalism offers (some of which I'll get to below), the main fault is in how you make the switch to implement it, not to mention the reasons why you might choose to. This is where my own experience is very relevant.

Being open minded to what (relatively) minimalist shoes offered, I got a pair. They were fairly conservative, but importantly, went from about a 10-12mm heel-toe drop to about 4-8mm drop, which I went on to use for my daily running. It took a few weeks, even months, but I started to notice some stiff and sore spots in my calves and heels, which might have been due to many things, but in switching back to my comfy 10-12mm drop shoes the issues (eventually) went away. I feel it was the repeated stress that a slightly lower heel-toe drop shoe put on my calves, achilles and plantar fasciitis that my old legs couldn't adapt to. Or more specifically, it was something I wasn't prepared to go back to basics and take the time to adapt to…which would have taken months and months. It was a powerful and pertinent lesson.

In looking more at why you might want to switch to minimalist running, you need to be very careful and very honest with yourself. Being sucked in by shoe company marketing is not a good reason to switch, neither is  being trendy and keeping up with "the Joneses". Also, if your running is not 'broken', then don't try to fix it with minimalist shoes. Period.

There are, however, times when considering changing shoes to a more minimalist style can make sense, but it needs to be considered as part of a big picture solution, not just as a band-aid type patch. Such a change requires some dedication, commitment and patience since there a number of things you need to consider, things like:

• Your readiness to take a step back before taking a step forwards,
• The fitness and durability of your running infrastructure (aka body) to cope with the change,
• Any injury issue you might have, and the impact of that on running let alone a change like minimalist shoes,
• Your running form, independent of shoes (remember, they are just a tool, not a solution). 

Changing to minimalist shoes can be a viable - and possibly even a suitable - option for people who do need to change something to try overcoming a prolonged issue, usually injury related. So as mentioned, it would be part of an overall review and solution, and gradual transition while being careful not to let your running enthusiasm get ahead of what your body can cope with…cumulative stress and strain can creep up on you, and is common in transitioning to minimalist running.

For runners wanting to change to a minimalist approach and who are not injured, many of the same principles apply…basically, hasten slowly. What I think is a better strategy is to insert small portions of minimalist running within an existing program. For reasons mentioned above, I'm not a fan of making a wholesale change to minimalism without reason (and certainly not 'barefoot' running), but small amounts (measured in minutes per week) can be helpful in a range of ways. Having said that, using different shoes for different sessions is part of being a runner, so in just doing this you’ll be switching between degrees of minimalist running.

The benefits of minimalist running, for those who make a successful transition, vary. As eluded to earlier, the journey to minimalism and what you learn along the way can be as valuable as the destination, so you'll be a more educated runner in a wider aspect of running. You'll also have a new range of shoes to purchase from, especially as more companies come up with a good range of offerings - there's already some nice shoes around. Depending on your reason for changing, your running may improve if only because you might be not be injured (as much!). But your mechanics and efficiency might have also improved - this can be a side-effect of changing to minimalist running. In doing so, the function of your lower legs will also improve. The switch is minimalist shoes on its own will not necessarily improve your running (except for the benefit of lighter shoes).

Minimalist running does have a place, but it's not a black-and-white scenario that some might have you believe. There are degrees of minimalist running, and a range of reasons why you might want to make a change…which needs careful consideration. But above all, the important thing about minimalist running - if you are going to make a change - is how you go about it. Be measured and considered and careful, and make the change for reasons that are aligned with your long-term running continuity.

The athlete's athlete

You probably know - or at least know of - someone like this. You know them because they are one(s) who seem to just 'get it' when it comes to sports. They always race well to the extent that you'd bet your house on them. They rise above any prevailing circumstances and distinguish themselves by their notable performances…they're probably over achievers in other aspects of life, also. They are an athlete's athlete.

An athlete's athlete is someone who captures all the essential aspects of being a well rounded and accomplished athlete…but it goes beyond just that. It's a definition that is shaped your individual perspective, but suffice to say, an athlete's athlete is the athlete (and person) you might imagine yourself as being, in a perfect world. They epitomise all the good points you imagine of an ideal athletic peer.

So why is it these people, in particular, stand out, and what are the common characteristics of being an athlete's athlete?

First and foremost, an athlete's athlete knows themselves in depth. They know their abilities, limits, capabilities, constraints, the way they respond in various circumstances, the stimulus they need for a particular outcome, when to go hard - or easy - and so much more. They have an amazing and innate grasp of pacing in races, and how to squeeze the last drop of performance from their body on any given day.

Such self awareness has usually come about through conscientious training - being fully conscious and aware of what they are experiencing in each session and race. They realise that the things they learn in training are preparing them for racing, part-and-parcel with the physical fitness that goes with it. Further, they make the connection between different types of sessions and the net effect and outcome on their fitness, and how it felt during the process so they know how to fine tune and tweak the session next time for maximum benefit.

An athlete's athlete is also extremely diligent in what they do to contribute to their performance. They train and prepare with the bigger goal in mind, being reassured by the good sessions and learning from the others. They could tell you exactly what they are doing in training, and why, and also rattle off other information like workload, session milestones, training performance markers, etc, because that information is so closely part of the picture of their training. The things they do are micro-managed to perfection. More than likely there is training diary behind the scenes going back seasons and seasons.

When it comes to actual racing an athlete's athlete is solid as a rock, with only small variance in their quality performances. They know their equipment, the effect conditions will have on the day, what are the best tactics, race nutrition, emotional stability and so on. With little fuss they just get the job done - it's all about race execution.

As people, an athlete's athlete is a breath of fresh air. Quiet and humble, they tend to let their actions do the talking rather than feel the need to talk themselves up. You'll need to pin them down to hear any elboration about themselves and what they do, other than just the obvious fact that they just do it. They will be happy to share thoughts and advice in a generous way, but without any accompanying hoopla. Just the straight, down-to-earth facts. Their sport is part of their life that blends into their identity and persona, rather then being overtly who they are.

The lessons you can draw from an athlete's athlete are endless. From their approach to diligent training, understanding of the sport and perspective on where they fit into it, race performances through to the down-to-earth people that they are - the sum of many parts. They just get it, and derive satisfaction from the process of being part of the sport. One more thing, an athlete's athlete exists at all levels in the sport, not just the pointy end. You'll notice them as much for what they aren't as what they are.

Coaching Art vs Science

In many Coaching 101 textbooks is a section titled something like "The Art vs Science of Coaching", which goes into discussion about the balance between the gut instinct, experience and understanding of a coach versus (or contrasted with) what the collective body of scientific knowledge prescribes. It's a battle of ideologies with one saying "we just understand" while the other says "we know because science says so". One is intangible while the other relies on measuring and being measurable. Ultimately, of course, it is the athletic performances that counts most.

With sports being based on human behaviour…something innately difficult to measure repeatably and reliably…there is no magic formula for success from one athlete to the next. It is natural that athletes seek out the option they believe has the highest chance of delivering that success. But which is it…the artisan style coach or the calculated, scientific style? The answer probably lies with the preference of each individual athlete as there are so many variables. Let's look into it a little further.

Coaches have been around in sports for a long, long time. Coaches were guiding athletes to victories and world records way before the emergence of "ground breaking" science, developing theories and approaches which have stood the test of time, and combined it with eccentricities that have been the hallmark of genius throughout the ages. Great coaches think outside the square for ideas and inspiration, evolving over time with results that speak a louder message than their sometimes cryptic words. Great coaches are creative artisans at heart.

The art that these coaches bring is in the form of an innate understanding of sports, especially the one(s) they practice in, and an empathy for the individual person that sees them as a whole, not just the athlete visible to the spectator. A great coach recognises what (and when) an athlete needs in order to improve their performance, combining physical, psychological, emotional, tactical, technical and other elements into a rounded program suited to the individual. A true coach deals with each person individually, calls upon hard earned experience, teachings from others, and amazing foresight in creating a program and adapting it to the scenario presented by each athlete.

Coaches will develop and evolve their own theories, methodologies and protocols which are applied, tested in competition, evaluated, revised and so on year after year to develop programs which are evidence and performance based on the results of many athletes over many years. Coaches have a sense of what is the right thing to do and when, and know that one approach does not suit all. How they do this is their artistic flair.

It has often been said that science's main role is to understand why and how coaching techniques work, rather than to be prescriptive about what should be done. It's as if coaches might say "I told you so" after science "proves" something that was well known and practiced already. "Damn crack pots", the scientists might reply…

Nonetheless, science is important, although the relationship between coaches and scientists can be a little tetchy at times. Science looks at situations in black-and-white, measures things, analyses and then seeks to define groups into which people should fit based on their findings. Science struggles to cope with individualities - outliers - usually excluding them on the basis of statistical exceptions. Having said that, science is very good at developing a great understanding about a defined scenario.

A good analogy is to say that science seeks to discover everything about one square of a checker board, but ignoring the other 63 squares directly around it!!

In a coaching and training context, science can give a great insight into why something might have happened as it did. But in trying to draw conclusions, science can fall short because humans are individual, and the needs of one person will always differ from another. To generalise scientific findings in order to apply them broadly dilutes the specific value that science is trying to offer.

To be a scientific coach might be to ignore the indivudual characteristics of athletes, things like their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, adaptability, recovery needs, work ethic and so on. A scientific coach might seek to apply a protocol that research has found to effective, but miss the individual detail that made it so effective, with the consequence being sub-optimal training that that person. To extend the checker board analogy above, a particular scientific training approach might only be suitable for 1 out of 64 people!!

But as in most debates, the reality is that neither extreme makes for the "best" coach. Coaches these days need to have capabilities in all areas, albeit with some emphasis reflecting their background. A coach without an understanding and consideration for what science is saying is ignorant, while a science based coach without respect for the age-old art of working with individuals is arrogant. The art and science of coaching needs to work alongside each other for the best coaching outcomes.

The role and importance of scientific knowledge in sport is undenied and unquestioned. The skill and techniques of coaching have evolved over generations of athletes. The real skill of coaching - and training - these days is to be open minded enough to consider all sources of information available, scientific or otherwise, and "cherry pick" the pieces that are most helpful in the pursuit of what is best for the athlete and their performance. Because after all, the welfare of athletes and their performance is the main goal!!