Has anyone converted from being a heel-striker to a forefoot-striker and seen a big difference in their race times as a result?
Has anyone converted from being a heel-striker to a forefoot-striker and seen a big difference in their race times as a result?
bump
"Converting" from heel to forefoot striking is simply a matter of increased velocity, so, of course, one would see a difference in race times.
Converting from heel to forefoot striking can be done. I have made the switch myself in the last year. I was a very hard heel striker and now am completely on my forefoot (half-marathon is the longest distance I run).
I made the switch to take the stress off of my bad knees, and it has worked like a charm. My times have dropped at all distances - about 1 minute per 5K.
Granted, there is a 2-3 month time period where you will have sore calves. Just make sure that you do not stretch your calves before running (especially racing). Stretch them all you want afterwards - just not before.
I don't understand why people want to claim that this heel-to-forefoot transition cannot be made. Maybe they were fairly efficient to begin with and cannot fathom a complete overhaul of one's footstrike.
Just be patient. Start by just going a few miles at a time on your forefoot. Then increase the mileage as you become more accustomed to it. In the end, the most difficult thing will be finding shoes with enough forefoot cushion to handle your new strike.
Try the Newton's. I had a hard time making the conversion till I tried these shoes. They force you to run on your toes. I can't seem to help but run fast when these shoes are on. Be sure to make the transition slowly. Your calves may be killing you at first.
I made the switch recently due to continual problems with coordination loss while running longer efforts on flat surfaces (see the loss of coordination thread). Although forefoot striking hasn't solved the root cause, my incidences are few and far between now. Even if I'm plodding along at 8:30 pace in the morning I'm still up on my forefoot. As far as times go, I'm running roughly 30 seconds faster over 8k than I did a year ago. I don't feel it's only because of the forefoot running, but it certainly hasn't slowed me down.
A chicken or the egg question: Does a forefoot landing lead to faster running, or does faster running cause a forefoot landing?
Well, I know some runners much faster than myself who heel strike. I do see more mid and forefoot strikers up front in races though, but it is just one component of many that go into faster running.
wondering wrote:
A chicken or the egg question: Does a forefoot landing lead to faster running, or does faster running cause a forefoot landing?
Foot strike is a function of velocity.
No way
I've always been a forefoot man myself. It just feels more natural. I had some douchebag DR try and put me in orthodics that caused me to land more on my heel. I was coming off of a stress fracture of my 2nd metatarsal. In the end it just made me feel sloppy and my arches hurt. I threw the 300 dollar wasted investment in the trash and continued on my merry way. The only real downsides i've found is that when i first ramped up my mileage when i was in HS i developed some achilies issues but that was remedied quickly. The impact force on the forefoot is greater but that alone didn't cause my stress fracture, simply precipitated it from a weakened bone from a bone contusion suffered from blunt force trauma (stepping on an exposed sprinkler head during an XC meet in college).
Not sure why people feel that this transition is impossible. I totally and completely struck on my heel 2 years ago (no matter the pace, 8:30 miles included). Now I totally and completely strike on my forefoot (no matter the pace, 8:30 miles included). Striking on my forefoot was a conscious decision I made to keep my knees from absorbing too much shock, thus enabling me to run better as I age.
I did not switch to forefoot striking as I got faster. There are plenty of guys faster than me that still heel strike real hard. I switched to forefoot striking on purpose in an effort to better take care of my body. My improving race times are due, I believe, in large part to the fact that I am not beating my legs up as much when I run now.
zerogravity wrote:
Try the Newton's. I had a hard time making the conversion till I tried these shoes. They force you to run on your toes. I can't seem to help but run fast when these shoes are on. Be sure to make the transition slowly. Your calves may be killing you at first.
http://www.newtonrunning.com/the_athletes/testimonials.php
man those are some crazy looking shoes....
how do they feel?
do any stores carry them or do you have to order them?
newton shoes look like an internet scam to me. not available in stores so you can look at them prior to purchasing, very high price, relatively heavy for a faster pace shoe. It just doesn't jive with me. Stick with racing flats with thinner soles and you'll run forefoot.
BUT... if you want to race a good marthon, do not forefoot strike (unless you're Haile G). I always forefoot landed when running at any speed, but my quads really turned to stone in the last miles of marathons. Finally remembered to run heel-toe in a marathon and ran 2:32:30 at age 44 in NY in '81, VERY good for me.
Yeah I don't think so. You can change your mechanics and run at the same velocity. Or put another way changing your
running mechanics will not necessarily result in increased velocity.
what is that you say wrote:
"Converting" from heel to forefoot striking is simply a matter of increased velocity, so, of course, one would see a difference in race times.
Yeah, this guy is stupid. I used to run on my heels and no matter how fast I was running, from long runs down to 100m sprints, my strike was the exact same.