[HN Gopher] Supershoes are reshaping distance running
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Supershoes are reshaping distance running
Author : Brajeshwar
Score : 123 points
Date : 2024-06-25 19:26 UTC (3 days ago)
(HTM) web link (www.technologyreview.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.technologyreview.com)
| waderyan wrote:
| Golf is facing a similar crisis with distance gains caused by
| driver technology. Many of the world's famous golf courses can't
| hold the best players.
|
| Two of golf's governing body, the USGA (the United States Golf
| Association) and the R&A (the Royal and Ancient) have recommended
| a rollback of the golf ball, which has caused significant debate
| in golf circles.
| cainxinth wrote:
| Swimming dealt with it in 2009 after complaints that suits like
| the LZR Racer provided too much buoyancy and records were being
| broken at an unusual rate:
|
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZR_Racer#FINA_rule_changes
| thih9 wrote:
| What happens with the world records that were scored before
| the rule change?
| bobbiechen wrote:
| They stand. But if you look at the current records (based
| on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world_records_in_s
| wimm... ), most of them were set after the 2009 ban. In
| other words, the full-body suit advantage was not
| overwhelming.
| randomcarbloke wrote:
| I'm contemplating a switch from the minimalist shoes I adopted
| not long after Born to Run was released.
|
| Although I don't run as regularly or consistently as I used to, I
| suspect there are gains to be had from wearing a squishy carbon-
| plate 8-10mm drop shoe.
|
| I'm on a stint of running at the moment, and wonder whether it's
| better to persist with my minimalist shoes until I (once again)
| reach a plateauing of gains, or do I switch now and benefit
| immediately?
| dgimla20 wrote:
| As a fellow runner, it really depends on where you are
| currently at to answer questions like this.
|
| I think of myself as a pretty good runner, but doubt these
| shoes would benefit me in a meaningful way at this point.
| randomcarbloke wrote:
| I watched a video recently where a reasonably good runner
| switched from minimalist to vaporflys and it was
| transformative, I think you're underestimating just how
| significant the advances in performance shoes have been (as
| the article points out).
| mikestew wrote:
| _...doubt these shoes would benefit me in a meaningful way at
| this point._
|
| You would probably be surprised. Can you race at 8:00/mile?
| Do you _not_ heel strike like you 're pounding fence posts?
| Then they'll probably work for you. I've run 50 mile races
| averaging around 9:00/mile in Vaporflys, and I still
| benefited greatly, if only because my legs weren't as trashed
| as they might have been in other shoes.
| jurassicfoxy wrote:
| I can assure you that many super shoes will make you
| noticeably faster. Try them on in the store, you'll know
| right away. That being said, some of them (Nike's especially)
| are really hard to run in. Almost zero heel support, and so
| you _do_ have to be quite fast to make some of them work.
|
| I have run in Endorphin Pro 3's and they are super super
| stable. I've work them for very slow ultras as well as fast
| workouts: excellent shoes all around.
| chis wrote:
| You should switch immediately. The underrated piece is how much
| friendlier squishy shoes are on your joints and muscles. I have
| pretty good form and modern shoes still decrease my recovery
| time by like 1/3 compared to minimal ones.
| randomcarbloke wrote:
| noted, thank you, I'll heed your advice.
| mikestew wrote:
| The next day, after the first marathon I'd run in Vaporflys,
| I said to my wife, "I don't think I ran hard enough." Oh, I
| ran hard enough, but super shoes really save the legs, such
| that you won't feel as beat up the next day.
|
| And they _do_ make me faster as an added benefit. :-)
| mikestew wrote:
| Switch now, use them for your hard workouts (intervals, tempo,
| and the like), and racing. Don't use them for your plodding
| recovery runs, as they won't really work and you're wasting
| expensive shoes. Yes, you'll be faster, but as sibling says the
| real benefit is your legs don't get as trashed on hard runs.
|
| They will last longer than advertised. yeah, I probably
| wouldn't race marathons in them much past 200 miles or so, but
| I've got some Vaporflys that I only use for workouts now, and
| they are approaching 400 mile, IIRC. I've done back-to-back
| comparisons with the worn pair and a practically new pair, and
| yes, they lose a fair bit of bounce after 200 miles. But they
| can still be used for workouts, and they still preserve the
| legs.
| randomcarbloke wrote:
| great advice to make them last with the added benefit of
| forcing good technique by using my flat shoes for
| recovery/steady-state.
| sn9 wrote:
| There are so many other reliably low-hanging fruit for most
| runners that jumping to supershoes is unlikely to make nearly
| as much of a difference.
|
| Like you'll see much larger gains adding 10+ miles per week to
| your training volume.
|
| The supershoes mainly benefit those who've maxed out their
| training volume and ability to recover, and are training for
| professional competition instead of health or recreation.
|
| And strength training is still severely underutilized by most
| endurance-focused athletes. It also improves running economy
| while having a host of other benefits.
| randomcarbloke wrote:
| this is categorically untrue, it would've been true
| ten/fifteen years ago perhaps, supershoes absolutely make a
| difference to both performance and recovery, moreso if you're
| used to the relatively demanding minimalist shoes.
|
| >Like you'll see much larger gains adding 10+ miles per week
| to your training volume.
|
| me personally? I won't as I row 35/40km a week.
| jasonpeacock wrote:
| It's all about running technique, not the shoes. If you switch
| to minimalist shoes, but continue with the same (wrong)
| technique then you'll have problems.
|
| Big, padded shoes are for a specific (wrong) technique.
| "Barefoot" running technique doesn't need fancy shoes.
| jurassicfoxy wrote:
| Your minimalist shoes aren't going to be faster in a race, but
| they are still good for you. I think the way to go is to run in
| many pairs of shoes. Super shoes for some fast workouts and
| races, normal shoes for long runs and tempo work, minimalist
| shoes good to keep your feet strong, Achilles long, etc. Some
| of the fastest runners I know run in zero drop shoes, but they
| also run in carbon shoes. There's no value in limiting
| yourself.
| thenoblesunfish wrote:
| Another way that, a bit sadly, running is becoming more like
| triathlon or F1. In those, there are a lot of rules about what
| technology you can use. Annoying, but it will have to happen with
| running - consider that these "supershoes" in part work like
| prosthetic running blades do, and those are more efficient than
| human feet (as they are springs).
| _DeadFred_ wrote:
| If we are going to limit tech I think they should reduce the
| improved precision of chronometers. Lots of records fall simply
| because of this. It isn't fair that previous record holders
| lose their record simply due to better measuring technology.
| bluecalm wrote:
| I see it the opposite way. Triathlon (and cycling time
| trialing) becomes very expensive if you want to be competitive
| because there is too little regulation. You can buy a lot of
| performance on a time trial or triathlon bike and I don't think
| it's good for those sports long term.
| AtlasBarfed wrote:
| What you should truly remember in Olympic sports like this is
| that really only the top 1% should care about this and even
| then those people probably not.
|
| The engine matters so much more and running. Yeah, 1 to 2% of
| advantage at the high end. It makes a huge difference for a
| metals.
|
| But if you're in any sort of participatory level don't bother
| saltybytes wrote:
| Vivid runner here with very low arches.
|
| My question is: do these supershoes work with supporters (that
| prevent my arches from collapsing)?
| digging wrote:
| Glad you asked here. I was taking down notes during the article
| to inquire about if this would help me get into running. I have
| very flat arches as well, but I've never been a runner and my
| knees are already pretty bad.
|
| (Aside: I think you meant "avid runner here")
| jasonpeacock wrote:
| I too had flat fleet, and wore arch supports for many years,
| but after training in barefoot running for a year I "fixed" the
| issue. I even ran a marathon in barefoot shoes! It sounds like
| an advertisement, but it was life-changing for me. (I'm also a
| big guy at 240lbs)
|
| The book I used is "Chi Running" but there's many similar
| books.
| tiffanyh wrote:
| Off topic: you'd think a university site wouldn't bombard you
| with pop-ups, ads and subscription sign-up.
|
| Immediate first impression isn't good, for this (presumably)
| respected publication.
| inemesitaffia wrote:
| No affiliation with the university
| tiffanyh wrote:
| It's owned by the university.
|
| Just the editorial is independent (no influence from
| university on topics/content published).
|
| > MIT Technology Review is a bimonthly magazine wholly owned
| by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and
| _editorially_ independent of the university.
|
| > Technology Review billed itself as "MIT's Magazine of
| Innovation". Since 2001, it has been published by Technology
| Review Inc., a nonprofit independent media company _owned by
| MIT_.
|
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Technology_Review#:~:text=.
| ...
| mcswell wrote:
| "... physical attributes more common in this group that are
| conducive to an energy-efficient gait, including... a high ratio
| of leg length to torso." I wonder how much the added height of
| the shoes mimics (or exaggerates) having long legs?
| stevesimmons wrote:
| Here's a very good article from The Guardian about the rise of
| supershoes.
|
| I remember it well: it was published on the morning of this
| year's Paris marathon - which I was running in - and it made me
| feel inadequate for not having supershoes of my own.
|
| https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/07/carbon-fibre-s...
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