Laura Should Not Recommend Heel Strike in Week 2

Actually - it's quite strange to me -- for approx 80% of all westerners do indeed run on their heels. I can only assume it comes as a kind of extension to how they walk - as I believe most of us do walk on our heels. When I did start out on this programme , I considered how I did run ( not that I ran much at all - but it seemed natural to me to run on the mid to fore foot.) I have had a try on heel striking - but I feel that I would need a shoe with a highly padded heel to do so.

I was advised to change my style from heel striking to landing on my mid foot as I was having problems with my shins. It took some doing , I started slowly and kept stopping when I felt I was going back to the old way but it saved me from haveing to give up

I wouldnt recommend anyone to heel strike because of the impact damage, I do wear running trainers that I bought to correct my ankles from rolling which have stopped my knees from damage as I had a lot of pain and swelling on the inside of my right knee.

It is a difficult one because research suggest there is pro and cons of both techniques. I run midfoot on short speed runs but quickly tire of this technique if running a 12k and revert back to heel strike. I would not recommend anyone else doing this but just feels right for me. Good luck and well done for kicking the smoking habit sounds like a great 2014 for you!

I have a "theory" about why many people use heel strike while running. It is that it is harder work to run on the mid-to forefoot. You must use the calf muscles , ankles and knees joints much more as "natural" shock absorbers - whereas when running on the heels the shin an dother leg bones are used to support the body. This is less demanding -- but leads to injury as bones are more apt to become damaged. The rigidity of the leg bones - when being used in this way - also potentially causes shock further up in the hips.

I was a runner at school and competed at County level always running this way. Being of a forces family maintained a level of fitness throughout until a new career completed absorbed me and funnily enough my daughter who now competes at County level! (1st in her category! pushy mother!) Picked up my trainers again new years day and love it! Running shoeless wow!! good days

Do be careful with plimsolls. Forty years ago, as a student, I thought I would try "jogging" as it was called then. I went out for one session in plimsolls. The next day, I could barely walk. I had messed up my Achilles tendon. For months afterwards, I could not run even a few steps to catch a bus, because the pain was excruciating.

I have no idea whether I heel strike or not. If I try to think about the mechanics of running or breathing, it messes me up so much that I have to stop running!

Thanks for all your comments. Boy you're an active lot.

Anyway I came a slight cropper - thinking I was 20 years younger and could do anything. See edit of original post above.

I still finished week 4 this morning but in trainers after walking back home to change. :blush:

My main point stands in that Laura should not dictate heel-striking in week 2. Did anyone else notice that?

When I first started the programme last year, I really struggled with pace, technique and breath. As a newbie to running, I probably would have followed everything Laura advised if it weren't for my partner who was running with me and advised me where to go for more information. I didn't follow some advice and developed a comfortable and fairly quick running style which is making this time around so much easier. It is worrying that the information given is maybe out of date and they didn't consider this when making the programme. It would be more useful to have her suggest where to go for information.

There is a blogger, katysays.com who goes in depth into the whys and wherefores of achilles pain, knee pain and alignment. One of her constants is that most people have spent their lives walking in shoes with some kind of lift in the heel, even men. This has shortened the achilles tendon dramatically. We almost always wear shoes with a thick or rigid sole to protect our feet from debris or ick on our paths and our feet have lost a lot of their elasticity and muscle. Modern trainers have the cushion in the heel because that is where people with short calf muscles and poor foot muscle tone need them. It makes sense to heel strike if you are in trainers. If you have flexibility and muscle tone in your feet, you have a bit more leeway in your shoe choice and where you strike your feet. In the winter or on treadmills I use my trainers, but as soon as there is no snow/slush/frozen mud, my vibrams go on and I run toe-heel

When I first started to run, I did so on the understanding that I have never been able to run -- and wanted to learn how to. I knew absolutely nothing about the skills and equipment associated with running. So I researched the Internet -- where I found a LOT of conflicting information. However some of that info seemed "logical" to me and others didn't. I spent some time in a Forum for experienced runners - and discovered a lot of aggression on both sides of the shoes argument - with one side proposing their argument scientifically and the other side simply defending their practices almost dogmatically.

I am convinced personally that heel striking is bad -- even if Jo Blo can run a marathon that way in a mind blowing time. There are shoes that have a kind of "mid-way" design to them - with drops of around 4-5mm and some degree of sole padding .

Well for now I'm working on regaining elasticity in my Achilles and calves before I try the plimsolls again. I may even invest in some Vibram 5 toes. I only hope I'm not too old to regain lower leg suppleness.

Pingu7931

There's no need to go overboard As I said there are "minimalist" shoes that are light and comfortable - I bought a pair of the new 2014 Nike Free 5.0 and the Saucony Kinvara 3 ( these are the 2013 model and selling cheap) -- both have 4 mm heel drop and are a good compromise between barefoot and the large heeldrop shoes that many wear. I don't have any trouble with my calves now ( at age 67) - but I have run around 150 klms in my older Free 5.0's ( which were just a half size too small which is why I decided to get another pair yesterday)