Back in my engineering days I developed various micro-electronic and optical devices for a variety of applications. As part of the development process we tested the devices’ reliability because customers don’t take kindly to their precious toys failing.
Every device gets its share of mishandling during its lifetime. They get whacked and shaken and dropped and they are supposed to take this abuse and keep on functioning merrily.
It’s straightforward to simulate this abuse with sophisticated instruments in the lab. We had tools that would whack, shake, and drop devices and then we’d look at them carefully to find out how they failed.
Mechanical failure typically starts with a tiny crack. When abused enough some part or joint or screw or whatever would develop a crack in it and that crack would get bigger as the abuse continued. Eventually the crack would grow large enough so that bits and pieces of the device would fly off when shaken.
Preventing failure meant somehow preventing the shock and vibrations from reaching the device in a way that would do damage and, perhaps, stabilizing the various components in the device in a way that would prevent the development of cracks. Isolate the device from disturbances and/or secure it’s components in the presence of abuse and you have a more reliable device.
But what of a runner’s body and the abuse it takes? As a mechanical material surely the flesh is heir to the same physics.
Before two years ago I would rarely run more than six miles for my workouts because, in short, it hurt to run farther. But now I run marathons and somewhere along the line I made some adjustments that reduced aches and pains to the point where I can train at much longer distances.
In the next sections I present some mechanical solutions that I believe keep my body happier. As you might expect, I have not done any proper randomized double-blind experiments to validate these solutions. So these solutions are at best placebos.
Then again, I’m a big believer in the placebo effect.
5. Shoes
Running delivers a lot of shock to a runner’s body. Estimates vary but it is generally agreed that a force on the order of three times the runner’s body weight is generated with each foot strike. That force can do some damage.
Of course, attention to proper form on the part of the runner will minimize the harm that can result. Shoe manufacturers have a role to play as well.
Shoe companies are forever tinkering with the way in which their shoes support a runner’s feet and a fair chunk of that effort has gone into proprietary methods for creating very soft, lightweight foam for the shoes’ soles. With very soft cushioning, foot strike forces are absorbed in the shoe rather than in the runner’s body.
HOKA One One (yes, that is the full name of the company and is pronounced Hoh-ka O-nay O-nay or HOKA for short) hit the running scene in 2009. Although still a relatively small player in the market their growth in recent years has been astounding. We sell a lot of HOKA’s at West Seattle Runner (WSR).
HOKA’s have several slick engineering features in them but the one that they are most known for is their super soft cushioning. Walking in them is often described as walking on clouds or on marshmallows.
The cushioning isolates the runner’s body from foot strike forces and thus reduces the fatigue that builds up over time. It’s not just runners who benefit from this feature. We see all types at WSR looking for a solution for their tired legs. They are especially popular with nurses, teachers, production workers, etc. who need to be on their feet all day long.
They are less popular with the younger crowd because, after all, young people are nearly indestructible. It’s us older folk that need the help.
I train and race almost exclusively in the HOKA Bondi which is the most highly cushioned model of the brand. I believe that it is a major reason why I am capable of marathons now.
One drawback of this shoe though is that I don’t find it particularly fast. For example, imagine running on a surface covered with real marshmallows. Your feet don’t bounce quickly off that surface because you have to allow for the time that your foot is sinking into the marshmallow layer.
Enter the HOKA Carbon X and its successor the Carbon X2. As is the current rage with running shoes nowadays, these models have a carbon fiber plate embedded in their soles that acts like a spring to propel your foot rapidly into the next stride.
I use these shoes in races wherein my goal is to set a personal record. My data suggest that I get maybe five or so more steps added to my cadence with these models compared to the Bondi. This translates into approximately 2% improvement in my race pace.
That may not sound like much but it is actually about 5 minutes off my typical marathon time just by changing my shoes. That’s meaningful.
By the way, full disclosure, HOKA does not know me and I receive no compensation whatsoever for the kind words I say about their shoes. But if we ever were introduced I would invite them to make a contribution to my Michael J Fox Foundation campaign.
6. Apparel
Twenty years ago my varicose veins were so bad that I had them surgically removed from my legs. They were dead and useless already so there really wasn’t any concern that the surgery would result in inadequate circulation. That ship had already sailed.
Ever since the operations, I have worn knee-high compression socks. The compression works with muscles in the leg to improve circulation by squeezing what veins remain thereby helping deoxygenated blood find its way back to the heart.
This works well. As long as I wear these socks all is good. If I don’t wear them my legs will ache if I am on my feet for any extended time.
Besides the circulation factor, I do believe that these socks minimize running-induced damage to muscles and other soft tissue in the legs. With the socks compressing the lower legs the calf muscles are not able to bounce around as much as they would otherwise.
Because the calf muscles are more rigidly held they are much less likely to develop microtears in them. You can think of microtears as cracks in the muscle bundles. As these microtears grow you are not likely to see bits and pieces of your legs fly off. Rather the tears turn into painful strains and pulled muscles.
Fewer or less severe microtears mean that the muscles are less likely to be sore and stiff after a workout. In decades past I experienced frequent aches in my calves after a run. Not so much anymore.
What’s good for the lower legs must be good for the uppers so I always run in compression shorts now. I never have aches in my hamstrings or quads anymore except, sometimes, in runs longer than 20 miles.
You might ask about my upper body. Tried that. I wore a compression shirt in a workout once and couldn’t breath. So I am just sticking with the socks and shorts.
Training Status
In my most severe training test to date I ran 20 miles on Friday last week followed by 20 miles on Saturday. The first run went well and I had all of the familiar discomforts in the second one but I didn’t hit a wall. Muscles in my left hip and my right side were very sore the next day but they’re on the mend. I’ll go out on a limb and claim that I passed this test.
Chicago on October 10 and Boston on October 11?
I got this. It will hurt but I’m OK with that.
More details about this particular training test to come in later posts.
As you may already know I am a charity runner in the London, Boston, and New York marathons this year.
There’s still time to contribute to my cause (assuming that you have not already done so).
If you share the passion that the Michael J Fox Foundation and I have for finding a Parkinson’s cure please consider contributing to any of the WMM I am running in as a member of Team Fox (links below). All donations are meaningful and greatly appreciated.
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/boston-marathon-2021/joesgottarun
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/londonmarathon2021/joesgottarun
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/tcs-nyc-marathon-2021/joesgottarun
