19 Weeks to Your Marathon - Running Shoes

There is no sport or athletic activity in the world that requires less equipment than running. The only thing you need is a pair of running shoes - and in my opinion that is even optional - more on that later in the book.

There are a range of running shoes available that serve a number of purposes. I think that most shoes are over engineered. They don’t allow your foot to work in the way it was intended. That being said, running shoes are designed to provide comfort, correct bio-mechanical inefficiencies, decrease impact and protect your feet.

There are six primary types of shoes: stability shoes, lightweight trainers, cushioned shoes, racing flats, trail shoes and minimalist shoes.

Stability shoes are for runners that have moderate to severe pronation problems. Pronation is a rolling of your foot to the inside. Some pronation is natural and necessary, but excessive pronation can cause some injuries. The stability features of these shoes will add some weight, but will help prevent the injuries that the pronation can cause.

Lightweight trainers are made both with and without some stability features. Lightweight trainers without stability features are for daily running use and racing by runners with no stability problems. Trainers with some stability features are for daily use by runners with mild stability problems.   These shoes are slightly heavier than the trainers without stability features are but lighter than the pure stability shoes.

Cushioned shoes are shoes with more cushioning materials than the other shoes. These shoes are popular among heavy runners or runners with joint problems. They are also used by efficient runners, with no mechanical problems, that desire a soft ride in a training shoe.   These shoes are available with or without stability features.

Racing flats are ultralight shoes with little cushioning and few stability features. These shoes are usually worn only during races, since they do little to prevent injures and the wear ability is less than training shoes.

Trail shoes are more ruggedly built and have a heavier knobby outer sole to provide traction. These shoes usually have a lot of stability features because of the uneven terrain that is encountered on the trail.

Minimalist Shoes are shoes that mimic barefoot running as closely as possible. Running barefoot encourages proper running style and helps strengthen the muscles of your lower leg. These shoes have very little cushioning or support and are designed to allow your foot to work the way it was intended without the cast like effect of many standard running shoes. This type of shoe is becoming more popular, but you should adapt to these shoes gradually if your feet are not properly conditioned.

Choose the most minimal shoe that will work for you. If you are an efficient runner with no mechanical problems, a lightweight trainer would be a good choice. If you have pronation problems, joint trouble or existing injuries you may need a motion control shoe or more cushioning. Have a trainer, podiatrist or running shoe expert look at your stride and give you specific recommendations if you are unsure which type of shoe to use.

Strength Training Countdown

Beginning Runner Level

Key Workouts for Finishers

• Key 1 - 5 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 2 - 4 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 3 - 8 miles @ endurance pace

Suggested Workout Sequence

Recreational Level

Key Workouts for Finishers

• Key 1 - 6 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 2 - 5 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 3 - 8 miles @ endurance pace

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - Run 3 miles @ goal pace

• Key 2 - Run 6 x 200 meter repeats @ 3K pace. Recover between each repeat with 1 minute of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 x 400 meter repeats up a steep hill or treadmill incline of about 10%. Run @ goal pace. Recover between each hill repeat by running down the hill or at zero treadmill incline @ endurance pace.

Suggested Workout Sequence

Competitive Level

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - 4 miles. Run the first mile @ 10K pace and the last 3 miles @ goal pace.

• Key 2 - Run 8 x 200 meter repeats @ 3K pace. Recover between each repeat with 30 seconds of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 x 800 meter repeats up a steep hill or treadmill incline of about 10%. Run @ goal pace. Recover between each hill repeat by running down the hill or at zero treadmill incline @ endurance pace.

Key Workouts for Racers

• Key 1 - 4 miles. Run the first mile @ 10K pace and the last 3 miles @ goal pace.

• Key 2 - Run 8 x 200 meter repeats @ 3K pace. Recover between each repeat with 30 seconds of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 x 800 meter repeats up a steep hill or treadmill incline of about 10%. Run @ goal pace. Recover between each hill repeat by running down the hill or at zero treadmill incline @ endurance pace.

Suggested Workout Sequence

Elite Level

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - 7 miles. Run the first mile @ 10K pace and the last 6 miles @ goal pace.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 200 meter repeats @ 3K pace. Recover between each repeat with 30 seconds of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 x 1000 meter repeats up a steep hill or treadmill incline of about 10%. Run @ goal pace. Recover between each hill repeat by running down the hill or at zero treadmill incline @ endurance pace.

Key Workouts for Racers

• Key 1 - 7 miles. Run the first mile @ 10K pace, the next 5 miles @ goal pace and the last mile @ 10K pace.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 200 meter repeats @ 3K pace. Recover between each repeat with 30 seconds of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 x 1000 meter repeats up a steep hill or treadmill incline of about 10%. Run @ goal pace. Recover between each hill repeat by running down the hill or at zero treadmill incline @ endurance pace.

Suggested Workout Sequences

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