For the first time in running history, we can buy footwear that provides a performance advantage
Welcome to our blog on - Performance Enhancing Footwear (P.E.F) 13 September 2021
If you are interested in going faster, no doubt you are intrigued by the new footwear builds we are seeing and hearing about. It is claimed the shoes reduce energy consumption by up to 4% and are therefore faster.
To cut to the chase - we believe they are faster.
The 4% energy saving is widely accepted, however, it does not equate to a full 4% faster on the clock. Our personal experience is that they run 10 seconds faster per Km. And maybe more important than the 10 seconds is the psychological effect. Faster feels great, and when your stopwatch communicates a BP, the satisfaction is - so good.
For 50 years racing shoes were thinner with less. The promise was simple - make the shoe as light as possible, carry less, and go faster. And then boom...2018.
Since 2018, race records have fallen. In a lot of cases, they have been smashed.
Common to these shoes
SHOE SCIENCE view of how P.E.M's work
The mechanical advantage is a sum of all 3.
Let's dig into the geek
Today there are multiple options available from all the major brands including New Balance, Saucony, and Asics.
We are recommending these shoes for fast tempo training, racing, and to help keep your legs fresh by mixing things up.
It can take a while to adjust to this style of shoes so please allow yourself a month or two.
While runners were the first to adopt this style of shoe, walkers are now seeking them. A walking gait enjoys the rocker and high toe-spring action.
We are happy to say that wearing shoes that offer some (or all) of these features, will help you run a little faster on the clock. They will certainly make you feel faster and are worth it from that point of view alone. Using a range of shoes is good for your body, makes it interesting, and is fun!
To view our extensive P.E.F range please go to Performace Enhancing Footwear
Craig Taylor SHOE SCIENCE HQ
Craig is a podiatrist, runner, and has worked with the global French footwear brand, Salomon.
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