The Key To Record Breaking Performances?

Running shoes: how science can help you to run faster and more efficiently

- Thomas Allen

Long-distance running times are dropping – and the first sub-two-hour marathon was completed recently by Kenyan athlete, Eliud Kipchoge. Some are arguing that innovations in trainer design are playing a pivotal role in these improvements. But what is the science behind these elite running shoes? Can they really make such a big difference? And can they get even better?

Over the last two decades, there has been growing focus on the engineering of sports equipment, including running shoes. But while we are seeing rapid development in this area, these steps are often incremental improvements rather than massive strides of change.

The first-ever running shoe appeared about 200 years ago and both materials and design have improved enormously since then. But if you consider the changes on a year-to-year basis, the variances are fractional. They do, however, add up.

Preventing injury A running shoe should protect the foot and the runner from injury. It provides stabilization of the foot and protects skin from damage. It should also limit potentially harmful impact forces as the foot strikes the ground, while returning energy to the runner.

Running shoes are designed in a way that improves running efficiency. Science suggests that if you can reduce the energy it takes to run, then in theory, you should be able to run faster and for a longer period.

To do this, a number of techniques can be adopted. First, we can reduce the mass of a shoe to make it lighter. This will allow a runner to swing their legs more efficiently. Another claim is that if there is more cushioning in the midsole, then an athlete can run with straighter legs, again making them more efficient.