FRANK DICK, the director of coaching for British athletics during the golden era of the 1980s and early 1990s, once said: “The difference between winning and losing is small; it’s the consequence that’s huge.”
While there is some contestation over the origins of the concept of benchmarking – it may actually have entered common parlance when shoe-makers made patterns for shoes from the purchaser’s feet centuries back – in a sporting context, the idea of benchmarking is now totally accepted. It’s seen as a necessity in order to achieve continuous performance improvement. However, this being said there is a divide between what has been termed formal benchmarking and informal benchmarking.
Real world benchmarking Boffey and Learmonth
I want to take two international 800m runners in order to look at the two benchmarking methodologies as these determine the “measuring” process. I will also focus on the winter period as this is a time when there are fewer competitive opportunities in the periodisation cycle.
This story is from the January 16, 2020 edition of Athletics Weekly.
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This story is from the January 16, 2020 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Stay neutral
EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
Need for speed
THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.
Gadget show
WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.
What's in a shoe?
We bust some of the jargon around footwear
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