My most recent running development was to buy a new brand of shoe. These sneakers are from a company called Altra Running. Their product boasts two selling points that spoke directly to my recent concerns about my feet and the impact of footwear on them.
The first is an enlarged 'toe box'. The toe box refers to the space of the shoes from the end of the toes to the forefoot (where the spaces between the toes ends). Most of my sneakers curve gradually from the little toe to the big one, squishing my toes and metatarsals inward. I suspect this effect contributed to my recent issues with walking and running.
The enlarged toe box allows the toes to move freely during a run. I've already noted a big difference in speed and smoothness of stride. I also tried them during basketball games and found myself lighter and quicker on my feet. I think this is the start of something good. But, it's early days and I'll hold off on declaring this idea a full success for now.
The second feature is the 'zero drop' sole. Unlike the 'toe box', this feature is not unique to Altra. The drop is a reference to the height of the heel above the toes when one stands in the shoe. A positive number means the heel is that number of millimeters above the toes. Zero drop indicates a perfectly level sole, the equivalent of standing barefoot.
The switch to zero drop completes a five year journey. The shoe gets the most out of a running style that I started transitioning to back in September 2011. In fact, given that running in a high-drop sneaker exaggerated the effect of landing further up the foot over these past couple of years, I suspect I waited a little too long to make the switch. But it is better late than never, you know, when it comes to running.
The footwear adjustment also highlights an ongoing trend of the past two years- removing obstacles to bring out the best in something or someone. That's a journey that I hope sees no endpoint.
