Some high level runners are now endorsing minimalist shoes. This in itself is not new — what is new are the statements made about the shoes. For example, the runners state that the minimalist running shoes”enable them to run more ball-heel or midfoot rather than on the heel. Also, coaches are now beginning to believe that the heel hit is not effective in running and that landing midfoot or ball-heel is more efficient and effective.
Welcome to the 21st century! Knowledge that the heel hit is detrimental to effective running has been known for at least 20 or more years and it has been written up in many different sources. Great detail has also been devoted to why it is so dangerous and ineffective in the my book, Explosive Running,
The key question here is to ask if a running shoe determines your landing. Landing on the ball of the foot or midfoot can be done regardless of the shoe — or lack of shoes. This applies even if the shoes have a built up ball of the foot or heel area. If runners and running coaches would pay more attention to running technique they would know this. They would not have to rely on running shoes to “enable” them to run effectively.
The shoes can’t make you do anything. Only you can change how you run. The shoes however, can help by allowing you to feel comfortably or without pain or discomfort on landing. In fact, there is no shoe that can make you run more effectively than you can in bare feet, especially if you started doing this at an early age.
But running barefoot is often out of the question because of dangerous objects that may be on the ground and cause injury. In addition, to run barefoot you must prepare yourself for such running not only on how to land, but how to execute the actions needed in order to land safely and effectively.
If the athletes believe that the shoe is what makes them a better runner then all the more power to them. They should rely on the shoes. However, the smart runner would be wise to work on running technique regardless of the shoe that he or she wears.
For more information see Explosive Running.