UKC

Are there any running shoes out there which would be good for somebody transitioning from heel to forefoot striking?

I feel like I'm not ready to let go of some cushioning (I'm on the road a fair bit and still chasing times for 10K, marathon and HM), but wonder if my Asics Gel Nimbus are too thick at the heel for me to run properly if I'm forefoot striking. My current pair are wearing out a little and over the years I've found they've tweaked the model from what used to be a very comfortable shoe for me, to something that I'm less sure about.

So, all in all, time for a change, but does forefoot striking mean I can wear anything, or am I still subject to the same concerns about pronation etc. that a heel striker is? Do I still need to go to a proper running shop and have my gait analysed?

As a side note, for off road when it's muddy/wet I use Innov8 RocLite (which I just bought in a shop because they felt comfy and looked cool), with no problems over distances up to 25 miles, but I think I should be a bit more careful with road running and shop carefully, despite now forefoot striking. Would that be the right thing to do or a bit over-cautious?

In reply to mountainbagger:

Personally, I'd go for a low heel lift trainer, with the inserts ripped out and replaced with sorbothane double strike. Adidas glide boost maybe, due to the slightly exaggerated forefoot curve?

Nothing but trouble with gel nimbus, soft as couches, as fast as treacle. Felt reticent to wear anything else less comfy, glad I did, a lot of calf problems seem to be rectifying themselves since I binned em off. Always felt heel struck first, then forefoot 'plonked' itself every stride.

PS: Not generally a forefoot striker, but have noticed I do it more since I switched. Seem to have redistributed my strike pattern.
My opinion FWIW

In reply to mountainbagger:

I'm not an expert but son swears by Asics J33's which have a 6 mm heel-drop. He is 14 though, weighs about the same as a bag of sugar and can knock out 18 min 5k's in his sleep.

I wear Gel-Nimbus as was training for marathon and love the comfort and would change to the J33's but having run 1000 miles in them (3 different pairs) without injury I'm reluctant to change. Despite nearly twice the weight (the shoes, not me) and 10 mm drop.

http://www.asics.co.uk/Shop/Shoes/Running/Men/GEL-SUPER-J33/p/0010198301.04...

Wife on the other hand was plagued with calf issues in Gel Nimbus so changed to Salming Distance shoes which weigh less than 200g and have 5 mm heel-drop. Been a revelation for her.

http://www.salmingrunning.com/en/shoes/distance/distance-women/

Good luck!

In reply to mountainbagger:

How low do you want to go ?

I've got New Balance 980 Freshfoam, which is a 4mm drop neutral shoe, weighs about 280g in a size 11, still got plenty cushioning.

Also got the New Balance 1080v4 which is 8mm drop, neutral, and a bit heavier, but not too much.

In reply to mountainbagger:



I think you should listen more to your body and pay less attention to faddy doctrines. Wear shoes that feel comfy and fit nicely! Hill or trail running involves far more variety of step and pace. Sometimes forefoot striking works better, sometimes you need to go up steep slopes on your toes, sometimes heel striking is best.

In reply to digby:

All I know is forefoot striking has reduced ankle, hip, groin and lower back pain for me, so I like it. I don't care what it's called. I'm starting to feel more balanced and nimble (apart from the shoes, hence the post!).

I did originally choose the Asics Gel Nimbus all those years ago because they fit perfectly and have stuck with them, but they are no longer quite so comfy to run in. They feel heavy and clumpy and the 10mm drop may be getting in the way due to the change in my running style.

There are 1000s of shoes to try out there, so this post was really to get help in narrowing the field down a bit - it's quite an expensive thing to do by trial and error (shoe cost and injury risk), so I was wondering whether specific models of shoe were better for forefoot strikers on the roads (because I have no idea).

I know from bitter experience with road shoes, just buying the comfy/best fit in the shop can get me foot and hip pain (can't remember what make - but I was driven back into the arms of Gel Nimbus as a result)!

In reply to Ste Brom:

The adidas glide boost look interesting, thanks, I will keep an eye out for them in the shop. As Digby suggested, I will see if they feel comfortable and fit well, beyond that I guess I'll just have to jog around the shop/treadmill if they have one!

In reply to RedFive:

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for the Asics J33s. Not sure I will find the Salming's in the shops near me - but perhaps I'm behind the times when it comes to brands (I'd never heard of them before now)!

In reply to steelbru:

Thanks - I certainly like the price of the 980s - bit cheaper than some of the others - I'll give them a try if they have them, or similar. This is going to be quite difficult, leaving the familiar soles of Asics Gel Nimbus behind and taking the plunge on something else!

In reply to mountainbagger:

I've gone through the same transition to forefoot in the past couple of months after a fascinating afternoon with this chap:
http://www.naturalrunning.co.uk/. It was a birthday present and probably the best thing I've received since a box of Lego 40 years ago.

For shoes I alternate between Innov8 RocLites and a pair of "boats" AKA Hoka Stinsons. The former cope with almost everything off road - and the latter are just fantastic for taking the brunt of the longer jaunts. Both of these shoes have the right geometry to make the forefoot approach work without really thinking.

In reply to digby:


There's a lot of rubbish that propogates about heel striking.

Heel striking is where the heel actually strikes the ground when the knee is straight. People who are over-striding do this. Without a bent leg there is no shock absorption and the body literally stops at each step.

Nothing wrong with landing on any part of your foot, many long distances land heel first, this is not heel striking.

In fact you can't have forefoot 'striking' you can have forefoot landing, mid foot landing and heel landing. As long as the weight is transferred to a bent knee it doesn't matter.

In reply to simon61:

Glad you feel happy about your change of running style - that's the most important thing, finding something that works for you.

That's not the first time I've heard someone mention Hoka shoes. Looking at them they do look a bit like boats! I take it they're not as clumpy/heavy as they look? Do most running shops stock them?

In reply to mountainbagger:

Hello again
I got mine from a local place:
http://www.theendurancestore.com/
Actually half a size too big - but this seems to work for me, given the move onto the forefoot
Paid around £80 I think sometime last year

I've also seen lots of stock at Pete Blands place

Are they boats?
Yes and no
They look odd - and the family gave me grief - but once you're outside who cares?
For dry-ish trails they're fine
When it gets really claggy then they can hold onto quite a lot - but not really any worse than other options

I'd have no hesitation in buying again

Good luck