Running is a type of activity that is done as part of a multitude of sports. Those who practice or play tennis, football, basketball, or hockey, in addition to developing the technical elements required by each sport, also run. What running styles are used in each case?
Man is made to move and running is one of the most popular lazy ways of getting around today. The options offered by running are very wide because not only are the causes multiple, but you can run through different spaces and surfaces or following different running styles.
As far as technique is concerned, you could say that running is simple and that you simply have to put one foot in front of the other and little else, but nothing is further from the truth. Running, like any other sporting activity, requires knowledge if you want to do well and avoid injuries.
In addition to following the advice of the experts about which is the best posture and how to breathe, a great element to be aware of is your own footprint to choose the shoes that adapt to individual anatomical characteristics and are appropriate. depending on the terrain or surface on which you are going to run.
Different styles of running
Barefoot running
In some cases, however, the shoe theme is entirely secondary or non-existent. It happens in a type of race that is known as barefoot running, where the runner does not wear shoes but adds kilometers with bare feet.
The barefoot resting on the ground is different from that of the shod foot. Experts who have analyzed runners who do not wear shoes comment that when running barefoot, unlike when running shoes, the support is not made with the back of the foot, the heel, but rather with the part of the foot. midfoot and forefoot.
The technique and the tread are different, but also the injuries suffered by barefoot runners, especially those related to the fact that the sole of the foot is not covered.
Lacerations, cuts, or wounds are possible injuries that increase their prevalence when going barefoot, that is why initially it is recommended to look for those less damaging surfaces, although there are those who dare to go running down the mountain completely barefoot.
Minimalist running
Between those who run barefoot and those who run with shoes there is another possibility, which is to use footwear, but with hardly any sole. It is a "minimalist running".
A few years ago there was a boom in this modality and the most specialized stores had models of shoes with these characteristics. Today they can still be found, but it is a trend that has gone down.
This type of footwear is characterized by having a very thin sole, rather testimonial, so the tread is very similar to that which can be done with bare feet, but with the advantage of protecting the sole of the foot.
In addition to the technique and whether or not the feet are protected, the type of footwear depending on the surface also has its importance.
Running in the mountains on uneven and uneven roads will be completely different from running on asphalt.
It is necessary to wear shoes adapted to each surface because the characteristics of the terrain will mark the need and we must not forget that properties such as cushioning or the “grip” of the sole to the terrain are essential factors to keep in mind when choosing a surface and, hence the slippers.
Plogging
In the same way that the "ways" of running are different, the reasons that lead someone to decide to wear shoes are also different. There are those who run to lose weight or lower cholesterol levels, there are those who do it as an "escape valve" or those who decide to "sweat the shirt" for solidarity causes.
The latter are the ones that more recently are taking over pages in the media and one of the most innovative running styles in our borders is the "Plogging", a variant that comes from northern Europe.
These runners, in addition to traveling kilometers, while doing so they collect all the waste they find along the way they exercise.
It is a modality that combines exercise with caring for the environment since with the garbage bag in hand all kinds of materials and discarded products are collected on the side of the road, streets, or on the mountain itself.
Up to two tons of garbage were collected in the initiative that took place in May 2018 in which two runners traveled 295 km of the Catalan coast.
What you should know…
- In the running modality known as "barefoot running," the runner does not wear shoes but adds kilometers with bare feet.
- The “minimalist running” uses footwear, but with a sole so thin that it is almost testimonial.
- The "plogging" is a modality that combines the race with the care of the environment since with the garbage bag in hand all kinds of materials and products discarded are collected on the side of the road.