Subject: RE: Running heal strike or toe strike I don't know what a heal striker is, but I was a heel striker. Is a heal striker a person with natural regenerative abilities? More to the point of the OP. The goal isn't so much to eliminate a heel strike, it's to eliminate overstriding. Part of that process can involve drills where a person will land on their forefoot, as that makes it very difficult to overstride. Once you get to the point where your feet are landing closer to under you as opposed to way out in front of you, it doesn't matter what part actually strikes first. Be aware that this process can take 4-12 months depending on how much you run and how quickly your muscles/tendons/ligaments, etc. adapt. It's also a process you need to commit to entirely. Going back and forth between the techniques can be a recipe for problems. It may not yield any immediate gains in speed either. That will come as a result of being able to run more. As a heel striker I was not able to run much more than 20 miles/week without experiencing debilitating pain. I made the switch 8 years ago and last year averaged just over 60 miles/week for the entire year. All with no pain. I run every day as well and haven't missed a day in almost 5 months. There are lots of shoe options available now to help with the process. The Merrell Trail Glove, Newtons or VFF are prime examples. Shoes with big clunky heels and large heel to toe drops make the process more difficult. Take it slow, be consistent, and be prepared to deal with some pain in the calves and likely the achilles until you adapt. You will likely blow off doing well in races this year, but long term this could be a benefit toward a rewarding running career. |