My sister and I have been training for the rock and roll phoenix marathon and our weekly mileage is up enough now where I was starting to get runners knee again. I have experienced this before, and know exactly how to resolve it. For me, barefoot shoes combined with weekly hip adduction and abduction exercises make it go away. Last night I picked up a pair of Merrill vapor glove 4s at REI. These are zero drop barefoot shoes but are not like the five fingers where each toe is sheathed individually. I know better than to say I know better than the way the human foot was designed. Putting my foot in a cushy arch supported shoe is "taking my will back" (lol). Well, I ran my first 4 miles in these bad boys this morning and Bam! No runners knee at all. I'm about 30 seconds per mile slower until my stabilizers get stronger, but it's absolutely worth the added time.
Today I'm grateful for my feet JUST the way they are, zero drop shoes, and REI for always being there when I need them!
Comments