Wearing Lighter Shoes

The benefits to wearing lighter shoes include less braking (and therefore less impact), less muscle strain and less energy output because you're lifting the weight of the shoe off the ground instead of using excessive muscular force to push off the ground.

Simple math says if you're carrying an additional 2 ounces over 25,000 steps in a half marathon or 50,000 steps in a marathon, it means you're lugging an extra 3,000 to 6,500 pounds to the finish line. And the difference of the impact transients - the forces that shoots up your body upon your foot's impact with the ground - is considerably more with a heel-striking gait in a heavier shoe than it is with a lightweight shoe that promotes an easy midfoot or forefoot gait. The combination of all of these factors means you endure less physical exertion and less fatigue in a lightweight shoe, and that ultimately means you'll recover faster.

There's a simple way to experience the metabolic differences of running with a lightweight, minimally constructed shoe compared to running in a shoe that's several ounces heavier. After warming up, run a mile in a pair of 12-ounce trainers on a track at a pre-determined pace (say 8 minutes, which means 60 seconds for every 200 meters) and record your heart rate data with a heart rate monitor. Then lace up a pair of 9-ounce trainers and run another mile at the same 8-minute pace. You'll likely find your heart rate is 5 to 10 percent less during the second mile when you're wearing lighter shoes, even though each mile was run at an identical pace.

The bottom line is that the weight of your training shoes can play a big role in how efficient you are as a runner. Lightweight shoes, especially ones that allow you to run with a natural gait and soft midfoot/forefoot footstrikes, can lessen muscle strain and fatigue, improve your endurance and help you recover faster, all factors in improving your running. But if you're considering changing your running form or the style of shoes you wear, do it gradually and carefully to avoid injury.