Come celebrate the spring with a Guy’s Night Out. From 6-8pm, at our Park Rd Shopping Center location, we are having a celebration. Sponsored by New Balance, we will have special discounts, prize giveaways, vendors presenting the latest products and samples. Whether you need some new running shoes, or a new tennis racquet, take advantage of our first Guy’s Night Out.

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Things You Don't Usually Hear About Minimalist Running

Recently the running world has been turned upside-down by the notion that everything we have been doing the past 30 years with footwear is wrong.  If you run, you have certainly heard about or read the book “Born to Run,” by Christopher McDougall which has brought awareness to barefoot and minimalist running.   Proponents of this style of running believe that by switching to running barefoot a person will see a reduction in running related injuries because there is a reduction in the amount of shock that a person’s body experiences during the gait cycle and barefoot running will help to strengthen muscles in the feet also resulting in a reduction of injuries.  However, runners who have made the switch to this style of running sometimes still get injured and it seems in some cases, these runners are perhaps experiencing more injuries.  Several studies across the country are being performed to understand running gait and injury prevention.  At East Carolina University’s human movement lab, several such studies have been performed and the results may surprise you. 

One aspect of barefoot/minimalist running is that most runners will experience a gait shift when running with no shoes or a minimalist shoe.  The stride is shortened and the knees will be bent a slightly more.  A barefoot runner will land more on the mid-foot and forefoot while a person with shoes tends to land more on the heel.  Landing more on the mid-foot or forefoot with a shorter and more bent knee stride, works to lessen the forces that the knee joint experiences.  However, what would happen if a person runs in shoes, but adjusts their gait so that the foot is more plantar-flexed (toe first) than dorsi-flexed (heel first)?  ECU’s Dr. Blaise Williams, a physical therapist and biomechanist and director of the Running Assessment Clinic at East Carolina also know as RACE, has spent much time researching this question.  His research concluded that between running barefoot and changing to a more mid-foot landing while wearing shoes there was no significant difference in the forces in the knee joint.  In other words, a person could experience the same reduction in force at the knee while wearing shoes that a barefoot runner does, and would further benefit from the support that shoes offer for other areas of gait.  Dr. Williams was careful to note that changing the strike pattern is a drastic change and should be done with much supervision.  An easier solution with similar results is to change strike frequency.  By striking more often, a person will shorten the stride and land more mid-foot to forefoot.  This can be done with shoes or without.  

As far as forces go, we have to assume that a person will adjust their gait to land more plantar-flexed while running barefoot or in minimalist shoes in order to experience the reduction in forces.  In a September 30, 2011 article that appeared in the New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope summarized research conducted at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse that tested how runners adapt to running barefoot after years of running in shoes.  During the study, researchers discovered that roughly half of the study’s participants never adjusted to the more forefoot gait and continued to heel strike.  This caused the forces that the participants experienced to be far higher than the forces experienced while wearing shoes, which will lead to more wear and tear on the body and possibly more injuries. 

Another theoretical advantage to running barefoot or with a minimalist shoe is that the intrinsic muscles (the muscles within) of the foot are strengthened.  It is thought that running with traditional running shoes causes weakness in the muscles of the foot because the support that the shoes offer reduces the dependency on these muscles to provide support for the body. 

Last spring a small research study was performed to check the validity of this claim and to see if additional research would be needed on the matter.  Basically in order for muscle to be built, the muscle must be activated.  Theoretically if researchers could measure the amount of muscle activation then theoretically muscle strengthening could indirectly be measured.   Based on work by Doctor Richard Segal at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, muscle activation can be estimated by the amount of fluid in the muscle.  This can be seen using an MRI machine.  Muscle that is more active will have more fluid and will therefore be a different color on an MRI image.  Using software designed specially for the purpose of comparing the color of segments of an MRI image, muscle activation is estimated. 

Armed with this knowledge, Dr. Williams made a set of conditions where runners had muscle activation measured in the abductor hallicus muscle (an intrinsic muscle of the foot) in both barefoot and with shoes.  The experiment was conducted on two non-consecutive days with each runner receiving a rested MRI and an MRI immediately after running on a treadmill.  On one day the runners ran with shoes and the other day the runners ran barefoot.  All participants used the same model shoe and all ran a 9-minute pace on the same treadmill for 9 minutes.  What Dr. Williams and his researchers found was that there was not much of a change in muscle activation pre-workout vs. post-workout.  For all of the runners there was about a 14% increase in muscle activation after running in shoes from resting while there was only about a 7% increase over resting without shoes.  So actually while there was not a significant difference in muscle activation, there was a slight increase when running in shoes.  While this research is preliminary and certainly doesn’t allow us to draw any significant conclusions, it certainly does make us question the idea that your feet will be stronger from running barefoot and that you will be less injury prone running barefoot. 

When the minimalist idea started to become popular, there was very little research present that would invalidate claims of injury prevention.  Now as more and more people have tried it, there is evidence that injuries still occur in runners who have adopted the minimalist idea.  Dr. Williams commented that at his practice, he has seen a migration of injuries in runners.  Where most of the injuries with traditional running shoes occur at the knee joint, minimalist runners seem to experience more injuries at the foot and ankle. It is not the purpose of this article to discourage the use of minimalist shoes or running barefoot, but to rather point out that those forms of running may not be for everyone.  When it comes to running, everyone is differs in size, shape, and biomechanics. It is impossible to give a one-size-fits all solution in preventing running injuries. If you decide that running barefoot or in a minimalist shoe is something you want to try, give yourself plenty of time to adjust how you run.  The more you fatigue, the more likely you are to drift into landing heel first.  Chose distances and speeds that you can maintain form and keep a mid-foot to forefoot landing.  In conclusion, if you are a runner and have been injury free, think long and hard before adapting to an alternative running style.  Maybe what you have been doing all along is exactly what you need to continue doing.       

With questions regarding the barefoot/minimalist running article please contact btaylor@omegasports.net

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Batter-up Buddy Ball is an Exceptional Children’s baseball league designed for mentally and physically challenged children ages 3-25 in Wilson County (and surrounding counties).  The Wilson County Youth Athletic Association (WCYAA), headed by Mickey Davis, runs this program.  Each child is paired with a volunteer “buddy” who helps them bat, run the bases, and also talks with them and cheers them on.  Buddy Ball has both a spring and fall season and takes place on Saturdays in Lucama.  Thanks to generous sponsors and donations there is no charge for playing in this league and each child will be provided with a complete uniform.  Our Omega Sports store in Wilson has sponsored a race called the “Whirli-run” the past two years which has helped raise $11,500.00 for Batter-up Buddy Ball.  In addition, Omega Sports in Wilson along with BB&T have helped this cause with donations of baseball cleats.

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Have you ever wondered what all this pink stuff is about?  October is designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This is the 27th year of this annual event which is an international health campaign designed by charities of this disease to help raise both awareness and funds for better research into its cause.  The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a symbol of our hope to one day find a cure for this disease.  During October there are usually plenty of “pink” days.  This is where you see people donning pink clothing and accessories to show their support for the fight against Breast Cancer.  There is also a national “Race for the Cure” walk held every year and many more walks held on the local level.  The American Cancer Society sponsors “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walks across the nation.  In our area there is one being held in Wilmington on Saturday, October 22.

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STRIDE is a fun fitness and running program for boys in the 3rd through 5th grade. Boys have the chance to share their thoughts and opinions about various topics taught with the goal for helping develop excellent character.

Success, Teamwork, Respect, Inspiration, Determination = Excellence in Character.

Curriculum

During the 10 weeks, the curriculum covers topics that are designed to help develop excellent character. The boys are given the opportunity to talk with each other and their coaches about issues that they face in school, at sports, in the community and at home.

The topics covered are listed below:

Session #1: Who’s on the Team
Session #2: Character & Why I Need it?
Session #3: Feeling Good on the Inside
Session #4: Eating Healthy
Session #5: Drugs Stink
Session #6: The Good Friend
Session #7: Getting Along on the Playground
Session #8: It’s Okay to be Different
Session #9: Running Rocks
Session #10: Setting Goals.
Session #11: Organization
Session #12: Winning Isn’t Everything
Session #13: Working with a Team
Session #14: Conflict Resolution
Session #15: Doing the Distance - 5K
Session #16: Making a Difference - Planning & Internet Safety
Session #17: The Follow Through
Session #18: Making a Difference - In Action
Session #19: STRIDE - Putting it all Together
Session #20: Celebrate

Each lesson starts with the coaches welcoming the boys. Then the boys do a dynamic warm up that includes a related game or activity. Next they have a short discussion, do a creative running workout that again relates to the topic, and ends with another discussion and a team cheer. Each boy is rewarded for excellent character at the end of each session. Throughout the curriculum, the focus is on doing one’s personal best, not competing with each other.

2011-2012 Cost for Participants
$60.00 Non-YMCA Members
$50.00 YMCA Members

Fee Includes:

• 10 weeks of curriculum based lessons
• Trained coaches
• Lesson materials
• Program T-shirt
• 5k Registration
• Water bottle

This fall season 5k race for the boys is the William Craig 5k on December 10th. Please come out a support the boys in their first 5k. Each boy will need a running buddy to run along side them during the race. If you are interested in being a running buddy or have questions about the program please contact Amber Rogers at (910) 251-9622 Ext 224 Amber.Rogers@wilmingtonfamilyymca.org 
Please visit our website at www.wilmingtonfamilyymca.org

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10/8 

Big South 5K. Register at www.bigsouth5K.com.

10/8 

The Run For Attention 5K. Register at www.runforattention.org.

10/15

The Steele Creek Fast & Flat 5K. Register at www.ymcacharlotte.org/steelecreek.

10/23

Changing Leaves Changing Lives 10K Race and 5K Race/Walk. Register at www.hopecancer.org.

10/22-10/23

Avon Walk - “In it to end it!”  Register at www.avonwalk.org.

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The PureProject collection is a tribute to runners with a sense of adventure and a craving to grab their run by the horns. Radically lightweight, flexible materials merge with smart design to naturally align your stride and empower every push-off. Unleash your feet: experience the PureProject by Brooks with four unique shoes in vibrant colors. Runners, come in to your local Omega Sports store to ‘Feel More With Less’.

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A successful race starts well ahead of race day…while a strong finish never hurts either. PR Race Management, with owner Paige Hauff, can take care of all of your pre-race services as well as race-day services. Helping you achieve a personal record in all your race management needs, check them out at www.prracemanagement.com.

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Over two days, you will journey 39 miles helping to forever alter the lives of thousands affected by breast cancer worldwide. Together, we will unite with one purpose and one goal-to end this deadly disease. The money we raise will provide women and men the breast cancer screening, support and treatment they need regardless of their ability to pay. It will also help power leading-edge research teams across the country, fueling their quest for a cure, all because of you. Are you In It To End It? 
Take the first step and register today for the Charlotte Avon Walk for Breast Cancer at www.avonwalk.org.

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