Expensive sneakers DO make you a better runner

Splashing the cash on expensive equipment really can make a difference to amateurs starting to exercise. 

Novices that have more sophisticated equipment were found to be four per cent more economical than those with more basic equipment, a study finds. 

The benefit of the shoes tested - Nike's Zoom Vaporfly, which can cost up to £210 ($210) for a top end edition - is far less noticeable for veteran fitness fanatics however.

Scientists say the energy conservation is down to the carbon fibre plate in the sole of the shoe saving energy for the wearer when using their ankle joint, allowing them to better save energy and put it towards running faster.

Researchers write in the study: 'The metabolic savings of the shoes appear to be due to: (1) superior energy storage in the midsole foam, (2) the clever lever effects of the carbon-fiber plate on the ankle joint mechanics, and (3) the stiffening effects of the plate on the joint.'  

Nike's shoe improves running economy by four per cent on average, leading to speculation that it could eventually lead to a marathon being run in less than two hours. 

But sadly for aspiring breakers of the two-hour glass ceiling, an improved economy of four per cent does not translate to a corresponding increase in race times.

Treadmill tests at the University of Colorado Boulder found those who run a mile in more than nine minutes showed far greater improvements than those who can cover the distance in less than nine minutes when using better trainers.

This translates to a casual runner, who normally completes a marathon in approximately four hours 30 minutes, seeing a 1.17 per cent improvement in the time it takes them to complete the 26 miles. 

This results in a boost of three minutes and seven seconds, the scientists found. 

A multitude of factors, including increased air resistance, mean the impact at higher speeds is far less. 

For an elite athlete completing a marathon in a time of two hours, the percentage improvement drops to a mere 0.67 per cent - an improvement of less than a minute overall. 

Researchers say this lack of a linear relationship between equipment quality and running economy is a surprise. 

Study co-author Wouter Hoogkamer, from the University of Colorado Boulder, explained: 'For a long time, most people assumed there was a directly proportional linear relationship: That if you improved running economy by X percent you could run X percent faster.'  

Researchers tested current day runners on a treadmill with and without aids, such as better footwear, after drinking beet juice or being helped by a tailwind.

They also studied running times data going back decades including how much better athletes were using aids or tactics such as 'drafting' - running in the slipstream of an athlete in front to lower air resistance.   

Shalaya Kipp, a co-author on the study, added: 'Recreational runners assume these (aids) are just going to benefit elite athletes when the reality is they can benefit even more than the elites.'

The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. 

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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