Posted on Aug 7, 2016
ENS Ansi Officer
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I've been a runner for over a decade now and am starting to increase the mileage. Running 5 miles at at time right now, however I am looking to increase this and perhaps get ready to conquer the marathon next year. I've run my fair share of different shoes, and was a long time Asics fan, however I more recently changed to Brooks. What's your running shoe of choice?
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CPT Infantry Officer
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Asics or Brooks.
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CPT Infantry Officer
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I currently run in Hoka and Altra.
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My opinion as a running coach and the evidence from research tell us that brands don't matter as much as:
1. wear what's comfortable. If it's not comfortable now, it won't be comfortable 5 or 50 or 250 miles down the road.
2. Running is not a strength building activity. If you want to run longer, you need to add weight training.
3. When it comes to the sole of the shoe, less is more. You don't need to wear "barefoot" shoes, but more cushion is always linked with more stress on bone and soft tissue.
4. Running should not be painful. If it is, find a running coach to analyze your gait and help you. There are military resources that are free and may be found in your local Physical Therapy clinic or Master Fitness Trainer (if you're Army), HAWC (Air Force) and the Navy will have to rely on luck.
5. Don't skip speed work. Marathon planning is based on the 10k race and all races come back to one fact: how fast did you do it? Speed is relative but NO ONE gets faster by using LSD.
ENS Ansi Officer
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MAJ Charles Blake can you source the validity of #2? I've never heard of such a thing. I've prepared for marathons before, finished half marathons, and ran cross country competitively for several years, and I've never run with weight. Running is a cardio endurance sport. At first many people have problems finishing a mile without stopping, however after several weeks of increasing the mileage, runners will be able to run their first 5k without stopping.
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Absolutely sure. A really good read is "The Endurance Paradox" by Tom Whipple. I'm not suggesting to run with weights, but to add weight training. Deadlift, kettle bell swings other stress to load the body from the ground up not necessarily squats because you don't need that range of motion for running.
Long Distance runners share a lot in common with injury and performance: weak hips. Well, they run all the time, so what are they missing?

Every few years someone comes out with a book for endurance athletes of whatever type and reminds us that cross training (for simplicity sake - doing anything other than the sport you are competing in) is good for you by building some strength and improving performance and they actually train less.

Here is another example, for must runners at the end of a marathon they are gasping or at least breathing hard. It's not from lack of breath, their running has slowed. It's from their sore and aching muscles! Cardio training will not improve leg soreness but strength training will.
SGM Billy Herrington
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Over my 20 years in I've used saucony, Nike, and for the longest time, asics gel nimbus.

I recently purchased a pair of Hoka Bondi 4's. Wow is all I have to say. They look like utter hell; I thought they were orthopedic shoes and poked fun at a couple of guys for wearing them. Then I tried them.

No more knee pain. My feet aren't tired or hurting after a run. I'd recommend them to everyone.
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