Newton Distancia

No doubt we all just saw Crowie break the Kona record this weekend with a marathon time of 2:44:02 running in the Newton Distancias.  I’ve been running with Newton’s for over 2 years now.  I will admit it took me a little while to get used to running in them.  Whether you are new to running, looking to improve your running form or looking for something better than what you have right now, the Distancias are the shoe for you. These shoes keep you upright which discourages heel-strike in your stride and helps you focus on running on your forefoot. Check out this video to see what I mean: http://www.newtonrunning.com/run-better/optimal-running-form.

For those of you not familiar with the concept and idea behind Newton Running, let me break it down for you. The biggest thing you see in these shoes (besides the bright colors) are the ‘lugs’ on the bottom of the shoe. The main purpose of these lugs are the following:
-To absorb the impact of your foot strike and return the energy back by propelling you forward.
-To give better cushioning than foam.
-To have less time on the ground and less friction by having less surface area.
-To work independently so you don't need to worry about misaligned metatarsals or leg length differences.

When starting out with Newton shoes, you should stay relaxed, lean slightly forward and shorten your stride. I guarantee you that your foot will naturally land on your midfoot at a point right under your hips. Be sure to keep a high cadence and keep your stride length short, making sure you don't run on your toes. For many years I was a heel strike runner. When I first got my Newtons I took them out for only two miles, as recommended. I felt the burn in my calves like I had just started a new and different workout. I slowly started to incorporate the shoes into my everyday runs and they have made all the difference in my running. 

I can honestly tell you that I am running over one minute faster per minute because of these shoes. I ran my 1^st marathon (outside of Ironman) in them 3 weeks ago in 3:20:46.  This weekend I PR’d a ½ marathon with by taking 2 minutes off my previous time in them.  I am a faster, more efficient runner and I owe all it to the Newton Distancia. While the price tag maybe a little pricey for someone to digest, I can tell you that these shoes are worth every penny.  Now if only I could run as fast as Craig Alexander….