Doctors of Running Podcast

Our social algorithms are full of quick-fix suggestions from "experts" telling us how this one change to foot strike (or cadence or form, etc) will fix all our pain! But they're often too good to be true. Matt, David, and Nathan do some footstrike mythbusting, starting with a primer on what footstrike actually is and how it factors into injury risk. They work through several persistent myths such as that most elite runners are mid/forefoot strikers, that forefoot striking is inherently more efficient, that changing footstrike is an easy fix for pain and more.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code AUGDOR10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Reacting to Josh Kerr's new mile world record
11:32 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
25:20 - A primer on footstrike
35:30 - How footstrike influences injury risk
39:36 - Myth: most/all elite runners are mid/forefoot strikers
42:20 - Myth: forefoot strike is more efficient
47:38 - Myth: changing your footstrike is an easy fix for pain reduction
52:04 - Myth: footstrike never changes
55:40 - How footstrike can influence shoe choice
1:06:30 - Wrap-up

Nathan and Matt dig into the mailbag after sharing early thoughts on the New Balance SC Rebel and SC Elite v6 in this week's In For Testing. They cover a wide range of your questions, including whether unworn shoes age in storage, what makes a good all-terrain "safe" shoe, the biomechanical differences between forefoot rockers and toe-spring, and whether it's worth rotating flexible shoes with stiffer, rockered ones, and much more. Want your mailbag question on the next episode? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com!
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SUMMERDOCS (for July) and AUGDOR10 (for August) to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
2:46 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
9:54 - Thoughts on the New Balance SC Rebel
15:32 - New Balance SC Elite v6
21:32 - Do shoes age when stored without being worn?
24:00 - Good all-around, all-terrain "safe" shoes
26:34 - The difference between forefoot rockers and toe-spring, and their biomechanical effects
34:50 - Is it helpful to rotate flexible shoes with stiff, rockered shoes?
40:34 - Does everyone with low arches need stability shoes?
44:46 - Can big toe stiffness cause arch pain?
48:24 - Is there a shoe similar to the New Balance 860?
50:20 - Super shoes with some stability
53:04 - Best shoes with arch support
56:14 - Wrap-up

Matt, David, and Nathan bring bracket-style competition to the podcast, seeding a 16-team field of flagship daily trainers — one from each brand — in an homage to the World Cup that just wrapped up. Tune in to listen to them pit these shoes head-to-head and see who's crowned the champion! We want to know who'd be in your bracket or who your champion would be. Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SUMMERDOCS to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
2:42 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
22:14 - Daily trainers: a bracket face-off
24:40 - #1 Asics Novablast vs. #16 Diadora Cellula
28:30 - #2 Hoka Clifton vs. #15 Mount to Coast R1
33:00 - #3 Saucony Ride vs. #14 Altra Experience Flow
37:16 - #4 New Balance 1080 vs. #13 Topo Phantom 4
41:56 - #5 Nike Pegasus vs. #12 Adidas Supernova Rise
47:50 - #6 Brooks Ghost vs. #11 Skechers AeroBurst
53:12 - #7 Mizuno Waverider vs. #10 Puma Velocity Nitro
56:30 - #8 On Cloudsurfer vs. #9 Salomon Aeroglide
1:01:11 - Quarterfinals
1:07:54 - Semifinals
1:12:44 - The Final
1:18:52 - Wrap-up

Matt and David take on another round of Buy or Sell! They debate whether brands should be creating multiple variants of the same shoe, adding specialty uppers to existing models, spinning off new lines from popular shoes, and making dramatic changes to long-standing favorites. They also weigh in on whether uppers matter more than midsoles before closing out with a couple bonus mailbag questions. Want your buy/sell proposition or mailbag question on the next episode? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com!
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SUMMERDOCS to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
3:50 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
21:50 - Buy or Sell: Making multiple variants of the same shoe
28:18 - Specialty uppers on existing shoes
33:15 - Uppers are more important than midsoles
36:16 - Creating new shoe models out of popular shoe lines
44:47 - Dramatically changing a long-standing shoe
51:08 - Mailbag: what causes black toenails?
56:14 - Racing shoes to help with SI joint pain
1:06:22 - Wrap-up

Nathan and David team up for a new round of Fact or Fiction, playing myth busters with your latest questions. They weigh in on questions about drop adjustment, cooldowns, gait analysis, training frequency and mileage, whether running builds muscle, and how walk/run intervals stack up against continuous shorter efforts.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SUMMERDOCS to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
1:56 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
19:52 - Fact or Fiction: You can adjust to running in a shoe with an uncomfortable drop
25:34 - Having a cooldown is important
30:28 - Gait analysis is key to becoming a better athlete
34:28 - You need to run at least twice a week to see a benefit
37:44 - You should re-tie your shoes after every run
40:52 - Running builds muscle
42:32 - You need to run at least 40mi per week to finish a marathon
49:06 - Shorter runs where you don't stop are better than walk/run intervals
52:18 - Wrap-up