T-2 Is a Natural Fit for Natural Running

Every triathlete knows that the transition from bike to run is a beast. After hours of being hunched over the handlebars with the legs spinning, trying to regain uprightness and establish a running rhythm is a “make it or break it” for most racers. There are several reasons why Newton Running shoes and Newton Natural Running Form can make T-2 feel Natural.

Getting off of the bike, the hamstrings and hip flexors are going to be tight. This is only a problem if you try to run with a long stride. If you take short quick steps that mimic your cycling cadence, there is far less adjustment. Newton Running Shoes are built on a level platform to help you land under the center of mass instead of loading the foot out in front of the body. They have an external forefoot technology, the lugs, that sit on top of a stretch membrane which store and release energy. This helps tired legs get off the ground and keeps the cadence high. If the athlete can find reasonable upright posture and commit to a nice forward lean, they will return to using the large efficient hip flexors to lift the thigh. This becomes a “controlled fall”, letting gravity do the work.

The toe box of a Newton Running shoe is nice and wide making room for the foot to spread, even if a little swollen. Having room for the foot to spread is very important when trying to run efficiently. Only when the foot is able to spread will the passive energy of the stretched connective tissue in the longitudinal and transverse arch recoil. This elastic recoil does not require effort, and will replace the need to push off. Most triathletes will reach a point of total fatigue of their glutes. The glutes are responsible for stabilization of the pelvis in the stance phase of the running gait. The quicker a runner can stabilize in the stance phase the less the gluts have to work. Newton Running shoes have a firm plate under the ball of the foot that greatly improves afferent feedback or the ability to feel the ground. The quicker a runner can feel the ground, the quicker they can stabilize in stance phase and the less they tax those fatigued glutes.

Getting off the bike in your next race can be a much more natural transition with Newton Running shoes and Newton Natural Running Form, it’s simple physics!