New shoes with “bouncy” soles make runners several minutes faster in a marathon.
New rules have therefore been introduced and the Swedish professor Toni Arndt is the one who approves the shoes for a world record to become public.
– In a two-hour marathon, it is five minutes. And there is a lot at that level, says Toni Arndt, professor of biomechanics at GIH.
A few years ago, the new running shoes with thick soles and carbon fiber rails were a hit. Records were broken on an assembly line and the debate about material doping gained momentum. The International Athletics Federation, World Athletics had to introduce rules and control.
– It started in 2016 at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and all six on the podium in the marathon, men and women, were wearing the same shoe. Those who didn’t have them had no chance.
Accepts world records
Toni Arndt is professor of biomechanics at the School of Gymnastics and Sports. He was involved in developing the rules for World Athletics for which shoes may be used in elite-level competitions.
Every time there is a new world record nowadays, the shoes used are sent to Toni Arndt for control. If the shoes are not approved, the world record will be removed. This also applies to other disciplines in athletics, such as shot put, javelin and high jump.
– The rules state that there must be an independent international expert who checks the shoes, and I have become that.
Acts as a lever
The carbon fiber plate in the shoes together with the rolling shape means that the shoe becomes like a long lever that gives back a lot of power and the high sole is energy return.
– In several studies, it has been seen that you have an improved running economy in average value. Running economy is not the same as faster running, but it helps a lot. If you translate that into times: in a two-hour marathon, that’s five minutes. And there is a lot at that level.
How do the shoes affect us exercise runners?
– First of all you will feel “wow”, I think. That’s what most people say. Because there is an extra bounce that you get when you run in them. Then you won’t be as tired because the shoes take over muscle work that you otherwise need to do. And then you will beat your personal bests.
On the other hand, he says, it is suspected that the shoes can cause long-term injuries, both because you train more but also because you do not train all the muscles as you do with other shoes.