The Nike Vaporfly 4% running shoes are supposed to improve running economy by 4%. Wouter Hoogkamer, PhD, is one of the researchers who found out that this improvement is actually legit. What's more, he has researched how much faster that improvement in running economy could make you. In today's episode we discuss the Vaporfly 4% shoes, running shoes in general, running economy, breaking two hours for the marathon, and more.

 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

-The Nike Vaporfly 4% shoes, and how Wouter and his colleagues at the University of Colorado verified that they can reduce the energetic cost of running a given speed by 4%.

-Running economy, and how improvements in it translates to improvements in speed. Slower runners may benefit more from the 4% shoes than faster runners.

-Footwear in general, and the tradeoff between cushioning (which is good for running economy) and weight (which is bad for running economy)

-The impact of drafting in running - how much energy can it save you? -

 

SHOWNOTES:

https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts179/

 

THAT TRIATHLON SHOW HOMEPAGE:

www.thattriathlonshow.com

 

SPONSORS:

Precision Hydration - One-size doesn't fit all when it comes to hydration. Take Precision Hydration's FREE sweat test and learn how you should hydrate. Use the discount code THATTRIATHLONSHOW and get your first box for free!

 

ROKA - The finest triathlon wetsuits, apparel, equipment, and eyewear on the planet. Trusted by Javier Gómez, Gwen Jorgensen, Flora Duffy, Mario Mola, Lucy Charles and others. Get 20% off your entire order with the discount code TTS.

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Nike Vaporfly 4% time savings Excel spreadsheet
• A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes
• The Biomechanics of Competitive Male Runners in Three Marathon Racing Shoes: A Randomized Crossover Study
• Extrapolating Metabolic Savings in Running: Implications for Performance Predictions
• How Biomechanical Improvements in Running Economy Could Break the 2-hour Marathon Barrier
• Reflecting on Eliud Kipchoge’s Marathon World Record: An Update to Our Model of Cooperative Drafting and Its Potential for a Sub-2-Hour Performance

RATE AND REVIEW:

If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/

 

CONTACT:

Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at [email protected] or connect on Twitter - my handle is @SciTriat.