Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running [Paperback]

Bill Katovsky (Author), Peter Larson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2012

Form, footwear, and the quest for injury free running.

Praise for the work of Peter Larson 

"Larson presents a wealth of balanced info on the raging debate over proper running form and minimalist running shoes." —Erin Beresini, Outside Online 

“Peter Larson is both a scientist and a realist when it comes to running shoes, and that's a good combination.”  —Amby Burfoot, Peak Performance Blog, Runner's World

Humans evolved over the millennia to become one of the most exceptional distance-running species on Earth. So why are injuries so common? Are our shoes to blame, or is it a question of running form, training, or poor diet? In this groundbreaking book, Peter Larson and Bill Katovsky explore the reasons why runners experience injuries and offer potential solutions to the current epidemic of running-related injuries. Their findings, gleaned from research studies and conversations with leading footwear scientists, biomechanical experts, coaches, podiatrists, physical therapists, and competitive runners, are informative and enlightening. Topics include:

• How modern runners differ from their ancestors
• Why repetitive stress causes most injuries, and how runners can safely reduce their occurrence
• The pros and cons of barefoot running
• Why it’s time to move beyond the pronation-control paradigm with running shoes
• How certain running-form flaws might increase injury risk
• How footwear has evolved over the past 10,000 years
• The recreational runner
• Why running shoes are not inherently evil

Tread Lightly is a highly readable, multifaceted investigation of running—past and present, with a hopeful look to the future. 13 b/w illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The must-have desktop book--like Born To Run on steroids--for runners interested in the subject matter. . . .Tread Lightly will definitely go on my most important bookshelf.” (Amby Burfoot, editor-at-large, Runner’s World magazine, and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon )

About the Author

Bill Katovsky, founder of Tri-Athlete Magazine, has completed the Hawaii Ironman twice and is coauthor of Embedded: The Media at War in Iraq, which won Harvard’s Goldsmith Book Prize; and editor of 1,001 Pearls of Runners' Wisdom: Advice and Inspiration for the Open Road, as well as co-founder of the Natural Running Center.

Dr. Peter Larson is an associate professor of biology at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He is a Boston-qualifying marathon runner. His website, Runblogger, is recognized as a leading source for information on running shoe innovation and the science of running.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing; 1 edition (June 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616083743
• ISBN-13: 978-1616083748
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for anyone in the running industry June 20, 2012

By Jason Robillard

Format:Paperback

This book should be required reading for all runners, running coaches, people working in the running shoe industry, and anyone else associated with running. Larson and Katovsky take a strikingly unbiased view at running-related injuries and performance. They effectively distill all available research in an attempt to answer the fundamental question- how can we run with fewer injuries?

The book BORN TO RUN introduced the idea that running shoe design may affect injury rates, but provides little scientific evidence. Larson and Katovsky discuss specific qualities of shoes and how they affect running gait. This section of the book will change the way running shoes are designed and marketed. BORN TO RUN also introduced the idea that many runners run with poor running form. TREAD LIGHTLY also discusses various elements of running form, such as which part of the foot should touch the ground first, how long stride length should be, and the role of pronation.

Larson and Katovsky also discuss barefoot and minimalist shoe running at length. As the author of THE BAREFOOT RUNNING BOOK (Plume, 20112), I appreciate the balanced view the authors take. They cut through the hype and myths and place barefoot running where I believe it should be: not a magical cure-all, but a tool that will help improve running form.

TREAD LIGHTLY combines the scientific bite of books such as Noakes' LORE OF RUNNING and the readability of BORN TO RUN. I would recommend this book without reservation. I recommend this book to all my running clinic attendees and clients. In fact, I would recommend this book BEFORE my own book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tread Lightly - This says it All June 29, 2012

By Dusty Boots

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Written from both scientific and practical perspectives, Paul and Bill have collaborated ideally to describe all aspects of running; track, trail, road, mountains, barefoot, minimalist and shod. Rather than just denigrate the shoe manufacturers and blame them for running injuries due to the design of their shoes, the authors have provided rationale for the evolution of running shoes and they also provide clear scientific evidence for transitioning to minimalist/barefoot running. In addition, they detail the ramifications of badly fitting shoes and attempting to transition to barefoot running inappropriately and too quickly. All in all, a good read from an entertainment and informational perspective, as well as being instructional and advisory. Highly recommended reading.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Minimalistic Running May 26, 2012

By D. Low

Format:Paperback

With all the recent hype on new running shoes on the market, Tread Lightly helps tremendously to minimize the confusion. Through exhaustive research, Katovsky and Larson provide an informative and enlightening guide for all runners.

On a side note, we're often told not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, the very cool cover beckons readers to its mesmerizing contents.

Strong Buy.

(But I'm still not buying those ghastly monkey shoes.)