#138 The Latest Findings on Super Shoes, with Geoff Burns and Dustin Joubert

This episode is all about super shoes, particularly their benefits for the non-elite runner. At the beginning of the year, Geoff Burns and Dustin Joubert published a new study looking at the running economy benefits of super shoes for runners at slower paces (8:00-10:00 minutes per mile). They were gracious enough to lend us a ton of their time to discuss their latest findings. Get a behind the scenes look at how studies like these are put together and executed. Hear how Geoff performed test on himself during a treadmill marathon! Learn more about how much benefit the average runner can get from super shoes, how much they aid in reducing muscle breakdown, and how to pick the best super shoe for you.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 8:43 - An overview of Geoff & Dustin's latest study
• 13:44 - How much does the control shoe matter in these studies?
• 21:31 - Geoff's solo TREADMILL MARATHON test
• 32:31 - Biomechanics vs Perception
• 45:13 - Do non-elite runners get as much benefit for running economy as elites?
• 54:07 - How do shoes play a role in decreasing muscle breakdown?
• 1:04:07 - Biomechanical changes that occur when running in softer shoes
• 1:12:30 - How do the latest super shoes stack up against the top-tier shoes?
• 1:17:13 - How should non-elite runners go about picking their racing shoes?
• 1:30:53 - Wrap-up

Dr. Geoff Burns is a physiologist and engineer with an expertise in running. He works for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee as a Sport Physiologist, and he conducts academic research with the University of Michigan. His work has focused on running biomechanics and performance. Geoff is a runner himself and competes internationally in ultramarathons. He was the 2016 USA national champion in the 100km and has finished 5th at the 100km World Championships, twice, in 2016 and 2018. 

Dustin Joubert has a PhD in Exercise Physiology from Texas A&M University (2015). He was a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at Stephen F. Austin State University from 2015-2022 before landing at his current academic home at St. Edward's University in the great running community of Austin, TX. After publishing the first super shoe comparison study, he realized there was a great interest in objective running shoe performance reviews, independent of brand partnerships. He started an Instagram page in September 2021 with the goal of sharing such data. After some success there, he decided to start his website in September 2022 to better catalog the testing and reviews he has done and continue to do with the goal of also reaching a larger audience beyond Instagram alone.

This week’s episode of the Doctors of Running Podcast is sponsored by Running Warehouse. As runners, we love the outdoors and the positive impact it can have on our health and on the well-being of future generations. This Earth Day, celebrate the sustainable initiatives taken by brands to create high-quality eco-friendly gear. Head on over to ⁠Running Warehouse ⁠to check out all the ⁠sustainable styles⁠.