Natural Running

"Danny is one of the lead voices in the current natural running revolution." -- Danny Dreyer, author of ChiRunning "Abshire has long been a go-to-guy for elite runners and triathletes struggling with injury, and in Natural Running he dives deep into the surrounding subjects ignited by Born to Run." -- Competitor magazine "Natural Running by Newton Running founder Danny Abshire takes the reader back to the basics. The tools, tips, and 8-week transition plan are designed to get runners to run as efficiently and healthily as possible--the way nature intended." -- Triathlete magazine "Danny Abshire's approach gives hope to those who have struggled with injuries and uncomfortable running. He brings a simple, sensible, and usable approach to transforming your running so you can reach your potential. Danny's knowledge of running form and biomechanics can help all runners become more efficient." -- Mark Allen, six-time Ironman(r) World Champion, co-founder of MarkAllenOnline.com coaching, and co-author of Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You "Danny Abshire has devoted his professional life to studying and teaching proper and efficient running technique. He has worked with some of the best runners and triathletes in the history of endurance sports and just speaking to him will make you a better runner." -- Craig Alexander, three-time Ironman(r) World Champion "One of the virtues of Natural Running is the education on running biomechanics that it provides. A comprehensive, understandable overview of this topic has been badly needed since the barefoot running trend began with Born to Run. Abshire covers everything from the structure of the foot to individual gait assessment." -- Running.Competitor.com "Running efficiently is a precursor to running any distance fast and exuberantly. No one knows this better than Danny Abshire, whose lifelong study of the body in motion has helped many champions reach their goals, me included. Natural Running is the definitive guide for anyone who craves the joy of effortless and timeless runs." -- Lorraine Moller, four-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist and co-founder of Lydiard Online Training Systems "For two decades Danny Abshire has been a lone voice in the wilderness, patiently showing the fortunate few the correct way to run. Now the rest of the running world gets the chance to learn from Abshire's running-form wisdom in Natural Running. With the pendulum finally swinging towards proper running shoes and technique, I expect Natural Running to be the standard reference source for years to come." -- Mike Sandrock, author of Running with the Legends "Danny Abshire has an innate knowledge of running biomechanics and an ability to translate his knowledge into a fix for running injuries." -- Paul Huddle, triathlon coach, contributor to Triathlete magazine and author of Start to Finish Ironman Training 24 Weeks to an Endurance Triathlon "Danny Abshire is the leading authority on natural running form, period." -- Ian Adamson, 7-time Adventure Race World Champion "Danny Abshire is the true leader of the re-evolution back to more natural running." -- Mark Cucuzzella MD, Associate Professor of Family Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine "Danny Abshire's gifted instruction has excited my students at MIT for several years. His running clinics have inspired us to think about how we run and how to do so without pain. Danny can look at someone's running style, tweak it, and make them a more efficient, faster running machine." -- Dr. Patti Christie, MIT "Danny Abshire has a passion for helping people to run the way nature intended humans to run." -- Alex Slocum, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT "Natural Running is an invaluable resources for all runners and coaches. Accurate, well explained, enlightening." -- Pose

Danny Abshire is a veteran running coach and injury expert. He is the cofounder of Newton Running, a startup running shoe manufacturer specializing in shoes that promote an efficient midfoot/forefoot running gait. He has been making advanced footwear for runners and triathletes for more than 20 years. Brian Metzler is a veteran sports journalist and runner. He is editor-in-chief of Competitor magazine and was senior editor at Running Times magazine and the founding editor of Trail Runner. Metzler is an award-winning journalist, running shoe tester, and former collegiate track runner.

Foreword by Paula Newby-Fraser Acknowledgments Introduction: Evolution to a Running Revolution 1 What Is Natural Running? 2 Evolution of a Sport and a Shoe 3 Into the Lab: Examining Your Running Form 4 The Science of Motion: Three Gaits 5 Foot Biomechanics: A Close Examination 6 The Physics of Running: Whole-Body Kinematics 7 A New Way to Look at Common Running Injuries 8 Natural Running, Unnatural World 9 Dynamic Strength and Form Drills 10 Natural Running An Eight-Week Transition Plan Resources Index About the Authors