I really recommend that you check out the book Born to Run [1] which examines barefoot running and how we've evolved. It's been a while since I read it, but I believe it even includes a chapter about persistence hunting [2].
1. http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest...
Re:Barefoot Running
by unignorant on Friday January 29, 2010 @10:19AM
(#1086584)
There is a great deal of evidence that humans not only can run long distances, but have evolved to do so. The idea is that before primitive weapons (bow and arrow or whatnot), this is how we caught food -- by simply running it down.
From other sources:
"Biomechanical research reveals a surprising key to the survival of our species: Humans are built to outrun nearly every other animal on the planet over long distances."
Here's David Attenborough narrating a modern-day persistence hunt. It's fascinating stuff.
Wow. That was amazing, thanks for the link.
Note that you can see (supposedly) how his feet land as he runs at 3:11
Yes, but it's also interesting that he's chosen to wear modern shoes.
Agreed. My guess is the shoes broaden his foot and make it easier to run on sandy and unstable surfaces.
In other words, we are the Terminators of the animal kingdom: we just keep on coming when any reasonable animal would be collapsing of exhaustion.
Of all the primates, only humans have giant Achilles tendons and glutes, both of which are distance running adaptations. Ditto for our highly efficient sweat-cooling system.
Strange. I can't image running heel-to-tow on any distance. While I usually walk heel-to-tow -- running this way just feels painful. By landing on the front part my muscles act like a spring upon impact. I find mid-foot strikes barely acceptable.
Edit: Re-read the article. I guess I just ran in cheap "minimal footwear" all my life. Now is this a good or a bad thing?
Until middle school I ran toe-first and also walked toe-first, or at least definitely not heel-first -- that changed when I joined the marching band.
Still, I'm still finding it hard to imagine running, say, ten miles by landing on the front part of the foot and not the heal first. Maybe we humans aren't naturally evolved to run ten mile distances. I give it a try, but I suspect I'll be a heal-to-toe distance runner.