Run for your looks

Running has always been an integral part of human life. The human body is an all-terrain vehicle able to run on dirt, grass and sand even without footwear. The advent of the wheel and motorized vehicles changed the surface of the earth. The advancements in transportation, however, did not diminish the almost primal need of running.

Footwear has been around for over 15,000 years. It has evolved through time, from the simple sandal to the modern athletic shoes of today. But while the surface with which much of us humans walk on has evolved from soil and sand to hard ground like asphalt and concrete, the foot covering that came to be known as shoes has not changed much. Until now. Introducing the Skechers Resistance Runner (SRR).

The SRR — called the world’s first intelligent shoe — was officially launched in the Philippines recently at the Fort Bonifacio, in the country’s first-ever vertical marathon. Held in cooperation with the Discovery Channel and Bonifacio Global City, this event was a grand showcase of the shoe that would forever change the face of running.

The Skechers Resistance Runner promises to train you harder for less amount of time and also provide the corrective benefits of running barefoot.

Based on extensive testing done by Phase IV, a renowned health and performance center in the US, which has worked with some of the world’s most accomplished athletes, the SRR increases postural muscle activation by 85 percent, gluteus medius muscle activation by 71 percent, calf muscle activation by 68 percent and burns up to 13.2 percent more calories per hour when compared to traditional running shoes.

Bob Forster, founder and CEO of Phase IV Laboratory, said that the Skechers Resistance Runner is the most promising innovation in shoe technology in 30 years. “We’ve seen about every fad imaginable. We’re excited when we see something that has real science,” Forster said.

Vertical runners build momentum from the starting line before the big climb.

There used to be a dilemma when it came to selecting the appropriate shoe. Too much padding caused runners to lose their natural gait and stress their bones and joints more. If you went for too thin or went barefoot, there’s no telling what will puncture your unprotected foot.

David Raysse, designer of the Skechers Resistance Runner, came up with a simple and elegant solution. “The key to the whole shoe is the notion of the rocker bottom, the kinetic wedge technology,” Raysse said. “This allows the shoe to mimic the natural gait that a human should be running in.”

The SRR is powered by Skechers Shape Ups technology and technically has four “soles.” These are the Ultra-light, Injection-molded Kinetic Footbed, the Kinetic Return System, the High-abrasion Ultra-Light Rubber Outsole, and the Shape-Ups High-viscosity Kinetic Wedge. Combined, these allow the SRR to absorb energy and reduce joint stress. It also creates resistance that forces the wearer to activate more muscles during movement.

In running, the most resistance is experienced during the uphill climb. The vertical marathon — where the Skechers Resistance Runner was unveiled — was the country’s first. It was only fitting that the world’s first intelligent shoe was launched in the first vertical marathon in Philippine history. Runners raced to the ninth floor through the parking ramp, then took the stairs all the way to the 25th floor. They then had to go down 25 floors and then dash for the finish for half-Century runners or climb up again for another round, for the Century runners.

Top finishers of the vertical marathon not only got the prestige of conquering the country’s first, but also the privilege of being among the first few proud owners of the revolutionary SRR.

Participants of the vertical marathon got the chance to feel the technology SRR on their feet in the Skechers booth at the event. “It’s soft and I can really feel the bounce,” said a finisher as he walked on the SRR for the first time. Another went on to say that she’d love to get used to running with SRR.

Is this the vertical marathon? A finisher takes on the Skechers Resistance Runner wall.

Nearly all city marathons are run either on concrete or asphalt. Majority of areas where runners and joggers can run on an ordinary day are paved. This hard and unyielding surface poses a number of threats to the human body, such as joint injuries and stress fractures. For years people have continued to walk and run on surfaces that humans are not built for.

The rocker bottom of the SRR’s sole provides for a gentle heel strike, allowing the power and acceleration of the stride to come from the balls of the feet. The gentle heel strike and the forward roll motion reduce joint stress when running. “You got your cushioning, you got your structure, and this is mimicking the biomechanics of the foot,” Raysse continued as he displayed the technical design of the SRR.

The SRR’s Kinetic Wedge simulates running barefoot on sand — anywhere. Barefoot running is believed to be closest to the natural evolution of running. Elite middle distance runner Okwaro Raura claims that barefoot running lets runners feel more at ease. He goes on further to say that running on the Skechers Resistance Runner feels like floating on air. “I consider myself as a runner who uses the ball of his feet,” says Raura. “The shoes are enhancing my ability to do that.”

Studies into the caloric expenditure while running in the SRR show that compared to other running shoes, more calories are used and more oxygen is processed with the Skechers Resistance Runner.

Professional athletes could use the Skechers Resistance Runner to become stronger, quicker and more explosive. It’s a shoe for professionals to improve their performance. It’s a shoe for casual runners to be able to burn more calories and train like pros. By keeping the muscles activated, the SRR continues to provide benefits well after the workout has ended. It’s also for anyone who wants to get the benefits and feeling of running barefoot without worrying about what might puncture your foot.

(The Skechers Resistance Runner is available in Skechers stores in TriNoma, Glorietta 5, Market! Market!, Robinsons Place Manila, Festival Supermall, Marquee Mall and Ayala Center Cebu, and in SM department stores and specialty stores nationwide. Check out www.jointheresistance.com for more details.)