Community & Government, Sports & Gaming
Running Equipment and Environment
Lesson time 06:01 min
Joan highlights the accessibility of running: All you need is a pair of shoes. She discusses equipment selection and breaks down all types of running environments and how they can impact a run.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Shoes - Your Environment - Road Running - Track Running
Teaches the Runner’s Mindset
Long-distance legend Joan Benoit Samuelson teaches her personal approach to running so you can go further in running and in life.
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[MUSIC PLAYING] JOAN BENOIT: What's so great about our sport is that you can do it anywhere at any time and you don't need a lot of special equipment. And you don't need a particular environment. And so when you have access, anything can happen. Running is a great sport for minimalists, but you need to have the right shoe for the right foot for the right time. And what you're looking for in a shoe is comfort, durability, and flexibility perhaps, depending on your foot type. Making sure you have the correct shoe for your individual needs is critical to your journey as a runner. You need to figure out what will work best for you. Are you running on hard surfaces all the time? Are you running on softer surfaces like trails, and dirt roads, and tracks? Are you running in the city on concrete? You know, there are lots of factors to consider. But it's important to protect the foot and to make sure the foot is responsive in that shoe. This is a brand new shoe. And it has the outer sole, which is basically the tread, the midsole, and the upper. This shoe is a shoe that has been worn quite a bit but it's not totally worn out. You can see the outsole and the midsole. And the width of the outsole is still pretty impressive. So what I would suggest to people is when they get to this point is that they introduce a new pair of shoes like this shoe at this point and then I alternate the shoes every run so my foot becomes accustomed to the slighter change than to this more drastic change. You can see the profile on the side. I've worn it down right to the midsole. That can be a pretty big change for a runner to go from a midsole to a brand new outsole with a much higher elevation. And those little changes can be significant, especially when it comes to injuries. Save yourself some issues by not letting it wear to this point, because that will potentially lead to an injury that will sideline you for a bit. I would just say toss the shoe. Give it to a recycling program. There are several different programs. And you can find bins at most running stores to put your shoes in. And they will be recycled or repurposed for another population of people. You have to be totally comfortable in the environment in which you're training, because if you're in an environment that doesn't make you happy and doesn't give you joy, then how can you expect to demand extra efforts from your body? When I run, I run without noise except the noise that's emitted by nature. And that's why I think it's very important when you're finding a balance in your life in the sport of running, you need to be totally comfortable in the environment that surrounds you, because that environment should provide everything that you need to pursue your goals. The four different areas for me over the many years of my career have been the roads, the dirt roads, the trails, and the track. It's been said that shin splints are often developed when a runner changes ...
About the Instructor
Winner of the very first women’s Olympic marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson has spent her life breaking records and paving the way for female runners around the world. Now she’s teaching her personal philosophy and approach to running. Whether you’re an experienced runner or have been thinking about getting started, you’ll learn how to get motivated, set goals, and achieve victory in running and in life.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Joan Benoit Samuelson
Long-distance legend Joan Benoit Samuelson teaches her personal approach to running so you can go further in running and in life.
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