Using padded shoes as an advantage during running?

Here%26#039;s a somewhat similar situation to what i%26#039;m asking:





Let%26#039;s say I%26#039;ve been running 10km 5 times a week for 5 weeks with shoes that had very little padding (ex; Nike free trainer), and for the upcoming race, I will use a pair of shoe with more padding (under the foot) but with very similar structure/anatomy to the Nike shoe (so that my feet don%26#039;t get bruised and such).





Will this help me get a better time in the race? Because I trained with little help, which made my leg muscles stronger, and now that i%26#039;m using help, it should be like a breeze......


Can anyone clarify on this?





Thanks

Using padded shoes as an advantage during running?
I would have to say %26quot;no%26quot; - that having more padding would not help. In my studies of anatomy (I%26#039;m a medical student, so take this with a grain of salt - I%26#039;m not an MD yet!) one of the key facts that is emphasized is that the foot is designed to work best without hindrance. The human foot, much like that of the average wolf or Siberian Husky, is a highly evolved mechanism designed to work at peak efficiency when it is not being cushioned.





The arch of the foot serves as something of a natural %26quot;spring%26quot; with just the right amount of tension for your body mass (it adjusts as people age, gain / lose weight, etc.) By adding a pad underneath it, you%26#039;re actually making it more difficult for that spring mechanism to be efficient. The theory here is similar to dropping a springy object, such as a bouncy ball, onto a hard surface as compared to a soft surface. If you drop the rubber ball on a wooden floor, it will bounce well - the energy conversion on impact is very efficient. If you drop the rubber ball on a blanket or a bed, though, it will barely bounce - the energy conversion is not as efficient.





When you step down barefoot, it tensions the %26quot;spring%26quot; - and when you push off with that foot, it utilizes that stored energy to make the process of locomotion more efficient. The process is somewhat more complex than I%26#039;ve described here - but suffice it to say, you should run in what makes you comfortable, and what you think will work best for you - the physics of the matter say that running with minimal padding should be the most efficient method of running, however.





The famous story of the olympian Zola Budd - who broke many records by running races barefoot - lends credence to the idea that minimal padding is best in order to obtain top speed - though I don%26#039;t suggest going barefoot down your average city streets in a marathon! You never know what you might step on!



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