Kinesiology Commons^™

Toe Running: The Good, The Fad, And The Ugly, Molly Quinn-Shea

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Compared to most other animal on the planet, humans are pathetic runners. We are not graceful like the deer nor fast like the cheetah. In fact, many have wondered why the homo sapien evolved into an upright figure since that posture is less efficient for running. Christopher McDougall, in his National Bestseller Born to Run, hypothesized that early humans were distance runners that outran their prey. Born to Run, which has been linked to the rise of the popularity of barefoot running, describes how humans do not use their Achilles tendon efficiently by striking with the heel of …