“It’s worth probably 10 minutes in a marathon.”īefore Levitate, Brooks’ bounciest shoes (like the Launch) provided a 65 percent energy return.
That may not seem like a lot, but it translates to huge cumulative savings, says Kram. In fact, on the softest setting, the researchers found that the runners consumed 12 percent less metabolic energy. And that converted into energy savings for the runner. They found that the more compliant they made the surface, the more energy it could store and return. In a 2002 study done by Amy Kerdok, then a PhD student at Harvard, researchers manipulated a “tunable” treadmill, the surface of which was almost purely elastic, or resilient, but had a variable stiffness. Surfaces that have an ideal balance of these two factors will provide the highest energy return and the most benefit. Running on a steel plate, which is highly resilient, will give 99 percent of that energy back, but because it is not compliant, it has only a tiny amount of energy to surrender. Running on loose sand, like on a beach, will force a runner to work harder because the sand is very compliant but not at all resilient. Kram says it’s easier to consider the concept of beneficial energy return in reverse-how poor energy return can make your run worse. In order to achieve that high rate of efficiency, Brooks partnered with chemical company BASF to formulate a new material for the shoe’s midsole. It promises a 72 percent energy return, which is the company’s best result so far and, according to testing done at the running company’s headquarters, it’s higher than other leading performance shoes in its category. The latest sneaker from veteran shoe maker Brooks Running is called Levitate, and it’s designed for enthusiasts and beginning runners, rather than top-level athletes. A shoe with superior energy return creates a bouncy, springy feeling that, as many runners will attest, can make the jaunt feel easier. When the foot rises again, the cushioning re-expands, sending some of that energy back to the runner. When a runner’s foot hits the ground, it transfers energy which compresses the shoe’s cushioning.
Energy return is a characteristic you can’t see and only recently has it made its way to marketing material-but it can have a tangible effect on a sneaker’s performance. Some attributes of a shoe are obvious: Spikes to enhance grip, insole cushioning for comfort and arch support, and lightweight materials that won’t weigh down your feet. The shoes you choose play a big part in the overall feel of a run. A sluggish start usually signals a lackluster middle and end, but an energetic kick-off can carry you blissfully through grueling training sessions. The first few minutes of a run set the pace for the rest. Will these new running shoes with a superior energy return make me faster? Claire Maldarelli
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