Those following the debate over minimalism have no doubt already heard about the class action lawsuit filed against Vibram. Valerie Bezdek, a Florida resident, is trying to sue the company over claims that barefoot-style running has health benefits. She’s citing the large percentage of people who, ignoring Vibram’s instructions, run in Five Fingers improperly and get injured.

In other words:

Now, I have a vacuum. The box it came in claims that it “removes embedded dirt and minimizes scatter on carpet.” And it does—if I first plug it in. But what if I didn’t plug it in? What if I disregarded the vacuum’s instructions and rolled it around my apartment with the power set to “off”? It sure wouldn’t remove any embedded dirt.

What if I could prove that the majority of people didn’t use the Wind Tunnel properly? Should I sue Hoover?

It’s easy to scoff at the comparison. Everyone knows electricity is required to power a vacuum, right? But I have a hard time believing that Ms. Bezdek didn’t know that barefoot-style running comes with some dangers. The Vibram site is peppered with warnings, disclaimers, instructions, and more warnings. Any good retailer would have explained to her that these shoes require major changes in running form, and that adjusting is neither a quick nor an easy process.

Working for such a retailer, I’m not surprised by this lawsuit. I’ve had to dash the hopes of many, many customers. I’ve had to explain to them that minimalist-style shoes are not magic. That they merely promote healthy form. And I’ve seen customers’ eyes glaze over when I try to disabuse them of their fantasies. People want to believe that merely buying a new product will solve all their running problems. They want to believe this so strongly that they won’t listen when I suggest otherwise. It’s little wonder that they react poorly when the product fails to live up to their expectations.

That’s why I’m not surprised that Ms. Bezdek would resort to a lawsuit. When an American doesn’t get what she wants, suing is usually the next step. What I find disturbing is how far her case has gotten.

My Dear Running Shoes,

First off, thank you all for being here. I’m glad you could make it from the shoe rack in the closet. The secret shoe rack.

I called you here to welcome a new member to our group.

His full name is MR00RB, but he prefers Minimus Zero. Less of a mouthful, you see.

I know he’s a little different. Well, a lot different. More slipper than shoe, actually. But don’t be mean to him.

And don’t be afraid, either. His presence here doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m looking to replace you all.

Unless he works well… in which case, you’re all out of here.

I’ve finally accepted that this isn’t going to go away on its own.

Three months ago, I ran my second ultra marathon. It left me with a bad case of ITBS (illiotibial band syndrome), a common injury in people who like to run really, really far. Even after three months of low-to-no mileage, I’m not much better.

It’s time for a more aggressive approach to recovery.

My ITBS recovery plan consists of four parts:

1. Use foam roller
Aggravating the IT band (by, say, running on an injured leg for three months) builds up scar tissue around the muscle. This restricts it and keeps it from recovering. A foam roller seems to work wonders for breaking up all that tissue, which is great news; my muscles need freedom if they’re going to heal.

2. Reduce mileage (even further)
No more “I feel good, I can run a few more miles.” Until my leg is better, I stick to the prescribed distance. Period.

3. Introduce new stretches to my pre-and-post-running routine
I’ve found a number of good stretches here.

Part four, strengthening my hips, comes in later. For now, merely stretching them is painful enough.

Conventional wisdom dictates that running and weightlifting do not mix. The idea is that casual lifting will wrap your body in heavy, bulky muscle, which slows a runner down.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) this isn’t the case. “Getting big” results from years of specialized lifting and dieting. Lifting for overall fitness, on the other hand, will add strength without the excess bulk. It allows you to run faster and healthier. So whether you’re looking to take your training further or just stave off injury, your answers may lie in the gym.

Lifting to Prevent Injury

Running will strengthen your hamstrings, but not your quadriceps; the resulting imbalance keeps the knee from moving the way it should. This is referred to as “runner’s knee” and it frustrates many beginning runners. You can prevent it by working your quads. Try leg extensions and lunges (lunges can be done with or without weight).

Shin splints are another common injury that can be minimized with proper lifting. Calf raises are best, with or without weight, and you can do them on stairs or any other raised platform.

Lifting for the Upper Body

If you want a stronger drive in your stride—and which runner couldn’t use that?—working on your chest and arms can actually help. Stronger arms swing faster, which allows the legs to do likewise.

A strong core is even more helpful, especially in the later stages of a run. After miles of running, proper form usually falls apart; the back hunches, the arms start swinging wildly, and the butt sticks out. This means that your core isn’t strong enough to match your mileage. Strengthening your shoulders, chest, back, and abdomen will allow you to keep from such ugly and unenjoyable running.

To strengthen your arms and core, try one-arm rows, standing bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, shrugs, dips, and lat pulldowns. There are many other exercises which work the same muscle groups; these were chosen because they’re simple. Many are also good for developing balance, which is especially useful to master runners.

How to Lift like a Runner

It’s important to keep your goals in mind when working out. A long distance runner shouldn’t lift like a bodybuilder; doing so is asking for injury. Instead, try to complete three sets of each exercise, with each set consisting of about 12 reps. Don’t wait too long between reps; a minute or less of rest is preferable.

It’s also very important to lift consistently. If you want to see increased strength and diminished injuries, you should work the same muscle groups two or three times a week, every week. Results will take at least a month to appear in your running, so the sooner you start, the better.

This past Saturday I participated in City Sports’ 20 mile run through Philadelphia. It’s an annual tradition, mostly meant for people training in the Philly Half/Marathon (which I most certainly am NOT).

I covered the event for City Sports’ blog– you can find the article here.