links I like - 07-24-12

links I like - 07-24-12

I didn't read as much as usual last week - I was on vacation with my family, and our vacations tend to keep me far busier than the stereotypical "lay on the beach and read a book" type of vacation.. That being said, I did find a few articles I wanted to share with you. Please read on, and enjoy:

The Historic Moment the Blogosphere Missed, via Barefoot in Arizona. This is a big deal, and you'll be hearing more about it over the coming months and years (both from me and from other sources out there.) This spring, Runner's World magazine abandoned their 40-year old methodology of classifying running shoes into the four categories of motion-control, stability, neutral-cushioned, and performance-training, and instead wrote up a short article explaining that "over time that model has grown outdated." Basically, they're coming to grips with the fact that the barefoot running movement is real, and that the big, padded heel, motion control running shoes era of the last 40 years - the one without any scientific merit behind it - is beginning its eventual end.

How to Make a Better Athlete, via Freakonomics. An interesting read, especially with the Olympics(R) about to begin. It's also another well-researched article showing something I've talked about before - about how exacting and specific minutia of detail are absolutely critical at the top of the athletic pyramid, where athletes are looking for fractions of percentage points in speed, strength, body fat, aerodynamics, etc. It's a much different world from us regular folks, trying to lose a few pounds (or a few dozen..)

How to Make Decisions, via The Art of Non-Conformity. A good reminder that, when faced with too many choices and the potential for "paralysis by analysis", action is better than inaction.

I hope these get you pointed in some good directions. Have a great rest of your week.

-Chris Butterworth

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