Super shoes may forever change the way we look at fairness and performance in running. Let’s dig into the ethics.
Sabrina Little is a trail and ultra runner, formerly a professional runner for HOKA. She has won 5 national titles and a World silver medal, and she previously held American records in the 24-hour and 200K. In 2013, she was ranked 6th in world history for the 24-Hour Run and was the 2013 USATF Ultrarunner of the Year.
Since then, Sabrina focused on shorter events, between marathon and 100k distance. She’s currently the 10th fastest woman to ever run 50 miles, and in 2019, ran the fastest 100k and 50-mile times for women in the US.
Sabrina earned her doctorate in Philosophy. She’s now a professor in the department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport University, where she teaches ethics courses.
Sabrina’s first book, The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners was released in 2024.
Sabrina Little on How Super Shoes Violate the Spirit of Sport
Do super shoes give runners who use them an unfair advantage? Do they make it impossible to compare modern finish times with earlier performances? And what about the intrinsic spirit of the sport?
We don’t have the answers, but we need to talk about super shoes in the running community.
In this episode, Sabrina Little and I talk about:
- The ethical concerns of super shoes
- Sabrina’s lack of satisfaction post-5k due to wearing super shoes
- The distortion between effort and outcome when wearing super shoes
- The nuance of fairness and privilege as they relate to super shoes
- The need for clear shoe technology definitions and regulations to maintain the “spirit of sport”
- Why runners and coaches need to advocate for the intrinsic value of running
Continue the super shoes conversation by sending this episode to a friend with your thoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or iHeartRadio.
Links & Resources from the Show:
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- Sabrina on X/Twitter
- Sabrina on Instagram
- Sabrina’s book, The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners
- Find Sabrina Little on Strava
- Want to learn more about super shoes? Tune into episode 227 with biomechanics and sport science PhD Geoff Burns.
- Hear from top track, road, and ultra runners on how they stay healthy.
Thank you DrinkLMNT!
A big thanks to DrinkLMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at DrinkLMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best.
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Thank you to 2Before!
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Thank you to 2Before for supporting Strength Running!
