Around the Puddles, or Through Them?

One school of thought holds that running around the puddles is more efficient, since the edge of the puddles, while wet, do not generally inundate the shoe, avoiding the phenomenon of water "loading" and subsequent emptying. When the athlete steps directly in the deepest part of the muddy water, a quantity of liquid is lifted along with the shoe, stressing the lower limbs in that peculiar way. Many a runner comes down lame after frolicking through the deep bogs of a sodden xc course.

Another school of thought holds that the risk of puddle running is exaggerated, and anyway, the edge of the puddle isn't exactly risk-free. In fact, stepping to the left or the right to avoid the deep water places the foot at an odd angle, and no longer directly beneath the body's center of gravity. It would seem, then, that avoiding the puddle puts the runner at risk of a slip.

Often overlooked in this debate is the effect that splashing through the bog has on any runners foolish enough to be following closely. I would almost say this is the overriding concern, and that if you happen to have a small lead, you really ought to plow into the very deepest part of the water just to make the guy behind you think twice.

Now, there is really a proper technique for running through puddles, and it isn't to stomp on the water, satisfying as that might be. Stomping uses a lot of energy, and if the course has a lot of puddles, stomping them all is like trying to run through snow drifts. No, the proper technique is to run with a slightly shorter stride, focusing on keeping the lead foot landing directly below your center of gravity, not in front of it. The proper motion might be described as "prancing." The challenge of this kind of running is bringing the recovery leg through quickly, which requires very precise stepping and a somewhat higher knee lift.

But back to the fundamental question of what to do about the puddles, I must admit that I favor running through them. I always feel that the fewer decisions one has to make in a race, the better, and running around puddles feels like a decision that has to be made for every single puddle. Way too complicated!

Of course, you might want to make sure that you've double-knotted your shoes so tight that not even yesterday's puddles could suck them off your feet.