Tell you what. You show us.

This guy’s had a fair amount of success:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUJhnEmx8Do[/video]

This girl’s had a fair amount of success, too (@1:10 you can see her foot strike, including the heel):
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4wnGFEZ808[/video]

A training video:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRkeBVMQSgg[/video]

So to paraphrase. All runners heels touch the ground, unless they are running err fast….. when they dont

Exactly, sprinting is not the same as distance running.

Although watching 100m races in slow motion, you can see the heels do start to briefly touch the ground towards the end of the race:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH-3cHxXAK0[/video]

whoever that chap is at the end of the sprint, he’s cruising over the line. You can see him relax before he crosses over. Probably because he’s WAY faster than everyone else.

Mmm… OK So you post a video of Haille which is a video loop then use that to make your argument when it is clear that you cant see if his heel touches the floor at all?
The video of Paula (at 1:10) when you claim her heel touches the ground again it is immpossible to see, particularly as at 1:10 it is a head on shot!
I will ignore the 3rd one I dont go in for all that rubbish.
And ref the final video where the sprinter’s heel is touching the ground. You do know the difference between acceleration and deceleration dont you or are you saying as part of that race he becomes a heel striker? 🙄

OK So you post a video of Haille which is a video loop then use that to make your argument when it is clear that you cant see if his heel touches the floor at all?
The video of Paula (at 1:10) when you claim her heel touches the ground again it is immpossible to see, particularly as at 1:10 it is a head on shot!

Have you actually bothered to watch the videos? At 1:10 you can see Paula from the side, not head on. True you can’t see her feet properly, but at 1:11 (a whole second later!!!) you can.

And ref the final video where the sprinter’s heel is touching the ground. You do know the difference between acceleration and deceleration dont you or are you saying as part of that race he becomes a heel striker?

You can see the runners’ heels start to touch down in other points of the video, too. For example at 0:51, the furthest runner and the one in lane 3.

Still, you seem to have decided that runners’ heels don’t touch the ground, and you’re going to ignore any and all evidence to the contrary 😕

I think it’s to do with how fast you are, depends on how your foot lands.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-the-footstrike/

Still, you seem to have decided that runners’ heels don’t touch the ground, and you’re going to ignore any and all evidence to the contrary

Err your still wrong. I never said anything of the kind. Some runners heel strike and some runners heels touch the ground at some point during the whole process of landing and taking off. However you said

It sounds like you’re running on your toes – your heel should briefly touch down on each step…

It is not the case that your heel should or needs to come into any contact with the ground. Mine dont and I am by no means fast. You made a generalisation which is incorrect.
I wasnt being pedanic about the point on the video, the quality is very poor and I wasnt in a position to watch properly earlier. I have watched it now and you cannot tell if her heel touches the ground at all. If this is your “evidence” then you need to try harder

Can’t tell if they touch (not that it matters) here either, but it sure don’t look pretty 🙂
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAW87NsiGuI[/video]

That said he could still beat me if only had one leg 😀

I wasnt being pedanic about the point on the video, the quality is very poor and I wasnt in a position to watch properly earlier. I have watched it now and you cannot tell if her heel touches the ground at all. If this is your “evidence” then you need to try harder

I’m not going to try any harder as you can clearly see her heel “kissing” the ground – @1:17 for example. But go on then: find me a decent video of a decent long distance runner who runs exclusively on their toes. You won’t find one.

It is not the case that your heel should or needs to come into any contact with the ground. Mine dont and I am by no means fast. You made a generalisation which is incorrect.

You’re right about one thing, though: it was a generalisation. It was based on what I’ve seen and read, and I’m sure in this great big world we live in there will be exceptions, and maybe you’re one of them. But the OP (samuri) was talking about calf pain and socks with holes in them, which sound very much like someone spending too much time on their toes, and could do with letting their heels briefly touch the ground. Working on ankle flexibility might be a good idea, too.

OK, I’m a sucker for finding another one:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDlu7b1wDWQ[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Ogzws9QL4[/video]

see her heel “kissing” the ground – @1:17 fo

You cant however it makes not a bit of difference.

It was based on what I’ve seen and read, and I’m sure in this great big world we live in there will be exceptions, and maybe you’re one of them. But the OP (samuri) was talking about calf pain and socks with holes in them, which sound very much like someone spending too much time on their toes, and could do with letting their heels briefly touch the ground. Working on ankle flexibility might be a good idea, too.

All this proves is that you probably shouldnt be giving advice.