UNH Student Research Finds Performance Boost in Running Shoes
UNH student research team, (from L to R), Morgan Koskela ’25, Mackenzie Cook (Oyster River High School), Owen Daigle ’26, Allison Petry ’25, and Amanda Ares ’25.
Imagine conducting research on running shoe performance and then getting the opportunity to tell a major athletic shoe company that, based on your findings, they have a chance to tap into an overlooked market.
That’s exactly what four UNH students majoring in Exercise Science experienced through their Hamel Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, where they found that carbon-fiber plated (CFP) running shoes can improve the performance of recreational runners.
The project involved Amanda Ares ’25, Allison Petry ’25, Morgan Koskela ’25, Owen Daigle ’26, and faculty advisor Summer Cook, an associate professor of Kinesiology.
The team recruited 22 runners, who then completed a series of 5K treadmill time trials under controlled conditions at the Kertzer Exercise Laboratory. Each participant ran the same distance in:
- Their own running shoes
- A non-CFP running shoe (similar in design but without the carbon-fiber plate)
- A CFP running shoe
The study measured pacing strategies, biomechanics, perceived comfort, and post-run fatigue to understand how CFP shoes affect recreational runners.
Read more about the research in UNH Today
