
EP 214: Lindsay Housman, Founder and CEO of Hettas - Engineering the Female Stride
From Athletics Ontario Running Podcast by John Shep
March 5, 2026 · 44 min · Episode 214
About this episode
Lindsay Housman discusses the gender issues in running shoe design and the importance of gender-specific data in sports.
For International Women's Day, we're burning the "shrink it and pink it" playbook. This week on the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast, Lindsay Housman, Founder and CEO of Hettas, joins us to explain why your running shoes have a gender problem. A woman's foot isn't just a smaller version of a man's—so why is the industry still treating it like one? We're diving deep into the biological grit: how hormones impact your ligaments, why your stride mechanics are unique, and how Hettas is using independent research to prevent the injuries the big brands ignore. From funding biomechanical studies to championing the women's decathlon movement, Lindsay is proving that gender-specific data isn't just a ""nice to have""—it's the key to performance and equity. Stop squeezing into a design that wasn't made for you and start running in a brand that actually knows your name. Learn more about Hettas at: https://www.instagram.com/wear_hettas/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-canada-road-trail-membership Check out Hammer Nutrition Canada (and use our special discount code AORP15 at checkout): https://hammernutrition.ca/
People in this episode
Host: John Shep
Guest: Lindsay Housman
Topics covered
- women in sports
- running shoes
- gender equity
- biomechanics
- injury prevention
- female athletes
Keywords
- running shoes
- gender problem
- biomechanics
- female athletes
- injury prevention
- Hettas
- International Women's Day
Sponsors
Hammer Nutrition Canada
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Hettas, Athletics Ontario
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