TFC Digital Community Q&A with Ruth O’Donnell

In this Restore to Explore community Q&A, Ruth from The Foot Collective speaks with Strong Feet Athletics founder Tyler Benner about the design philosophy behind the Leviathan cycling shoe and the broader role of foot function in athletic performance and daily movement.

Ruth is a host with The Foot Collective’s Restore to Explore podcast and community platform, where she helps guide conversations around foot health, movement, and practical strategies for restoring natural function. Through interviews, Q&As, and member discussions, she brings together footwear founders, practitioners, and movement educators to help people better understand their bodies from the ground up.

In the conversation, Tyler explains how his own foot realignment process led him to rethink traditional cycling shoes and ultimately create a foot-shaped clip-in model that could support toe splay, balance, and a more natural platform under load. He discusses why most cycling shoes are overly narrow, curved, and awkward to walk in, and how the Leviathan was designed to work more like a flat, stable foundation both on and off the bike.

The discussion also explores bigger ideas behind Strong Feet Athletics, including the importance of movement variety, the limits of using cycling as a person’s only form of exercise, and the value of tools like toe spacers and sensory insoles in helping people rebuild strength and proprioception. The episode highlights Tyler’s larger philosophy that better footwear should support long-term function, healthier mechanics, and a more active life overall.