When I was training for my first half marathon last fall, Heather and I ran together on Sunday mornings. One cool morning, we saw two barefoot men running on the asphalt Cedar River Trail. I’d never seen anything like it before.
But Heather knew they were barefoot runners. I wanted to talk to them, but they looked so focused. I decided I would talk to them the next time we saw them, but I haven’t seen ’em since. Not that I need to talk to them anymore.
Barefoot running seems to be all the rage, and it’s even more amplified for me since I’m reading Born to Run right now. Amazon’s description:
“Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.”
McDougall (who is an excellent writer, by the way, visit his site here), makes an intriguing case for barefoot running. He implies that today’s high-tech running shoes may actually be destroying our feet and legs, and causing runners to get injured more frequently. It makes a lot of sense. And it’s especially timely for me since I am, in fact, injured with a stress fracture. It got me thinking about my shoes.
I never really felt fantastic in the shoes I have right now. They’re okay. I simply got tired of taking shoes back to the running store, and once I got Super Feet, the last pair I had fit just fine. It is interesting how I never had problems with my legs or feet until these particular shoes, though.
When I first started running again almost exactly a year ago, I used a grubby pair of New Balances that had been in my closet for at least a couple of years. When I proved to myself that I could stick with the running thing, I went to DSW and picked out a pair of nice feeling, basic New Balances for about $65. I didn’t run on a treadmill in front of a camera to pick them out or step on a computer screen. And, they were decent shoes. The only trouble I had with them was blisters. They weren’t perfect, but I knew they weren’t high-tech, so I was okay with that.
For Christmas, Mr. T spoiled me with all things running. We went to pick out new shoes. The ones I finally ended up with in February have stability control and arch lock and pronation something-or-others. Fancy.
After about a month in them, I had intense pain in my right foot and had to stop running. I went and got a cortisone shot to help a neuroma. A few months later, and I have a stress fracture.
I’m not blaming the shoes. Who knows if it was them? Most likely, my injury is from a combination of things: too much too soon, acetabular anteversion (inverted hips), running on concrete sidewalks, not stretching enough, not listening to my body…the list goes on.
On Friday, I asked my sports podiatrist what he thought about barefoot running. I was sort of expecting a quick answer, you know, like It’s bad or You should go barefoot, but I got a really long answer that involved topics like breeding, sand, horses and the film Hidalgo.
What he was talking about, though, is how the people in the tribe in McDougall’s book are, in fact, “born to run.” They grow up running barefoot or in sandals and on that surface (dirt). They start when they are very young — so they are conditioned that way, my doctor explained. And, unlike them, most of us (your everyday American athletes) do not participate in 60+-mile races by the time we are in elementary school. My doctor said the conditioning the average runner would need to do in order to be a great barefoot-only runner would take years and years.
This is where Hidalgo came in. I haven’t seen it the film, but he recapped it for me: an American and his horse, Hidalgo, go to the Saudi Arabian desert to compete in, and win, a 3,000-mile race. What made the story unbelievable (not just that it’s based on a tall tale from a former circus employee), is that the American horse was not bred and born in an area with sand. The horses in Saudi Arabia only ever run on sand. American horses — mostly hard-packed dirt, right? There’s no way the American horse could win. It would probably be injured and out of the race.
He added that there are people who can run barefoot and it’s great that it works for them, but he implied that most of them are elite athletes that are training all the time — putting in way more miles than your average mom who just wants to run one marathon.
Okay, I get it.
Of course, I’m the type of person that believes everyone has biases (whether conscious or not) — both my doctor and Christopher McDougall have them. Whatever barefoot is (good, bad, or something in between), it’s interesting. The idea certainly is intriguing. So where does this leave me?
I still want to try it. I’m just curious. What do you think? Would you ever run barefoot? Do you now? What’s your experience been like?
18 comments
I don't know if I can do it, and if I did, I'd feel so self conscious. I've seen a few runners barefoot in the park though so I'm curious. Go for it!
I'm curious about the whole thing too…wondering if it's all just the latest fad or not. I'm sure it really works for some people and won't for others. The people doing the marathon I'm signed up for are big supporters of the movement. Right now, I haven't done it but am cautiously intrigued! I haven't been injured (yet) but think I'd definitely try it if I was injury prone.
i tried it once on a track and i think i went out too fast too soon because the following day my achilles heel was really painful and so were my calves. they say to walk barefoot foot first before running. i actually really want to try the vibram five finvers.
Great post! We had a guest speaker at my clinic earlier this year to discuss barefoot running and she raised basically the same point – those of us living here and now have not been raised to run (or walk) barefoot, so it's a whole different ball game. Personally, I will stick with shoes… though I am interested in reading Born to Run!
Wonderful post Kerrie! At REI they have special foot covers for barefoot running. They are kind of like neoprene liners for you feet (they even have toe holes). There is also another type of protective covering for your foot that you send in molds for, and they make them especially for you. My sister has looked into them. I will find out what they are and let you know!Jamie
i too am very curious about it. i have been plagued by mutiple injuries/pains this past year. like you i dont know if its poor form, poor training, shoes, who knows. but it does intrigue me. i might try it out soon.
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Nice post :)I have been curious about barefoot running for awhile now and after reading Born to Run, my curiosity has increased. I was thinking about giving it a try on a track one day but feel kinda shy doing that. Is that silly?
I am inclined to think that running in shoes on hard surfaces is harder on your body in general. The shock and impact is tremendous. With barefoot running, the harder the surface the better. You learn faster what good form is. It provides excellent feedback. your ankles and knees act like the springs that they are and you land lightly and smoothly and don't heel strike so its actually more comfortable.I have been running barefoot for a year now and its been slow going for sure but I am up to marathon distance in a year. Is it really that far off from a shod runners beginning running….we shall see after I run the marathon in October barefoot!Getting minimal shoes will just mean it takes longer to strengthen and learn how our bodies were meant to move. If you listen honestly to your body and take it slow then anyone could run barefoot. Most people that get hurt running barefoot assume that they can just take the shoes off and not back off the miles. Its hard to be patient but for me its really paid off!Loved Born to Run 🙂
I would like to address the points about us having grown up in shoes and not Born to Run barefoot. The human body has a tremendous and incredible ability to adapt. Not much more to it. Our bodies heal and change and transform and learning to run barefoot is no different.
That's so interesting you mention that book because I have it on my summer reading list. I've thought a lot about barefoot running recently even though I know I'd never do it. I see people running on asphalt barefoot and think that just can't be good. Maybe trail running but not asphalt. Have you seen the five finger Vibrams I think. Seems like a nice in between if you want to try it.
I grew up in the country and was barefoot most of the time. I still prefer to go without shoes but, like you, went out and bought expensive running shoes once I was sure I'd stick with it. Now that I've learned more, I'd love to try barefoot running. (I'm a little hesitant about running barefoot in Montana winters though. LOL) I haven't looked into it near enough but it just seems more natural to me, y'know?
I've just finished reading Born to Run as well – definitely makes me interested in the whole barefoot thing – but know I'm not interested enough to try it myself … partly I just can't imagine it, and partly here in NZ we are always behind and I really would get strange looks 😉 I have thought about looking at the lighter/freer shoes they are manufacturing though. I'm making myself not run for at least the three weeks until I see a sports dr, so I'm thinking of looking into it while I have the time off, I have a feeling I'm going to have to slowly work up to running the k's I was doing anyway, so probably a good time to change if I'm going to.
I just did some barefoot running today! I am going to stick with my PT-prescribed 5 min max every other week because like your doc said, we're just not made to do all that barefoot running all the time. I ran on a sidewalk near my house. I think what people don't realize is that when you run barefoot, you don't slam the pavement the way you do when you wear shoes so there really isn't a lot of shock / impact when you land. That's the whole point of running barefoot – is to learn how to soften your footstrike then mimic that when you have your shoes on. It actually feels BETTER! I have big clunky stability shoes that make it hard to use the barefoot technique so will be trying to find some different, low profile shoes soon…
Have you tried using barefoot shoes like Vibrams? They are great minimalist shoes! These shoes sure taught me the value of being patient – to slowly yet surely increase the mileage and not rush into minimalist running. One guy actually complained of a deformed pinky though. You can read about his interesting real life experience in easing into barefoot running here Benefits of Barefoot Shoes
I do want to learn to run barefoot. I keep meaning to try on my treadmill. Maybe I'll try this morning. But I can't bring myself to run on the roads.
One of the Mud Run races I ran this year was slippery, quite muddy and not that long (5K) and I said after the race that if I run it again, I'm running it barefoot. My shoes were caked with mud and offered little support once that happened, which was early. I almost did feel like taking them off as others had done during the race.But aside from that race, the idea of barefoot running is appealing. I don't know that I could just give up running with shoes but there seems to be quite a few benefits to doing so. I do want to try it at least once and see what happens. I guess the worst that could happen is I land on a rock or twig or something like that, but I might try the local HS track to minimize things like that.And I've started and stopped and started Born To Run a lot recently. I'm a horrible reader, mostly because I don't have a ton of time to read, but I read a few chapters yesterday. It's a very interesting read, just need to dedicate some time to it. My mom, by the way, knows all about the Tarahumara – they really are famous in Mexico.
I started running barefoot about six weeks ago. I blew out my left knee and was trying to walk to get it back in shape, but some days walking just about killed me. I read a post on Zen Habits about barefoot running and thought, “what the hell”. I have to say that my knee has gotten much better and I can only attribute it to the barefoot running. I also love the way it makes my feet feel after the run! I did start slow and am still working up, but my feet have gotten so much tougher (not calluses, just thick and leathery) that I can run on most surfaces without problem.It's like running and going to a reflexologist all at the same time!