Running Barefoot

Although running barefoot has been around since the beginning of time, it's popularity has exploded in recent years.  In possibly the most famous barefoot performance of the modern era, Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, won gold in the 1960 Olympic Marathon.  Abebe ran barefoot through the hot streets of Rome in 1960, setting a world record, and winning the marathon in a time of 2.15.16--an inspiring end to the Olympic Games.

This resurgence of "barefoot" running has woven its way into almost every brand of athletic shoe ware on the current market.  New Balance has the Minimus line; for Nike, its the Free Run design. Addidas has the Adizero Hagio, which is in direct competition with Saucony's Hattori.  Brooks has the Pure Project, and Merrel has the Barefoot Run line.  Let's not overlook the Vibram FiveFingers.  Originally marketed to yacht racers, the Vibram FiveFingers was invented in 1999 and introduced to the running community in 2005.  The closest you can get to running barefoot without having the soles of your feet exposed, the FiveFingers shoe has a separate compartment for each toe and no heel cushioning.   All aiming to approximate barefoot running, minimalist shoes have one major commonality--little to no cushioning in the heel pad.  This is a major variation from the typical running shoe which emphasizes cushioning in the heel.  Because of this lack of cushioning in the heel region, minimalist shoes encourage a toe, to mid foot strike, instead of a heel strike, which is how you would run if running barefoot.

The jury is still out as to whether barefoot/minimalist running is the way to go.  Common sense tells us the less weight you carry, the faster you'll run, and in that catagory, minimalist shoes win hands down.  Speed, however, is not the only issue.  Will they effectively keep you from injury?  Some say yes and some say no.

If you're ready to give this new breed of shoe a try, heed these words to the wise:  transition SLOWLY.  Follow these guidelines from Vibram and you may be the next convert.

• Run no more than 10% of your typical running distance for the first 2–3 weeks
• After 2–3 weeks, gradually increase mileage by 10%–20% every couple of weeks
• If you ever start to feel pain during a run, stop! You can always try again in a couple of days
• Never run 2 days in a row for the first month
• Stretch before and after each run, focusing on calves and feet, because Vibram FiveFingers running will stimulate these muscles
• If, after several weeks of training, you are consistently very sore, you need to rest and back-off on your mileage  

Barefoot running is not for me.  I gave it a try and am back to traditional Nikes.  The only way you'll know what's right for you is to experiment.

LACE UP (or not) and hit the road!

Assignment for the day:  run for 55 minutes