Some friends of ours gave us their old treadmill, which gave me another running option when daylight or weather prevents me from running outside. It also provides another possibility that I’ve been curious about – barefoot running.
There are two main schools of thought among runners regarding footwear:
- Buy traditional running shoes to cushion your feet and correct any foot problems such as overpronation.
- Run either barefoot or with very thin shoes to let your feet and legs adapt naturally, just like every other running animal does.
Obviously, option 1 is by far the most common among runners. Whether that’s by necessity or due to expert marketing, I can’t say. But option 2 is rapidly gaining ground, thanks largely to two factors.
One is a bestselling book called Born to Run, which tells the story of a remote Indian tribe in Mexico made of experts in ultra-long distance running (50 miles or more). I haven’t read the book yet, but I do have a birthday coming up. =) It argues, among other things, that while humans aren’t built to be the fastest animals on earth, we are blessed with a remarkable capacity for endurance. Some African tribes catch animals such as antelope by outrunning them – not in a sprint, but by outlasting them after 3-5 hours of running. Some of the best distance runners in international competition come from Africa, where barefoot running is more common.
The other reason is the exploding popularity of yet another weird shoe, the Vibram Five Fingers minimalist running shoe. It’s essentially a glove for your feet, protecting them from rocks and debris while providing the benefits of true barefoot running. A couple of my friends swear by them. Actually, I’m not aware of anyone who bought a pair and regrets it. I am curious, but I’m also mindful that VFFs and barefoot running are the complete opposite approach to my current one (expensive running shoes with even more expensive custom orthotics).
Barefoot running, they say, forces you to use proper form. Why? Because if your form is bad (heavy heel-striking, lots of up-and-down bouncing, lead foot landing too far ahead, etc.), your feet complain very quickly. With cushy shoes like most of us wear, your bad form can hide in all the foam so that you don’t feel the problem or even know you have one.
I gave it a try tonight. My initial plan was a barefoot 5k on the treadmill. Very quickly I realized that my shoe-pampered feet weren’t nearly tough enough for 3.1 miles of landing on a rough surface. I put my shoes back on after one mile. However, except for the foot tenderness, barefoot running actually felt pretty good. It definitely gives you much more feedback on your form, letting you feel which parts of your feet absorb the most impact.
Have any of you tried it, or do you know anyone who has? What are your thoughts?