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Random guy running in the Boston Marathon...barefoot!
Running any sort of race barefoot initially seems like a terrible idea. Many reasons come to my mind:
- Most races are on asphalt which is hot, rocky and possibly full of junk that could cut up your feet (glass, metal, nails...etc).
- I tend to twist my ankle a lot, and I would assume that would be the case if I tried to run any distance without support.
- It would be murder on my feet. No padding and no shock absorption.
However there seems to be a group of people who think that running barefoot is actually the best way to run any race. that includes 5k, 10k, and full marathons.
A man who goes by Barefoot Ken Bob started a website dedicated to barefoot running. The site is simply called Running Barefoot. Barefoot Ken Bob is 53 years old and has run 349 races barefoot since 1998. 73 of those races have been full 26.2 mile marathons.
His site has a lot of useful information about barefoot running and also includes plans on how to start running and information on why barefoot running might be worth trying.
"So, why are you wearing your shoes? You probably believe your shoes are protecting you from injury, and if you have knee and back pains from running with shoes, you might imagine that the impact contributing to these problems must be even worse without shoes!
However, what we often forget about Running Barefoot, especially if it has been many years since we ran, or played, barefoot, if we ever did, is that it is only comfortable to land with impact, while wearing shoes.
One of the reasons we have so much fear of Running Barefoot, is pain. Yet, it is this pain that teaches us to run smoothly, and gently, and efficiently like so many runners from places like Africa, India, South America, etc..
Shoes block pain, not impact!"
Personally, I don't know if this is something I would recommend, but I would say there might not be a lot of harm in giving it a shot. Maybe start off trying it for an eighth of a mile and see how it feels.
I do know some people who can't find a good pair of shoes ever, and spend more time without shoes on then with. If this is you, maybe barefoot running is right up your ally.
photo from runningbarefoot.org
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interesting!
I've been wanting to try to become a barefoot runner in order to reduce impact on my legs but think I have been wearing cushioned running shoes for so long. I don't know how my legs would react. I recommended barefoot running (even though I don't do it) to a runner the other day that had on track shoes and required little cushioning. Hopefully he'll start running barefoot and I'll live vicariously through him.
I've heard of this too. I'd be interested to see some numbers on how successful a person who raced with shoes and then did a similar race without shoes did.
[...] we all get it, you guys are EXTREME!!!! I think maybe they should try running the 100 miles without shoes, that would be [...]
Too bad there isn't a front view of this guy, because I'm pretty sure I've run the Fairfield, CT half-marathon, multiple Tarzan Brown Mystic River Runs and a Turkey Trot with him! This guy is the real deal when it comes to barefoot running. I've already switched to Vibram Five Fingers for running, but I'm thinking of going all the way barefoot to see what it's all about.
I just recently switched to running barefoot. Before I switched I was having all sorts of body pains that forced me to push running to the side so much to the point that I quit altogether. This included shin splints, lower back pain, knee pain, torn hamstring... and I couldn't find any shoe that would help it. I bought everything from $200 training shoes to $25 wal-mart brand. Nothing Worked.
So far I am about 3 weeks in to running with no shoes...on treadmills and grassfields of course. HAVE NOT had one pain in any of those places. My knees and legs feel AMAZING after every run. The thing that hurt at first was the bottom of my feet but once I got callouses it was smooth sailing.
After each run the only thing I get is little stiffness in my achilles tendon and your Calves will burn. But the pain goes away and I have seen my calves go from...so so to girls actually checking them out in the gym
(Gotta love that).
My everyday walking feels greatly improved as feel I have better stability and strength in my lower legs. I highly recommend it...at least give it a try. You can always go back to buying expensive shoes.
Here is a VERY interesting and informative scientific website on the subject: http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm
Here's a portion of an article I read related to this.
Dr. Robert Gotlin, a sports medicine specialist, says if you have foot problems or diabetes, keep your shoes on. You need the protection offered by cushioned shoes. If you want to restore your body to the way nature intended, keep the others in the closet; bye bye Nike, New Balance, Reebok, Adidas and even Merrell and Keen. And, hello to the new “Not-Shoe”; with names like Toe Shoes, Vibram, Five Fingers and the latest Gistwear. Gist toe shoes seem to be the only we could find with a zipper – they stay snug; http://www.gistwear.com says, ‘They stay snug; zip up to keep out the muck, zip down to cool off at the gym. They seem to do wonders to make muscles firm in the places most people care about – and fast!
I have been reading and trying out The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. He used to be a heavy duty marathon and triathlete. He doesn't go for such intense endurance activities these days but he does like running and walking barefoot. He likes the shoes that are basically barefoot with protection against cuts but that's all. So far I am enjoying going barefoot, but I don't run far. As a teacher of the Alexander Technique I think barefoot can be good to help re-educate manner of use to something more like we see in barefoot toddlers.