The Fine Art of Barefoot Running

Runners of the world, slow down and read me. Does your achilles' tendon ache? Do your heels hurt? What about your knee? Maybe just your knee cap? I recently read a Times article about running that got my mind racing. The best part was the opening paragraph:

"UNTIL he met a reclusive tribe of near-mythical athletes at the bottom of a Mexican canyon, Micah True could never figure out why his running injuries got worse as his running shoes got better. Then, the Tarahumara Indians taught him a lesson that even Nike is now starting to embrace: the best shoe may be no shoe at all." (The New York Times "Kick Off Your Shoes and Run Awhile," Christopher McDougall - June 23, 2005)

The article asked why - with all the technological advancements in running shoes over the past 30 years - have we not seen a decrease in running injuries? In a nutshell, the argument is that fancy shmancy sneakers have made our feet lazy. Legs absorb shock better than heels do, and the mega cushioning in running shoes tend to restrict the movement of our feet, sometimes putting unneeded weight on our heels. Barefoot runners, on the other hand, have much stronger, more flexible feet, and pressure is distributed more evenly when running.

The proof is in the pudding. In this case, the pudding is of the rubber tire variety (I prefer tapioca). Mr. True, who I referenced in the opening paragraph, had been plagued by injuries while training for ultramarathons. On one of his ridiculously long races, he met some swift runners from Mexico, who frequently placed in the top rankings. These speedsters wore homemade huaraches made from strips of old tires. Their feet? Injury free and fast as hell. They taught him to "run lightly on the front of his foot instead of heavily on his heel. " And it worked.

I may revert back to wearing my sprinting shoes whenever I run. They're ultra flexible and have far less cushioning than my cross-training shoes. If you don't have sprinting shoes, I suggest you do the next best thing: Chop up an old tire and strap it onto your feet. Three, two, one...go!