The famous Zola Budd, Olympian in 1984. The first (and only) barefoot runner I have ever seen in serious competition.
Posted on 10/03/2010 8:58:32 PM PDT by Inappropriate Laughter
People might think they're crazy, but barefoot runners, even those who pursue punishing marathons sans shoes, say that freeing your feet from the confines of a sneak is just as God and nature intended.
"It's kind of like trying to explain a sunset to a blind person," said Rick Roeber, the Midwest representative for TheRunningBarefoot.com,...
He compares walking and running in shoes to typing with gloves on. It's just not quite right.
"You have to try the experience to understand," he said.
SNIP
Elizabeth McCullough of Lexington, Ky., who started running barefoot earlier this year, went to Saxton's website for direction and soon embraced the idea.
"Just running up the street without any shoes on felt wrong and exciting," McCullough said. Kids in her neighborhood often stare when she runs without shoes, she said. "But I don't care; it's worth it."
Although it seems counter-intuitive, Roeber and McCullough were serious marathoners who ditched their shoes after physical problems resulted from running.
SNIP
As for Roeber, he thinks there might be a trend in the making. Remember in the 1970s, when people wondered how jogging would ever really catch on?
"Five years ago, I would have said it's always going to be a niche. Now I am not so sure," he said. "I am amazed with the popularity that has happened within the last year or two."
The amount of traffic to Saxton's website, while small, has doubled every two years, he said. He toured the country this summer to promote barefoot running, and he met with enthusiastic crowds.
"Well, for most of the history of mankind, people didn't wear shoes," he said. Still, shoe companies will continue to spend millions of dollars to convince people that they need shoes, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at northjersey.com ...
barefoot running on city streets doesn’t sound too smart to me.
I invite the barefoot runners to West Texas during the Summer. The buring sand is just the icing on the cake with the jagged rocks and the fireants. Enjoy!
buring = burning
Down here in coastal Texas, running on the tar laid aggregate for a block or so, will cure a barefoot runner from their addiction!!
The famous Zola Budd, Olympian in 1984. The first (and only) barefoot runner I have ever seen in serious competition.
The best part of training in these foot sleeves is that they obviate the hazards that normally threaten the barefoot runner.
Even the Indians used moccasins for a reason.
“I invite the barefoot runners to West Texas during the Summer. The buring sand is just the icing on the cake with the jagged rocks and the fireants. Enjoy!”
I hear that. I do trail running in SW MO. I like going barefoot in my yard, and my garden, that’s it.
What I find funny that I never see these “back to nature” barefoot runners out in the backwoods conservation areas where I run- they are all in town on the paved trails.
I have wondered about these. May I ask what type of surface you typically use them on?
When I was a kid I didn’t wear shoes from the day school was out until the day school started again in September. The soles of my feet were something to behold. It would have taken a sharp knife to cut through that callus. There was a black man in the town where we used to live, his name was Barefoot Freddie. The story was he had never worn shoes in his whole life. I saw him a few times and I believe the story.
I saw the strange little rubber shoes with toes that the article mentions at Whole Earth Provision Company, VERY strange.
I would rather peel gum off my shoes. Don’t they have police on horse back for the new york marathon?
Then my dad tells me he did wear shoes most of the summer, they got a new pair when they went back to school.
I tried to use that screen name.
can you provide a jpg image
As my imagination just can’t picture it
There is a reason that civilized people wear shoes.
I keep encouraging my hubbie to get a set of Vibrams. He has a bad knee. I think ‘natural’ seems to be ‘where it’s at’. The running shoes of the day seem to do more harm than good. Imbalance.
I bought my Mom a pair of these when her 2nd toe started overlapping her big toe on one foot. We call them her "monkey feet". *chuckle* She says they're incredibly comfortable and align her toes perfectly. :)
Her foot came off...
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