Opening Line
Running barefoot. I don't blame you if you decide to skip this post. I am sure some folks will think I am absolutely nuts and others may go directly to the comments so they can tell me to 'funk off." The nice thing is you have a choice.
I shall begin by saying "don't take my word for it." I know that most readers of my blog are intelligent and you should know better. I would suggest you seek other viewpoints, both positive and negative.
NOTE: This is broken into two parts to make it easily digestable.
What I Know is What I Know
Studies Show
- Running barefoot is 4-5% more efficient than running in shoes.
- Oxygen consumption increases as more mass is added to the foot (for example running shoes, orthotics, etc.).
- Running shoes prevent natural foot movement which hinder the development of key muscles and ligaments - thereby making runners more susceptable to injuries, especially Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendonitis.
- There is a relationship between the increase in running injuries and the increase in cushioning in running shoes.
- The human foot is adept to running on natural terrain.
- There is no discernable difference in impact between a barefoot runner and a shod runner.
- If a barefoot runner is pounding too hard, he/she will alter his/her stride naturally to prevent excess shock.
- Barefoot runners tend to land mid-foot versus the heel. This increases the work of the foot's soft tissue support structures. Doing so increases their strength and helps reduce the risk of injuries.
Strike Out
Try this at home: stand on one leg; transfer your weight to your heel - you should feel more strain on your knee; now transfer your weight forward - the strain should move to your ankle. Now you can understand why foot strike may be important.
Barefoot Runners
Abebe Bikila: former Olympic Marathon world-record holder Bruce Tulloh: former European 5K record-holder Rick Roeber: current consecutive days running barefoot world-record holder Tegla Loroupe: former Olympic Marathon world-record holder Zola Budd: former world record holder in the women's 5000 meters
Going Random
Podiatrists cannot agree whether or not running barefoot can be beneficial (of course they also need to sell you orthotics and other inserts).
Numerous Track and Field Coaches at the Collegiate Level (for example famed Stanford Coach Vin Lananna) integrate barefoot running into their training regimens.
Shoes still have their place on many type of surfaces and, of course, in inclement weather. But...
Back in 1989, Dr. Bernard Marti, the leading preventative-medicine specialist at Switzerland’s University of Bern (along with his research team), discovered that runners wearing top-of-the-line shoes are 123% more likely to get injured than runners in cheap ones.
When running in cushioned shoes, the foot pushes through the sole in search of a hard, stable surface.
OK Already
So perhaps your interest is heightened just a little. Or perhaps it waned after the first paragraph. In my next post I'll talk about my experience in bare feet. Until then, I leave you with this:
One or two sessions of barefoot running a week (on a grassy field) will help strengthen the ankles, the calves and other ligaments and muscles. This helps reduce the risk of inury and improves your running.
Listening to: Painted by Numbers - The Sounds
Posted near the Potomac River
