Going Barefoot Week

Part III:  Getting There

There are many, many resources on barefoot running, so I'll be brief in my explanation.  Basically, it's a style of running that lets your body do the work.  Your heels weren't meant to absorb shock; that job is for the balls of your feet.  Modern running shoes don't allow that to happen, so many runners end up with injuries as a result of poor form and weak foot muscles (from all the cushiony shock absorbers that have to be put into shoes to make your heel be able to absorb the shock, which it isn't supposed to do).

Barefoot runners don't concern themselves with over-pronation; in fact, that's kind of a natural thing your foot might do when you run, but that doesn't make it bad.  When I run barefoot, I naturally land on the outside of my foot, roll inside to the ball, and then spring off of my big toe.  To do this, my pelvis tilts forward, creating a perpetual motion that is nearly effortless.

At first, of course, all the muscles in my feet were like jelly from not being worked.  Once they got a chance to strengthen, my running took off, so to speak.  I am now up to 15 miles for my long runs, and it's really no big deal.

This change in my running habits has truly been life changing.  I am amazed at what my body is able to do, if only I stop trying to fix it with man-made solutions.