last week i discussed the idea of running shoeless; today another article popped up about this that concludes shoes make us run differently than we would if barefoot. whereas the previous article suggested not to run on solid, hard surfaces, this one suggests barefoot would still soften the impact of foot strike as you’d be hitting with the forefoot, not the heel. it cautions against injury by undertaking too much too soon – the same caution any prospective runner, or athlete, should keep in mind. but it offers one more thing to do before undertaking this mode of running: read the book referred to in the article. the process is one of gradual progression in terms of time, speed, distance, and surface. i just recommended to a client to do so on an indoor rubberized track first, progress to an outdoor track after which, over time, the callous on the foot will be strong enough to handle some concrete/asphalt running. will it protect against broken bottles or other sharp pointy objects? no, not yet, so keep your eyes looking about 6 ft in front of you. if done right, your muscles will be adapted by the time your feet look like a third-world native’s. if you can handle appearances, go for it. i can tell you this, from my tae kwon do days, for a guy, some callous isn’t bad. but you women may not like the look, or feel:
