Why Run Barefoot?
Shoe companies are a huge industry, and a large percentage of their sales are running shoes. So the last thing that a shoe company would want is for runners to start going barefoot. However, shoe companies know the benefits of running barefoot. For example, Nike has the following message,
In addition to Nike's recommendation of running barefoot, Newton Running shoe company explains the benefits of barefoot running on their website
|
"To discover your best running form all you need to do is run barefoot. You'll immediately discover that when barefoot you're not landing on your heels, you're striking on your forefoot.
Striking on your forefoot is the most natural way to run, it is also the fastest and most efficient way to run. Newton Running shoes were developed to make your feet think they're barefoot and increase your performance." |
as well as with the following diagram,
Even the shoe companies that would lose business if people started to run barefoot still agree that running barefoot is better for you. While these shoes are not a good substitute for running barefoot, the shoes companies do have the right idea.
For those of you who aren't convinced by the shoe companies, there has been much research done about the benefits of barefoot running. For example, the article listed here from the SPORTSCIENCE journal finds that barefoot runners exhibit less injuries and are about 4% more efficient (click here for pdf if link doesn't work anymore). You can find many more articles if you search google scholar for Barefoot Running.
Finally, many people ask
| "If barefoot running is so good for you, then why don't more elite athletes run barefoot?" |
There are a couple answers for this. The first is that there is a transition period to running barefoot. Since wearing shoes is the norm, many people grow up wearing shoes, and start running wearing shoes. Therefore, even though running barefoot may be better, most runners are not willing to take some time to transition to barefoot running.
What about the elite runners that grow up running barefoot? Most runners would be willing to run in a certain type of shoe if that shoe company were willing to pay them $1 million per year. However, if they run barefoot, then they have far fewer sponsorship opportunities. So essentially, it makes sense economically for the elite runners to run in shoes.
That last answer to this question is that some elite runners do run barefoot. For example, consider the barefoot runner Zola Budd, the two time 5K world record holder and world cross country champion. Also the barefoot runner Abebe Bikila, who was a marathon champion and world record holder.
| 
|
| Zola Budd | Abebe Bikila |