Barefoot Running on iTunes

Click here for an iTunes iMix of songs for barefoot-style running. All of these songs have a tempo of approximately 180 beats per minute; that's the ideal cadence for running. For the most part, this iMix is skewed towards boomer-era music. I'd be interested in seeing readers' barefoot-style running playlists compiled from the perspective of other generations or genres.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

Blue Minor by Chick Webb (90 BPM)

When most people think of the great jazz drummers from the swing era, Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa are the names that typically come to mind. Before they were stars, however, the standard for big band jazz drumming was set by William Henry "Chick" Webb. Born in the early years of the 20th century (the date of his birth was February 10 but there is some dispute about the year in which it occurred), Webb suffered from a childhood illness that left him with a misshapen spine and limited mobility in his legs. His doctors suggested drumming as a way to increase his muscle usage and overall mobility.

Webb was a pioneer who set the standard for Rich, Krupa, and the other drummers who followed. Not only was he a virtuoso drummer, but he was also an accomplished bandleader. Among his many important musical achievements was the discovery and early mentoring of Ella Fitzgerald. Webb's career was brilliant but short; he died tragically in 1939 from the medical problems that plagued him throughout his life.

Blue Minor is a wonderful tune that was written by Benny Goodman and arranged by Edgar Sampson. It moves along at at a solid 90 BPM, the perfect cadence for barefoot-style running. It's a great selection for the end of a long run when you're tired and your form is in danger of deteriorating. Chick Webb's rhythm, buoyant but relentless, is guaranteed to put a spring back in your stride.

What You Can Learn From Alberto Salazar and Indiana Jones

In his wonderful book, The Pose Method of Running (of which I'll be writing at much greater length shortly), Nicholas Romanov describes the television coverage of Alberto Salazar crossing the Queensborough Bridge during the 1981 New York City Marathon:

In the angle shown on TV, only Salazar's head and shoulders were visible above the bridge wall and it was clear that his head was remaining absolutely parallel to the top of the wall. In other words, there was no vertical oscillation created by his stride, no energy wasted in lifting and lowering the body. The "Salazar Shuffle" was indeed an efficient means of forward locomotion.

The picture of Salazar's head moving forward with no vertical oscillation — as if he were riding a bicycle rather than running — is a useful one to keep in mind as you monitor your own stride. The energy required to move your body vertically is considerable at any distance, but the cumulative energy expenditure over longer distances is enormous. Add to that the extra stress on your legs and joints and it becomes clear that this improvement in your stride all by itself can yield significant results.

In trying to minimize vertical movement, maintaining a rapid cadence is critical. Without it, it's almost impossible to not bob up and down. One mental image I find instructive in understanding this comes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Remember the movie's first scene when Indiana Jones is trying to substitute a weighted bag for the golden idol without setting off the booby-trap in the pedestal? If Indy was going to do so successfully, he needed to make the switch quickly before the trigger could engage. A slow substitution was clearly out of the question.

That's a useful metaphor for changing your weight from one foot to the other as you run. You want to make each switch rapidly — at a rate of at least 180 steps per minute — allowing you to shift your weight before your torso starts to move up and down. (That, of course, is a big part of the significance of the BPM listing for the Barefoot Running songs featured here from time to time.)

Correction

When I saw Christopher McDougall sporting Vibram FiveFingers during his appearance on The Daily Show last summer, I assumed that he had a commercial relationship with the company and said so in comment I posted on the Runner's World web site a few days ago. That assumption was incorrect and I apologize for the error.

If you missed that appearance, by the way, it's definitely worth checking out:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Are You Running Properly?

From the BBC, here is an undated article that presents an excellent overview of running technique. It's well worth checking out for all kinds of runners. The author, a sports coach named Mike Antoniades, makes one point in particular that I'd like to highlight:

Running well and running fast is a skill, not something you were born with. And just like any other skill it can be taught.

I'll come back to this point again and again in future posts because it's critically important. With all due respect to writers like the late George Sheehan and Amby Burfoot, it's wildly misleading to say that running is "an experiment of one." The truth is that there are known, identifiable elements associated with the skill of running that are amenable to study and practice. If you want to run better and with less pain, it's possible to learn specific techniques that will allow you to do so.

And here's the best part: Your body already knows many of these techniques innately. You just need to get rid of the over-engineered running shoes that are short-circuiting your proprioceptive feedback loop and you'll be off to the races... literally as well as metaphorically!

The Impact of Going Barefoot At The New York Times

Perhaps you've seen the YouTube video that illustrates how just removing her shoes had a significant positive impact on a runner's stride. Here's another illustration of this principle, this time from an even more unimpeachable source, The New York Times' Roving Runner.

Let's start with a screen grab of Brian Fidelman running with actress and playwright Sarah Jones. Notice how Mr. Fidelman seems to be leaning slightly forward with his shoulders noticeably out in front of his hips. In addition, Mr. Fidelman's forward leg seems to be out in front of his torso as it lands. It also appears to be relatively straight as it hits the ground.

Now contrast that with another picture of Mr. Fidelman, this time sans shoes, running with Christopher McDougall, the author of Born to Run. Here, even though he appears to be at a relatively similar point in his stride, we can see that his carriage is distinctly more upright with his head and shoulders directly over his hips. We can also see that his knees are both bent. His stride might not be quite as picturesque as McDougall's but it's clearly better than it was with shoes.

Could Brian Fidelman (or any other runner, for that matter) make improvements to his stride while continuing to wear running shoes? Of course. But it's instructive that merely removing one's running shoes can apparently improve the stride of even a runner who is expert enough to write about running for the estimable New York Times.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

Stay Human (All the Freaky People) by Michael Franti and Spearhead (90 BPM)

In so many different ways, today's selection qualifies as an ideal accompaniment for your next barefoot running excursion. For starters, it's got a relentless, rock solid cadence that will keep your feet lifting as your fall forward. Even so, it's tone is light and airy. It's one of those songs that you wish would go on forever.

What I love most about Stay Human, though, is that it celebrates the kind of quirky, iconoclastic sensibilities that I associate with barefoot runners. Let's face it, barefoot runners are not conventional thinkers and we're not particularly concerned with what others think or the looks we get from those who don't get what we're doing. This song captures that ethos perfectly ("Every flower's got a right to be blooming"). Michael Franti also gets points in my book for his social consciousness and commitment to proselytizing for peace.

Finally, we barefoot runners will appreciate the fact that, according to Wikipedia, "In 2000, Franti decided not to wear any shoes, initially for three days. Since then, Franti has been walking through life barefoot except for occasionally wearing flip-flops as required to board an airplane or to be served in a restaurant. Franti simply prefers not to wear shoes."

The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei

This book arrived today from Abe Books. Written in 1988 and published in London, it tells the amazing story of an order of Japanese monks who practice Tendai Buddhism. As you might guess from the title, running is an integral part of their practice. According to the back cover, "during one incredible 100-day stretch, they cover 52.5 miles daily"!

It's worth noting that these "running Buddhas" undertake their unimaginably rigorous regime without the benefit of modern training shoes. They forego "stability" and "motion control" in favor of simple straw sandals that are uncannily reminiscent of the huarache sandals favored by Tarahumara runners. Maybe it's a coincidence. Or maybe there's something we can learn from the most accomplished distance runners on the planet. Perhaps these two groups of ultra-runners — separated from each other by great distances and vast cultural divides — have uncovered truths about running that are more enduring than the Nike or Brooks marketing departments have ever imagined.

Running WIth The Beatles

In ascending order (more or less), my top five Beatles tunes for barefoot-style running:

Come And Get It (Anthology 3, 89 BPM) An obscure cut but one that's worth tracking down if it isn't already in your collection. Paul McCartney wrote this song for Badfinger, a wonderful and tragic band that recorded for Apple, the Beatles' record label. This is a demo track so it's a little less polished than Badfinger's version but it's the right tempo for a leisurely run.


Flying (Magical Mystery Tour, 183 BPM) This is the only instrumental that the Beatles released during the years they were together. In keeping with the rest of the Magical Mystery Tour project, it's got a distinctly "psychedelic" feel but it's a great track for staying loose and relaxed while taking your run uptempo a bit.

Lovely Rita (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 182 BPM) When running, you are necessarily listening to your music through earbuds. Among this tracks other attributes is the creative placement of sound across the stereo spectrum, a Beatles specialty and an art that's all but lost in modern music, one that's best appreciated with earbuds or headphones. This track really chugs along, particularly towards the end.

You Like Me Too Much (Beatles VI, 89 BPM) A bouncy track from the Beatles' earlier days written by George Harrison. Bouncy is the operative word here; for some reason, this track really helps keep my feet lifting up off the ground quickly, an important element of barefoot-style running.

One After 909 (Let It Be... Naked, 91 BPM) Lennon and McCartney wrote this song when they were teenagers but didn't record it for release until the Let It Be sessions at the end of the band's career. Even in the midst of tension and acrimony, the Beatles still made incredible music. "Move over once, move over twice. C'mon baby, don't be cold as ice." This track moves relentlessly and is great for powering along during a race.