Natural Stride Sports

A Great Stride

2011-07-21T09:32:00.002-04:00

Here's a guy whose stride is worth studying.

Best Tee Shirt Ever!

2011-05-21T08:55:00.002-04:00

I ran this morning in the Lake Mary Community 5K, a fund raising event for Lake Mary High School. It was a first-class event sponsored by my friends Eric and Stacey Bartos, the owners of Fleet Feet Sports Orlando. As I was lining up for the start, I noticed a woman wearing this tee shirt. To tell you the truth, when the race was over I didn't have the heart to see whether or not she beat me but I'm sure that plenty of people got a glimpse of the back of her shirt as she flew past them!

My favorite race tee shirt of all time.

The Inestimable Ken Bob Saxton

2011-04-29T17:58:00.000-04:00

The Godfather of barefoot running featured on WABC-TV in New York.

Even The Thinnest Soles Make A Difference

2011-04-12T18:43:00.003-04:00

In my last post, I mentioned that I prefer running barefoot to running in any of the minimalist shoes on the market. Today, I came across this post from the alway excellent Matt Fitzgerald that provides some support for this position:

It bears mentioning also that running in Vibrams is not running barefoot. Vibrams have as much weight as the lightest racing flats and they alter running mechanics. Research suggests there’s a binary difference between shod and unshod running. Even the thinnest soles change how we run.

The VIVOBAREFOOT Neo by Terra Plana

2011-04-07T14:57:00.013-04:00

Let’s start out with this premise: For all but the most doctrinaire, it’s simply not practical to run completely barefoot all the time.While I run barefoot whenever I can and generally prefer barefoot running to any sort of minimalist footwear, there are certain situations in which I’ll always opt to have something on my feet. A few of those:

A route that is know to be sharply textured, especially one with sharp gravel fixed in asphalt
Any route that is substantially unknown
Running at night in areas that are not well lit
After a rainstorm when there’s lots of standing water

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I’d tried a few different options and gotten decidedly mixed results. One was the footwear that most of us seeking a minimalist alternative have tried, Vibram FiveFingers, another was huarache sandals from Barefoot Ted (now rebranded as Luna Sandals), and a third option I explored was the Nike Free 5.0.

The Neo: A great option when barefoot isn't possible.

Vibrams might be a great alternative for runners with perfect feet but, unfortunately, I don’t fall into that category. I’ve got a mild instance of Morton’s Toe (both feet) and a moderate bunion (left foot), two conditions for which Vibrams are not particularly accommodating. Huaraches provided an inconsistent experience for me, with pretty dramatic variations depending on ground conditions and how skillfully I lace them up on any given run. Also, as I worked my way through several pairs of huaraches over a period of months, I seemed to find myself encountering equipment problems (both laces and soles) regularly and always at the most inopportune times. Compared to most running shoes, the Nike Frees are certainly a step in the right direction but let’s not kid ourselves: Only the most expansive definition of the term “minimalist” would allow this model to fall into that category. (Are they more minimalist than, say, the Brooks Beast? Absolutely. Do they provide for a barefoot feel and stride? In a word... no.)

So, what’s a barefoot runner to do? One great answer for me came when the folks at Terra Plana sent me a pair of their new VIVOBAREFOOT model, the Neo.

Even before you’ve finished unpacking the shoes, it’s easy to see that you’re dealing with a carefully crafted product. Like Apple, Terra Plana uses its packaging to communicate something about the company, its products, and its values. The message is simple and straightforward: We care about our products and pay attention to every detail.

And when you lace these babies up, they don’t disappoint. The Neos look great and feel even better.

Actually, I’ve reviewed Terra Plana products before and, to tell you the truth, I’ve always been keenly disappointed that the company never adopted a line from that review that I thought would have been a great slogan: A shoe doesn't have to look like a glove to fit like one. Terra Plana's inexplicable failure to recognize my copywriting prowess notwithstanding (!), that line works just as well when it comes to this shoe. My Neos fit perfectly and, unlike Vibram FiveFingers, wearers don’t need a set of instructions to put them on properly.

Resting after a comfortable 10k race.

Which brings us to the point at which the rubber meets the road. (Normally, of course, that would be a cliché. In this context, though, it’s literally true!) These shoes feel terrific and barely insinuate themselves between you and the ground when you’re out running. I’ve taken my Neos out for several training runs as well as a 10k road race and enjoyed every mile. The toe box is ample, allowing your feet to land as naturally as possible. And the sole is thin enough to keep you connected to the ground but strong enough to provide some protection. And they’re puncture-proof.

Terra Plana’s previous entry into the running shoe market, the EVO, was a fine shoe but a bit on the pricey side. The Neo, on the other hand, is priced at $130.00, not far from the “sweet spot” in the still-developing market for minimalist running shoes.

Will I adopt the Neo as an everyday trainer? Probably not; I still prefer the Full (barefoot) Monty whenever possible. But on those occasions when barefoot isn’t going to work for me, these beauties could be my shoe of choice for the foreseeable future.

New VIVOBAREFOOT Model Arrives

2011-03-16T16:09:00.004-04:00

Well, these beauties—Terra Plana's new Neo model—showed up this afternoon. I'm looking forward to putting some miles on them over the next few days and reporting back to you. As for initial impressions, the quality is impressive and the design is elegant. More soon...

New from Terra Plana

Dr. Betty Smith... Incredible

2011-03-04T17:21:00.002-05:00

You will absolutely want to check out this interview from VIVOBAREFOOT featuring Dr. Betty Smith, a 70 year old barefoot-style runner. Amazing.

Dr. Betty Smith Interview from vivobarefoot on Vimeo.

Astonishing, Even By Ultrarunner Standards

2011-02-25T20:25:00.000-05:00

Meet Simon Wheatcroft, a 29 year old British runner who is in training for the Cotswold ULTRArace.100, a 100-mile ultramarathon. And he's blind.

Barefoot Steve Explains His Strange Hobby

2011-02-22T14:46:00.001-05:00

Michael Sandler Reviews A Barefoot Running Sandal

2011-02-18T17:50:00.005-05:00

Very interesting...

Update: By the way, here is a direct link to Michael's site.

Barefoot Running in the Back of a Volkswagen

2011-02-16T09:43:00.004-05:00

Let me admit right up front that I am fascinated by the creative opportunities available through various sorts of digital manipulation. Photoshopped photos, altered audio, and edited video can be provocative, funny, or just entertaining. A recent Volkswagen commercial is a terrific case in point. The ad appropriates old television video of a Gene Kelly/Donald O'Connor dance routine and re-situates the already clever concept into the back seat of a Volkswagen Jetta.

The music that serves as the ad's soundtrack is a song by Pigeon John called The Bomb. It's an energetic tune that features a challenging 185 BPM cadence along with some interesting rhythmic changes. It's a great barefoot-style running tune, especially for workouts or races where you want to push yourself just a bit.

The Fresh Air Fund and the New York City Half Marathon

2011-02-09T15:04:00.002-05:00

The Fresh Air Fund is an organization that's been doing great work for an awfully long time. They've been providing free summer vacations for New York City children from low-income communities and have been doing so since 1877. Sure, there's no shortage of organizations that deserve our support but this is one for which I've developed a soft spot in my heart over the years (I remember their commercials on television back when I was growing up on Long Island).

A great organization that deserves our support.

One of the fundraisers on which the organization depends is the New York City Half Marathon. The race covers an amazing 13.1-mile course that takes runners through beautiful Central Park, electrifying Times Square, and ends with breathtaking finish-line views of the New York City harbor. More than 11,000 runners finished the race last year, including a team of Fresh Air Fund-Racers that raised $100,000.00 for this outstanding group.

This year, the race takes place on March 20th and the Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors. If you're in or around New York City, I can't recommend this race—or this organization—highly enough. Check out their site and learn a little bit about the great work they're doing. If you take a few moments to do so, I'm pretty confident you'll figure out what to do next.

Vibram and the First-Mover (Dis)Advantage

2010-12-27T17:51:00.002-05:00

My background before launching this blog was in the technology industry, so you'll understand if my allusions tend to reflect that industry's history. I believe, though, that the tech industry's emphasis on innovation provides a plausible framework for speculating about the direction of the running shoe industry as it accommodates itself to the running public's burgeoning interest in minimalist footwear.

There's no question about the fact that Vibram staked out a commanding early lead in the market for shoes designed with barefoot-style running in mind. (An substantially accidental lead, to be sure, but I've always said that it's better to be lucky than to be good. Vibram's been a bit of both.) It's natural to assume that their early lead will create an advantage in the market that other players will find tough to overcome. In fact, in technology-driven markets, the smart money says that early leaders will almost always find themselves out-performed by cannier competitors who enter a market in its second wave.

The examples are legion. The Altair 8800 Computer and Radio Shack's TRS-80 models, VisiCalc spreadsheet software, Wordperfect word processing, the Netscape web browser... and on and on. These are all examples of once-dominant technology leaders that are now little more than footnotes in the industry's history.

Which brings us to Vibram. Like these other companies, Vibram's moves to follow up on its early success are not exactly impressive. The company seems to think that its insistence on toe compartments is part of the key to its success. In my opinion, the opposite is more likely the case. Vibram aficionados like the shoes in spite of their difficult-to-don toe design, not because of it. There are plenty of things Vibram could have done for its encore act: shoes that are easier to put on, soles that are thinner, designs that accommodate irregular feet are just a few example. Instead, the company did none of them.

The Bikila, in particular, looks to me like a large step in the wrong direction. They're more like regular running shoes (apart from the still-hard-to-use toes compartments) and less like the shoes that barefoot running demands. Vibram seems to fundamentally misunderstand its market and four page full color inserts in Runner's World are unlikely to help. (I'll give Vibram this much credit, though: "Bikila" is an awesome name for a running shoe!)

So, who will win the minimalist shoe war? It's tough to say right now. There are several impressive entries on the market already and I suspect that more are just around the corner. If I were a betting man, though, I'd put money on the field, not the leader. Vibram got out of the gate pretty fast but I see no signs of staying power.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-12-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

I've written about Michael Franti before but, for a couple of reasons, his music is well worth revisiting. For one thing, it's incredibly energetic while still being light and playful. For another, Franti's social and cultural positioning dovetails quite nicely with what I think barefoot running is all about. And, finally, while Franti is not a runner (at least, not that I am aware of), he is a committed barefoot guy in his everyday life.

All of which brings us to Say Hey (I Love You), today's barefoot-style running tune. I was out running yesterday afternoon and needed a little something to motivate me in the cold weather. (Okay, I'm in Florida and it was 40-something degrees, a temperature that's not exactly daunting for many of you. Make fun if you will, but everything's relative. I was cold!) This tune proved to be just the ticket to get me going... and keep me going. (I listened to it about five times in a row!) The cadence is ever-so-slightly faster than 180 steps per minute, so it might be a bit challenging for a beginning barefoot-style runner. But if you're looking for a tune to kick-start a run or to provide an extra bit of energy at the end of a race, you'd be hard pressed to find something more lively than this. (The video, shot on location in Rio de Janeiro, is awesome. And if you look carefully, you can find a couple of young girls running barefoot!)

Enjoy!

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-12-04T09:19:00.002-05:00

Written by Lennon and McCartney when they were 17 years old, this is my favorite barefoot-style running song ever.

Awesome Mini-Movie About Runners' Mind Games

2010-11-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

From director Casey Neistat and sponsored by Nike, a terrific little film about the mind games we runners all play with ourselves. How many of these thoughts have floated around in you head before, during, or after a run? (I think I've had just about all of them!)

A Great Barefoot Event from Travel Country

2010-11-16T14:16:00.007-05:00

Michael Sandler wows an unshod crowd!

This past weekend, the folks at Travel Country (an outdoor store here in the Orlando area) put on a terrific barefoot-style running event. Over 100 barefoot runners took to the Seminole Wekiva Trail for a 5k run following a thoroughly worthwhile barefoot running clinic put on by the inestimable Michael Sandler. Michael is the author of an informative, engaging, and eminently readable book called Barefoot Running and, for my money, one of barefoot running's best ambassadors. (I'll be posting an in-depth review of Barefoot Running soon, by the way.)

A wonderful run with an important payoff.

A gathering of barefoot runners like this is a happening all by itself but the real value of this event came at the end when Travel Country presented a check for over three thousand dollars to the MD Anderson Cancer Center. If Travel Country's marketing maven, Roger Watson, was plying his trade in New York instead of Central Florida, people would call him a mensch. I'll just content myself, though, to describing him as a great guy who's doing great work to support an organization that touches the lives of thousands of patients and their families.

Congratulations to Roger and Travel Country for an outstanding inaugural effort for what I'm sure will become an eagerly anticipated annual event. It was a blast.

Update: Click here for event photos. As Dr. Winston O'Boogie once said, "You should have been there."

Words of Wisdom

2010-11-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

From the great Alberto Salazar (quoted in the most recent issue of Running Times), once one of the world's great runners but now one of the running world's great coaches:

There has to be one best way of running. It's got to be like a law of physics. [A runner] can't be a heel-striker and expect to run as good as the best forefoot runners. You can be efficient for a while with bad form—maybe with a low shuffle stride—but eventually that's not good for your body.

To which I can only add, "Amen."

Barefoot Running Tutorial

2010-11-03T11:43:00.002-04:00

Christopher McDougall recently re-posted this terrific video from Terra Plana on his blog. The video features running coach Lee Saxby explaining the mechanics of barefoot running. It's well worth the ten minutes it will take you to check it out:

Learn to Run Barefoot with Lee Saxby and Terra Plana from GTB Goodtruebeautiful GmbH on Vimeo.

Barefoot Running With the Beatles

2010-11-02T16:50:00.001-04:00

It's probably a good thing that the Beatles' recorded output only contains a handful of 180 BPM tunes... or I might not ever listen to any other music! Another Girl is a (relatively obscure) song that was featured in the Beatles' (relatively obscure) second movie, Help!

It's a bouncy, engaging tune that's great to listen to in the middle of a long run. Enjoy!

Bonus Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-10-15T17:02:00.004-04:00

Okay, I'm on a roll now...

Speaking of guys who are doing the greatest work at or near the age of 70, let's not forget about Bob Dylan. His last three non-Christmas studio albums have all been brilliant, at least as good as anything he's ever done (in my not-so-humble opinion). Unfortunately, none of the music in those albums is in the 180 BPM range.

This 1965 gem from Bringing It All Back Home, on the other hand, is great for barefoot running.

As for the accompanying video, (1) I'm not exactly sure what's going on and (2) I really like it anyway.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-10-15T15:49:00.008-04:00

Tom Jones has just released the best album of his storied 40 plus year career. Say what you will about his choice of material over the years, Tom Jones' voice was always a force of nature. What sort of music could he have produced if his career had gone in a different direction?

Well, at 70 years of age, he's definitively answered that question and the resulting album is Praise and Blame, a collection of relatively obscure gospel tracks that each showcase some aspect of Jones' awesome voice. This clip from the BBC includes an appreciation of Jones singing chops as Jones proves the case with one of the album's best songs (and one that fall into our favorite BPM range for barefoot running).

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Sir Tom Jones...

The Best Online Store Ever?

2010-10-09T00:44:00.001-04:00

Like most barefoot runners, I am endlessly intrigued by anything related to Christopher McDougall's brilliant book, Born to Run. Barefoot running, of course, is one example of that; my fondness for chia seeds is another. A few months of experience paying top dollar at health food stores motivated me to look around online. I don't remember exactly how I found it but somehow my odyssey led me to nutsonline.com and I've been a wildly enthusiastic customer ever since.

I love these guys!

Some of you know that I wrote a book about customer care a few years ago (now out of print but soon to be available as an ebook), so it's a subject that I (a) I pay attention to and (b) know it when I see it. So trust me when I say... these folks are awesome. (For the record, I have absolutely no relationship with the company other than as a paying customer) Their prices are great, the quality of their stuff is superb, and they have online customer service that's as good as I've ever seen. Seriously.

Barefoot Fun Run in Central Florida

2010-09-29T10:43:00.001-04:00

It's been over a year since I've been running barefoot. In addition to my regular training runs, I've run in seven or eight road races with an aggregate total of probably 45,000 runners. In all of that time, I've only crossed paths with three other barefoot-style runners. (Central Florida residents tend to be just as conservative with their running as they are with their politics, I guess.) While I am certainly happy to be in a minuscule minority, I've often mused on how nice it would be if there were a community of barefoot-style runners nearby. Why should New York have all the fun?

Well, it seems that the beginnings of a Central Florida barefoot running community might be right around the corner. Travel Country, this area's authorized Vibram FiveFingers dealer, is sponsoring its First Annual Barefoot Fun Run on November 13. The store hasn't yet published a map of the course but at least part of the run will take place on the Seminole Wekiva Trail, hands down one of the best barefoot running tracks in the state.

My buddy, Michael Sandler, author of Barefoot Running, will be there. I'll be there. So, the only question remaining is... Will you be there?

The Perfect Barefoot Running Accessory?

2010-09-27T09:10:00.002-04:00

I've alluded to this before but it's worth mentioning again that one of barefoot running's unheralded pleasures is seeing the looks on the faces of approaching runners and walkers when they notice that you're running without shoes. Often, people smile (usually women), sometimes they scowl (usually men) but they almost always cannot masquerade their surprise at seeing a barefoot running.

For most of my time as a barefoot-style runner, I've mused on the possibility of somehow capturing some of those looks for posterity. Well, if this Wired review is to be believed then the headset-mounted camera from Looxcie is not quite ready for primetime. That's too bad because a video of people's random reactions to barefoot running would no doubt be wildly entertaining. (Maybe the folks at GoPro will come out with a model to fill the void.)

On YouTube: Abebe Bikila The barefoot runner

2010-09-16T18:06:00.008-04:00

The patron saint of barefoot runners, the great Abebe Bikila:

The Reggae Marathon

2010-09-02T17:52:00.007-04:00

In 2004, my 50th birthday fell on a Saturday. This made the idea of running a marathon on my birthday a distinct possibility. As I looked around to see where marathons were to be held on the big day (i.e. one of those birthdays that end with a zero), one race stood out, Jamaica's Reggae Marathon. Before I knew anything else about it, I knew that it possessed an attribute that was singular and compelling.

After 26.2 miles, you're in Negril!

Whatever else turned out to be true about the race or the course, this much was certain: When you were done running, you'd be in Negril, one of my favorite places on the planet. My wife and I have vacationed there multiple times and I was quite clear that, if there was anyplace at all that might take a bit of the sting out of turning 50, it was Negril. Apart from its resort area (which features some of the best all-inclusives in the Caribbean), Negril is a laid-back enclave that's distinctly hippie in flavor and much less touristy than other areas of Jamaica. And a little bit of research made it clear that the Reggae Marathon was an exceptional event.

Alas, it was not to be; a spate of injuries kept me from running that year. But as a result of my interest in the race, Diane Ellis (the Reggae Marathon's Sponsorship and Marketing Director) and I became regular correspondents on a wide range of subjects ranging from our kids (we've both got sons about the same age) to running (of course). Even though we've never met, Diane and I became great friends via email and Facebook. That's how it came to be that she invited me to be a guest blogger for the race's new blog. It was an offer I accepted eagerly.

So, starting next week, I'll begin guest posting on a range of running-related subjects including — you won't be surprised to hear — barefoot running. I'll let you know when the blog launches and when my posts run. I certainly hope you'll check out the race site. And if you're looking for a first class running event that's just a blast, the Reggae Marathon is one you ought to consider.

Black Toe Nails

2010-08-30T14:18:00.003-04:00

A barefoot runner with a black toe nail

When a runner develops one or more black toe nails, the cause is generally assumed to be running shoes that are too small in the toe box area. Recently, however, I came across a barefoot runner who seems to have a couple of toe nails that are consistently black. I'm absolutely sure that this particular runner never runs with shoes, so we can discard a constricted toe box when considering possible causes of his condition. Since it doesn't seem to be painful for him, maybe it's just not worth worrying about.

Back to the Future

2010-08-26T12:58:00.002-04:00

A dystopian future for barefoot runners

From Wired magazine, we learn today that Nike has patented Marty McFly’s amazing self-lacing sneakers from Back to the Future 2. Apparently, Nike's vision for this shoe includes LEDs, batteries, circuits, and electronic control-systems. Well, you can call me a Luddite if you'd like but isn't this the very definition of the word "over-engineered" as it applies to footwear?

The only positive thing I can say, really, is that this is not the worst idea in athletic shoes that I ever heard. That distinction would have to go to these babies.

Strategies for Dealing With Chronic Injury

2010-08-17T13:42:00.003-04:00

I thought you might be interested in this article that appeared in today's New York Times. If you're a runner, I'd be very surprised if you didn't see yourself here to one extent or another. As runners, I think we all have a bit of a tendency towards fanaticism, wryly defined by George Santayana as "redoubling your effort after you've forgotten your aim."

Speaking for myself, I have an almost irresistible inclination to get back on the road far too soon following an injury. Invariably — and inevitably — the result is an injury that heals more slowly overall than it would have if I'd had enough discipline to let it heal properly.

Sometimes, the best way forward involves a step back

This excellent article points towards a solution for those who are willing to embrace it: cross training. While I've understood this intellectually for some time, I've never before taken the next step, i.e. adopting and following a cross training regimen. That disconnect between understanding and action is a problem. My solution isn't exactly novel but with any kind of luck it will be fun and challenging. I'm going to set my sights on a triathlon in 2011.

I don't swim and I don't bike... yet. And, to tell the truth, neither of those activities holds any inherent appeal for me. But it's become increasingly clear to me that over the long term, my running might depend on them. And that's as much motivation as I need right now.

In Runner's World, The Shoes Are All Above Average

2010-08-12T15:15:00.005-04:00

In case it doesn't ring a bell with you, the title of this post is an allusion to Garrison Keillor's description of the fictional town of Lake Wobegon as a place where "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." Apparently, Runner's World has adopted a similar attitude towards running shoes. In its pages, there seem to be only varying degrees of good when it comes to shoes. I mentioned as much in a recent Twitter post:

Wondering on Twitter about Runner's World reviews

I was pleased to get a reply from Runner's World but, frankly, a little taken aback by its message:

If we think they're that bad, we don't run a review. We just print the ones we recommend.

Really? Am I the only one who finds this approach a little problematic? If I'm understanding the writer here properly (and I'm not sure how else one might interpret the reply), when Runner's World finds a shoe that is substandard it withholds that information from its readers. Given that shoe reviews are ostensibly published as editorial — not advertorial — content, shouldn't readers have access to information about bad shoes as well as good ones? (There's nothing wrong with advertorial content, by the way — I've written plenty of it in my career — as long as it's presented to the reader clearly and appropriately.) What possible justification is there for not letting readers know about bad shoes? In what way does that support their readers' interest?

Also, as someone who's been an on-again, off-again Runner's World reader since the days when Dr. George Sheehan was a columnist, I've got to say that this standard for reviews is news to me. For example, here's the introduction to the Shoe Guide that appears in the magazine's current issue:

No shoe is perfect for every runner. That's why we mechanically pound and flex each new model at the RW Shoe Lab and solicit feedback from 350 real runners; the results are below and on the pages that follow...

Well, now we know that not all the results are published, only the positive ones. I think most readers would find this approach to be surprising. And I'm guessing that it might diminish the perceived value of the results noticeably in the eyes of some readers.

I admire their candor but question their judgment

Runner's World is a definitive resource for many, especially readers who are new to the sport. While I might disagree with the magazine on how to approach the whole business of publishing reviews (personally, I think that readers would benefit from being able to avoid crappy products out in the marketplace, but maybe that's just me), it has a right to make its own judgments about what constitutes value for its readers. It's fair to say, though, that the magazine could be a little clearer with its readers about what it is that they're getting — and not getting — in a Runner's World Shoe Guide.

Stepping Onward in The Orlando Sentinel

2010-08-12T07:49:00.002-04:00

Running at the Rescue Outreach Mission

I've mentioned this before but for the past year I've been volunteering with a not-for-profit organization called Stepping Onward. (If you're new to this blog, check out this earlier post about them.) This week, Stepping Onward celebrates its first anniversary at the Celebration of Running 5K sponsored by Track Shack. To commemorate this milestone, the Orlando Sentinel published a terrific article/blog post about what Stepping Onward is doing here in Central Florida.

Check out the article. And if you're here in the Orlando area, come join us on Saturday. The Celebration of Running is always a wonderful event. For those of us associated with Stepping Onward, though, it will be particularly special this year.

Well Worth Reading (With One Small Caveat)

2010-08-11T12:55:00.003-04:00

This morning, an email showed up in my Inbox referring me to this blog post from Massage Therapy Schools. Reading the post was tremendously heartening and I encourage you to check it out. It's further anecdotal evident that some pockets of the health care profession are beginning to look at barefoot-style running seriously. This well-reasoned, well-written post (along with a similar one I referenced the other day) make it clear that the benefits of barefoot-style running are apparent to all sorts of therapists whose livelihood doesn't directly depend on revenue derived from shoes and/or orthotics.

While I'll likely recommend this post to prospective barefoot runners who are looking for advice on getting started, I'll do so with one significant caveat. The article states "Start on soft surfaces: Your feet and eye-foot coordination aren’t going to be prepared to navigate the pavement, glass shards or pebbles right away, so practice on sand or grass first." It's a point of contention among proponents of barefoot-style running and I come down on the other side of the fence. I've written about the question before but, in a nutshell, I think that new barefoot-style runners are better advised to avoid grass in favor of a smooth, flat trail or street.

That difference of opinion aside, definitely check out the rest of the article. It's full of good advice and information. Most importantly, though, kudos to the folks at Massage Therapy Schools for bucking conventional wisdom in the interest of their readers.

Barefoot Running's (Potential) Signature Event

2010-08-10T11:07:00.005-04:00

I wish I could be there.

I often find myself wishing I were on a plane, on my way to New York, but the fun run that's happening in a couple of days makes the pull of the Big Apple even more compelling. The idea of running barefoot from Harlem to Brooklyn is appealing all by itself. The idea of doing it with the author of Born to Run and a few hundred other barefoot runners is downright irresistible. Unfortunately, I only heard about this intriguing event a couple of days ago so getting up there just isn't possible for me. This time.

Surely something as awesome as this promises to be has the potential to become a major annual event. Depending on the course route (and, really, it would be tough to make the course anything but fascinating), it certainly could become barefoot running's signature event, our own Boston Marathon. So, what say you? What could we do as a community to make this happen?

We Got Lucky

2010-08-09T14:28:00.002-04:00

Being America's Podiatrist is a sobering responsibility. We're all fortunate that the individual currently occupying that lofty post is clearly up to the task.

Kudos to Forward Thinking Running Stores

2010-08-08T20:41:00.003-04:00

A step in the wrong direction?

As barefoot-style running works its way into the mainstream, it's worth noting that running stores have adopted a couple of different approaches towards dealing with this new phenomenon. The vast majority of outlets have opted for an approach that is disdainful and dismissive if not downright hostile. The CEO of Road Runner Sports, for example, penned a thoroughly ridiculous little missive on the subject not too long ago.

More forward thinking outlets, however, have embraced the trend enthusiastically. Marathon Sports in the Boston area and Zombie Runner in California are two examples that come immediately to mind. They're both organizations that are willing to think creatively and are not afraid to change their tack if they think they might have been heading in the wrong direction.

I have a feeling that in the not too distant future, over-engineered running shoes will be a distant memory (like some other examples of over-engineered garments throughout history). The question confronting the running shoe industry is: Are we going to make a new bet on the future or will we double down on the kinds of silly ideas that have occasioned so many running injuries over the last generation?

Before Vibram, There Was... Ettore Bugatti?

2010-08-01T19:31:00.008-04:00

I spent the afternoon yesterday with a good friend I hadn't seen in a while. Eventually, the conversation worked its was around to the fact that I'd started running barefoot. I was describing my odyssey from running with shoes to running completely barefoot and mentioned that part of my transition was running for a few months in Vibram FiveFingers. Richard is not a runner (barefoot or otherwise) so he wasn't familiar with Vibram. When I found a picture of some KSOs on the web, he recalled a fascinating little tidbit that he shared with me.

According to a book called Classic Cars: Fifty Years of the World's Finest Automotive Design, a guy named Ettore Bugatti — the same person who designed the classic, collectible cars that go by the same name — came up with a similar idea almost 100 years earlier.

Long before the technique of public relations was developed, Bugatti was unsurpassed in the creation of a glamorous image for the marque and in his ability to develop a select clientele. His everyday life — full of stylish eccentricities, such as constantly having himself photographed in stylish riding clothes and wearing a bowler hat — played a not unimportant part in the formation of the legend, as did the continuous flow of improbable or completely useless inventions. Luigi Castelbarco, who knew him well, once related a somewhat bizarre anecdote: it seems that Bugatti in order to be more comfortable had several pairs of shoes made with toes as if they were gloves. This was perhaps only one of the results of his passion for leather-work...

I haven't been able to unearth an actual photo of Bugatti's shoes but I'd like to imagine that they looked something like the image at the right, created by some enterprising Photoshop ninja to illustrate an early article about barefoot running. I guess Peter Allen was right: Everything old is new again.

Post of the Year (So Far, At Least)

2010-07-29T18:30:00.003-04:00

This post from Chris McDougall's blog is a terrific encapsulation of what barefoot running is all about for me. Someone should make a tee shirt with this line: "I’m a fan of form, not footwear." If there's a fundamental principle that undergirds this whole barefoot-style running thing, it's dedication to the kind of approach to running that's described in that quote.

The New Stepping Onward Video

2010-07-26T18:14:00.004-04:00

You might have noticed a link on this blog to an organization called Stepping Onward. If you haven't clicked over to their site yet, I'd like to encourage you to take a look when you have a moment. Stepping Onward is a startup non-for-profit organization here in Florida that was inspired by the great work that Back on my Feet is doing in other states. It was started by my friend, Claire Grove, a year ago; I've been involved as a volunteer since shortly after the organization began.

To mark Stepping Onward's one year anniversary, we've created a video to use for general informational purposes as well as for fundraising and volunteer recruitment. You can see the video here. We'd be eager to hear what you think.

Natural Stride on iTunes

2010-07-25T14:32:00.002-04:00

My barefoot running track is now available on iTunes. The foundation of the track is five minutes of original music at a pace that's precisely 180 BPM (beats per minute), the ideal pace for barefoot-style running. On top of the music, there's coaching advise that will guide a runner through an easy, pain-free transition to barefoot-style running.

Check it out on iTunes, then grab your iPod, get rid of your running shoes, and have a great barefoot run!

Track Shack's Watermelon 5k in Orlando

2010-07-14T16:12:00.005-04:00

I've run all of my races and fun runs over the past year with minimalist footwear, i.e. Vibram FiveFingers or huarache sandals from Barefoot Ted. For last week's Fourth of July Watermelon 5k here in Orlando, I decided I'd try going completely barefoot. This decision was made with at least a small amount of trepidation because some of the roads around here are gritty enough to be uncomfortable and I didn't have the time (or inclination) to check out the course beforehand to see what it was like. (Truth be told, I lined up barefoot but kept a pair of huaraches tucked in my waistband, just in case.)

As it turned out, everything was fine. About half of the course was brick which was a blast to run on. And while barefoot running has gained a great deal of popularity over the past year, it's still enough of a novelty that it continues to cause a fair amount of murmuring and finger pointing at the start of the race. All in all, it was a terrific experience at another first class Track Shack event.

Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler

2010-07-12T12:50:00.003-04:00

On an almost daily basis, I come across runners who have read Born to Run, Chris McDougall’s now-classic paean to barefoot running, and would like to get shed their shoes but aren’t quite sure how to go about doing it. They have the interest but lack a clear action plan to get started. They’ve perused the Web and found plenty of information but much of it was contradictory or hopelessly arcane or frustratingly incomplete. A definitive resource for barefoot running — something akin to Jim Fixx’s 1977 classic, The Complete Book of Running — did not exist. At least, not up until now.

Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee’s new book, Barefoot Running, is a comprehensive, well-conceived, and well-written guide to barefoot running. After spending a few weeks with Barefoot Running, it’s difficult to think of a question it doesn’t anticipate or an issue it doesn’t address. Sandler and Lee take the reader by the hand and guide him or her steadily through every aspect of the transition from shod to shoeless, highlighting potential pitfalls and illuminating time-saving shortcuts.

The book is well organized and profusely illustrated. And did I mention that it’s pretty well written, too? And while Barefoot Running addresses some of the more academic aspects of the movement to run without running shoes, the book’s focus is squarely on practical information for readers. In just under 300 pages, there's surprisingly little fluff or filler.

I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee when they were in Orlando recently promoting their book and they’re terrific ambassadors for barefoot running. If you’ve ever thought you’d like to try barefoot-style running but didn’t know where to begin, Barefoot Running is the resource you’re looking for. I recommend it without hesitation. With Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee’s new book, your feet will be in very good hands.

Barefoot Running in Oviedo-Winter Springs Life Magazine

2010-07-06T08:08:00.004-04:00

Let me take this opportunity to thank Mary Pando and all the folks at Oviedo-Winter Springs Life Magazine for the terrific profile they published about barefoot running (featuring your favorite intrepid barefoot blogger). The article itself is only available in the print edition at the moment, but as soon as it is published online, I'll post a link here.

Sunday morning, as I lined up for the start of a local 5K, I had the wildly entertaining experience of having a nearby runner ask, "Are you the guy in the Oviedo-Winter Springs magazine?" When I admitted that I was, she said that she and her husband were just reading about me before the race. If Andy Warhol was right, then I hope my remaining fourteen minutes of fame prove to be as much fun as that one! (My son, who raced with me, kidded me the rest of the day about my "fans"!)

Update: You can click here to go to the online archive of the magazine. The article is on page twenty.

Barefoot-style Running Epiphany

2010-06-20T06:35:00.002-04:00

I've mentioned before that I am endlessly amused by the looks I get from passers-by when I'm out running barefoot. However, here's what I learned yesterday: When you're out running with a very attractive woman, somehow no one notices that you've got bare feet.

Christopher McDougall on Barefoot Ted

2010-06-09T15:53:00.000-04:00

Together, Barefoot Ted and Christopher McDougall represent ground zero for the barefoot running movement. Here's a look at the former by the latter.

An Alternative Approach to Maintaining 180 BPM

2010-06-08T17:24:00.007-04:00

You don't need to spend much time on this blog before you realize that I enjoy listening to music while I run. Beyond enjoyment, though, is the training utility for barefoot running of music with a cadence at or near 90/180 BPM. My personal experience confirms the observations of numerous barefoot running experts: 90/180 BPM is the perfect pace for distance runners, keeping wear and tear to a minimum and speed to a maximum for the maximum sustainable period of time. The ongoing series of Barefoot Running Song of the Day posts that you read here are all songs that provide the ideal cadence.

For a variety of reasons, though, not everyone wants to listen to music when they run. One approach is described in this terrific article in Runner's World, detailing writer Claire Trageser's exploration of mindful running. For new (or even not-so-new) barefoot-style runners, the challenge becomes maintaining a steady 90/180 BPM pace, especially as terrain changes or fatigue begins to rear its ugly head. One elegant solution is to use a small metronome. I recently took a couple of credit card-sized models out for a spin and found one that I like enough to recommend.

First, a brief look at the model I didn't like, the QWiK TiME Qt5 Credit Card Metronome. The saving grace of this model is that it's so inexpensive (less than $10.00) but the few dollars you saved will likely not be much consolation for a unit that's is difficult to use and almost impossible to hear when you're on the road. (On the other hand, the tone this unit emits is so annoying that the low volume might be a feature rather than a flaw.) One final complaint is that the display of this unit doesn't turn off, only the sound. While it probably doesn't affect battery life dramatically, it seems as though the ability to turn something on and off shouldn't be too much to ask.

For a few dollars more (or for twice the price, depending on how you look at it), you can get your hands on a Wittner MT-40. This model has a more readable display, a more palatable tone, and a better designed user interface.

Running with a metronome makes it easier to concentrate on form which, in turn, benefits every other aspect of your running. The Runner's World article offers excellent advice about focusing on your steps and your breath, two of the key elements on which you'll want to focus (along with maintaining your form).

Both the Wittner and the QWiK TiME fit snugly into an old armband I have laying around that was originally bought to accommodate the iPod Nano 3G model.

Update: By the way, there's a lot of great information about running with a metronome over at Chirunning.com.

Best Barefoot-Style Shoe Yet?

2010-04-28T07:42:00.005-04:00

The Terra Plana EVO is pricey but pretty darned impressive.

Vibram FF Bikila Must Read Review

2010-04-25T12:16:00.004-04:00

From birthdayshoes.com, a first look at the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila, the company's first running-specific shoe. Well worth checking out.

Rescue Run Corporate 5k

2010-03-31T08:33:00.004-04:00

Last week, I was privileged to participate in the Rescue Run Corporate 5k in Lake Mary, FL. It was a first-year event benefitting the Rescue Outreach Mission of Sanford, a wonderful organization that deserves all the support it can get. (The team I ran with, Stepping Onward, acquitted itself well, securing a first place for lowest cumulative team time.)

In any event, I thought you might enjoy this picture from the race. Sort of brings the term "racing flats" to a whole new level, eh?

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-03-28T16:57:00.003-04:00

Candyman by Christina Aguilera (176 BPM)

When I started foraging through my iTunes library for songs that would be suitable for barefoot-style running, I quickly came across this tune by the wildly talented Christina Aguilera. Based on a World War Two double-time drill cadence, this song is relentless, upbeat, and bouncy... everything you'd want streaming through your earbuds when you're out on the road. Aguilera's high note at the end of the song is worth the price of admission all by itself. If this song can't get you going, then you probably need a day off.

Update: Embedding for the Christina Aguilera YouTube video has been disabled. You can see the video here.

Great Interview With Chris McDougall

2010-03-28T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a terrific interview with the Chris McDougall, the author of Born to Run and one of the smartest guys around. It ought to be required reading for anyone who's struggled with running injuries.

Must See TV! Barefoot Ted at Google

2010-03-19T20:19:00.002-04:00

And don't neglect to check out Ted's comments on his site about this terrific presentation.

Tips on Technique

2010-03-18T07:07:00.001-04:00

This overview of running technique for triathletes is a worthwhile primer for anyone interested in improving their running techniques. It's succinct but full of great information. Definitely check it out.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-03-16T16:36:00.005-04:00

I Love Weed by Eek-A-Mouse (178 BPM)

This tune by Jamaican reggae artist Eek-A-Mouse features relentless rhythm and a horn section that just won't quit. It's just about impossible to not have a great run when this track is on your playlist.

I'm not quite sure what the title is all about, though. I guess he's into gardening.

P.S. Speaking of Jamaica, here's a shoutout to my friend Diane and all the great folks associated with the Reggae Marathon. Negril is one of the premier vacation destinations in the Caribbean. If you haven't heard about this unique event, it's well worth checking out.

Great Advice From a REAL Expert

2010-03-15T07:32:00.001-04:00

If you haven't had time to check out all of Dr. Daniel Lieberman's research on barefoot running, you might at least want to look at this page of training tips and techniques. In contrast to the posers I referenced in my earlier post, Lieberman is a bona fide expert on barefoot-style running. Not only is he a researcher at Harvard, but he's also a barefoot runner himself. (You might recall my earlier post on this blog about Dr. Lieberman.)

As I've said before, if you want to learn more about barefoot-style running, find out from someone who really knows what they're talking about.

Misinformation from So Called "Experts" on Barefoot Running

2010-03-07T17:22:00.004-05:00

Barefoot running is a hot topic these days so it's not surprising that a variety of ostensible "experts" are asked to weigh in on it. In many cases, unfortunately, these "experts" do not actually have much experience running barefoot. In fact, many of them have never even attempted to do so. Worse, they often haven't even made any serious attempts to educate themselves on the most fundamental principles of barefoot running.

These experts are often wrong but they are never uncertain. Rather than simply saying, "I don't know," they're all too happy to pontificate endlessly on a subject they know nothing about. They blithely offer one fact-free assertion after another, all bathed in a patina of reasonableness and authority. In my experience, there are two types of experts who are most likely to fit this description: (1) People who sell running shoes and (2) podiatrists, chiropractors, and other medical professionals.

For example, the February 2010 issue of Runner's World contained a discussion about barefoot running that included comments from a "sports podiatrist-biomechanist" named Kevin Kirby who made a point of assuring readers of his expertise ("I lecture on biomechanics internationally") while enthusiastically making the case against barefoot running. However, when asked to provide for advice for aspiring barefoot runners, Dr. Kirby offered this bromide:

Go out and do a little barefoot running on nice grass.

In fact, folks who actually run barefoot are much more likely to recommend starting on a smooth, flat surface like an asphalt trail. Running on grass poses the threat of twisting an ankle or stepping on something hidden beneath the surface. (See here for example of better advice.) Dr. Kirby is positioning his advice as being expert when it's really nothing more than his idea of "common sense" without a shred of evidence behind it.

You'll hear the same kind of thing all the time in running shoe stores:

Start somewhere soft so your feet don't get pounded.

Of course, the whole point is not to cushion your feet. That's what running shoes do. The point of barefoot-style running is to learn to land without the pounding. Or here's another favorite:

It'll take a while for your feet to build up calluses.

I run up to 10 miles barefoot and my feet are less calloused now than when I wore running shoes. Other barefoot runners will tell you the same thing. If you're running properly, there's nothing abrasive going on that would cause calluses.

Wanting good advice before you undertake your first barefoot run is not a bad idea. Just make sure, though, that you're getting it from someone who knows what they're talking about, someone who has actually run barefoot. Check out the links on the right, especially Barefoot Ken Bob and Barefoot Ted. And when it comes to shoe stores and medical professionals, keep in mind Upton Sinclair's famous admonition:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.

Chi Running Basics

2010-03-04T10:05:00.001-05:00

A quick overview of the elements of Chi Running technique... not a bad place to get started if you're new to barefoot-style running.

What I Learned This Week

2010-02-21T17:07:00.001-05:00

To paraphrase a famous quotation from Benjamin Franklin, if you give up basic form to maintain a certain cadence during a long run, you will wind up with neither the right form nor the desired cadence.

Said differently, of all the factors that contribute to a successful run, your form is the most important and shouldn't be compromised. Take care of your form and, over time, everything else will fall into place.

Free Barefoot-Style Running Coaching on MP3

2010-02-15T18:01:00.000-05:00

I recently created a five minute barefoot-style running coaching track as a proof of concept for a project I'm working on. The basic idea is to load it on to your iPod and take it with you the next time you're out for a run.

To tell you the truth, I think it's pretty damned good track... but you don't have to take my word for it. I'd like to send you a free copy. What's the catch? None, really. I would appreciate it, though, if you'd send me your feedback after you've had a chance to listen. Something as simple as "Thumbs up" or "Thumbs down" or, if you're so inclined, any suggestions you might have for making it better. Just drop me an email (my email address is at the top of the page) with Free MP3 in the subject line and I'll send you a copy. Simple as that.

(One more thing: Feel free to pass this link on to any of your friends who have an interest in barefoot style running. The more feedback/input, the better.)

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2010-02-09T13:07:00.002-05:00

Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield (90 BPM)

The late Dusty Springfield seems to be largely forgotten these day, an unfortunate state of affairs for one of the truly great female voices of the 1960s. Her career on these shores began in the mid-60s in the wake of Beatlemania during a period when the American music industry had an insatiable appetite for anything from England. Her first hits were toe-tapping standard British pop fare, bordering on what would later be known as bubblegum. It wasn't long, however, before her musical sensibilities took her in decidedly different directions.

Musically, the high point of her career came with an extraordinary, groundbreaking album called Dusty in Memphis. Released by Atlantic Records, the home of R&B icons like Wilson Pickett, Dusty in Memphis epitomized a style of music often referred to as blue-eyed soul. The album was ranked #89 in Rolling Stone's 2003 list, The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, citing a "blazing soul and sexual honesty...that transcended both race and geography."

Son of a Preacher Man was the album's standout cut and biggest hit, a musically and lyrically complex exploration of adolescent sexuality. At exactly 90 BPM, it's a perfect accompaniment to a barefoot-style run. And if Dusty Springfield's sultry voice on this track isn't enough to get you going, you'd better check your heart rate monitor to make sure you've still got a pulse.

Christopher McDougall Riffs on Running Shoes

2010-02-05T17:16:00.006-05:00

Here's an interview with Born to Run author Christopher McDougall who discusses his book and the reaction it's received from the running community. Of particular interest is McDougall's take on the difference in the response Born to Run has received from running shoe retailers (mostly positive) and running shoe manufacturers (not quite as positive). And, by the way, if you haven't yet seen McDougall's web site, it's well worth a look.

The interview was conducted by Matt Fitzgerald of Competitor.com and took place at The Running Event, an industry trade show for running gear manufacturers.

The Barefoot Professor

2010-02-04T21:02:00.005-05:00

If you're reading this blog then you have no doubt noticed the flurry of media activity (see here, here, and here for just a few examples) concerning research on barefoot running by Harvard's Daniel E. Lieberman. Rather than read media summaries, though, why not get the story from the professor himself?

Check out Professor Lieberman on YouTube, discussing his research and explaining his own journey into the world of barefoot running. (h/t to the Younger Legs for Older Runners blog.)

Imaginary Experts?

2010-02-04T11:01:00.008-05:00

In the latest (March 2010) issue of Runner's World, the magazine's persistent scotoma relative to the subject of proper running form is laid bare in a couple of inadvertently revealing passages. The first occurs on page 91 in a sidebar about how the wear patterns that are visible on your running shoes might help you make better shoe choices in the future. Under the heading "Heavy Heel Wear," the writer explains

Excessively worn heels are often the sign of overstriders — runners who extend their feet too far and absorb footstrike forces with their heels.

So far, so good. (In fact, this a rare instance in which Runner's World acknowledges, even backhandedly, that some running gaits are better than others, something I wrote about a couple of months ago.) If a runner is overstriding, you might think that the solution is obvious: She should shorten her stride and stop extending her feet too far. Pretty straightforward stuff, it would seem.

Not according to Runner's World. The magazine's answer for runners who overstride is

They should wear shoes with durable yet soft cushioning like the New Balance 760 (page 86) to take the shock out of landing.

In other words: If you've got a defect in your running form, don't bother trying to correct it. Just buy a pair of shoes that will compensate for it.

It's a curious perspective, to say the least. And it's tempting to simply ascribe commercial motives to such advice. After all, Runner's World is dependent on advertising from shoe companies. But I don't think it's necessary to impugn anyone's motives to find a rationale for such apparently irrational counsel. Flip over to an article in the same issue by Amby Burfoot titled The Laws of Perpetual Motion and you'll see what I mean.

In this piece, Burfoot provides some guidelines for dealing with injuries. Under the heading, "Consider Shortening Your Stride," Burfoot states

Previously, experts believed that your stride was as immutable as your fingerprint...

Really? Who are those experts? I'd like to know because, if the "Heavy Heel Wear" writer is any indication, they still seem to have a great deal of credence among some writers at Runner's World. And, by the way, wouldn't such a belief invalidate the whole notion of athletic coaching?

"Johnny, you can't be on the basketball team. You're not making your free throws. In fact, your form at the free throw line is atrocious."

"But, Coach, can't you teach me how to make free throws? Can't you help me improve my form?"

"I'm sorry, son. Your form at the free throw line is as immutable as your fingerprints."

When you apply that mindset to any other sport, it's clear how ridiculous it is. And it's just as ridiculous when it's applied to running. Like other athletic endeavors, running can be analyzed and one's running form can be improved with coaching, study, and practice. Or, as I like to say: It's not about the shoes, it's about the stride.

One other point about the Laws of Perpetual Motion piece: When he advises readers to consider shortening their stride length, Burfoot makes a pretty amazing assertion about the suggestion:

This comes as a bit of a surprise because it's not discussed much in running circles.

Despite the fact that Amby Burfoot has written about barefoot running online and even moderated a discussion of the topic in the magazine, he either hasn't bothered to do much research or he's simply dismissive of what the people who evangelize barefoot running have to say. It's impossible to spend more than five minutes looking into barefoot running without repeatedly encountering the the subject of shortening stride length.

Barefoot Running on iTunes

2010-01-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

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

2010-01-21T07:49:00.004-05:00

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

2010-01-18T16:53:00.006-05:00

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

2010-01-14T09:04:00.006-05:00

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?

2010-01-12T12:05:00.005-05:00

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

2010-01-09T18:36:00.006-05:00

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

2010-01-09T10:32:00.003-05:00

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

2010-01-06T14:07:00.004-05:00

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

2010-01-04T12:49:00.006-05:00

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.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T21:00:00.002-05:00

I hope you run the race of your dreams in 2010... and feel terrific the next day!

Why Doesn't Runner's World Write About Running?

2009-12-28T13:11:00.007-05:00

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I returned to running again recently after another long, injury-induced hiatus. Having been down this path several times before, many of the steps along the road back were familiar. Of course, re-subscribing to Runner’s World was a dependable part of my back-to-running routine. As always, it connected me to the sport and provided reliable motivation as I re-discovered the old routines.

This time, however, my return to running was destined to be different and so was my perspective on running's most widely read publication. As I chronicled in an earlier post, I came across Born to Run several months into my latest effort to get back on the road and it radically altered my frame of reference. It started me on a mission to find out all I could about the right way to run. McDougall’s book describes the basic elements of barefoot-style running but I was eager to learn more. I sought out all the resources I could find and came across quite a few (all of which are listed on the right-hand column of this blog). In the process of cataloging all of this information, it occurred to me that it would be interesting to compare what I’d found with more conventional wisdom on how to run. I didn’t quite recall how Runner’s World had treated the subject, but it would be simple to go back and find out. So, that’s exactly what I did. And that’s when I discovered something truly startling.

I picked up the most recent issue of Runner’s World to see what kind of advice it contained about how to run. Thumbing through the December 2009 issue I found... nothing! None of the articles or columns had a thing to say about how to run. There was plenty of information about all sorts of ancillary topics -- training schedules, diet, treating injuries, and (of course) what kind of running gear to buy -- but not a single paragraph on how to run! Surely, I thought, this particular issue must represent some sort of anomaly. It’s a special year-end issue and there was, no doubt, a lot of content that needed to be covered.

I generally save my copies of Runner’s World so going back to November was easy enough... and there was nothing there, either. Same for October and September and August. In six months, Runner’s World hadn’t managed published even one article on how to run properly. (The January 2010 issue, by the way, kept the streak intact.)

To appreciate how incredible this is, just pick up any issue of any magazine about golf. You’ll find article after article on how to stand, how to hold the club, how to begin your backswing, etc. There are tips for beginners and tips for experts. There’s instruction for seniors and instruction for women. In short, there’s a tremendous amount of content that covers the mechanics of swinging a golf club and hitting a golf ball. Golfers seem to understand that practicing (training) would be of little value of they weren't practicing the fundamentals of their sport properly.

How is it possible that the editors of running’s premier publication don’t realize that runners would benefit from the same kind of instruction and information? In both of its past two issues, Runner’s World has addressed the subject of how to properly apply ice to an injury but not the subject of how to run correctly. Maybe it’s just me, but I think that’s a ratio that’s exactly backwards. And if runners had a better understanding of the mechanics of running, maybe the ice thing wouldn't be quite as important.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-27T15:43:00.003-05:00

Me and My Arrow by Harry Nilsson (182 BPM).

Like Rodney Dangerfield, Harry Nilsson's legacy gets no respect. For my money, his omission from Rolling Stone's recent list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time undermined the credibility of that list and the panel that put it together. In fact, Nilsson had one of the most gorgeous voices in the entire history of rock and roll, one that spanned a four octave range and was equally comfortable with raunchy rock, saccharine pop, and every conceivable genre in between. Nilsson was smart, funny, and gifted not only as a singer but as a songwriter and lyricist.

This tune about a boy and his dog first appeared in The Point, a children's cartoon that Nilsson wrote and scored. It's light, bouncy, and melodic. When Me and My Arrow is playing on my iPod, it feels as though my feet are barely touching the ground.

Look At It This Way, Coach

2009-12-20T09:19:00.007-05:00

In the current issue of Running Times, there's a quote from Adrienne Wald, the Cross Country coach at the College of New Rochelle:

It's a joke to run a marathon by walking every other mile or finishing in six, seven, eight hours. It used to be that running a marathon was worth something -- there used to be a pride saying that you ran a marathon, but not anymore. Now, it's "How low is the bar?"

Now, Running Times is a publication aimed primarily at competitive athletes, not casual runners. And as a coach, part of Coach Wald's job is to help young athletes dig down, reach for the best within themselves, and push their performance beyond what they might otherwise achieve without her guidance and motivation. Viewed from that perspective, her remarks might make sense. But I'd like to think that with a little bit of reflection, she'd reconsider her statement -- at least as it applies to the wider world of non-competitive runners.

A few statistics that were printed in the magazine directly above Coach Wald's quote provide some context for my point. Sure, it's true that the median finishing time for marathoners has increased noticeably between 1980 and last year. For women, it rose about 17 percent, going from 4:03 to 4:43. On the men's side, it rose about 20 percent, from 3:32: to 4:16.

But here are the numbers that really matter: In 1980, approximately 143,000 runners finished a marathon. Last year, 425,000 people found their way to a marathon finish line. Maybe it's true that some of them were really slow, but that's beside the point. The important thing is that, over that period of time, annual participation in marathon running has increased almost 200 percent!

It seems to me that the entire running world is better off for this explosion in participation. The stragglers who Coach Wald references -- the ones who who walk part of a course and finish in six or seven hours -- weren't running at all back when she finished her first marathon. They were sitting on their couches watching television. Why begrudge them a leisurely pace? We should be delighted that they're out of the house and doing something that supports their fitness and enhances their well-being. The great divide, in my mind, isn't between slow runners and more competitive ones. It's between those who get out and do something and those who don't make the effort.

It's not that the bar has been lowered, Coach Wald. It's that the door has been kicked open. And if you look at it that way, I'd like to believe you'd join me in welcoming those 282,000 new marathoners every year into the club. And I'm sure that some of them -- or, at least, some of their kids -- will wind up as champion runners on your team someday.

Fueling Your Runs Tarahumara-Style

2009-12-18T10:07:00.002-05:00

Like most other barefoot-style runners, I'm a big fan of Chris McDougall's book, Born to Run. I'm completely enamored with the book for several reasons. For one thing, it's incredibly well written. As a writer myself, I marveled at how McDougall was able to weave several narrative threads together seamlessly. More important, of course, is the fact that Born to Run had a huge impact on my life. In fact, its impact was so significant that I've found myself inclined to venture beyond the barefoot-style itself and experiment with some of the other aspects of running and Tarahumara culture that McDougall describes. My preference for huaraches certainly falls into that category. (I'm glad he didn't put a lot of emphasis on Tarahumara attire or you might find me running around my neighborhood dressed like these guys.)

Another bit of Tarahumara arcana that I've latched on to is eating chia seeds. In Born to Run, McDougall describes Tarahumara runners undertaking ultra-runs fueled by a handful of these seeds. I'm certainly not doing any ultra-runs (yet), but my pre-run routine these days includes mixing a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds with agave nectar, cinnamon, and espresso and letting it all sit for five minutes or so before spooning the resulting gelatinous mixture down thirty minutes or so before I'm out the door. (My friend, Claire, from Stepping Onward suggested using agave nectar. I'd never tried it before but it's now my sweetener of choice.) Previously, I'd usually try to do my morning runs on an empty stomach but my energy level often suffered. Do chia seeds really help or is the benefit just in my mind? Who knows for sure? So much of what we do as runners happens in our minds that the difference, on way or the other, doesn't really matter to me. In any event, I'm running better than I was before and that's what's important.

By the way, if you're interested in trying chia seeds and don't know where to get them, look no further than NutsOnline.com. Their prices are very good, the quality and freshness of their products is outstanding, and their customer service is exceptional. (I wrote a book on customer service a few years ago, so it's a subject I approach with fairly high standards. Believe me, these guys are terrific.)

What Should You Wear When You're Not Running?

2009-12-16T15:43:00.003-05:00

For me, my footwear choices for roads and trails are pretty uncomplicated. When I'm running a route that's familiar and known to be relatively smooth and free of major debris, I run barefoot. When my running takes me into terra incognita, I'll throw on a pair of huarache sandals. I understand that some barefoot-style runners disdain footwear under almost any circumstances, but I'm definitely not one of those folks. My footwear options for non-running situations, however, are somewhat less straightforward.

The drawbacks of running shoes are only slightly less problematic for shoes that are worn around the office or the house. On the plus side, the impact from walking around is significantly less. On the other hand, unless you're Dean Karnazes, you're likely to spend far more time walking around each day than you do running. And other than impact, the issues are all the same: the weakening of the muscles in your foot, the unnatural and unhealthy gait, etc.

Some barefoot advocates argue that the answer is to simply forego shoes everywhere: at work, at school, etc. While that's an approach that's theoretically ideal, for most of us it doesn't represent a feasible option. When the time comes for most folks to pick the battles they're willing to undertake at the office, going barefoot is likely to be a very low priority. If they want to avoid the problems that shoes create, they need a practical alternative.

One great option comes from Terra Plana. It's a line of shoes called Vivo Barefoot, available in styles and sizes for both men and women. I recently tried a pair of their Aqua model and these shoes are just about flawless in both conception and execution. Think style. Think quality. Think fit and finish. If they were a car, they'd be a BMW; if they were a computer, they'd be a Mac.

Like the Mac, the Vivo Barefoot experience begins with the gorgeous packaging and extends throughout every aspect of the user experience. Putting a pair of Aquas on for first time is revelation. They fit beautifully (demonstrating clearly that a shoe doesn't have to look like a glove to fit like one). I've been walking around with them for a while now and the overall experience is quite comparable to barefoot... just toastier! They're great for around the house and around town, and they'd be quite appropriate for any business casual setting.

One additional point about the company: Terra Plana wears its progressive sensibilities on its corporate sleeve. While their self-styled description of "ethical shoes" might be a bit overblown, the company's commitment to sustainability is palpable and welcome. Most runners I know feel connected to the environment and have an abiding interest in protecting it. Terra Plana shares that dedication, acts on it, and isn't afraid to let the world know.

Just like the company's founder, I'll still run barefoot when I can. But when going without shoes isn't an option, Vivo Barefoot shoes are at the forefront of the movement to create the next best thing.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-14T14:12:00.004-05:00

Old Brown Shoe by Leslie West (92 BPM).

Continuing for a bit with a George Harrison theme, this classic Harrison tune first appeared as the B-side of the Beatles' The Ballad of John and Yoko. The version I'm linking to here comes from a tribute album that appeared shortly after Harrison's death, Songs from the Material World, featuring interesting covers by an eclectic collection of artists. This particular cut is a personal favorite of mine for running up hills. (I returned to it often during my recent vacation in Puerto Rico!) It features vocals and guitar by the incomparable Leslie West. "I'm changing faster than the weather. If you and me should get together, who know, baby? You may comfort me."

Words of Appreciation for Some Guys I Never Met

2009-12-14T08:57:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, I won my age division at a local 5k. My time won't impress most serious runners and, to tell you the truth, it wasn't a large field. But when they posted the result, it almost brought me to tears. Part of my reaction was because I'd never really won anything before. Much more than that, however, I was reacting to the fact that I'd spent most of the last twenty-three years believing that I'd never be able to run again.

I certainly wasn't an athlete in high school. The only running I did back then was down to the corner store to pick up a pack of cigarettes. A devoted consumer of Old Gold Filters, I finally quit in 1985 when I was in my thirties and the social acceptance of smoking began to seriously erode. Within a few months, like many ex-smokers, I'd packed on a great deal of weight. "Jogging" was establishing itself as a mainstream pastime back then and it seemed like a plausible way to deal with the extra inches that had accumulated around my waistline. The story arc from that point forward is a familiar one: I began to appreciate running for its own sake rather than simply a means to an end. October of 1986 found me at the starting line of the Casco Bay Marathon in Portland, Maine. I finished in 3:59:58. It was after that when my body began to break down.

By December of 1986, I was walking around on crutches because the pain in my knees was unbearable. Over the next several years, I visited numerous orthopedists, chiropractors, and podiatrists. (Ironically, Howard Dannenberg, one of the podiatrists I consulted, had designed a device that was incorporated into the running shoes that Brooks was then selling.) Repeatedly, I heard the best advice that the medical profession, in its collective wisdom, had to offer: Your knees weren't built to take the pounding that comes with running. Initially, I'd wait a few months before trying to return to the road; later, my attempts were measured in years. The results were always the same, however. Eventually, no matter how much aspirin I took or how much ice I used, my knees began screaming their protest until I had to stop. For next twenty-three years, even as repeated attempts to return to running failed, I never lost my desire to run again and never completely accepted that I wouldn't.

It was only a fluke that led me to Born to Run. From an online ad, I had clicked through to Audible.com and was browsing the site to see if there was an audiobook that looked interesting enough to justify taking advantage of their membership offer. That was when I came across Christopher McDougall's beautifully written book. To say that it was life-changing is an understatement. But here's the briefest of summaries: I run almost every day now... and nothing hurts anymore.

I'll share more about my own journey in barefoot-style running in future posts. For now, though, I just want to say thank you to Chris McDougall, Barefoot Ted, and all the other iconoclasts who were able to think different -- to look beyond conventional wisdom, the fecklessness of the medical community, and relentless shoe company marketing to see a fundamental truth that was there all along. You guys have changed the lives of thousands of people like me, enabling us to recapture the unadulterated joy of running. Thanks to you, the quality my life has improved immeasurable. And this past Saturday, you almost made me cry.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-11T20:21:00.000-05:00

That Which I Have Lost by George Harrison (90 BPM).

One of the things I love about listening to music when I run is being able to select something that reflects my mood at any given moment. When I'm looking for light and bouncy, this tune from George Harrison's 1981 album, Somewhere in England, fits the bill perfectly.

Built for Distance

2009-12-11T20:18:00.001-05:00

This article from The New York Times is a few months old but I'm linking to it now because (1) if you haven't read it yet, it persuasively makes the case for barefoot-style running and (2) this blog was not up and running when the article was originally published in October. It's a terrific exposition on a point that Christopher McDougall makes in Born to Run, i.e. that human physiology is optimized for running long distances.

To put it a little more pointedly, when your podiatrist, orthopedist, or brother-in-law admonishes you that your body was never meant to run a marathon, that is precisely the opposite of the truth. These folks may be well-intentioned but they're making an argument that is simply not supported by science. Your body was, indeed, meant to run a marathon. It just wasn't meant to do it in shoes that restrict the movement of your foot and cause you to stride in ways that are unnatural.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-10T18:16:00.000-05:00

Ha Ha You're Dead by Green Day (89 BPM).

Lately, I've begun "programming" my 5k races on my iPod, i.e. constructing a playlist designed to keep me focused and on track through my anticipated finish time. Here's a song that works particularly well at the end of a race. It's a perversely motivating tune, especially as you're picking off other runners on the way to the finish.

A Great Runner Gives No-so-great Advice

2009-12-10T08:20:00.002-05:00

Ultra-runner Dean Karnazes once ran 50 marathons in 50 days, an accomplishment he chronicled in his book, 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! Obviously, Karnazes is an exceptional athlete but there's a passage in his book where he's considerably wide of the mark. Responding to a question from another runner about whether or not he gets injured, Karnazes replied:

They say one of the best things you can do as a long distance runner is to choose your parents well, meaning I was lucky to have inherited favorable biomechanics for running... Joking aside, there's more and more research showing that common injuries are linked to stride irregularities. But it's not much easier to improve one's running biomechanics than it is to choose one's parents.

Karnazes is correct, of course, that stride irregularities account for most injuries, and there's no question that favorable heredity is helpful. But his notion that an average runner cannot significantly improve his or her biomechanics is not only unnecessarily discouraging, it's just plain wrong.

The average runner has terrible biomechanics so the opportunity for improvement is tremendous. In fact, a few small adjustments can make a big difference. Five minutes studying these pointers from Barefoot Ken Bob will improve the efficiency of most runners considerably and reduce their incidence of injury dramatically.

So if you weren't lucky enough to have Phidippides as an ancestor, you might not reasonably be able to undertake the sorts of world class athletic achievements that made Dean Karnazes famous. But with the conscientious application of barefoot-style running principles, you can certainly look forward to a lifetime of running that's relatively free from the sorts of injuries that plague other runners... regardless of who your parents were.

Deep Thought About Attacking the Hills in Puerto Rican

2009-12-07T07:42:00.000-05:00

"Whether the stone hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the stone, it's going to be bad for the pitcher."

Man of La Mancha

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-06T16:01:00.001-05:00

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right by The Four Seasons (181 BPM).

No doubt, you've heard this Bob Dylan tune before but I guarantee you've never heard it performed quite like this. At the peak of their popularity, the Four Seasons went into the studio to record an album titled The 4 Seasons Sing Big Hits by Burt Bacharach...Hal David...Bob Dylan. While most of the songs were fairly straightforward renditions, the upbeat arrangement of this one, along with Frankie Valli's over-the-top falsetto, made it almost a novelty. It turned out, however, to be the most popular track on the album by far. It was released under the name "The Wonder Who" and reached #13 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Beyond its value as a rock and roll curio, this is a terrific song for barefoot-style running. For me, the raison d'être of running is the unadulterated joy of flying down a road or trail. There are few song that provide a better soundtrack for that experience than this one.

The Importance of Technique on Hills

2009-12-06T06:49:00.000-05:00

When I explain barefoot-style running to people who are unfamiliar with the concept, one of the points I always make is that, basically, your body already knows how to run. Most runners will naturally gravitate towards a proper running style without any coaching if they simply ditch their running shoes and take off on a flat, smooth surface.

I find hills a little more challenging, not only in terms of exertion but also in terms of finding the right technique. With trial and error you might eventually find the technique you need but you can do it a lot faster with a little good advice. When it comes to running hills, I've found Danny Dreyer's ChiRunning concepts to be very helpful. On a scale of 1 to 10, the hills I'm used to in Florida are probably a 1 or 2. Here in Puerto Rico where we're vacationing, it feels like they're turned up to an 11. Danny's tips for negotiating hills have been extremely helpful in getting me through my morning runs intact. If you're going to be running hills any time soon, they're well worth checking out.

One tip of my own for you to consider: You want to keep your center of gravity above your feet as you run. On a relatively flat surface, that means ears over shoulders over ankles. When you're on the way up an incline, though, it might mean leaning forward a bit; on the way down, it could mean leaning back. Your most reliable gauge always is to pay attention to the feedback you're getting from your body as you run.

Relaxing in Puerto Rico After a Run

2009-12-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

When I don't run completely barefoot these days, I wear huarache sandals from Barefoot Ted. My wife was so intrigued by mine that she wanted a pair for herself.

This morning, I went out for a fairly challenging run (more on the hills here later) and she took a leisurely walk. Afterwards, we relaxed together on the veranda of our casita.

Reducing Stress Fractures

2009-12-03T04:03:00.000-05:00

In The New York Times this week, Gretchen Reynolds had an interesting piece on preventing stress fractures. The article highlights new research indicating that you can reduce your chances of suffering from a stress fracture by shortening your stride length while simultaneously quickening your pace. This aligns perfectly with the principles of barefoot-style running and demonstrates why the posts here return so insistently to the theme of 90/180 BPM.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-12-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

Heaven by Los Lonely Boys (91 BPM).

Q: "How far is heaven?"
A: When you can run as long and as often as you want and not have anything hurt, it's not too far at all.

Are You Slowing Yourself Down and Beating Yourself Up?

2009-12-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Let’s try a little thought experiment: Imagine that your feet are about six inches off the ground, your body is in a vertical orientation, and you’re somehow traveling through the air at about seven miles per hour. Let’s put aside for the moment the question of how you found yourself in this particular position. The important thing is that gravity and momentum are inexorably exerting themselves on your situation and you realize that you’re about to go tumbling forward when your feet hit the ground. Under the circumstances, you decide it would be best if you could just stop yourself as soon as possible. So, how would you do that?

Chances are, you’d conclude that the fastest way to stop would be to put one of your legs out in front of your body and use your heel to brake your forward momentum. It would be a little jarring, of course, but it would clearly be the most efficient way to stop yourself. As you executed this maneuver, you’d probably look a lot like the woman in this picture:

If her pose looks familiar, it’s because it’s one that most runners strike every time one of their feet hits the ground. Runners who use a conventional running style are actually putting on the brakes with every single stride. And they’re slamming their legs into the ground repeatedly as they do so. They’re slowing themselves down while they’re beating themselves up.

Barefoot-style running solves all of these problems at once. It conserves your forward momentum while simultaneously eliminating the constant pounding that accounts for so many injuries. Even an over-engineered pair of running shoes can’t override the laws of physics.

Christopher McDougall's Authors@Google Lecture

2009-12-01T07:33:00.000-05:00

Born to Run is a terrific book, so well-written that it would be a pleasure to read even if you weren't a runner. For those of us who run, it is absolutely required reading. The author, Christopher McDougall, recently gave a presentation on his gem as part of the Authors@Google lecture series. It's well worth checking out. You can watch it here.

Everything Old Is New Again

2009-11-30T09:19:00.000-05:00

It seems as though Christopher McDougall's exceptional book, Born to Run, introduced the world to the concept of barefoot running. While it's true that most of today's barefoot-style runners will point to McDougall's book as their inspiration, it would be somewhat more accurate to say that Born to Run actually reacquainted the running world with a part of its history that got lost in the ubiquitous (and relatively recent) onslaught of marketing messages from shoe companies.

One example is Abebe Bikila who won of the 1960 Olympic marathon running barefoot. In fact, his biography is titled Barefoot Runner: The Life of Marathon Champion Abebe Bikila. According to Wikipedia, "After the race, when Bikila was asked why he had run barefoot, he replied, 'I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism.'"

Twenty-four years later another barefoot runner made Olympic history, although in a decidedly different fashion. Zola Budd was a white South African runner who had broken multiple world record in her career. Because of a boycott by multiple international sports organizations against her country for its policy of apartheid, Budd moved to Great Britain to participate in the 1984 Olympics. What was billed as a showdown with American champion Mary Decker in the 3000 meter event turned into one of the most famous episodes in the history of women's track when Budd and Decker collided and neither captured a medal.

So, the next time someone asks about your decision to run barefoot, you can just say that you're rolling "old school." As the lyric to the classic Peter Allen song explains, "Everything old is new again."

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-11-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

Muskrat Ramble by Sidney Bechet (180 BPM).

Sidney Joseph Bechet was one of the pioneers of jazz. Along with Louis Armstrong, he helped create a style of music that was new and uniquely American. This cut dates back to 1940 and never fails to put a little more bounce in my stride when I'm running.

Worth The Drive

2009-11-29T08:37:00.000-05:00

When people hear about barefoot running for the first time, a common and unsurprising reaction is, "What about stepping on glass?" There are several plausible responses that question but I usually start by suggesting a little bit of research to find someplace to run where glass and other debris isn't going to be an issue.

Like many casual runners, my regular runs all used to begin and end at my front door. The streets weren't immaculate but, of course, my running shoes provided a buffer between me and whatever detritus I might encounter. As I began to experiment with barefoot-style running, my neighborhood routes remained perfectly adequate with a pair of Vibram FiveFingers or huaraches. When I decided that I wanted to try going totally barefoot, however, the unpredictable condition of the roads gave me pause. In spite of the admonitions of dedicated barefoot runners like Barefoot Ken Bob, I wasn't quite prepared to navigate my neighborhood with nothing on my feet. I needed a different strategy.

Fortunately, I live Florida's Seminole County where the local government has invested a great deal of money and effort into providing its residents with a terrific network of trails for running, walking and biking. Now, a ten minute car ride is all it takes to access miles and miles of flat, smooth asphalt that weave in and out of beautifully scenic vistas. Suddenly, running completely barefoot became a perfectly doable proposition. To tell you the truth, I still don't run barefoot in my neighborhood or on unfamiliar courses (sorry, Barefoot Ken Bob!), but it doesn't matter. Running on these wonderful trails is so delightful, so relaxing that I do it whenever possible... and would do so no matter what I'm wearing on my feet!

If you've never checked what's available near you, here is a great place to start. You might be pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful new venue for your running, whether or not you choose to go barefoot.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-11-27T10:04:00.000-05:00

Never Ending Song of Love by Delaney & Bonnie (92 BPM).

When most people compile a playlist for running, there's an inclination to select hard-charging songs to drive the workout. While my own playlist certainly reflects that tendency, I've found that more melodic choices often compliment barefoot-style running extremely well. Today's selection is a great example of a song that fits into the "soft, silent, speedy" motif quite well. Enjoy!

Practical Proprioception

2009-11-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

The word proprioception refers to your ability to feel your body's movement and to sense the absolute and relative position of your various body parts. At a fundamental level, for example, you can close your eyes and still know whether your left arm is extended in front of your body or hanging at your side. Proprioception is an important component of barefoot-style running. It's your most important tool for maintaining the proper carriage and stride, the key to injury-free running.

While feeling the position of your body might sound simple, it's not always as easy as our example above might suggest. When we feel that our body is doing one thing, it is often doing something different. This is especially true as we adopt a new stye of movement. (It's also true as we get fatigued during the course of a run.) We might think we're carrying our torso above our feet when we're actually leaning forward or we might feel that our knees are bent too much when they're hardly bent at all.

The key to overcoming these misperceptions is find objective feedback that you can use to calibrate your proprioception to the realities of what your body does. The eyes of a coach or running partner can be a terrific asset. They can tell you if you're really in an "ears over shoulders" position or if you're actually leaning from your waist. If you do your running alone, there are still ways to get objective information about what your body is doing. One of my favorite is to find my shadow on the ground and notice what it's doing. Your reflection in a store window as you run past it works well, too.

This "calibration" process will make your proprioception more accurate over time. You'll be able to feel what your body is doing, sense what it's telling you, and stay injury-free as your run.

Barefoot Running Song of the Day

2009-11-24T11:07:00.000-05:00

I Got Stung by Paul McCartney (182 BPM).

This is McCartney's remake of an old Elvis Presley hit. When I run to this, it feels like I'm going 100 MPH!