by Steve Crowder

Doesn’t the sand between your toes as you walk the shoreline at the beach feel good? Or how about the feeling of a well-groomed lawn massaging your feet? Even just removing a pair of hot shoes after a long day of work can be refreshing. Sometimes it just feels good to go without shoes. But does such a statement apply to running? As with many things, as long as it is done in moderation and with good judgment, it can.

Running barefoot is not a revolutionary concept. Our ancestors certainly ran without shoes, and the lack of expensive footwear didn’t seem to hurt Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila when he won the 1960 Rome Olympic Marathon barefoot in a world record time of 2:15:17. Bikila’s world record isn’t the only one set in bare feet either. Zola Budd, most famous for her collision with Mary Decker in the 1984 Olympics, once ran a world record for 5000 meters sans shoes, clocking an impressive 15:01.

While the lack of weight from shoes probably wasn’t the primary factor in either Bikila’s or Budd’s record-breaking performances, running without shoes can be beneficial. Today’s shoes are designed not only to protect our feet but also to support them and even guide them to do certain things, and we should certainly take advantage of this technology. However, over time, this can lead to muscles in the feet and lower legs becoming lazy and weak from a lack of work. Eventually such weakness can increase the chances of a running-related injury such as Achilles tendonitis or shin splints.

By forcing your body to support itself naturally, running without shoes can help increase strength and make you less injury prone. Barefoot running stretches the calves and helps activate all the sensors and muscles in the feet that tend to get turned off when running in shoes. Running barefoot can also lead to improved running form as it generally promotes landing on the forefoot rather than the heel and will sometimes cause runners to adjust to a more natural forward lean and shorter, quicker stride.

That being said, should you just toss your running shoes? Definitely not. Barefoot running should be looked at similar to weight training. It is something good to do a little of from time to time with injury prevention in mind. Most of the time you should stick to a good pair of shoes that is right for you. In fact, having the right shoe to train in is one of the biggest factors in staying injury free. Gait anlysis and shoe fittings by an expert at a local running specialty store is always a good idea.

If you do decide to try barefoot running, start with a few short strides at the end of an easy run. Be sure to pick a smooth surface and one that you are fairly sure is free of rocks and other debris. You can gradually build up the amount of barefoot running that you do as you get stronger. If you want the benefits of barefoot running without the risks, an Internet search for foot and lower leg exercises will produce plenty of activities that will help strengthen your muscles and tendons. However, if you get the urge to kick off your shoes and get back to the basics, feel free. It just might be good for you.

Steve Crowder runs with the Fleet Feet Roanoke Racing Team and lives in Fincastle with his wife and two tail-chasing dogs. He can be reached at rtcrunnr@yahoo.com.