"Your feet are your foundation. Wake them up! Make them strong! Connect with the ground."
-Christopher McDougall in Born to Run
Today I risked getting impaled by soaring golf-balls to run barefoot for a few miles on a golf course with a friend. We got a lot of sour looks from the golfers on the course, but the turf was perfect for my first baby-step towards barefoot running.
It's pretty spectacular what happens when you rip off your shoes. The cathartic feeling that accompanies the removal of those cushioned companions can really awaken the senses. It's interesting how we give so much sentimental attention to the human heart and the brain, but we really don't favor our feet in any way. We should. Our feet are our foundation, and they connect us to the earth. We should want to make them strong, make them able to withstand nature's aggressions. But what is there to motivate us? We have shoes to depend on.
There is an entire chapter in Born to Run that focuses solely on proving (through substantial amounts of research) that we were never meant to wear shoes and that less injuries would actually occur if we didn't wear them. Since we've already accustomed our feet to shoes, however, we can no longer just throw them off and expect immediate improvement. You have to take baby steps. This explains the revolutionary birth of the five-finger Vibram shoe. (these are like toe-socks that serve as slim, rubbery shoes).
While I can't exactly envision myself running a marathon in bare feet in the near future (some of my skin is still deciding whether or not it wants to stay on), it was extremely liberating and enjoyable to run just a few miles on a soft surface today with my similarly barefooted friend. Here's why: I forgot about how tired I was because I was concentrating so hard on not introducing my feet to any sharp enemies that may have been lurking on the ground, my feet noticeably got stronger already, and it added a little thrill to my daily running routine.
I was born to run today because I went shoeless and woke up my feet. It felt fantastic.
So, despite the grass, gravel, concrete, and what ever sharp things nature had to offer us today, I got a toe blister from my flip-flops... deceitful bastards.
ReplyDeleteWe should definitely make this a weekly ordeal. Maybe we can work up to tackling the streets on campus barefoot, but only after we master dodging golf balls on the golf course.
Can I pretty please, start barefoot running with you?! I signed up for the Sea Isle sprint tri and the run is on the hard sand. I'm thinking I might want to do it barefoot..
ReplyDeleteMike we are absolutely making this a regular occurence and yes Brittany join us! Barefooting is a blast. Until you step on something sharp of course
ReplyDeleteThe native americans say that we seperate ourselves from the earth by wearing shoes, Tommy still refuses to wears them, his inner nature knows best. I'm impressed by your blogging, keep it up. love your auntie joney
ReplyDeleteThat is something I will have to write about. Babies never ever want to wear shoes! What does that tell you? Thanks Joney good to hear from ya!
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