Barefoot running

I read a Facebook comment last night that my friend posted and it was about running barefoot. I kept thinking about it so I just (like 10 minutes ago) clicked on the link (http://running.competitor.com/2010/05/features/but-is-it-faster_9784) and read the article he had linked to. I recommend you read it too, I really liked it and I think it made some great points. I am in no way trying to argue my point or try to prove anyone wrong. I'm not an exercise scientist nor am I a bio mechanics graduate so really the only thing I got for you-all is a testimonial with nothing to gain. This ties in perfectly with the post I was going to do about this last week's training, click here.

I have no sponsor. "Born to Run" has paid me nothing nor has Vibram. Here's the short version of my story, I'll probably do a longer version sometime later this month, or maybe not. My friend knows well how injury-prone I was and still am. I was injured every single Cross-Country and Track season in high school and it almost always happened during the season. Because of that I turned to triathlons in college doing several Olympic distance triathlons and a half-ironman, but I didn't love it. I love(d) running.

I friend recommended "Born to Run" and I read it and I loved it. Since I had nothing to lose I started running barefoot. I started off small at first, but eventually got to where I was doing 18+ mile runs barefoot (and that was the real dizzle barefoot, not with my Vibram Five Fingers). I always run at parks. Here in Provo there are several that work for me. To make a long story short the majority of my running injuries were inflammation related--All the "itis" that you can think of from the waist down I had. When I started barefoot running in July of 2009 I have since had any inflammation. This week (May 3-8) I ran a total of 52 miles at parks in my Vibram Five Fingers. (Click here to go to my other page where I have posted my training, adapted from "More Fire: How to run the Kenyan way".) Next week I will run even more. Currently I do the majority of my runs in my Vibrams--It's hard to run completely barefoot when the ground is so cold (and when it snows and there's frost in May!).

Anyways, all I'm saying is that I love it and it has made me faster. I ran a four-mile race the first time I tried out for the BYU Cross-Country team in 23:04 and I tried out again this last year and dropped 30 seconds running 22:34 on an even tougher course. I think it's like anything new that comes out, there's research both ways--pros and cons and really it's hazard to walk out your front door (or depending on where you live, to even live! If that makes sense.) I encourage you to give it a shot and judge for yourself. Run Fearless.