Running Barefoot!

 Do you remember the amazing feeling of running barefoot? One of the things I miss about being five years old is that it was appropriate to run around on instinct without shoes. Feeling the fresh grass in between your toes or the sand rubbing against your skin was such a great feeling. Well interestingly enough, studies show that running barefoot is actually beneficial and more efficient. People have been doing it for years too! In 1960 Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila, the greatest Olympic marathoner of all time, won the first of his consecutive gold medals sans shoes in a world record 2:15:17. While Bikila was making Olympic history, England's Bruce Tulloh was running European record times from 1955 to 1967, almost always in bare feet. He ran 13:12 for three miles on grass, and 27:23 for six miles on cinders. Afterwards, Tulloh taught in Africa, coached, wrote books, and ran solo across America (2,876 miles, albeit in shoes). At 68, his is as sharp as ever, and he is very eager for a good barefoot jaunt. He said that he looks forward to running on the beach and that the only reason that more people don't run barefoot is that they are afraid to be unconventional. 

Charlie "Doc" Robbins, a huge supporter of barefoot running, would not hesitate to run shoeless. Robbins completed 50 consecutive Thanksgiving Day Road Races in Manchester, Connecticut. Most of the time he would go without shoes. He would resort to socks if the temperature dropped below 20 degrees. 

Running barefoot engages your vision, your brain, the soles of your feet and all the muscles, bones, tendons, and supporting structures of your feet and legs. So basically all of your senses go on red alert keeping your body better protected against injury. 

So next time try running with no shoes. It will bring you back to your childhood and recreate great memories!