Barefoot

I spent the past week traveling around Texas.  Unfortunately, I deviated from my training plan because of not having my bike or a pool large enough to lap swim.  That being said the change of scenery running was awesome and hilly!  I grew up in San Antonio which is relatively flat, running in Fort Worth, however, was like climbing mini-Everests.  Or at least it felt that way because of the 100+ degree weather.  I hope that doesn't sound like complaining because the runs were actually some of the best I have ever had.  I felt light on my feet and took a break from GPS and heart rate monitors.  I just did what I thought I could handle comfortably, got in the zone, and let it rip.   

On my trip I read the book Born to Run.  I think that is what inspired me to make the workouts as natural as possible, attempting to be in-tune with my body.  If I felt I needed to slow down, I did, and if I felt like opening up the throttle, I did.  It was inspiring to read about runners who love to run for the sake of running, not being held to a clock or pre-set distance, and being competitive yet full of admiration for their fellow competitors.  As many of you know, Born to Run, has lead a charge in the barefoot running world.  I may be a few years late in tackling the subject or thousands of years late compared the Tarahumara (The Running People), but I think it is leading to a paradigm shift in how I want to run and treat my patients.  I doubt that I will jump in full-go and I don't think it is necessarily for everyone, but I like the idea of spending some time doing training with minimalist footwear.  I think doing strength and balance training or stride drills on safe ground is a great place to start.  I would never recommend jumping into running barefoot for extensive distances without building up to it. 

This week I have been having my patients exercise in their socks only; partly as a mini-experiment and partly as a tribute to the Tarahumara.  It has been neat to see their feet working to find the ground and proper position, it's like their feet are trying to read braille to send  a constant flow of messages to their brain.  I know this sounds corny, but you can't appreciate the intricacies of the foot wearing shoes.

I don't think shoes or shoe companies are the enemy.  In fact, it wasn't until I found a great pair of cushioned-soled, high-end running shoes that I could run without knee pain.  I hope that the shoes aren't just compensating for improper mechanics, but they have worked for me.  I am trying to become more conscious of using a forefoot running pattern, as I do believe that is how we were built to run.  I am contemplating investing in some 5Finger Vibrams to do some training.  If I do, I will be sure to post my experiences.