Running Barefoot
When you read the title of this section, the first question that would cross your mind would be, “why run barefoot?” Because you can! People who run barefoot argue that it is the natural way to run. There are several studies which state that running barefoot reduces the risk of injury like twisting one's ankle as compared to running with your shoes on. Aside from that, they also state that it is more economical to run barefoot, that is, you consume less oxygen when barefoot which translates to a better performance. The thing is that, for those who do run barefoot, do so because they feel comfortable doing it.
Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia and Zola Budd are two of the most famous marathoners who ran barefoot. Yes, they ran barefoot. But wouldn't that hurt? It would, but not if you train yourself to do so. You could start by walking barefoot with every time you have or by walking barefoot for at least 30 minutes everyday. In that way, the ligaments and muscles in your foot would be given the chance to adapt to it. From walking, move to jogging and then running. Gradually increase the duration of your runs as you progress. In 3 weeks' to a month's time, your feet would have adapted to the whole exercise. Along with it, you should complement it with other exercises that would help strengthen your feet and your ankles. As for the Running Surface, start with softer surface then gradually progress to harder and rougher surface. For example, start with a grassy surface first then slowly progress until you can run on concrete.
While running barefoot can strengthen your feet, there are, however, some risks involved in doing so. The risks include, puncture wounds, bruising and other injuries brought about by running on a very hot pavement or on ice. But injuries can be avoided with the proper training and preparation. Always be on the lookout for nails or shards of glass or anything that may puncture your feet. And if you can, try to avoid running in extreme weather conditions. But if you insist on doing so, do it with your shoes on.
Running barefoot is very unusual that you are sure to get stared at a lot if you do so. But don't let them bother you. If you are comfortable with what you do, then go ahead with it! However, if you believe that running with shoes is better, then it is your choice. The following sections will talk about almost everything you need to know about running shoes. Please keep in mind that what we present here are options that you can take. Whether you want to go barefoot or not is a choice that would depend entirely on you. Whatever your choice is, always remember to keep on running!
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