If humans’ needed a large cushion on the sole of their feet to run, they would have evolved with a large cushion on their soles. Or so the logic of barefoot runners goes.
Barefoot running is exactly what it says on the tin – running without shoes. It is a choice that has been popularised by the 2009 book Born To Run, by Christopher McDougall. The book has been one of the bestselling running books every year since its publication, further spreading the craze of running barefoot.
Barefoot runners and McDougall argue that the human body is the perfect long-distance running machine, the best in the animal kingdom. As the distances get further and further, humans can outrun literally any animal. Running until other prey drop dead is how we used to hunt for food (and in some cases, such as the Khalari tribes, still do) and is called persistence hunting.
“What?! So you think a human can outrun a deer?” Yes, in theory.
Compared to a deer, a human has many advantages. A human foot has large tendons and many toes that absorb the shock of each stride – a deer has a solid hoof. A human’s knee also has large tendons for the same purpose and is very flexible compared to a dear. Human glutes are relatively massive compared to a human’s size, so can propel us forward efficiently and absorb each step.
A deer and other four-legged animals are bent over, so their guts fall to the pit of their stomach and slam forward with every stride during running. This acts like a piston on their diaphragm and lungs, helping suck in and blow out air when they run. It is an effective aid for sprinting, but over long distances means they can only take one breath per stride, compared to a human that can take many.
Wrong turn winners and barefoot runners in Peak race
Another advantage of being upright, is that only the tops of humans’ heads and shoulders are exposed to the sun, and that is covered by hair. The rest of the body is hairless. And crucially, humans can sweat very effectively to remain cool. While a deer has all its back exposed to the sun, and is covered in hair.
A pack of humans can run just fast enough to keep the deer spooked, unable to stop for shade or a rest, until eventually it collapses from heat exhaustion.
The logic of barefoot running is that humans are such a finely tuned machine, wearing modern day running shoes inhibits the natural running style and puts the whole system out of whack.
With padded soles, we overextend our gait, land on our heels and send shocks up our legs. We do not notice the shocks as the padding of the shoes mitigates it, but over and over it causes injuries – knee pain, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis among them.If you take up barefoot running, the body naturally adjusts to the style we were born to run with, our foot landing properly and the machine working in unison.
You can take up barefoot running, but very slowly. Start with just 100m a day, or a few minutes at the end of a longer run.
Change shoes to minimalist shoes, cutting down on the amount of heel cushions. When you begin barefoot running, start on a hard surface. It might sound counter-intuitive, but the feed back on your sole will be quicker. Running on a soft surface to try and ease into it will just prolong the issue.
If you like running with big soft shoes, and have not yet experienced injury, why change? There is no need to jump on the bandwagon. Talk to a pediatrist or running coach and discuss why you want to make the switch.
Even if you do not become a barefoot runner, though, adding a bit into your training is a smart way to vary the load and strengthen different muscle groups to improve running and make you more resistant to injury.
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