Why
- LEARNING to run gently. It hurts to run or walk barefoot! Especially on rough terrain (the best place to begin barefooting - so that we can learn faster, and also reminds us to not do too much too soon). If we're moving as if our shoes or a soft surface will protect us from injury (they won't - they only block our perception of impact) then we are more likely to continue running badly (and continue injuring ourselves). It's up to us to learn to run more gently. Our bare soles are our first line of defence, not by being tough, but by being sensitive and letting us know when we are slamming or grinding our feet into the ground (emphatically with each and every step). If we have that information (emphatically with each and every step) learning to change the way we run or walk is easy. The process of learning to run and walk gently while barefoot comes so naturally to barefoot children, that they learn to run gently as easily as they learn to speak (that's one reason so many top distance runners come from places where children do not chronically wear shoes). It's a bit more difficult for adults to relearn, especially when they have unrealistic expectations (I want to run a marathon barefoot next month?). It's a bit like destroying our planet or society - If we ignore the damage we have done and are doing, it's less likely we will learn to behave better.
- CLEANLINESS! Our feet sweat, a lot! One purpose of sweat is evaporative cooling. Since evaporation is inhibited inside shoes, our feet futilely sweat more. The heat and moisture builds until the environment inside a shoe is a swamp. A wonderful place for fungi (athelte's foot) to thrive. Running and walking barefoot allows our feet to cool off. Additionally, exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun (in moderation of course) helps prevent fungi from growing.
- BLISTERS. I ran (actually walked the final miles due to pain from blisters) my first marathon in 1987. After I finished and painfully peeled off my shoes, nearly every part of my feet were raw - except the soles - which naturally have thicker skin for walking and running on. The skin on the tops, sides, and backs of our ankles did not evolve for constant contact with the inside of shoes or socks.
- BLACK TOENAILS! In addition to blisters and abrasions during my first marathon, every one of my toenails had turned black (from gently and repeatedly pushing and rubbing against the inside of the shoes/socks. This is basically the toenail being seperated from the toe and blood coagulating (scabbing) underneath. All my toenails fell off within a week. They grew back. I found out later that marathon runners just learn to live with black and missing toenails (some have their toenails surgically removed before a long event). Except for occasionally kicking lifted sidewalk pavers, tree roots, or other hard obstacles (which can be avoided by lifting our feet), barefoot runners rarely suffer from black toenails.
- EASY! When we learn to move more gently and gracefully, running and walking becomes easier! Many times I have passed other runners slamming their shoes into the pavement. One of my fellow runners (who was wearing shoes - it is possible to run gently while wearing shoes, it's just easier to LEARN to run gently while barefoot) was prompted by the other runner's comment, "You make it look so easy!", with a sarcastic under his breath statement, "And you make it look SOOO hard!"
- PUNCTURES! The risk of punctures while barefoot is overated by folks who have an interest in selling footwear. When I first began commuting to and from work by running barefoot, I carried bandaids with me. One by one, I gave every one of my bandaids to shod runners along the way for their blisters! Note: I even carried shoes for a few days, but realized they were completley unnecessary.
- FUN! It's just so much more FUN!
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