Kenneth McNeely | Ken Bob's Original BarefootRunning.com

KenBobism

If the way you are running wouldn’t be comfortable on most surfaces while barefoot, then the way you are running is probably going to cause injury in the long run!

Kenneth McNeely (AKA Barefoot Kenny) (2012 February 5) Surf City Marathon

Summary

Didn’t run Surf City Marathon myself, again this year (prices are just too high to run several marathons each year any more).

Story

But I did go out and watch and shoot some other barefoot, or nearly barefoot, some barefoot for a short while, and a few others that were just plain “interesting” runners in the marathon.

Vanessa and Shacky ran past (after a little break to chat with) me. Shacky told me that he ran barefoot up to the rough patch at mile 19, and would take his Vibrams off again after crossing that patch again at mile 23.

Heel-striking in Vibrams

Look, I said it and I mean it… I will stop harping on the problems with minimalist footwear when people stop running with injurious technique while wearing them. I have pictures of at least 2 different runners heel-striking while wearing Vibrams. One was so oblivious to the fact that he was “pounding” the pavement he had a huge smile on his face… you might wonder “what’s wrong with that?”, but if he was barefoot he would realize from the first few steps that he shouldn’t be heel-striking because it would hurt. Then thanks to running more gently, due to that barefoot awareness, he might be able to run many many more miles and years happily without damaging his knees and back.

So, you say they’re better than those old clunkers you used to wear. That would be true, IF (and it’s abig if) you actually improved the way you were running to avoid the damage that high-impact running will likely cause.