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Especially after reading Born To Run, I’ve tossed around the idea of barefoot running.
I’ve worn Newtons for 3 years now. I even got these puppies last spring.
My first foray into barefoot running though, happened before I got my Vibrams. Silly me planned on simply belting out a couple of barefoot miles at home on the mill and came away with a nice, torn-open blister after about a mile.
When I bought my Vibrams I asked to try them out on the store mill. The shoe guy looked at me like I sprouted a horn between my eyes and flatly refused, stating there was all kinds of prep needed before attempting to run shoe-less. Who knew?
The first word that came to mind as I read through it? Comprehensive.
This book gives you tons of background on the running shoe industry, minimalist shoe movement and info on why you should (or should not) consider barefoot running. It takes you step-by-step in an easy-to-read, non-technical way, through the process of prepping your feet before making the transition to barefoot. Like me, most runners tend to do too much too soon, risking injury in the process.
You’ll find a detailed week-by-week plan that lays out exactly how to strengthen and toughen your feet, transforming them from ‘tenderfeet’ to ‘superfeet’.
All aspects of barefoot running are explored, including running on various surfaces, handling weather extremes, even making your own minimalist shoes.
I especially appreciated the section on barefoot running for children. Something I never thought about, although personally I spent a ton of time barefoot as a kid. Turns out this is a great thing!
The final sections of the book cover more advanced topics like building speed and racing barefoot. Truly this is a great book for beginning and advanced runners alike.
Overall, a great read. My rating: 10 toes up!
