Is it crazy to want to run barefoot? Maybe, but I’m thinking about trying just that. My old Nikes are beginning to feel clunky. While there are no major studies on the subject, some researchers feel that shoeless running is less stressful on the feet than running with well-supported shoes. The rationale is that the latter cause the heel to strike before the mid-foot and toes, which could be responsible for some heel and ankle problems. Don't have those, thank heavens!
Nonetheless, I look back nostalgically to my early running days, on stony beaches (ocean-smoothed rocks and gravel), when I went barefoot all summer, and later, when tennis shoes were my only available footgear. Nike makes a great shoe and I’ve subscribed happily to their rationale for years.
However, a small northeastern company called Vibram is making shoes they call FiveFingers, which are about as close to running barefoot as you can get. Instead of buying by conventional shoe size, you order by the length of your foot, in about 1/8-inch increments.
As soon as I find a measuring tape, I’m planning to order some. Will report back!
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