Thread: We are born to run [video]

YouTube - Christopher McDougall; Are we born to run (TED)

Your thoughts? He talks about running shoes around the 12 minute mark, and says that most running related injuries are caused by the shoes. Then he goes on to talk about how running barefoot is so much better for you, which I find hard to believe.

For me it's kind of painful to run in bare feet, it might be because I have a very high instep, I don't know. I know the natural instinct when running barefoot is to land on your toes. When we have shoes on we tend to pound away at our heels, so maybe that's where the injuries come from?

I found that fascinating, I tend to have a weak ankle so I think I'm going to give this a try! My only concern is that I live in an urban area and from time to time there's smashed glass etc on the floor.

Raphael, why not try jogging on the spot in private for a while to see how it impacts your foot? I'm sure one night couldn't do too much harm

At one point in a lengthier presentation he gave (search him on youtube) he makes the point that it's not about running barefoot per se, it's about running without the thick cushioning of standard running shoes under you feet that is better for you. He agrees that there's nothing wrong with protection from sharp rocks and whatnot, as long as the protection isn't taking over control of your foot movement. There are plenty of shoes out there that are basically just a thin sole for just that purpose.

I'll be happy to elaborate on his argument against thick cushioning if you'd like.

I was thinking about that the other day! I'd love some running shoes that are skin tight and basically just an extension of your sole.

Vibrams all the way

I just got a pair and I love them. Just know that you have to ease into them to avoid injury.

It’s Gotta be the Shoes « Run Luau Run

No other mammal complains about running barefoot! Only us. The truth is, wearing shoes softens and weakens the skin.

Like Indie said, Toe Sandals!


These toed sandals mimic the thicker skin we should have if we were barefoot all of our lives. I haven't tried them (are there prettier versions?) but I hear you can still feel all the pebbles and rocks with them on, so um, it might still hurt you. But they help your feet toughen up, so you can run the way evolution intended us to run! Also, um, running completely barefoot in the modern world is more painful than for our caveman friends. The concrete is brutal to our bones in comparison to soft bouncy dirt. And harmful parasites can linger longer on the concrete then in the dirt.

And people spit on the floor and its nasty! >:/

I had to wear lyrical shoes in highschool.



Stepping on someones spit running to competition- HORRIFYING.

PS. I HATE RUNNING!

This is exactly what I meant! Cheers guys, guna have to have a quick shop around

EDIT: Damn, those shoes are WAY more expensive than I expected. Looked around for some advice and a couple of sources recommend trying plimsolls (which I already bought for £5!!) as they're probably the next best thing. Time to get running!

Alright, hope they work out riverboy

There's a broad selection of minimalist running shoes outside the Vibrams. Of course the cheapest shoes are no shoes ;p

But like I said I really dig the Vibrams, I just got them about a week ago. They are super comfortable. I can still feel all the gravel and everything but the soles are hard enough for it to not hurt at all. The biggest pain I get is in my calves after running in them from using new muscles, but this is part of the process. The main point is that landing on the heel is now uncomfortable, whereas with thick-soled shoes landing on the heels feels right. But this is what causes long-term knee damage that you aren't sensitive to while the damage is taking place. So with the thin-soled shoes, your stride is auto-correcting, forcing you to land properly on your balls as the "wrong" way is now uncomfortable.

I would have thought landing on your balls was more uncomfortable :p

But seriously, it makes so much sense when you think about it. Instead of the shock going straight up your leg into your knee, it's absorbed partly by the balls of your feet and the remainder goes to your knee - much more comfortable!

Landing on your balls hurts like hell and I don't recommend it for running. ever.

But what you said about shock absorption matches how I understand it.

Just got back from my first attempt at barefoot running, I had a break or two cos I'm unfit though! I'm really happy cos this is the first time I've ever come back from a run without feeling pain in my ankle or knee

For the past week or so I've been doing hill runs up this big asphalt road by my house. It starts at a pretty steep incline for about 200 yards, then there's about 50 yards of like straight up, and then it settles back down to a gentle incline for another 100 hundred yards. It kills me every time, after that 50 yard part I hit a massive wall and have to start jogging so slow I might as well be walking.

Well anyways, I've been running up it on the balls of my feet, which actually feels pretty natural because of the slope. As I get more tired though, especially after hitting the wall, I have to start landing on my heels again. I think it's party because my legs aren't in shape for that yet, landing on the balls of my feet wears out my calves pretty bad. On the way down the hill it's pretty unavoidable, you have to land on your heels because of the incline. I have some pretty bad shin splints now

I just came back to the whole running thing very recently and I stumbled upon some amazing advice. If you check out Christopher McDougall's website there's a link to "How to run barefoot" and its really in depth. I gave it one try (in my plimsolls) and found myself running farther and for longer than I ever have before, it just feels so natural