Sunday, December 31, 2006

Barefoot Running

In the Dec 27 Wall Street Journal, the newspaper featured a runner trying to run barefoot in marathons. The runners want to develop a thick sole of epidermis on their feet with the idea of preventing ankle injuries and plantar fasciitis. However, the pain of blisters and the very real threat of feet injuries resulting from infections is something that the runners ignore.

One runner stated that he went bare after other barefoot runners passed him by. HELLO??? Why don't you improve your conditioning? Train in a dry, environment with heat up to 80 degrees. After that, you can run pretty much anywhere. How about training without food? Without hope? Without anything? That is why the African runners do so well. They don't have any other hope and running is their lifeline out of the ghetto that is their current existence.

Some part of me admire the stupidity of the runners in America who want to go barefoot. IF they want to impale their feet to pebbles, gravel, pine needles, and INSECTS and worms, GOD BLESS AMERICA! Americans are free, but it does not guarantee wisdom.

As for me, when I walk around the block, I wear my New Balance shoes. My feet are wide and they demand protection. I grew up with tsinelas. I even had a nail puncture my tsinelas. Forget that running without shoes.

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