With bare feet

Just came back from a 3k barefoot run. Fourth one so far. Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself, and found the run a bit more rough on the feet than expected hoped. I notice too, how my form gets worse as my feet start to hurt, and how it's hard to relax the upper body, especially on rough surfaces.

So why run barefoot?

My current experience, of which I don't seem to be alone, is that it (a) promotes good running form and prevents injuries, and (b) keeps you alert and more in touch with the surroundings.

Barefoot running and running form

When barefoot, you are basically forced to run in a way that minimizes impact. There's no Abzorb® FL and N-ergy® to "defy whatever pounding you and your next marathon can dish out". But that's actually a good thing, because you are NOT SUPPOSED TO BE POUNDING YOUR FEET! We are meant to move with our bodies, not against them!

And this is very hard to ignore when barefoot. Naturally, you'll want to land like this elite marathoner and move like ultra marathoner Anton Krupicka. You'll be forced to absorb the impact by landing slightly towards the ball of your feet and bending your knees. Because this is what feels best, and what's hurts least. Slamming down your heels like you do in padded shoes will not be a very pleasant experience.

In the words of Barefoot Ted:

Barefoot running is not about blocking or pushing through pain, or at least it shouldn't be. Rather it is about tuning-in to your own body's highly sophisticated set of integrated awareness systems, systems that communicate through feelings and senses that are being collected in real-time as you move. From my perspective, learning how to run well means learning how to tap into the feeling of running well, which more often than not requires baring the foot to get the full feel of what happens when you move.

Word to you, Ted!

The kinesthetic experience of running barefoot

Removing what's between you and the ground (your shoes, that is) is a way of getting more in touch with both yourself and with what's around you - whether forests and mountains, grass and gravel, or with the city-scapes born of men. Your feet will instantaneously tell you when the surface changes, and you'll pretty much be forced to adapt to it. To avoid being surprised, and possible hurt (say, by stepping on sharp stones or broken glass), you'll also need to look ahead. Shortly put, you'll need to be more in the moment, paying attention to what is there before you. And actually, running becomes more enjoyable this way. It's like adding a new dimension to it.

Anton Krupicka puts it like this:

As runners, our feet are what keep us connected with the ground and offer important tactile, sensory feedback, which makes the structure and design of the shoe on our foot essential in shaping our experience with the surrounding terrain.

...

My best runs are where the felt kinesthetic experience of moving quickly and efficiently through a natural landscape is most fully realized, not necessarily the runs where I make it to the top of the mountain and back down the quickest. However, I think it is not by accident that these two ideals often coincide.

Word to you too, Anton!