Report: The 23rd Sabates Eye Centers Trolley Run (4-miler)

My first fully-barefoot race of the 2011 season was outstanding! After running a 5K in late January with Vibram Fivefingers Sprints on almost the whole course, I'd been conditioning my feet to do a lot more barefoot running. With this four-mile Trolley Run, I took a bit of a risk because I wasn't totally sure if my soles were yet conditioned for that distance. It turns out that they did GREAT and carried me to a four-minute improvement on my four-mile-race personal record (PR). I finished in 41:11 with an overall pace of 10:18 per mile, officially.

Up and at 'em

My family got up early on Sunday, April 17, in order to leave our house at about 6 a.m. The starting gun was set for 7:45 and I had a few things to do to get to the starting line - more on that in a bit. We traveled down to the Country Club Plaza shopping district in Kansas City, Missouri, where the finish line was located and the other events of the day were set to take place. We got the kids and my wife situated just after the finish line so she could get pictures of the finishers and other happenings.

It was then my job to get a little bit warmed up and head to the shuttles that would take me and 11-thousand other runners to the starting line. You see, unlike most races, this one doesn't go in a loop with the start and finish lines in generally the same area. This one actually starts four miles away - and uphill - from the finish line! (Any guesses how popular this mostly-downhill race is for the most elite runners?) After warming up some and using a, ahem, "plastic facility" in ~47 deg. F. conditions - brr - I kissed the wife and kids goodbye and headed totally barefoot to the line for the shuttles.

The Shuttle Shuffle

The experience of shuttling to the starting line is a whole big story in itself. I kid you not: From the start of the shuttle line to the end was literally three city blocks of people long! Wait that long in line barefoot and people are bound to talk to you about it. I had a nice chat with one guy who started off by saying I had to have real toughness to go barefoot. My feet and I were warm when I got in line, but by the time I got onto the bus, my feet were sufficiently chilly (i.e. NOT warm like a barefoot runner's feet should be). I spent the 15-minute-ish ride up to the start massaging my feet with my hands trying to get them warmed up again. The total time I spent waiting for the shuttles and riding one to the start was probably longer than I took to actually run the race!

On the positive side, I had a great conversation about barefoot living with a young lady on the bus. I don't remember her name, except that it was a non-typical name that started with an O...I think. Let's call her Olivia. We quickly got into a conversation about going barefoot and barefoot running. To keep a long story a bit shorter, I told her that I also live barefoot as well as running sans shoes - even shopping, dining, etc. She said she does the same a lot, much to the chagrin of many of her friends and family. I told her about how I founded The Primalfoot Alliance, and she seemed genuinely interested in the organization and for barefoot living to be much more acceptable. I'm glad that, although my feet were cold, Olivia and I could meet and we could have such a great chat.

The Start

As the bus pulled up to the drop-off zone, I glanced at my Garmin 305 GPS watch and saw that it was 7:55. TEN MINUTES after the starting gun was to have gone off. Seriously?! All that work attempting to get there in plenty of time and it still wasn't enough? Well, I'll just know better next year. For the record, the race web site indicates that I actually crossed the start line 12:21 after the starting gun.

My effort to re-warm my feet on the bus paid off as I started the race. That effort, plus the sun-warmed pavement, made it so my feet never felt too cold.

Off in the distance I could see the back end of my wave of runners. It was kind of surreal. The Trolley Run bills itself as the largest four-mile race in the nation, yet I was starting with just a few dozen people from our bus because everyone else was already gone! It was actually kind of nice. I didn't have to worry about getting my feet stepped on by a huge mob of people's Asics, Nikes, New Balances, etc. at the starting line. I've said a number of times that one of the biggest risks to living barefoot is other people's shoes.

The Race

After driving the course the day before, I was mostly looking forward to this mostly-downhill race. What I wasn't excited about was the approximately mile-long stretch of rougher pavement in the first part of the race. About three quarters of a mile in, we ran a while on smaller side streets. For those who don't normally run barefoot, side streets are not as friendly for barefoot runners because they're not as frequently traveled by cars. Therefore, the blacktop is not typically as smoothed out by constant traffic and there aren't as many tire particles to take the edge off the pavement's rockiness. Anyway, I was hoping that my feet would hold up through that part of the course and my technique would provide as little friction as possible to let me finish the race un-blistered, and it worked out. Awesome!

The elevation chart for the 4-mile Trolley Run shows a net
elevation loss of 164 feet - downhill almost the whole way!

There were a few fun and/or humorous moments for me throughout the race. One dude carried a Christ-like cross the whole way, though I'm not sure Jesus' model had a tire on the bottom of it like this guy's had. I have to think our savior's journey to Calvary might have been a little easier if it did. A random young lady was standing beside the course playing bagpipes, of all things, for all of us. I became acutely aware at a couple different times of all the "clopping" of the other runners' shoes on the ground while I was cruising along in stealth mode. The best story, however, is about a woman who I'd just passed. I ran by her and her friend and the next thing I hear is, "Hey, Susan." Then, nothing. I can't be positive because I didn't turn around to look, but I can picture in my mind's eye the woman pointing her finger down at my feet and looking at her friend with this stunned look on her face while she silently mouths, "He's barefoot!" At least, that's one scenario that could have happened. :-)

I am pleased with how I felt during the run. My heart rate stayed up but didn't push the limits to the point that I felt I had to back off from my pace. My legs felt good, never feeling like they were going to give me problems. The only slight issue I had was with a little more than a mile left. I started getting a little cramping in my right side - an issue I've had before - so I took appropriate measures to squash it. I had read right before my first 5K last year that exhaling when the same foot lands on the ground while running can lead to cramping on that side after a while. To fix it, just change up your breathing so that you exhale when the other foot lands. Voila! The cramping goes away! And mine did.

I felt a little bit tired in the last half mile or so, but I think part of that was mental. I knew that the end was (literally) in sight and my mind started giving up a little bit. A bunch of people did pass me when I slowed down at the end, but I still think I finished pretty strong.

Overall, I ran a very good race. I actually ran the whole thing barefoot, never stopped to walk, kept an elevated - but comfortable - pace and set a new PR for the four-mile distance. Speaking of pace, this is the second fastest pace I've ever run in an organized race, short of the Groundhog Run in January. Could I have pushed it a little bit more? Sure, but I can't complain. I also discovered that this is the longest barefoot run I've had since November 2010! My bare feet are back to where they were before winter, baby! It's all good.

Now, my training marches on as I prepare for the Hospital Hill Run (half marathon) on June 4. I'm planning for bare feet for that race, too. I wonder if pseudo Jesus and the bagpipe girl will be there, too...

Report: 2011 Groundhog Run (5K)

To say I was excited to run this year's Groundhog Run for Children's TLC is a bit of an understatement. I intended to run it last year, but a stress fracture in the heel bone of my left foot in January 2010 kept me out of the race. I did volunteer at that event, but was sorely disappointed that I couldn't participate. What's more, my running goals in 2010 had to be scaled back significantly because of the setback of the fracture. Running this year's event, to me, symbolized a bit of a "rebirth" of running for me -- a chance to reset what went wrong last year and go at it with renewed gusto.

I should explain the Groundhog Run a bit further before we go on. The whole dang thing is underground in industrial caves. The event is a charity run for Children's Therapeutic Learning Center in Kansas City, a school that helps kids with disabilities. It's a great way for runners to comfortably wear lightweight running gear for a race in January (when the temperature outside this morning was around 22 degrees F) and also support a worthy cause.

I decided to run this race in Vibram Fivefingers Sprints. I didn't want to run it barefoot, as I remembered from volunteering last year that the pavement underground can tend to be pretty rough. I hadn't had a chance to keep my bare feet conditioned and thought it'd be best on the soles to wear some kind of covering.

I was signed up to run this year's 5K race as part of a four-person team for my employer, a children's hospital in Kansas City. The team leader knew fully that I am a slowpoke compared to them, but he was happy to have me on -- I think he knew that my time would be thrown out anyway, as only the top three runners on a team had their times counted.

My wife and I showed up about an hour ahead of time and claimed a spot inside the VIP team area to drop off our stuff and for me to warm up. That was really nice. Instead of the requisite porta potties that most big races have for runners, the "VIPs" could use the official restrooms in the reception area where we were allowed. No lines, no plastic lavatories. While warming up, I noticed that I had a really sore spot in the muscle of my inner right thigh, just above the knee. I worked on it to try to loosen it up.

When it was time to race, I lined up about halfway between the 8-minute-per-mile and 12-minute-per-mile signs, as I expected to run around 10 minutes per mile. The starting area was PACKED. It's one thing when that's outdoors, but when there's stone pillars all around and a solid rock ceiling overhead, you begin to feel a bit like sardines. The right thigh was still feeling a bit sore.

The race began and I started off at what I thought was a pretty decent pace. I tried not to waste too much energy by running too fast, but I also didn't want to make it harder on myself by running too slow. The tight muscle in my leg really started to loosen up and I felt really good upon hitting the first mile marker at 9:47. Not bad.

In the second mile, I started to tire a little bit. My abdomen was cramping just a little bit and I was ready for a drink of water. I would have just taken a swig from my running bottle, but I had decided to leave it behind for this race. That was probably a poor choice, because I think it would have helped me when I needed water instead of having to trudge to the water station. I normally run with the bottle and should not have broken the "don't change anything on race day" rule that all runners are recommended to adhere to.

I'll be honest: I had to take a couple of walking breaks just to catch my breath and recover momentarily. None were more than about 30 seconds long, but it bugged me that I had to stop running AT ALL -- even if I know that walking breaks can lead to a faster overall time. It was disappointing to me, though, because for my first 5K last year after my injury I was able to run the whole race...with a big hill in the middle of it.

I was getting near the end when I noticed a blistery spot developing on the inside ball of my left foot, just behind the big toe. My Fivefingers shoe was rubbing me the wrong way, literally. I kept on going, thinking that I didn't have too much farther until the finish. Then I looked down and realize that what we'd been running on really wasn't that rough. In fact, it was certainly adequate for running without shoes!

Instead of contributing to the developing blister by keeping my shoes on, I decided to stop with about half a mile to go, remove my shoes and finish barefoot. It was GREAT! My feet felt awesome, the ground felt wonderful and I was so happy to be running on my own two feet. The blister didn't end up being bad at all when all was said and done. I'd call it a "pre-blister." I put a little bit of tape over it to protect it from the Fivefingers for when I walked around afterward and left to head home.

I finished the race in 31:05 for an overall pace of 10:01 per mile -- a new personal record! That time beats my previous 5K PR of 32:50 and was the 6th best pace of any run I've had since I returned to running in late 2009. It was definitely the best pace of any organized race I've ever run.

I'm pleased with my performance in the race. I had wanted to finish in less than 30 minutes, but this was a respectable time considering that I did take walking breaks and stopped to take my shoes off. Heck, it still even beat my last PR in a race that I ran the whole thing!

Here's hoping that the gains I've made going into this race continue as I gear up for a half marathon in June -- the same race in which I PRed last year, just 10 miles longer.

The Top 10 Impacts on Bare Feet in 2010

Since you can't turn on the TV, visit a Web site or read a magazine at this time of year without seeing some recap of the year that was, I thought I'd follow suit, look back and share the top 10 ways that bare feet or going barefooted made an impact in 2010. In this second year of creating this list, some are news items while others are trends or products. You may not have heard of some of the things on my list. Quite honestly, you may not agree with what I've selected or the order in which I've put them. What's important here is that the list is comprised of 10 ways that bare feet became more pervasive and made a name for themselves this year, not necessarily how the public saw them as a whole -- and not necessarily good. The list, in ascending order:


Honorable Mention: The Primalfoot Alliance Begins
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that The Primalfoot Alliance began this year. My brainchild -- but the work of a number of people -- began the process of "Taking Our Feet Back" and advocating for those who choose to go barefoot...even in public. There's a lot more on the horizon for this group. Keep an eye out in 2011.


10. Tiger Woods Likes Them Naked -- His Feet When Practicing, That Is
On the heels of Tiger's respectable #2 finish in my rankings last year for his widely-publicized post-vehicular-crash shoeless nap, he made it known this year that he often practices his golf swings sans footwear. Of his coach Sean Foley, Tiger wrote in a PGA blog, "Sometimes he has me hit shots barefoot, just to work my balance." Cool! So cool, in fact, that there was much speculation ahead of this year's Ryder Cup in early autumn that Tiger would even compete barefoot. Alas, that wasn't meant to be, but kudos to him and his coach for seeing the light shining down on the benefits of barefoot activity.


9. Serena Williams Misses U.S. Open After Cutting Feet in Restaurant

Some barefooters took notice when news broke in July that tennis star Serena Williams cut her foot on a piece of broken glass in a restaurant. As you're likely aware, the threat of broken glass is a common reason for restauranteurs to deny barefoot patrons. This could have ended up as fodder for barefoot-unfriendly folks to continue such discrimination. So was Serena going barefoot at a restaurant? What happened?

Ms. Williams told USA Today that details of the entire event are a bit of a mystery, but that she does know that both of her feet got cut by broken glass while she was wearing sandals and exiting the establishment. She's all better now and back to playing, but the scare left her with a lacerated tendon and a number of stitches.

Wow. It goes to show you that sandals won't even protect against some things, even while they are considered adequate "protection" compared to bare feet by so many naysayers. I think it also is a testament to how footwear "dumbs down" the feet and cuts off some of our senses. I wonder if this would have happened if she were barefoot. Would she have been more aware of her surroundings and, therefore, avoided the glass?


8. Groups Set New Records Sans Shoes
If there's something worth doing, somebody will think it's worth doing more than anyone has ever done it. That applied to bare feet this year as records were made and broken for both walking and running without shoes. Unfortunately, no one in the Western world managed to pull it off...for long.

The Guinness World Record for
Largest Barefoot Walk was
set in China in 2010.

In June, The Barefoot Runners Society made a "run" at the Guinness World Record for Largest Barefoot Race. They set it in early May when 140 of their closest friends ran around an indoor facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their accomplishment was eclipsed in December, however, when 306 runners in Mumbai, India, took part in a barefoot half marathon organized by the Barefoot Runners of India Foundation.

Those who preferred a slower form of shoeless locomotion set their own records this year, too. First, it was 1,141 barefoot people in Chengdu, China, who walked one kilometer to set the Guinness record for Largest Barefoot Walk in September. The event was organized by Infinitus (China) Company Ltd. as part of their World Walking Day. Not long after their stroll, however, another group of more than 1,900 attempted to break that record in Andhra Pradesh, India, in November. It, however, has not been certified by the folks at Guinness as of this writing.


7. Sesame Street Tells Kids: "Set Your Piggies Free"
Kids love to take off their shoes...and so does Ziggy Marley! The good folks at the Sesame Workshop released a music video on their flagship PBS program "Sesame Street" this year. In short, it reminds kids that shoes don't need to be worn all the time. Aside from a nitpick I have about their implying that bare feet and pavement aren't friendly with each other, it's a cute song. Here's hoping that it helps bolster an army of children who don't fear bare feet on themselves or others as they grow older (and become managers at stores and restaurants). Hey, a barefooter can hope, can't he? Take a look:



6. "The Barefoot Book" Released by a "Barefoot Professor"

If ever barefooters around the world wanted an instruction manual on the benefits of going barefoot to share with friends, anatomy professor and barefooter Daniel Howell, PhD, released it this year.The Barefoot Book came out in the summer and started making waves in national media by the fall. Within months, Howell began giving interviews with the likes of The Washington Post, MSNBC, NBC, WGN Radio and numerous other outlets. While many of the interviews largely ignored the substantial contents of the book, Howell put a legitimate face on barefoot living and backed it up in writing. I'm excited to see how things progress as Howell continues the interviews in 2011 and The Barefoot Book becomes more widely known.

5. Taylor Swift Performs Barefoot at the VMAs (and Other Celebs Kick Off Their Shoes)

One of the hottest names in music this year was Taylor Swift, and she made waves online when she performed barefoot at the MTV Video Music Awards in September. Her song, seemingly sung to Kanye West, lended itself well to a shoeless performance since going barefoot is often considered a symbol of humility. Afterward, Twitter lit up with all kinds of comments about her lack of shoes. While some were supportive and thought it was cool, many panned her for being so gross, blah, blah, blah. You can read more and see the performance at my blog post about the whole thing.

When Miss Swift wasn't baring her soles, other celebrities made headlines here and there in 2010 for going barefoot, too. They included Michael Franti, Pamela Anderson, Thomas Jane, Diana Vickers and Isabel Lucas, to name a few.


4. Rex Ryan's Foot Fetish Fallout
I was done putting this list together when this bombshell fell out of the sky and I had to bump all the earlier stuff down a notch. Apparently the New York Jets' head coach and his wife like to play "footsie" with each other...and record it...and post it to the Internet. Once the media got wind of it, the Internets lit up with the term "foot fetish," and Ryan had some a'splainin' to do -- or not. "I know you need to ask and all that stuff, but it's a personal matter and I'm really not going to discuss it, OK?" he said in his response to reporters' questions. So sports media folks didn't get any answers and pretty much dropped it. Over and done with, right? Not quite. The media loves a good story and NFL head coaches' foot fetishes make for titillating material, so what's the best way to keep this thing alive as long as possible? Ask sex therapists what they think! Talk about it on The View! And that's just what they did:

Now I'm very clear that I don't consider myself a foot fetishist, but this falls into the "to each his own" category for me. I know that there are many in the barefooting community that DO have foot fetishes, but there are also those who are staunchly opposed to them. I like what the therapist in the aforementioned link said, "It's only defined as a problem when the person or couple define it as a problem." Fair enough. Let's move on.


3. "One Day" Throws the Barefoot Baby Out with the Bath Water
Who doesn't love a great cause to get behind? Nobody! Okay, so there are people throughout the world who don't have any shoes and need access to them sometimes -- emphasis on "sometimes." I can admit that. It's good to have a pair available.

Along comes TOMS Shoes to organize "One Day Without Shoes," encouraging people to nobly go barefoot for a day in April to understand what it's like to live sans footwear. And while you're at it, you can buy a pair of their for-profit footwear and they'll donate a pair to needy children. Huh. Well, fair enough. TOMS claims they knew of more than 250,000 folks who bared their soles for the day for the cause. The theme for this year's "One Day" of bare feet? "It's Hard Without Shoes." Wait, what?

It turns out that to effectively promote your cause of selling shoes to the charitable masses, you have to demonize bare feet -- even though it's the best way to live and most people really can get away with it most of the time. And demonize they did. Folks tweeted and blogged all over the 'Net about how much their feet hurt (which makes sense because their feet aren't used to it) and how they were getting kicked out of some places because of it. Welcome to the barefooters' world, friends. Well, I guess with respect to the last point, it IS hard without shoes...to shop or dine in this country, but I digress. I'll avoid getting into the nitty gritty details of how many things are misguided about TOMS campaign, but will say that it doesn't help the cause of promoting barefoot activity when a company that makes its money from selling shoes can rally so much support for a campaign that primarily is meant to sell their shoes.

On the plus side, at least one young lady decided it wasn't so hard without shoes that day. She's kept a barefoot lifestyle going since that day. At least there's some hope.


2. Lieberman Study Data Takes "Barefoot" Running to the Next Level
What could get supporters of barefoot running even more hyped about the sport following the success of Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run? (#1 on my list last year) Proof! And that's just what they got in the results of the Harvard study, "Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear" published in Nature in January. In a nutshell -- help, I'm in a nutshell! -- Daniel Lieberman, PhD, et al showed evidence that running with a forefoot strike ala barefoot running creates less force on the body.

Yours truly running barefoot in
the Hospital Hill 5K in Kansas City,
June 2010.

What happened next eclipsed anything we'd seen from Born to Run. Media outlets everywhere picked up on the results and fitness folks all over were talking about it. Podiatrists came out of the woodwork stressing caution. The term "barefoot shoes" started to permeate everyday culture. Enough Vibram Fivefingers got out there that most people had at least seen or heard of them -- possibly through a friend who had a pair.

One event that made waves among the barefoot community was the first ever New York City Barefoot Run, a pilgrimage of sorts. About 265 barefoot runners from all around the U.S. and world, including many of the most well-known, converged on The Big Apple for the event. Though I didn't go, I heard that a great time was had by all. We can expect to see it a second year, and many more similar events spring up all over the place in the years to come.

The barefoot running movement and research on the sport will continue for a long time after 2010. In early December, not one year after the study started making waves, another leading researcher announced that she was leaving her school to conduct research alongside Lieberman. Irene Davis, PhD, a barefoot runner herself, left the University of Delaware to help launch a running center at Harvard Medical School. I think it's safe to say that we've only scratched the surface on what we know about running without shoes. What's more, we should see more studies coming out in the next few years to empirically back up what many of us already know about the benefits of running barefoot.


1. The "Barefoot Bandit" Gets Nabbed

He fought the law, and
the law finally won.

(Cue the "Real Men of Genius" music) Here's to you, Mr. "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore. You jumped all the way from #5 on last year's Top 10 list to the prime spot in 2010. And boy, did you do it in style -- and completely barefoot. (He ain't got no shoes on!) You nabbed our hearts while the police nabbed you in The Bahamas. Nobody else could have evaded authorities for more than a year while robbing places and snatching airplanes on the joy ride of a lifetime. (The BALLOON BOY has nothing on YOU!) While we barefooters just try to avoid getting a talking to from security at the local mall, you tried to see what kind of Cessna was available to steal undetected from the closest airport. (I'll TAKE the one in RED!) Now, we don't condone the illegal things you did... (You can STILL fly as a JAILBIRD!) .. but we have to admit that we admire that you often did it without shoes. That's...pretty...cool. (Mr. "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore!)

All right. Enough antics. Man, can you believe that kid? He started his spree in 2008 and wasn't caught until July of 2010. What's more, he got all the way across the country in that time!

He made such an impact in the news this year that Time Magazine even named him #4 of their "Top 10 Fleeting Celebrities" of the year. That's why he definitely deserves the top spot here. It remains to be seen what impact his barefoot adventures had on society's perceptions of bare feet, but one writer tried to quickly cut off negative views at the knees by writing a post called, "Not all 'barefooters' are bandits." It actually is worth a read, highlighting a few barefooters of notoriety.

We'll see what happens to Harris-Moore. Maybe he can share with his fellow inmates all the benefits of going barefoot...in the shower...with soap on a rope. :-\


So what do you think of this list? Was there something that you think was a huge omission? What struck you as the top impacts on bare feet -- good or bad -- this year? Please leave your comments in the section below.

REWIND: My Faith and My Feet

The holiday season is solidly in effect and people of various faith movements are celebrating. Whether it's Christmas, Chanukah or other holidays, this is a time of reflection and celebration. I thought it would be fitting during this time to share something that I've thusfar kept under wraps: my faith.

Since this blog is about bare feet, I want to share how my faith and belief in God and His son Jesus Christ has affected my decision to be a barefooter. I'm not trying to actively recruit or evangelize for Christianity. I've never been a fan of shoving religion down others' throats, especially when the context in which they come to me isn't related to religion. If you want to engage in a stirring religious debate, that's not what I'm here for today.

I've written in this space previously that on natural ground coverings (grass, flowers, etc.), I prefer to only go barefooted. It's a matter of respect for the earth, but I also see it as a respect for God's creation. Likewise, I have come to believe that I can be more connected to the earth and nature by touching it directly. Because God created all living things, this is also a way to further connect with Him.

In a different light, going barefooted is generally a sign of my respect for the body God gave me. You might have noticed in the heading of this blog that I write "Enjoy the feet that the good Lord gave you!" By distorting and restricting my feet in shoes, I am making the decision to restrict that which God gave me. He designed my feet a certain way, however they aren't allowed to function in that way while wearing most shoes. This, I believe, is an affront to the Lord.

As a parent, I enjoy seeing my children enjoy playing. I love seeing my two-year old daughter stretch, twist and twirl her body when she's dancing. In much the same way, I'd bet that God takes pleasure in seeing His creation live up to its full potential. He probably thinks it's really cool when we allow our feet to sense everything on which they tread, breathe in the open air and flex in all the many ways that the 52 bones in them allow.

But there are those who would disagree with me. I often hear the rebuttal, "Even Jesus wore sandals," when I mention that I go barefooted into church.

While that's supposed to be a lighthearted criticism of barefooting, I don't believe it's well thought out. You have to remember the times in which Jesus lived. There weren't a lot of grassy lawns in the places He traveled. The roads were very rocky and dirty. Modern sewer systems consisted of trenches along the side of the roadways. People didn't bathe or shower daily like we usually do. It was VERY filthy. That's part of the reason that the story of Jesus washing His disciples' feet was so significant. Their feet were filthy. The fact that He was willing to humble himself in order to make their feet clean meant a lot. The times we live in, in comparison, are much cleaner and more sanitary.

I actually don't have a problem going to church barefooted and I think that God would welcome it. After all, it's scriptural! In Exodus 3:5 and Acts 7:33, Moses had just seen the burning bush. It appeared to be on fire with the Holy Spirit yet it was not consumed. God told Moses to take off his footwear because Moses was on holy ground. The Lord wanted Moses to connect with the earth of Mount Sinai, a holy place.

While we don't all have holy mountains nearby nowadays, we do have our churches and synagogues. We think of them as holy places where we can worship God and learn about Him. As a believer and a barefooter, I think going barefooted into church is completely appropriate. That is where God is, and standing or kneeling before Him with bare feet is a sign of respect for my body and His scripture.

All that said, there will always be some who disagree with me and feel it's disrespectful to go barefooted in church. They say it goes against the idea of wearing your "Sunday best" and offends other parishioners. For the reasons mentioned above I don't share those feelings and I honestly am not concerned about offending other parishioners. I'm there to worship the Lord, not please everyone else. Being concerned about such things is tantamount to being concerned what other customers in Walmart feel about me shopping barefooted. That's NOT what we're there for! If my fellow worshipers are distracted by my feet then they have things to work out with the Lord.

How I worship and am blessed by God is about the spirit with which I come to the Lord instead of the clothing on my body. He will accept, bless and forgive me no matter what. God doesn't care what I wear to church, and He especially doesn't care if I wear shoes. That is why I can't be judgmental of someone who comes in tattered clothing and a less than fresh smell. They are there because their heart has brought them there and God will bless them for that.

I don't intend to stop going barefooted at church anytime soon. I have been blessed, so far, that no one has taken enough offense to approach me. I hope that my friends in Christ will always recognize the spirit with which I come before the Lord: Ready to worship Him and receive His spirit.

Happy Holidays! And really: Enjoy the feet that the good Lord gave you!

I welcome your comments below.

Photo of Jesus washing feet from Barry Dean 4 Christ
Photo of homeless man from New-Think

NOTE: All this week I have been "rewinding" this blog to repost some of my earlier entries that many readers may have missed. This is the final look back for a little while. Much of this information holds true even today and I hope you enjoyed it. This post was originally published on December 16, 2009. The content above was NOT edited from its original entry (though that picture of me leaning against the tree kind of bugs me), so please ignore any typos or less than perfect grammar as I got my writing feet underneath me. What do you think of this post? Please leave your comments below.

Another Day Without Shoes (No Purchase Necessary)

Thousands of people across America went barefoot Thursday, April 8, to support a worthy cause. While this news would normally make me extremely happy, I can't help but be a bit disheartened. While I wholeheartedly endorse people supporting charitable programs while baring their soles and rediscovering their own two feet, I believe that the message of the campaign was somewhat misguided.

College students, business employees, stay-at-home moms and many others made Thursday "One Day Without Shoes," a program organized by TOMS Shoes. The goal was to bring awareness about children who must live barefoot in undeveloped countries because they have no shoes. By going barefoot here, the participants got a sense of how "hard" it is to always go barefoot through life.

On the surface and to most people, TOMS' ongoing efforts are an incredibly worthy cause. The company points out that many people in Ethiopia suffer from a debilitating disease called Podoconiosis. It's essentially elephantiasis of the feet and lower legs that's caused by walking barefoot on volcanic soil. Chemicals in the soil get absorbed into the skin and cause lymphatic blockages which result in extreme swelling of the lower legs and feet. The company also shares that some children are not allowed to go to school without shoes and that cuts and sores can lead to serious infection. By bringing awareness to these situations, TOMS encourages people buy a pair of their shoes. For each pair purchased, the company then donates a pair of shoes to the unshod poor.

TOMS' efforts are certainly worthwhile and the campaign is a good way to raise awareness of these problems. It's good that a company is finding ways to put shoes on the feet of people who really need them. I obviously wholeheartedly endorse people in developed countries like ours going barefoot because I do believe that the places in which we live are friendly to such a practice.

Unfortunately, I do take issue with the way TOMS markets their products and the One Day Without Shoes campaign. This year's ODWS theme was "It's Hard Without Shoes." On the site, TOMS stated:

"Food, shelter, AND shoes facilitate life’s fundamentals. Imagine a life without shoes; constantly aware of the ground in front of you, suffering regular cuts and scrapes, tending to infection after each walk, and enduring not only terrain, but heat and cold. The problem is large, but the solution is simple. Wearing shoes and practicing basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil. By imagining a life barefoot, we can all contribute to the awareness of these conditions."

If you read that and look around their online resources, you will find that the overarching message in TOMS marketing is this: Being barefoot is bad and everybody needs shoes in day-to-day life.

As someone who goes barefoot very often, I disagree. Yes, there are situations and areas of the world where going barefoot is ill-advised and yes, it's good that TOMS is helping those people. But I believe that TOMS needs to adjusts its messages to promote overall foot health, and many times that means going barefoot.

The fact of the matter is that going barefoot in developed countries is usually very safe and healthy. Our sidewalks, streets, floors and grassy areas tend to be free of dangerous objects that may harm us. Many people from "average Joes" to medical professionals see lots of benefit to overall foot health in building up strength in the feet and avoiding restrictive footwear. Reflexologists recommend going barefoot as a way to stimulate the central nervous system and provide balance to our physiology.

I recommend that you find the opportunity to go "Another Day Without Shoes" for yourself. Rediscover your feet and let them be free of restrictions. Kick off your shoes, heels, flip flops or whatever else to really feel the ground below you and reconnect with your mind the thousands of nerve endings in your feet. Walk on the ground instead of above the ground. Remember that you were born with your feet for a reason and that they are not ugly, gross or weak. They are a vital part of your body and they should not be neglected.

As President of The Primalfoot Alliance, I pledge that the organization will be reaching out to TOMS in the year ahead. They do run a wonderful business, but it's appropriate for them to give feet more credit. I think they can still sell plenty of shoes and make lots of difference. Hopefully together we can build a partnership for supporting healthy, primal feet instead of demonizing our very soles.

What do you think of TOMS One Day Without Shoes? Did you participate this year? Do you own a pair of TOMS? I'd love to have you comment below. Thanks!

Photo: TOMS Shoes

The Barefoot Running Debate Isn't Really About Running

The subject of barefoot running has exploded into the public eye in the last year. It started in earnest with the widespread popularity of Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run, and most recently culminated in the results of a study by Dr. Daniel Lieberman. He scientifically showed that the forefoot strike when running barefoot is bio-mechanically efficient in avoiding injury creates less biomechanical impact force than a heel strike *.

A lot has been said about this topic. I have numerous friends with whom I've connected across the world who have chimed in on this "debate." We've all posted tweets, blog posts and articles with our take on the issue. Shoe company executives have even begun to share their thoughts.

On the "pro-shoe" sided of the issue, podiatrists, shoe companies and others claim that the forces and mechanics of running are too much for the bare foot. Even if they're not, they remind us that running barefoot has inherent risk of injury from stepping on rocks or other sharp objects.

On the "pro-barefoot" side of the issue, these runners claim less injury due to a forefoot strike. Many, including myself, have even accused the same podiatrists and shoe companies of promoting shod running primarily for financial gain. If we barefooters get hurt less and buy fewer shoes, that affects their bottom lines.

Justin Owings, owner of Vibram Fivefingers fan site BirthdayShoes.com, recently made a very good point about running in his recent blog post. It's an observation similar to what I've mentioned previously in this space. Justin writes (the bold emphases are his):

"The barefoot running debate is curious. It feels backwards. Most know Occam's Razor: the simplest answer tends to be the best one. What is the simplest answer when it comes to what human beings were meant to put on their feet in order to walk or run? Nothing. We are barefoot by default... Starting from the default human condition, the onus regarding the merits of shoes should be on the shoe companies. But of course it's not. It's the opposite."

In a way, I kind of feel like the two sides are a married couple in a knock-down, drag-out shouting match with each other that all began over who should do the dishes. Any married couple can tell you that those kinds of arguments are never really about the dishes, are they? Let's dig deeper.

I am a barefoot runner only because I first live a barefoot lifestyle. If the weather is at all decent -- and when I'm not injured -- you can find me barefoot around the house, at church, out shopping, attending family gatherings and sometimes even dining out. I live barefoot because it is the most comfortable way to have my feet and is actually quite sanitary and safe. It is just as normal for me to go barefoot as it is for most people to live without gloves on their hands.

I've dealt with criticism from people, sure. I've been asked by a few store managers to put on "shoes" if I wanted to continue on in their establishment. I haven't enjoyed that part of going barefoot. I've blogged here on numerous occasions about the difficulties I've faced from my lifestyle choice to go without shoes where many people wouldn't.

Back to the topic at hand, I began running because I wanted to be healthier. I wanted to do something to lose a little weight, be more fit and feel better. I found a wonderful community of runners online and have enjoyed sharing goodwill with them.

Running with "regular" sneakers was never an option. That would be like wanting to become a pianist and putting on gloves every time I sat down to play. The concept never fit because that's not who I am. I don't really think of myself as a "barefoot runner," just as piano players aren't "barehanded pianists." I'm just a runner.

When I look at it from that perspective, the barefoot running debate isn't about running. It's not even about money.

Think for a moment: When's the last time you heard of an exercise style stirring up so much controversy? Free weights versus machine weights? Sweatin' to the Oldies versus Tae Bo? In any case when exercise styles differed, I can't recall a time where athletes didn't just decide to do their own thing after trying different styles. You don't see a groundswell of people railing against weight machines. You didn't see Richard Simmons getting out there and telling people to avoid Billy Blanks' way of exercising. For some reason, though, barefoot versus shod running is SO polarizing! Why?

Barefoot running, like a barefoot lifestyle, strikes a nerve in our deepest core about feet and our perceptions of them. It makes us really step back and look at what role our feet could -- or more importantly should -- play in our lives. How do we move across the ground? How much sensation do we allow into our psyche? What dangers lie just below our feet? How much of ourselves do we expose to those around us? How much of others are we comfortable seeing?

When it comes to those last two questions, an interesting thing cropped up while I was writing this blog post. It had to do with a person that I follow on Twitter. Kate (@KateColberg) and a couple of other Twitter users decided to make Wednesday, Feb. 24, "Avatar Feet Day." They changed their Twitter profile images, a.k.a. avatars, to pictures of their feet. Fun, right? It was briefly...until she wrote to me, "I had no idea it was going to upset people." I told her that I wasn't offended by anything, and she replied, "Other people have commented that they hate feet & it grosses them out & please change my pic back." Wow.

I actually had a conversation with someone who objected to Kate's feet being prominently shown in her avatar (Because I'm not interested in calling anyone out or embarrassing them, let's call this person "Sam"). I asked Sam what issue they had with feet. They ended up repeating four times the same basic sentiment: "I just dont like feet. Plain and simple." That's pretty much as much detail as I got. Now, Sam may have specific reasons that they're not interested in disclosing as to why they have such a problem with others' feet, but nevertheless it's a sentiment that I have heard so many times.

For a part of that body that's not considered "private," -- after all, people go barefoot on TV shows, in magazines and on Web sites -- feet are arguably the most rejected of them all. You don't hear people say, "I just don't like ears. Plain and simple." They don't say that about hair, chins, shoulders, elbows, hands, knees or anything else. There's something about feet. And people's objections about feet aren't even that consistent. For example, someone may say that they "hate" feet, but are perfectly fine with going to the public pool where everybody is barefoot.

Only on rare occasions is going barefoot embraced. This usually happens when somebody goes barefoot for charity, as if seeing someone withstand the torture of going without shoes makes people want to donate money. Weddings are sometimes performed on the beach or in soft grass so that the wedding party can go barefoot as a way of being in tune with nature. Other, isolated times of barefooting are briefly allowed. "How quaint," people think for each occasion. "Ahhhhh."

All right. Snap out of it.

Let's face it: In general, whether it's for the purpose of running, worshiping, shopping, play or even online avatars, the general idea of going barefoot is controversial in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Somewhere along the line shoes became the "norm." As Justin pointed out, our baseline isn't barefoot and then explain why shoes are needed. Shoes are expected and you'd better have a really good reason to take them off.

A lot of the arguments against going barefoot in any activity are the same. A prominent idea about feet is that they are sweaty and inherently smell. Some fear catching a disease from the ground/floor into the bottom of their feet. Many people claim that there are broken beer bottles and AIDS-laced syringes just lying around everywhere. The idea of lacking any arch support while going barefoot is troubling to lots of people. I've even had people tell me personally, "You know, it's not good for your back to go barefoot." The list goes on and on.

So the prominent stigmas against going barefoot carry over to running barefoot. It isn't about comparing a heel strike to a forefoot strike. It isn't about avoiding blisters or not losing toenails. It's not about any of the other perfectly good arguments for running unshod. I'd bet you that most runners who reject the idea of barefoot running could not care less about any of that. The decision is made based on the word "barefoot," not the word "running."

I have also personally heard someone reply -- on more than one occasion, actually -- after hearing all the benefits of barefoot running, "I'll stick to wearing my shoes." No pause for personal reflection on whether it could have benefit to them. No challenging of what they "know" about the capability or characteristics of the human feet. Just outright rejection. What's more, these same negative sentiments are reinforced by the podiatrists and shoe company executives who I mentioned earlier.

So where does all this leave us? With a lot of work to do.

We barefoot runners and general barefooters need find ways to better educate the public about feet. We need to become advocates of what, to many, has become a demonized part of the body. Most importantly, we need to do it together. Only then, maybe, will feet get the respect they deserve.

I'm up for the challenge and will soon be making a major announcement with regard to this. I'm very much looking forward to what lies ahead.

Please comment below. I would love to hear your feedback.

(* NOTE: Entry edited Monday, March 8, 2010, to clarify the results of Dr. Lieberman's study. See comments below.)
Photo: LoveCoachBlog.com

Report: 6th Annual Polar Barefoot Run

As a barefoot runner, how could I pass up my first opportunity to participate in Barefoot Rick Roeber's 6th Annual Polar Barefoot Run, held January 1 at a local park? The goal of the free event is to get people active in an interesting way for the new year and raise money for Free Wheelchair Mission, a charity that provides low-cost wheelchairs for the disabled poor throughout the world.

It was the coldest Polar Barefoot Run on record, with a temperature of around 11F/-12C degrees at the start. About 12 hardy souls showed up and had a good time socializing with each other. Most bared their soles, though it wasn't required.

Photo courtesy: Barefoot Rick Roeber

I was fine running unshod on the paved parking lot during the first half mile. I originally wanted to run a whole mile barefooted, but my feet chickened out once I hit the snowy second half of the course. They became completely painful and numb all at the same time. I couldn't even get my feet to go into my VFF Sprints (that I carried along just in case), but I managed to get out of the snow and return to my van to warm up the toes. Shortly after that, a local TV news photog showed up, and I managed to get the VFFs on to run a little in the snow so he could get some footage. Afterward we all warmed up with hot cocoa that Rick provided.

Overall, and despite the personal setback, I had a great time! It was nice to meet some other local runners and especially to finally meet Rick. We'd conversed some back and forth on Facebook but hadn't met in person until the run. He's a great guy and very devoted to the Lord. I look forward to conversing and running more with him in the future.

I also look forward to continuing to develop my ability to run barefooted even in snow and bitterly cold temperatures. The VFF Sprints are a good stop-gap, though. They cover my feet just enough to take the "bite" off, but still allow my feet to feel bare and move more naturally.

Here's to many more barefoot runs in the months and years to come! Happy New Year! I welcome your comments or questions below.

More on the Web: Barefoot Rick Roeber's run report
News coverage: Photos from The Kansas City Star

The Top 10 Impacts on Bare Feet in 2009

Since you can't turn on the TV, visit a Web site or read a magazine at this time of year without seeing some recap of the year that was, I thought I'd follow suit, look back and share the top 10 ways that bare feet or going barefooted made an impact in 2009. Some are news items, but others are trends or products. You may not have heard of some of the things on my list. Quite honestly, you may not agree with what I've selected or the order in which I've put them. What's important here is that the list is comprised of 10 ways that bare feet became more pervasive and made a name for themselves this year, not necessarily how the public saw them as a whole -- and not necessarily good.

#10: Al Gauthier's Living Barefoot and Barefoot Moe in the News
Barefooters made some headlines this year and gained prominence on the internet. Al Gauthier used his Web programming and design prowess to develop Living Barefoot, a site that encourages barefooted living, hosts a podcast, provides reviews of minimalist shoes and operates a forum for barefooters to share with each other. Al's site, along with Barefoot Moe's Barefoot in Toronto site, drummed up a lot of requests from Canadian and U.S. news media interested in sharing the barefooters' story. One of the biggest stories was "No Shoes? No Problem!" published in Canada's The Globe and Mail (photo courtesy: The Globe and Mail).

#9: RunTellmanRun
Tellman Knudson (pictured, center), a self-proclaimed geek and CEO of several online marketing companies, has a passion for homeless youth. What's more, he throws himself head-first into anything he does. Put those traits together and you have the perfect recipe for a barefooted cross-country run to raise $100 million. He started out on Sept. 9 in New York and is running unshod to L.A. to drum up awareness and lots of money for homeless youth throughout the United States. There have been some hiccups along the way -- such as a heel injury -- but he's taken it all in stride and is determined to finish what he's started. Meanwhile, he is mentioned daily on Twitter and frequently in news stories for his efforts. Keep up the good run, Tellman!
On the Web: http://www.runtellmanrun.com
Photo from: The Epoch Times

#8: Vibram Fivefingers
The Vibram Fivefingers (VFFs) line of footwear is widely hailed to be just like going barefooted. Although we barefooters might dispute that, VFFs are a wonderful minimalist shoe for those that want to cast aside their restrictive, heavy and uncomfortable footwear. These shoes were released prior to 2009 but really made their splash in society this year. They've been featured in the U.S. on national TV programming such as NBC's Today and the syndicated Dr. Oz show. Popular tech site Wired.com even did a review of them in July, but they gained widespread fame due to word of mouth, captivated stares from the public and a big mention in a certain book about running. More on that later. The VFFs even have fan sites devoted to them, the most well known of them being Justin Owings' BirthdayShoes.com.
VFFs on the Web: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

#7: DiCaprio Goes Barefooted After His Sneakers are Stolen
I'm a little embarrassed to say that this story even made my list and came in at #7. But alas, many throughout the world heard about this back in June. It turns out that actor Leonardo DiCaprio, star of several blockbuster films including Titanic, was the victim of theft after refusing to take a photo with some American fans. He was about to enter a temple and refused the photo because posted signs prohibited photography in that area. After he entered the temple sans shoes, the fans grabbed his footwear and split. The New York Post, The Insider and numerous other tabloid media outlets worldwide quoted one source who said, "The poor guy had to leave the place barefoot." I say, "Ain't nothing wrong with that."

#6: Bare Your Soles for a Cause
2009 was a big year for going barefooted to help the world's impoverished. The idea behind these movements was to bring awareness to and accept donations for those throughout the world who have no shoes, are fighting poverty or have HIV/AIDS. The band Hanson partnered with Toms Shoes to stage numerous barefooted walks and a whole day encouraging supporters to go barefooted. Together, they've been very successful in bringing help to people throughout the world. Churches throughout the U.S. also joined together this year in donating shoes as part of the Soles4Souls charity. Parishoners were encouraged to donate the shoes they wore on "Barefoot Sunday" (June 7) and leave barefooted, giving them a sense of what it's like to live life without shoes. Bilaal Rajan (pictured), a 13-year old boy from Toronto, even went barefooted for a week during his "Barefoot Challenge" in April to bring awareness to children living in poverty throughout the world. Since beginning his charity work when he was four -- yes, four -- years old, Rajan has raised millions of dollars. His "Barefoot Challenge" will be an annual event falling during Volunteer Week each April.
On the Web: Take the Walk Web site (Hanson and Toms Shoes)
Photo from: Global Arab Network

#5: The "Barefoot Bandit"
The aforementioned Leo DiCaprio starred in the film Catch Me If You Can, but that kind of real-life scenario is playing out in the northwest United States. Colton Harris-Moore, an 18-year old with a penchant for stealing airplanes for joy-flights, has been eluding law enforcement in the state of Washington for months. He's known by many as the "Barefoot Bandit" or "Barefoot Burglar," because he reportedly once kicked off his shoes in the woods to flee from police and often goes barefooted to avoid detection via shoeprints. Barely a legal adult, Colton started his life of crime early, stealing a bicycle when he was eight. He's graduated up a couple of notches and is believed to have stolen at least three aircraft and committed nearly 100 burglaries over the last year -- not just in Washington, but also Idaho and southern Canada.
More info: AFP article
Photo: AP

#4: Barefooted Baby Booted from Burger King
The home of flame-broiled burgers had some 'splainin' to do in August when one of their restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri, forced a shod mother and her unshod six-month-old to leave. The reason? The baby was breaking the rule requiring shoes in the restaurant. Never mind the fact that the baby couldn't walk yet. Jennifer Frederich was required to get the food "to go" because the manager said that the baby's socked feet were a health code violation (which it's not). What's more, the employee also threatened to call the police when she questioned the policy. In the end, Burger King made right by Frederich by offering her an apology and free food, saying employees took the No Shoes, No Service policy too far.
More info: Fox News article

From: PunchingKitty.com

#3: "Barefoot and Crazy" in the "Summertime"
Ah, the staples of summer: Drinkin' beers, swimmin' in the pond, makin' out and doin' it all barefoot! Well, singer Jack Ingram wrapped all that up into a catchy country song called "Barefoot and Crazy" and released it to the world in 2009. It became an huge hit, getting all the way up to number 10 on the Billboard Country chart. Listening to the song makes a person think back to their younger years while, at the same time, providing a driving rhythm worth driving to. Standing right next to Ingram's song is Kenny Chesney's "Summertime." Its chorus starts off with "And it's two bare feet on the dashboard. Young love in an old Ford..."That song made it all the way to number one on the Billboard Country chart, but it gets mentioned second in this space because it wasn't called "Two Bare Feet on the Dashboard." Tough break.

#2: Tiger was "Barefoot and Snoring"
No, my faithful reader, not even here can you escape the evil clutches of the Tiger Woods scandal. I'll try to make this brief: Right after the pro golfer had his unfortunate -- ahem -- "accident" in late November, he was found in the street by his neighbor, Jarius Adams, "unconscious, barefoot and snoring." Ah, now it all makes sense! Listen Tiger, like first starting anything barefooted, you can't just drive barefooted without a little acclimation period first. Now look what happened. Too much, too soon. You should have stayed in bed...with your wife. (moving right along...)
Photo from: Sacramento Scoop

#1: Born to Run and Barefoot Running
NOTHING made bigger waves for bare feet this year than Christopher McDougall's smash hit book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. This story about the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, who can run great distances in simple sandals, opened the floodgates of people interested in trying out running sans shoes. McDougall has made numerous national media appearances promoting the book and barefooted running, including the ever-popular Daily Show on Comedy Central:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

While it's hard to say how many more people are trying barefooted running, the story has certainly opened a new and fresh conversation in the running community. Barefoot Ted, who is a prominent "character" in the book, has reported to the Living Barefoot Show podcast that interest in his business of training barefooted runners has increased dramatically. Adoption of my #8 item listed above, Vibram Fivefingers, skyrocketed following the book's mention of the product. Time will tell if this book began a long-term trend of barefooted running or simply introduced a "fad" that will soon die down. Either way, it was a good thing for bare feet and allows folks like me to participate in the conversation about how barefooted living can be such a good thing.
On the Web: Born to Run

Who knows what the year 2010 will mean for bare feet. Who knows if we barefooters can make a dent in many of the hardened stereotypes and misconceptions about going unshod. All I know is that I'm looking forward to the warmer weather and I'm going to do what I can to open people's eyes and unlock their feet to new possibilities. Thanks for reading and I welcome your comments below.

Have a Happy New Year!,
Michael