Barefoot Running / Vibram Five Fingers

As anyone who follows running knows, there is currently a lot of discussion around barefoot running. And one of the conversation drivers right now is Vibram Five Fingers. For those unfamiliar, they are minimalist running shoes that fit like a glove (literally) to protect the foot from cuts and abrasions, but not to provide padding like a conventional shoe.


When wearing the shoe, you are supposed to strike with the forefoot, using the ankle/foot as a shock absorber as opposed to using the entire leg as a shock absorber like you would heel-striking in conventional running shoes. Proponents of barefoot and barefoot-style running accuse the modern shoe of changing our running style into a high-impact, unergonomic exercise. As for my opinion, the jury is still out.

What I can tell you, though, is that I am excited about exploring the world of barefoot-style running. Physiologically, it makes a lot of sense. It is a more natural way of running and alleviates a lot of the impact on the lower body. And, germane to this blog, it will get me running like a Kenyan.