Should you be Running Barefoot?
2004 August 1 (08:25)
categories: Uncategorized
Runner’s World
August 2004
In 1960 Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila, the greatest Olympic marathoner of all time, won the first of his consecutive gold medals sans shoes in a world record 2:15:17.
England’s Bruce Tulloh was running European record times from 1955 to 1967, almost always in bare feet. He ran 13:12 for three miles on grass, and 27:23 for six miles on cinders. Later, Tulloh taught in Africa, coached, wrote books, and ran solo across America (2,876 miles, albeit in shoes).
[Charlie "Doc"] Robbins winner of two USA National Marathon Championships in the late 1940s, completed 50 straight Thanksgiving Day Road Races in Manchester, Connecticut, before calling it quits two years ago. Most Thanksgivings, Robbins went shoeless, though he would resort to a pair of socks if the temperature dipped below 20 degrees.
[Zola] Budd set a track world record in January 1984 when, just 16, she ran 5000 meters in South Africa in 15:01.83,
Even though a guy named Ken Saxton is running a marathon a month this year (barefootrunning.org), I doubt his preference will take off the way instant messaging, low-carb diets, and The Apprentice have.
full article Should you be Running Barefoot?
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Comment from Barefoot Ken Bob
Time 2009 November 7 Sat at 9:05 am
Of course, just because instant messaging, low-carb diets, and The Apprentice are popular, does not, necessarily, mean they are going to improve the quality of our life, let alone running… Likewise, just because everybody isn’t racing to throw away their running shoes, doesn’t mean that Running Barefoot will not improve your running, or enjoyment of running.