Barefoot in the park

Athletic shoe makers must be shaking in their boots because more people are running without shoes. It's called natural running or barefoot running. Natural running requires a sock with toes and a think layer of rubber for protection. Barefoot running is exactly that, no shoes, no socks, no nothing. Both fall under the header of natural running. I interviewed two guys who are soled, I mean sold, on natural running. One ran in shoes for years but had lingering knee and hip pain but when he switched to natural running the pain went away. The other guy grew up in South Africa where all the kids ran without shoes, including Olympian Zola Budd.

It sounds odd, but a physical therapist we visited said it's actually good for you because running shoes have so much padding that runners tend to strike first on their heels. That's why the first guy had knee and hip issues. The therapist has been running barefooted for seven years. That's what I call a trailblazer. She runs in the winter, summer and on sidewalks. I think I'll wait until the weather is better and head for the park.