Why do I want to do this?

I've been reading about barefoot running for some time. And, if I'm honest, I've thought of it as a bit of a fad. A bit like the Atkins diet, or the fasting diet, or, frankly, any kind of diet. The latest theory, the latest approach. Only this one has ridiculous shoes, with toes.

I could see the benefits of forefoot striking though. It's what Paula and Haile do so there must something in it. And, though I knew it was partly a result of their running considerably faster than me, there could some important lessons to be learnt. But I also knew that if I could actually sustain that pace of running I would naturally adapt my form to suit it. So does the change in style make the faster runner, or does the faster running force the runnner into a different approach? A bit of both is most likely. What is clear is that the two go together.

But what made me want to take the plunge? A scientific interest? The need to write an informative blog and share my experiences with the rest of the world? An urget to leap on the bandwagon? In some small part, probably all of those things. But I think it comes down to three factors.

Competitiveness
I want to be quicker. I've been improving steadily since a joined a running club a couple of years ago. But I'm worried about hitting a plateau. I've enjoyed watching my times come down and I don't want it to stop. There are club mates I want to beat, or catch. And time-targets I want to conquer (a certain 3 hour figure looms large among them). Learning a whole new way of running might be the magic ingredient.

Curiosity
I want to know how fast I can actually go. I'm never going to be the fastest, but PBs are important to me. And I want to find out if a change in running style will be like adding an extra gear as some say. I want to know if this approach actually works. I want to know if I'm missing out. I also want to know if I can actually remodel my running style - can I relearn something so ingrained?

Adharanand Finn
I read Adharanand Finn's book Running with the Kenyans over New Year after I was given it by a friend. Apart from being a well-written, interesting and often funny account of his time training in the near mythical town of Iten in Kenya, its a good advert for barefoot running. There's one quote that clinched it for me.

"Occasionally, during my solitary runs here in Kenya, I try changing back to heel first, just for old times' sake. It's like a car changing down gear suddenly, as I feel my whole body slumping back into a slower motion."

What do I mean by 'barefoot running'?

Not my feet. In case you wondered.

I suppose I should clarify something from the outset. I'm not actually planning to run barefoot. Not literally. I'm planning to wear shoes.

But those shoes will be of the 'barefoot' variety. What does that mean? Shoes that only work if you run as if with bare feet. They offer no cushioning, torsion bars, arch support or kinetic energy preserving magic gel. They make your feet do all the work. But they have the advantage over bare feet of an extra layer of protection against stones, glass and other less savoury hazards.

Fortunately for me there is a plethora of products available for exactly that. Shoes with next to nothing on top and a sole that flexes naturally with the foot, giving you the headstart of a synthetic calloused skin. Some use the term 'minimalist', but I prefer 'barefoot.' Sounds more fun.

Having said all this, I hope I might genuinely go barefoot when our club does grass track sessions at the local grammar school in the summer. We'll have to see.