From the brilliant minds that brought you Bacon Challenge '08 comes a new challenge of a different variety. Run a mile a day ... or at least average that over the 365 days known as 2010.
No shoes. Shoes. No Shoes. Shoes. Which is it, world?
Right after I whipped up that last post about barefoot being awesome I received an e-mail from Road Runner Sports from the "Chief Runner" saying that running around with no shoes on isn't the greatest idea in the world:
Remember back in December when I posted this video? Well, thanks to the Cleveland Public Library I've been reading the book written by that guy. It's pretty good. Entertaining, factual and motivational. It makes me want to run. Although the stories of ultra distances might be giving me false ideas that I can just go out and run through the night and beyond. It makes it sound so easy.
Anywho, one of the big topics of the book is human evolution/running style and the conclusion seems to be that less is more in the realm of footwear. There's even science behind it, not just crazy talk from some hippie. Science!!
I’ve already been intrigued with the Vibram FiveFingers as it is, but now after finishing this book, and reading this latest study by some braniacs at Harvard I’m really thinking maybe I should change my running style and give the barefoot (but more likely the FiveFinger) style a try.
Of course the nearest seller of the FiveFingers is a 35 minute drive away. I guess if I had ultra runner skills this wouldn't be a big deal as I would just run there, but I'm not. And I'm not a huge fan of driving (most days) either. However, I’m going to have to see if I can get there and give this a try. I’ll report back if I accomplish anything.
In the meantime, since I’m sure you didn’t want to read any of the articles or studies I linked to above, here’s a video summing it up for you. It's sort of like reading but with fewer letters to get in the way:
PS If anybody wants to come witness Andy's challenge you are welcome. And welcome to join him on his quest I imagine. The date is February 20, 2010. You are invited to stay at my apartment. Or Andy's.
So I just stumbled upon this little story that I thought might be of interest, if not annoying to those of us running: Barefoot Running Safer For Joints
And although this is from a British site, it states that the study was done by a U.S. company. So although, as with all studies you should probably take the findings with a grain of salt at least you don't need to worry about this being some sort of lie concocted to get us back for throwing that tea in the harbor back in 1773.
