I used to run track and field when I was young, and then I learned to run on my forefoot. On long runs, however, my shoes were far from minimalistic at that time. After reading "Born to run" I bought my first minimalistic, low drop, pair of running shoes. My favourites are Adizeros, I feel like I can fly using them. Last year I bought Kinvaras, which are also low drop, but with a thicker sole and not minimalistic, and my conclusion was that it's good for my foot to change between more pairs, but that I enjoy the minimalistic shoes the most.
This winter I found out that Barefoot Ted is making sandals like the ones the Tarahumaras use. I was immediately curious. I read that running barefoot can really strengthen your foot, improve balance and that it is not possible to land on your heels even though you get tired. I can also imagine that the feeling of flying will be even more present.
So I ordered a pair of Barefoot Ted's Luna sandals. I thought worst case I can use them as regular sandals. The web page has a "find your sandal" option to help me choose (I went with Monos) and the customer support was really helpful with finding the right size. Since we still have snow here, I am currently using them a bit indoor to adjust my feet to them. I have not experienced any hotspots though, and the straps were easy to adjust. Here they are:
Because running barefoot can cause injuries when you are not used to it, I will take this slowly. I really hope that I will like running in them and that my feet will benefit from it, but I am also prepared for sticking with minimalistic shoes and using these for hiking.
Do you have any experience with barefoot running?
