Barefoot Running

[HillSlugger]

One of the things that got me interested in barefoot running was listening to a podcast of an interview with the author of "Born to Run". An excerp from his book claims that wearing running shoes does not decrease the rate of running injuries and that injuries are actually more frequent as the cost of the shoe increases! The thicker the padding the less the foot can feet the running surface and the less it can properly adapt. The result is a weakening of our inherent foot mechanics

Before I started running I went to a reputable running store and after doing their stuff they put me into motion control shoes because I over pronate. As I started running I experience bad ankle pain that had me seeking a podiatrist. By the time I finally got in to see him the pain was reducing but he got me into custom orthotics. I admit that I no longer have ankle pain, but I now find that I need MORE support in my everyday shoes! When I started running I was definitely a midfoot striker but I find myself moving towards heel striking. I believe the idea that the motion control shoes and the orthotics are making my feet weaker. I think if I had just waited it out a little longer I would have been fine without the orthotics.

I've already been going around the house more in bare feet and I'm gonna be checking out the VFF's when they arrive today but I'm not sure how soon I'll try running in them. I've just also started thinking that maybe I should remove the orthotics and go back to running without them. I'm just not sure how to work the transition back to "normal" feet.