On the Run: Getting more with less

If you’ve run a road race recently, you’ve probably noticed them: Runners who are wearing these strange rubbery contraptions that look like gloves on their feet. And you might have spotted one or two people running barefoot.

So what’s with the lack of footwear? It’s a back-to-basics movement for some runners, who find that the lack of fancy cushioned sneakers is helping them run the way they were always supposed to run.

It’s all about footfall, the way your foot strikes the ground when you run. Traditional running shoes have been designed to protect your feet, cushioning the impact of your steps to ostensibly prevent injury. But that motion-control design has also caused us to run with our heels absorbing most of the impact. Proponents of minimalist running say that heel strike leads to many more injuries. They argue that running in either minimalist shoes or barefoot forces you to run the proper way, with your forefoot or midsole striking the ground first.

This certainly isn’t a new concept. Every so often you’d see someone running barefoot, but it was never a common sighting until last year by Christopher McDougall’s book “Born to Run” was published. The book was about Mexico’s Tarahumara Indians, who run hundreds of miles at a time in sandals, and it received a lot of publicity. McDougall believes humans have evolved to run that way, and those who have tried minimalist running say it has relieved longtime injuries by completely changing how they run. It’s unclear whether the change in styles leads to faster race times.

The shoe companies have heeded this trend and pretty much all of them offer lightweight, minimalist shoes. Another company that has made a splash is Vibram, which sells the easily identifiable FiveFingers footwear, which indeed look like a glove for your feet. The shoes have become so popular that the company warns on its website that consumers beware of buying knockoffs and fake versions of Vibrams.

On the other side of the argument are folks who are wary of running without the cushioning to which they’ve become accustomed over the years. There are also the fears of running over rocks, glass or other hazardous objects in lightweight shoes or barefoot. And if you’re running successfully with so-called regular shoes, why change now? Runners who have switched to minimalist shoes say it takes a while to get used to the different foot strike and the impact that has on the body.

Who’s right? Like everything else, it depends on the runner. Minimalist running appears to work for some, but it may not work for everyone. Some runners may not be able to handle the change for various reasons, whether it’s because of pre-existing injuries or other factors. The most sensible approach seems to be to use caution. Doing too much too soon could lead to injury. But by the same token, if you’re intrigued by minimalist running, why not give it a try? Just don’t throw your old shoes out right away.

On the Run: Getting more with less