The biggest misconception about barefoot running is that it's hardcore. I'm going to let you in on a little secret: it's not. Barefoot running is actually softcore. Soft. Gentle. Delicate. Light. Starting to sound less macho? I know, that's why I almost kept this to myself.
Jogging is a contact sport. Hit the road, hit the pavement, pound the pavement, pound out a few miles. Ever listen to most runners? Thud, thud, thud, thud. Injuries galore. Knee problems, shin splints, orthotics, plantar faciitis. Remind me -- what is so easy and painless about jogging? Sounds pretty hardcore to me.
If jogging is for the strong, barefoot running is for us wimps and cripples. For people who have no choice but to run softly. To minimize pain...and effort. To glide over the ground. To run, not jog. To move silently, stalk, and pursue. To minimize impact and maximize efficiency. Sounds pretty soft and weak.
The media always gets this wrong. Every time a reporter wants to talk about barefoot running, it's always, "Wow, you must be sooooo tough." As a 27-year-old male with healthy testosterone levels, it's hard not to play into this. And I'll admit that I get a kick out of the exclamations and attention when I'm running in Central Park. Girls always notice. 20% of the time they think it's gross, 80% of the time they starting throwing their sports bras.
An older lady stopped me on the way back from a run last week. 60-something years old -- and well, let's just say she didn't look like the athletic type. She told me she had been running barefoot on the indoor track for a year now and loved it.
And that's exactly what concerns me -- if all the out-of-shape seniors all start running barefoot, then the gig is up. No more babes, no more sweaty sports bras. Can we keep this just between us?
