1st Annual Run Barefoot - 2nd day of Manila Leg

Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee, the Authors of Barefoot Running book are here in the country for a series of barefoot clinics and book signing. The 2nd day of their Manila leg held last November 30, 2010 at R.O.X., BHS, Taguig.

I was one of the lucky attendees to get to know more about barefoot running.

The Authors -

Michael Sandler is a best-selling author, and an internationally recognized barefoot running and walking coach, teaching thousands of runners, walkers, and hikers of all abilities. He has coached athletes professionally for nearly 20 years. He was into cycling and speed skating before entering the sport of running. While training for a cross-country inline skating trip, Michael suffered a near-death accident which left him with a titanium femur and hip along 10 knee operations, no ACL, and an inch hip discrepancy. As former athlete, Michael was told that he could never run again. But Michael didn’t lose hope. He go on barefoot and feel the ground. He began to heal as he learned how to run light and free. He now runs pain free 10-20 miles a day and in all conditions. Two months after the accident. He set the fastest record for the Bolder Boulder and Denver Half-Marathon by completing these popular races on crutches. He now runs barefoot 10 to 20 miles daily on rocky trails, hot asphalt, and even snow and ice, and sub-five minute miles barefoot all with his titanium femur and hip. He go on barefoot and feel the ground. He began to heal as he learned how to run light and free. He now runs pain free 10-20 miles a day and in all conditions.

The operation he undergo

His Knee after 4 yrs. of operation

Co-Author Jessica Lee hates running. In 2007, she ran the Bolder Boulder 10K and felt crippled with knee pain after the first 3K. After this unpleasant experience, she decided to give up the sport and focus her athletic efforts into cycling. This lasted until she met Michael and became inspired to run again, finding a pain-free joyous experience in barefoot running.

Together, they co-founded the RunBare Company.

Get your copy!!!

Is Running Barefoot the Answer to Runner's Injury?

There has been a lot of debate about running barefoot. There has been a number of research studies that have compared running without shoes to shod running and have also compared heel strike running to forefoot running. All the studies actually showed was that they were different. None of the studies actually showed that one was better than the other. There is probably nothing wrong with running barefoot provided it is done carefully, adapted to slowly and used as part of a balanced training program.

Run 100 yards first to feel the ground, then 200 yards on your next run and continue increasing it until your legs are fully adapted.

According to Daniel Lieberman's Skeletal Biology Lab of Harvard University, they have been investigating the biomechanics of endurance running, comparing habitually barefoot runners with runners who normally run in modern running shoes with built-up heels, stiff soles and arch support.

Their research asked how and why humans can and did run comfortably without modern running shoes. We tested and confirmed what many people knew already: that most experienced, habitually barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on the heel and instead land with a forefoot or midfoot strike. The bulk of our published research explores the collisional mechanics of different kinds of foot strikes. We show that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden, large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot). Consequently, runners who forefoot or midfoot strike do not need shoes with elevated cushioned heels to cope with these sudden, high transient forces that occur when you land on the ground. Therefore, barefoot and minimally shod people can run easily on the hardest surfaces in the world without discomfort from landing. If impact transient forces contribute to some forms of injury, then this style of running (shod or barefoot) might have some benefits, but that hypothesis remains to be tested.

Every runner is different. So, it is still with the runners to choose to run barefoot or not.

Barefoot exercises

crawl your toes

strengthen your toes with golf ball

run like a child

Takbo.ph at the clinic

Choose your minimalist running gears!

Photo credit to - Doc Marvin Opulencia http://zmarvin.multiply.com/; Takbo.ph and Barefoot Inc.