Paperback Writer

"Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book -
It took me years to write - will you take a look?"
- The Beatles, "Paperback Writer" (video after post)

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I sincerely didn't think I'd ever write this post.

Countless times over the past few years, my Monterey Herald writing partner Mike and I have had a variety of conversations that go something like this:

Mike: We should put a bunch of our newspaper articles together and write a book.

Me: Yeah, right. I don't know why anyone would buy it.

Mike: We've done some pretty good stuff, and a lot of it's applicable to everybody.

Me: It's going to be a ton of work. No WAY am I spending that kind of time just to write a book.

And I guess I figured we'd keep going on like that: him proposing something, me shooting the idea down, sunrise, sunset, all through the years. So you can appreciate my surprise when Mike went ahead and did it.

Earlier this spring, he sent me an e-mail with a 300-page word document attached, and a subject line saying "Here's our book!" - and from that point, the die was pretty much cast. The compilation wasn't anywhere close to being worthy of publication, but after far more hours of revision, replacement, reflection and rewriting than I want to admit, we put together something that actually turned out sort of cool.

The result is The Running Life: Wisdom and Observations from a Lifetime of Running, which is scheduled for release later this fall. It's effectively a "greatest hits" collection of our writing over the course of six years, with a representative sampling of the topics we typically write about: the benefits of running, basic training guidelines, inspirational stories and motivational boosts, social commentary, and accounts of our running and racing adventures. Some of them you may have read on this website in the past, but I can guarantee that there is plenty of content you haven't seen before, mainly because I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to republishing our newspaper articles here. Besides, I know how many people were reading my website five years ago - or, more accurately, how many people weren't.

Given the newspaper's target audience, our compilation has a strong bias towards novice runners; the articles are ideal for the "I'm thinking about running to get in shape" or "I'm a new runner trying to figure all this stuff out" crowds who comprise the majority of our readership. However, experienced racers should find at least a few items of interest inside as well. There's certainly plenty to choose from, as the book includes nearly 100 columns taken from all our years of newspaper writing - which only sounds like a lot until you consider that it's less than half of the number we've composed overall. A couple of related points are worth mentioning here:

1) When you're able to pick and choose only your best efforts and discard all of the forgettable or regrettable things you've done over a long period of time, the resulting collection actually begins to look somewhat impressive. Nobody hits a home run every time they step to the plate - but if you're allowed to take away all your strikeouts and pop flies, your resulting batting average will look pretty nice. That's basically what you're getting with this book. On the other hand ...

2) Choosing more than 100 articles to discard is a somewhat excruciating process. Mike described it this way: "They're all my children," and we're publicly separating those children into one group who did us proud, and another who simply didn't measure up. And yes, Mike and I had differences of opinion on more than a few of them. On the plus side, the arguments never escalated into fisticuffs, and neither of us needed counseling afterward. I found this rather impressive, all things considered.

After all of this came the really hard part: editing the columns we selected to make them applicable to a larger audience. It might sound strange, but there are HUGE differences between writing for the dozen or so people who read our column and writing for the community at large. Practically every article had to be tinkered with to one degree or another; add this to my natural proclivity as a serial reviser, and the whole editing process became this time-sucking vortex that I could never completely escape. Remember the exchange with Mike I described above, where I dreaded the amount of time it would take to put everything together? Well, it took at least 5 times longer than I thought - and on more than one occasion sent me fleeing to the beach to examine the larger meaning of everything, and contemplate why I was even putting myself through this.

(I've mentioned before that I can find the downside of anything, right? This is exactly what I'm talking about.)

Thankfully, the result of all this toil is something that both Mike and I are fairly pleased with. I'm satisfied with how the book turned out, and I'm excited to start counting down to a launch date later this fall. Over the next several weeks I'll do a gradual buildup to the release, as well as provide a few anecdotes about the whole writing process, information about advance ordering if enough people express interest, directions to a new website for direct sales, and a promotional contest or two along the way. It's taken us years to write this thing, so I'm going to try to savor at least a few weeks of the experience before becoming obsessively neurotic about having something in the public domain with both my name and a price tag on it.

Now that I'm nearly on the other side of the process, I can honestly say that I'm glad I went through it, and I owe a debt of gratitude to my friend Mike for making it happen. Without his initiative, there's a very strong (as in, 99.9%) chance that this project would have never been completed - and now that it's done, I'm hopeful that The Running Life is something a lot of people will enjoy.

And if for some reason you don't ... just remember that it's mostly his fault.

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Long before I developed any sort of literary aspirations, this was one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs, and features a lot of what I loved about their music: a cool little guitar riff, an infectiously upbeat melody, and a compelling narrative told in the space of two short minutes. Having said that, this video is completely corny, and - as with any discussion of the band - I can't for the life of me figure out exactly what Ringo contributed to this one.

The Beatles, "Paperback Writer" (click to play):

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VivoBarefoot "Pally" Kids Shoe Review; VivoBarefoot End of Season Coupon Code Sale

Of all the changes I anticipated barefoot running would bring to my life, I have to admit that my parenting style wasn’t one of them. And yet, that’s precisely what’s taken place over the past year or so.

More specifically, I used to be one of those parents who always shouted “Put your shoes on!” whenever one of our kids wandered out of the house, and who constantly lectured them about the potential dangers that awaited them on the ground if they dared to venture unshod into the great wild world outside our front door. Or something like that.

My 6-year old daughter and me; both with happy feet!

The obvious dilemma was that this knee-jerk precaution of conventional parental wisdom flew in the face of all that I’ve described on this website for the past year and a half – specifically, the freedom and joy of kicking off your shoes and letting your feet work as nature intended. And if that weren’t ironic enough, I often refer to such a feeling as child-like. The more I thought about it, my enforcement of mandatory footwear standards for my kids grew increasingly hypocritical.

Messy 6-year-old feet after a day of fun in the Sierras this summer

Consequently, I’ve done a complete 180, and I’d love for my kids to be barefoot as much as possible, but this leads to two predictable problems: 1) there are, in fact, some actual dangers for absent-minded kids who run around barefoot all the time, and 2) they have to wear shoes at school. My wife would also add that 3) having kids repeatedly enter and exit the house while barefoot completely trashes our carpet, but that’s a separate discussion.

VivoBarefoot to the rescue!

That’s why I jumped at the chance to test one of VivoBarefoot’s recently released line of children’s footwear this summer. Additionally, it was an opportunity for my 6-year-old daughter to join my ever-expanding roster of product testing associates - and since she didn’t know any better, I could get away with not paying her. I can be a shrewd businessman sometimes.

VivoBarefoot Pally

The model she tried is the Pally, a Mary Jane-style shoe that is suitable for running, jumping, climbing, hiking in the woods, and pretty much all kinds of general horseplay. My daughter likes them because they’re pink and cute – and I have to say, they are pretty darn adorable.

Puncture-resistant 3mm outsole

More importantly from my standpoint, however, is that they maintain all the beneficial features of VivoBarefoot’s adult models, and allow her foot to function as nature intended. It has no heel or midsole, a flexible 3mm puncture-resistant outsole, and a comfort lining around the heel collar that rests gently on little ankles. There are two versions of the Pally: one that is 100% vegan in its construction, and another that is made from vegetable-tanned leather. All of VivoBarefoot’s children’s footwear is manufactured under the same socially responsible guidelines that the company adheres to faithfully.

All of the kids models, for both boys and girls, are available on the company website, although the color selection for the Pally is now limited to black - not quite as cute as pink, but it's a very versatile option for either school or church. All of the models range in size from Euro 26 to 34 (U.S. 9.5 child to 3 adult), and in price from $60 to $90, with the Pally normally retailing for $60. Yes, the price is a little bit steep, which is why it would be great to have a coupon code, huh?

That’s why you’ve got me here to help. VivoBarefoot is currently hosting an invitation only web promotion to move its end of season inventory off the shelves, with huge discounts on everything in stock aside from the Evo running shoe (I know … rats.) The good news is that you’re all invited! Between now and September 13, use coupon code WEB50 for 50% off all non-Evo shoes, including the girl’s Pally. I’ll be taking advantage of the offer myself to grab another pair for my deputy product tester once she graduates to a larger size.

Perhaps the best thing about the Pally is that it helps me reconcile my reluctance to insist on my kids wearing shoes. I’m happy that their feet are experiencing all the healthy benefits of going barefoot, while providing adequate protection to give us peace of mind for their safety. My daughter gets to look cute and walk naturally, and I don’t have to feel like such a hypocrite.




*Product provided by VivoBarefoot
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Soft Star RunAmoc Update (and Upgrade!)

A couple of months ago I described some durability issues that have developed over the course of logging high mileage on my favorite minimalist footwear. I also mentioned that my expectation wasn’t for these companies to make 100% faultless products right off the bat, but that they’d be receptive to user feedback in order to continually improve their overall performance, comfort and durability.

I’ve been fortunate to participate in just such a user feedback process with Soft Star shoes ever since the inception of their outstanding RunAmoc, and they recently gave me another test model that addressed the exact concern I made in that durability post: the way my heel drifted to the inside portion of the insole, creating direct ground impact on the perforated leather in the heel region which eventually tore into a small hole.

At first glance, the new version doesn’t look much different than the old ones, with soft perforated leather uppers and generally the same outsole footprint as my previous model. The new addition here is in the heel area …


… which now has a small leather heel cup sewn into it. This cup was always in the suede RunAmocs, but until recently it wasn’t included in the RunAmoc Lites, which happen to be my favorite for ventilation and water management.


The cups provide a thin frame for the heel collar to stand up higher on the ankle and stay in place better during long runs. For point of comparison, look at the picture above …


… and this one from my previous pair of RunAmoc Lites, which don’t have any structure in the heel. From my standpoint, the drawback of a flimsy heel wasn’t a comfort issue, but rather the main contributing factor to the durability issue I had …


… which was caused by my tendency to land on the inside region of the heel. With nothing to hold the shape of the heel, the inner portion of my heel just rolled onto the leather immediately adjacent to the insole, and eventually wore a hole in it.

Although I don’t have as many miles on the new pair yet, this is what the insoles look like after about 100 miles of trail running:

The imprints of both heels are beautifully centered, meaning that the heel cups helped me stay in the middle of the insole – and by extension, on the middle of the outsole as well. I’d be quite surprised if I experience the same breakdown in this pair of RunAmoc Lites as I did with my initial pair.

Speaking of that initial pair, at one point I suggested that I’d keep logging mileage on them just out of curiosity for how long they’d last, but I sort of put that task on the back burner, especially once I had a new pair of mocs to test (not to mention other products for upcoming reviews). To this point, I’ve put about 600 miles on them, and the outsoles are worn down enough that my traction on steep hills or loose dirt is noticeably compromised. So let’s just say you can reasonably expect to get more than 500 miles on a new pair of RunAmocs, which is favorably comparable to what you’d expect from any other training shoe on the market.

As far as new RunAmoc Lites are concerned, Soft Star has decided to implement the heel support on all of its shoes from this point forward. It’s a small tweak that’s made a very noticeable difference in the overall quality of the moccasin, and makes an already very good product even more impressive.

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Breakdown Weekend

"I hope this old train breaks down -
Then I can take a walk around -
And see what there is to see -
And time is just a melody ... "
- Jack Johnson, "Breakdown" (video after post)

Sign from the trail during the Headlands Hundred; kind of ironic that I'd stumble across it during my first-ever 100-miler.

Have you ever had so many things to do that the prospect of diving headfirst into any one of them paralyzes you from even starting? That's pretty much where I've been for the past couple of weeks, especially in regards to this blog.

I had planned to have a new post yesterday, and to make a cool announcement recently, and to hammer out some behind-the-scenes details for an upcoming round of giveaways and product reviews. At the same time, the rest of life was charging full steam ahead - and somewhere in the midst of trying to manage several different control panels at once, the train slipped slightly off the rails. By that point, my plans were so scattered that the only thing left to do was take a walk around and see where everything landed.

So this is the post you're getting instead: a brief note to say that I'm going to embrace my inner slacker for a while, chill out during this beautiful long weekend, and return next week, back on track and ready to roll. For anyone who might be worried, don't be: about 99% of the things going on right now are good. Life is a gift - it's just moving awfully fast right now. And this seems like a great time to slow things back down a bit.

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"I need this old train to break down -
Oh please just let me please breakdown."
- Jack Johnson, "Breakdown" (click to play):

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The Best Running Books Ever!*

*Or, more modestly, A Runner’s Fall Semester Reading Curriculum


In my school days, one of the highlights of starting a new academic year was receiving the required reading list for the semester. A good list usually featured a combination of classics that lend themselves well to multiple readings, well-known titles that I’d always heard of but never dove into, and some less-established selections that turned out to be pleasant surprises.

In my running years, fall has always been an ideal time to stoke my running mojo. Refreshingly cool temperatures, leaves on the trail, and a crowded race calendar make it easy to find motivation to get out the door and log some high mileage before drifting into a winter hibernation.

So in the spirit of both those ideas, I’ve compiled a recommended reading list for runners to tackle over the next few months; some you’ve probably already read, others you’ve heard of, and some others you might not have. Obviously, the selection process is biased, and although the books listed here happen to be my personal favorites, they may or may not appeal to you; that’s what Amazon.com reviews are for, which I’ve linked for each one. Pick one that looks interesting - or if you’re really ambitious (not to mention really bored), dive into the whole list.

Since the inspiration for this post was a Monterey Herald article I published here in July, I figured I’d make this an audience participation exercise, and include links to all of the reader recommendations that I received following that post. If for some reason I’ve still missed something, feel free to let me know in the comments below.

And since someone’s bound to ask: no, Once a Runner isn’t on this list. Here’s my brief take on Parker’s book: it’s a fair novel which happens to focus exclusively on running – and because it was released in a time when running-themed books were a rare commodity, it somehow developed this fantastical cult following that I’ve never fully understood. I’ve written about this before, so I won’t belabor the point any further here.

That seems like enough of an intro … so let’s get to it, shall we?

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Top 5 Running Books of All Time (in my humble opinion, and in no particular order):

The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb: I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that breaking the 4-minute mile was the greatest athletic accomplishment of all time. I mean, more than a few people – respected scientists among them – believed that such an extreme effort would cause an athlete’s heart to burst, resulting in sudden death. In the aftermath, Bannister’s milestone run was the ultimate representation of breaking through the wall, forever changing the way distance runners – and athletes of any persuasion, for that matter – pursue accomplishments that others think impossible.

The fact that the race to 4 minutes also became a three-way intercontinental drama involving two of the most popular athletes in the world, as well as one who never truly got his due, just adds to the compelling nature of this tale – and Neal Bascomb’s account of this golden age of running is the most comprehensive I’ve ever read. It also manages to be a good page-turner, even though you pretty much already know the outcome of Bannister’s quest.

The Four-Minute Mile by Roger Bannister: Hey, have I mentioned before that I’m a big Roger Bannister fan? My father gave me a copy of this book when I was a kid, and back then I thought Bannister’s properness and humility were way too old-school. Thankfully, I re-read the book about 10 years ago – and this time, I found everything about Bannister to be nothing short of admirable. To think that he broke a world record (a death-defying one, at that) while enrolled in medical school, and that he walked away from a competitive running career to focus on his more noble professional calling is simply unfathomable nowadays. For my money, you’ll never find a better role model than Bannister, and his memoir is one of the most impressive reads I’ve ever enjoyed.

Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear: Lear caught lightning in a bottle during the season he embedded himself with the University of Colorado cross country teams, featuring superstar runner Adam Goucher and soon-to-be-superstar coach Mark Wetmore. My lasting impression from this book is the work ethic that is required to succeed in intercollegiate XC. Here’s one example: Lear describes a typical exchange between Wetmore and any students who express an interest in trying out for the XC team. Wetmore’s response was basically, “Run 100 miles per week, every week for a year, and then come talk to me.” Even more astonishingly, one kid actually did it.

Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes: Sure, Karnazes is a polarizing guy now, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that his personal story is quite inspirational, and this book helped launch the fringe sport of ultrarunning into the national conscious. Karnazes encouraged legions of new ultrarunners (including me) to give the sport a try, and he’s probably more responsible for the modern day perks (plenty of ultras all over the country, with new ones every year) and drawbacks (lotteries, early registration periods, and hints of “celebrity” culture) of modern day ultrarunning than any single person.

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall: A modern day classic. Launched the current barefoot renaissance. And I’ve already written a full review of this one, so we’ll stop there.

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So there you have my top 5: are you inspired yet? If not, perhaps a secondary category would help? …

Best Non-Running Books that Runners Will Enjoy (at least, I did, and I’m a runner … so maybe you will too):

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer: One of the most gripping tales of adventure, danger, hubris, and athletic extremism you'll ever read. This book ushered in a whole new genre of non-fiction: the high-mountain drama, which has since been imitated by countless authors, very few of whom combine their climbing chops and gift for storytelling quite like Krakauer. The original remains one of the best and most memorable in the category.

Lance Armstrong's War by Daniel Coyle: Sure, Lance’s autobiography got all the attention, but this account was more memorable to me for two primary reasons …

1) Without reading this book, it’s almost impossible to fully appreciate the single-minded focus and determination that Armstrong (along with his coach, Johan Buuyneel) devoted to the Tour de France every year, and how ferociously he devoured every perceived obstacle in his way – even, in some cases, those from within his own team. Also …

2) There’s a classic description of how the cyclists and coaches can all tell who’s in shape and who isn’t by looking at each other’s backsides. More specifically, there’s this explanation:

“The ass check is an unobtrusive art. It is practiced from a distance, and requires not only a keen eye but also experience. An ass, properly examined, is one of the best available calibrations of potential … ‘First you have to know the guy. Then you have to know the ass.’ Bruyneel says. ‘After you know it, it tells as much as powermeter numbers.'”

For some reason that passage stuck with me – but maybe I shouldn’t say that out loud.

The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz: No physical discomfort you ever encounter in life will seem significant after reading this book, but there’s another reason I mention it here: Gretchen gave it to me as a thank-you after I paced her at Tahoe. In other words, the story of a Siberian prison camp escapee who endured the most horrific pain and mental anguish imaginable on an endlessly laborious journey through extreme depths of despair naturally brought to mind the long night she spent with me. I’m not exactly sure if that’s a compliment.

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And we’re into the homestretch with our final category …

Reader Recommendations from July (and whatever random comments I can come up with, since I haven’t read most of these):

A Step Beyond by Don Allison: I’ve never read it, and don’t know anything about it, except that apparently Amazon doesn’t carry it – but according to the lone reviewer, Ultrarunning magazine does.

Run Like a Mother by Dimitry McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea and The Barefoot Running Book by Jason Robillard: Two things are notable about these:

1) They’re both self-published, which means they don’t have as much street cred as anything from established publishing houses – but some independent authors are just as qualified to see their work in print as a lot of authors out there, and even have a good shot of being financially successful. I honestly believe that. Firmly, fervently, passionately believe it. And yes … that’s also a bit of foreshadowing.

2) I received a copy of Robillard’s book in the mail this week, and I’ll have a review posted here in the near future. Stay tuned.

Lore of Running by Tim Noakes: I looked at this in a bookstore once; it seemed awfully thick. Based solely on probability, there must be some good stuff tucked away in there.

Daniels' Running Formula by Jack Daniels: I actually have a fantastic story to share about an interaction between coach Jack Daniels and my friend Mike, but I can’t tell it, because all of the funny parts are rife with F-bombs. Here’s a hint: they didn’t come from Mike.

The Complete Book of Running by James Fixx: My dad had this book as well; I think he purchased it during the two weeks he tried to become a runner. It pretty much sat on the shelf and gathered dust after that, but it’s still kind of a nice memory.

Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhoff: Never heard of it, although my first impression is that it runs contrary to the barefoot philosophy that there’s nothing wrong with our feet just the way they are, thank you very much.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami: This is the book that’s most intriguing to me, only because no fewer than three people mentioned to me that they thought I’d love it, as Murakami’s writing style is similar to mine (although since he’s the one with the mainstream publishing contract, I guess that means my writing is similar to his). From the Amazon review, it’s apparently about diary entries, reminiscences, life advice, pop culture references, all revolving around a lifelong habit of running. So … yeah. I think I should probably read that one someday.

As for you, you’re all set to get reading anything on these lists during the new school year – and best of all, there’s no test at the end of the semester. Feel free to share your thoughts on these or any other books in the comments below, and maybe we can start our own little discussion group.

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Simple Satire Kids' Shoe Review

*Admin note before today’s post: given the time of year, I’ll be bringing at least a couple of back to school-themed posts in the near future. I’ve also mentioned previously that books will be getting increased attention around here; in some cases those topics (books and school) might overlap, but in most cases they won’t. This is one of the “won’ts”.

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“I can change the world with my own two hands –
Make a better place with my own two hands …

I’m gonna make it a brighter place –
I’m gonna make it a safer place –
I’m gonna help the human race –
With my own, with my own two hands.”
- Ben Harper, “With My Own Two Hands” (video after post)


A few years ago, my son’s 4th grade class sang the above song at an assembly, which was part of the school’s overall emphasis on developing children of character: kids who practice kindness towards others, conduct themselves responsibly, and take care of the local community and global environments around them.

The idea of teaching eco-responsibility is relatively modern - at least, I certainly don’t remember it from my own elementary school days – but it’s not always an easy thing to do with our kids in practice. Organic, free range, or hormone-free food is expensive. Finding toys without plastics or that are assembled without toxins is next to impossible. And environmentally responsible apparel and footwear is often a combination of the two: both rare and expensive.

So when a company makes responsible role modeling simple and easily accessible, it’s a pleasant thing to see. Or, flipped around, perhaps I could say that when the Simple company makes pleasant footwear models for kids, it’s our responsibility to pay attention.

I’ve profiled Simple shoes in previous product reviews, but here’s their story in a nutshell: the company’s mission is to be the most eco-friendly shoe manufacturer on the planet. They use materials and processes that minimize their environmental impact as much as possible, with a stated goal of becoming 100% sustainable. They’re also committed to keeping their retail prices affordable enough to be accessible to everyone.

They also make a full line of fashionable children’s shoes, and my 9-year-old daughter (coincidentally, now a 4th grader herself) went back to school this fall in the Simple Satire, a very cute little sneaker with all of the eco-friendly features of the company’s grown-up shoes.

The Satire is a completely vegan shoe, with no animal products or byproducts used in its construction. It has a moderate midsole height but no drop from heel to toe, making it a nice option for fans of natural walking, albeit with much less ground feel than a minimalist-style shoe.

The footbed contains some EVA but also uses a material called BIO-D that is biodegradable. Certified organic cotton is used for the interior lining, and like all Simple shoes, the bottom of the Satire utilizes rubber from recycled car tires.

Best of all, they just look like a cute schoolgirl shoe, and they’re fairly affordable, especially if you can find them on sale. The pair pictured here is an older model that we picked up at REI.com, where they’re presently being closed out for $20. Current pairs retail for $42 from the Simple website, but many sizes and styles (including boy colors, too) are discounted to $32 at Endless.com. It’s a relatively affordable way to make a statement to your kids about supporting good companies, and to bring them one step closer to changing the world with their own two feet.

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Although it was Jack Johnson who made this song famous among the 10-and-under crowd by reworking it for the Curious George soundtrack, in my opinion the original reggae version remains vastly superior from a musical standpoint. Coming from a devoted Jack Johnson fan, that’s really saying something.

Ben Harper, “With My Own Two Hands” (click to play)



*Product purchased independently.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Barefoot FAQ

I don’t think there’s much shame in calling myself a fair-weather barefoot runner.

On the Monterey Peninsula, conditions are pretty hospitable for kicking off your shoes almost year-round, with the exception of a few months of freezing temperatures on cold winter mornings. Without a doubt, though, summer is absolutely ideal for being a barefooter - and accordingly, I’ve been logging more barefoot miles than usual over the past several weeks.

Since summer is also a peak time for folks to spend lazy hours hanging around tourist spots or congregating in neighborhood parks, this is also the time of year when a barefoot runner can potentially draw a lot of attention. Such has been the case for me, which led to this week’s Monterey Herald column, which follows below.

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Running Life 8/26/10 “Barefoot FAQ”

Last August we wrote about the barefoot revolution taking place in the running community, with a growing number of practitioners embracing the idea of running as our prehistoric ancestors did long before gel cushioning and pronation posts were ever conceived. I’ve been practicing barefoot running for about a year and a half now, and increasing my shoeless mileage significantly during the warm summer months.

However, while the barefoot movement may be expanding, it’s by no means mainstream. In fact, it’s sometimes difficult to finish a run without somebody expressing their surprise or bewilderment at the freak running around with naked feet. Occasionally those folks ask questions, which we’re summarizing here for the benefit of others who might be curious.

Hey - did someone steal your shoes? Of course not … but if it’s any consolation, you’re not the first person to ask. Actually, you’re not even the 100th. This question seems to be the universal calling card for smart-alecks trying to be hilarious. Next question.

So why do you do it? The short reason is, it’s pretty fun. There’s something inherently joyful about running around shoeless; it’s like pushing a magic “boost” button to amplify the childlike pleasure of running by a magnitude of 100. Some people do it after a history of injuries with shoes, and others try it to give the muscles of their feet and lower legs a unique workout – but for most of us, it’s all about the joy.

But doesn’t it hurt? Yes … and no. Barefoot running takes a LOT of getting used to, and you have to start in very small doses. When you first begin, you’ll feel every little crack and pebble in the road, and 99% of them will be uncomfortable. Even after a year, there are definitely some surfaces I try to avoid at all costs - gravel fire roads and chip and seal asphalt come to mind – because they just hurt too much. After a while, your feet grow resilient to a variety of surfaces, from asphalt to concrete to grass and groomed trails, but there’s always an additional caution factor that barefoot runners exercise.

Aren’t you afraid of broken glass? This is far and away the most common “You’re gonna shoot your eye out!” warning barefoot runners hear. Certainly we’re concerned about broken glass, as well as rusty nails or pieces of scrap metal – but those hazards aren’t nearly as common as some people imagine, and you’d be amazed at how effective your eyes are at spotting trouble spots on the road before you get there.

Do you get blisters? Yes … and no. New barefoot runners will certainly develop a few blisters when they get started; they’re your body’s built-in warning system to ensure that you progress gradually to prevent long-term injury. Experienced barefoot runners eventually become more resistant to blisters – the soles of your feet become a bit leathery – but even so, we’ll often get blisters if we run a lot farther or faster than usual.

Don’t your feet get cold? In some conditions, sure. It’s much harder to be a barefoot runner in the winter than in the summer. A handful of hardcore folks run barefoot in snow or freezing temperatures, but the vast majority of us spend the cold seasons in various types of minimalist footwear – no heel, no cushion - like Vibram FiveFingers, Soft Star moccasins, or other styles from other manufacturers. Thankfully, minimalist options are growing like crazy, and it’s not very hard to find some basic foot coverings to get you through the winter.

But when you’re fortunate enough to live on the Monterey Peninsula, the climate is amenable to barefoot running almost year-round, so you’ve got plenty of opportunities to give it a try!

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