The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [44]
First, lead by example. If they are a runner, this is probably easy. Do your thing, let them do theirs. If at some point they suffer an injury you may be able to convince them that their running shoes may have caused the injury.
Second, educate yourself about the merits of barefoot and minimalist shoe running AND the merits of shod running. Both have pros and cons. Learn them and be able to calmly discuss the issues. When your spouse voices something critical of barefoot running, be prepared to provide an intelligent response. Aside from the information contained in this book, study the resources provided at the end. There are many great websites available.
Third, provide them with information. For example, Shelly did not start barefoot running until she read Born to Run. Chris McDougall’s book provides an excellent introduction to the fundamental theories that provide the foundation of barefoot running.
If all else fails, just have fun. Barefoot running is an absolute joy. Smile. Laugh. Lose your inhibitions and engross yourself in the experience. It is the single best advertisement for barefoot running.
What if I Still have Problems Running Barefoot?
If you worked through the techniques and drills found in this book and you are still having difficulty, you have several options. Though most people are, not everybody is well-suited for barefoot running. Or, sometimes ones learning style may differentiate from my teaching style. If that is the case, don’t fret.
If my methods are not working for you at this point and you have spent many months trying to perfect them, there is little chance they will net positive results in the future. Therefore you may not be well-suited for running barefoot.
If my methods are not working for you then try other barefoot teachers. Ken Bob Saxton, Ted McDonald, Preston Curtis, and Michael Sander are four wonderful instructors whose methods vary slightly from mine and from each others. One of them may be a better match for you.
Lastly, try one of the running programs I mentioned earlier in the book: Good Form Running, ChiRunning, Evolution Running, and Pose. Each are very good and will teach you to run in a more efficient way. One of these may be better-suited for your particular learning style.
So, you wanna start running barefoot?
Firstly, before you begin, you want to evaluate what it is that is leading you to even accept the logic behind the concept of barefoot running. We all know that barefoot running has gotten a lot of attention lately. Much of it is valid and deserves your attention.
Yet, one must still ask: Is this a viable option for me?
Before you answer that question, let me explain why I think barefoot or minimal footwear running may not be good for you. It is not good if you are thinking it is some sort of cure-all that only requires taking off your shoes and starting to run injury-free without radical changes in the way you may have been thinking of running up to now.
If your running strategy has been about very specific time or distance goals, and you have been willing to push through pain to injury, then I would caution you: your barefeet will not allow you to continue this way.
Alas, the hallmark of my barefoot running philosophy is connectedness, mindfulness, presence.
Barefoot running is not about blocking or pushing through pain, or at least it shouldn’t be. Rather it is about tuning-in to your own body’s highly sophisticated set of integrated awareness systems, systems that communicate through feelings and senses that are being collected in real-time as you move. From my perspective, learning how to run well means learning how to tap into the feeling of running well, which more often than not requires baring the foot to get the full feel of what happens when you move.
However, even if you decide that barefoot is the route for you, take one step backward and realize you are most likely in the process