Barefoot running

I've been reading about barefoot running because the subject intrigues me. I've read and actually written how barefoot runners won their respective events in the regional meets of the Palarong Pambansa and in the event itself.

During the Cordillera Administrative Regionb Athletic Association (CARAA) competitons in 2010, Sunstar reported that several barefoot runners from Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga, Abra and Apayao bested their counterparts who utilized modern running shoes.

What is more surprising in the event was the barefoot runners won not only in the long-distance events but in middle distance races.

But Olympic great Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia, won his first Olympic  Marathon gold medal barefoot during the 1960 Rome Games. Bikila, who would later suffered an injury from a car accident that would made him a paraplegic, defended his Olympic title during the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo.

He failed to defend the title for the second time as he was forced to quit during the Mexico Summer Games in 1968 due to a foot injury caused by training barefoot.

Last year to honor Bikila's feat, Vibram named one of its shoes among the fivefingers line to this Ethiopian who would forever change the way runners train and compete.

Now are you ready to go barefoot?

Going barefoot is actually a matter of preference. Even Bikila competed utilizing running shoes given by his sponsors.

Specialists are, however, one in saying that training barefoot can help runners gain the proper posture and stride which in turn will help one in achieving his or her goals like personal bests or mileage.

But my biggest fear in running barefoot is stepping on sharp or pointed objects which would definitely injure runners.

So its your call. Going barefoot or not is a judgement call which only runners can decide.