Barefoot Running Gaining Traction, But It’s Not For Everyone

Thousands of people are preparing for the annual AJC Peachtree Road Race this weekend on Independence Day in Atlanta.

While most participants are wearing the usual running gear, like sneakers or jogging shoes, spectators might be surprised to see a few marathoners running barefoot – nothing between their feet and the pavement.

One would think that might be painful and it can be, especially if you just ran out the door barefoot without any preparation, but some athletes prefer to run without shoes and have quite a bit of practice at it.

Barefoot, or natural running as it’s known, is common in Kenya and northern Mexico and is growing in popularity around the world.

On “A Closer Look,” Jay Middleton with Fleet Feet Sports Atlanta admitted during he has not mastered the art of running without shoes.

Though Middleton said he really doesn’t understand why anyone would want to run barefoot, he acknowledged there are some benefits to the activity.

He cited Ethiopian runner Abebe Akilia, for instance, who showed up at the 1960 Olympic marathon in Rome barefoot and won the race. There’s also British athlete Bruce Tulloh, who won the 1962 gold medal in the European Games 5,000 meter race running barefoot.

During the 1980s, South African runner Zola Bud took the racing world by storm as she won world championship races and competed in the Olympics barefoot.

There’s been a growing movement of barefoot runners for decades as the style of running has increased in popularity. In 2009, fans of natural running founded the Barefoot Runners Society, which has enjoyed steady membership gains in the years since.

Middleton discussed barefoot running, the history of style, how to find the right running shoes if running barefoot isn’t you’re thing and more on “A Closer Look.”