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Q.

Why the sudden interest in barefoot running?

Related Topics: Running
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A.

It's not so sudden, advocates say, just in the spotlight more lately. Barefoot running has been around since antiquity, say proponents such as author Christopher McDougall. He visited the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico and found that they wear flimsy sandals but manage to run hundreds of miles without being plagued by injuries.

That triggered McDougall's conversion to running barefoot or wearing "minimal" running shoes designed to be somewhat like a glove for the foot. McDougall says he typically logs 50-plus miles a week, running barefoot.

Other long-time runners recall past fads of barefoot running. "I've been running for 51 years and every 10 years barefoot running makes a comeback," says Jeff Galloway, a 1972 Olympian.

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Read the Original Article: Barefoot Running FAQ: Should You Shed Your Shoes?
 
 
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