Barefoot in the Snow

I asked our friend Pavol to summarize a recent article for us English folks. Pavol is also hosting an event for IBRD, the 1st Barefoot Half Marathon in Bratislava. Thank you, Pavol!


Runner Pavol Sovič has dropped his shoes and improved his health.

Whole the article is about the fool from Slovakia that was ready to get out of his shoes and clothes and show that barefoot run in the -7°C is not so big problem. The first part is mainly about the amazement of the editor if it is real ) Then in the part “In Frost” (mainly with bold letters) is about the subject of hardening end what for feelings do you have in frost and snow. Be honest, the feeling is about nothing ) I only guard the colour of my feet. If there is red colour, that’s fine because the blood takes the care about correct circulation, but be aware about white colour of feet. That could mean your feet began to have some serious problems.

Part “17 km” is about my beginnings. When I was running in the rain and suddenly I decided to get out off my shoes. Running absolutely barefoot I was falling in love for the first contact with wet earth. And my love is growing for the last 3 years. From something about 500 m for first time… to

17 km in present. Even in the Winter and snow.

The next part is about how the hardening and barefoot consequences to the health. The truth is that I don’t know if it is the result of hardening or barefoot running. Each of these two activities brings me happy time and joy. I had a serious problems with my joints in previous, it seems they has gone. My eyes have improved and I’ve got the information from my doctors that it is the result of training them to watch very detailed my path when I’m running. My feet and all my body is better supplied with blood, so I’ve got better immunity.

Last part of the article informs that I’m not alone and only in Slovakia there are a lot of people that run barefoot and most of them are better than me.

Special parts:

Benefits of hardening:

- strengthens immunity

- faster regeneration in sporting performances

- better thermoregulation, less sweating

- improving the strength of the skin

- improving blood circulation

- better support for weather whistles and pressure fluctuations

- loss of stress and psychological tension

- according to a study by the University of California at San Francisco, increases fertility in men


What means an medical expert about barefoot:

There are two groups of physiotherapists depend the sight of barefoot running. One claims that running barefoot is beneficial because the foot works in a natural way. The second group lphysiotherapists looks cautiously. "Running barefoot becomes an expanded sport. It can help but also harm, so you need to start with it very carefully. By running the toe and not the entire foot, the runner can cause, for example, overload of tendons. It is important to choose the right terrain, for example, forest roads, not asphalt. It is proven that the progressive application of this run improves the buttock and also the overall holding of the body. “



Kind regards

Pavol Sovič

PS: You can see the article on the net just now https://www.cas.sk/clanok/667717/be...isky-a-zlepsilo-sa-mu-zdravie-naboso-v-snehu/

https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/misc/PaliNovyCas.pdf