I've been thinking about this issue a lot lately. I wrote a post about it that explains my thoughts in more detail, but I wanted to outline the highlights.
So I did a TV interview for my local news yesterday. When I do that stuff, it's kind of like living in a time warp. I am asked, and I answer the same questions that are asked in every other intro article to barefoot running. "Doesn't it hurt?" "What about stepping on glass?" and the like.
One thing that struck me about yesterday's interview is that I answered a question differently than I normally do. Usually when asked about how to start BFR, I say something like "go slow so you don't do TMTS". This time I said something more along the lines of "buy lighter shoes."
We've had a few posts on this forum about how barefoot running probably will always be a fring activity, and minimalist running will grow in popularity. I think that has a lot to do with the way we barefoot runners portray ourselves. Our message is "barefoot is best" and "barefoot first, then shoes".
I think that statement is correct, but it's not realistic. Minimalist shoe companies on the other hand are saying "go barefoot now without any of the risks!" and selling their shoes like Bieber tickets to teenie boppers.
I'm just thinking that shoe companies are outsmarting us, which is why they've found a market for such nonsense as the "transitional shoe". Wouldn't we be better off if we, instead of saying to everyone "barefoot is best", to have two messages
1. To the general public, we say "buy lighter shoes!"
2. To those that do #1, "barefoot is better!"
Full version of my rant:
http://maplegrovebarefootguy.blogspot.com/2011/04/mgbg-on-tv-and-rant-about-barefoot.html
So I did a TV interview for my local news yesterday. When I do that stuff, it's kind of like living in a time warp. I am asked, and I answer the same questions that are asked in every other intro article to barefoot running. "Doesn't it hurt?" "What about stepping on glass?" and the like.
One thing that struck me about yesterday's interview is that I answered a question differently than I normally do. Usually when asked about how to start BFR, I say something like "go slow so you don't do TMTS". This time I said something more along the lines of "buy lighter shoes."
We've had a few posts on this forum about how barefoot running probably will always be a fring activity, and minimalist running will grow in popularity. I think that has a lot to do with the way we barefoot runners portray ourselves. Our message is "barefoot is best" and "barefoot first, then shoes".
I think that statement is correct, but it's not realistic. Minimalist shoe companies on the other hand are saying "go barefoot now without any of the risks!" and selling their shoes like Bieber tickets to teenie boppers.
I'm just thinking that shoe companies are outsmarting us, which is why they've found a market for such nonsense as the "transitional shoe". Wouldn't we be better off if we, instead of saying to everyone "barefoot is best", to have two messages
1. To the general public, we say "buy lighter shoes!"
2. To those that do #1, "barefoot is better!"
Full version of my rant:
http://maplegrovebarefootguy.blogspot.com/2011/04/mgbg-on-tv-and-rant-about-barefoot.html