There is a cross country/track runner in the college ranks who has proven that they can run faster in bare feet than in shoes.
Former Mesa Community College runner Quin Johnson has competed barefoot on the track the past 2 college seasons (also runs XC meets barefoot where possible). She was running a 5:40 1500 meters as a high school senior in her home state of Arizona while running in spikes. She started running barefooted at Mesa in 2017 because she felt that she was running faster barefoot. I'm her 2 years at Mesa, she cumulatively ran her way down to a sub 5 minute 1500. At her last track meet with Mesa (NJCAA national outdoor meet) recently, she ran a 4:52 1500 meter prelims race. Yes, 4:52! She ran 48 seconds faster in the race than she did in high school! AND ran it BAREFOOTED! She is proof that some people DO run faster in BARE FEET! Quin is taking her barefooted running talents to a Division 1 school (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) beginning this fall for the next 2 years. She has now inspired one of her rival runners in junior college to start training barefooted for possible competition in cross country this fall ( her name is Mary Siml and she runs for Pima CC in Arizona).
Former Mesa Community College runner Quin Johnson has competed barefoot on the track the past 2 college seasons (also runs XC meets barefoot where possible). She was running a 5:40 1500 meters as a high school senior in her home state of Arizona while running in spikes. She started running barefooted at Mesa in 2017 because she felt that she was running faster barefoot. I'm her 2 years at Mesa, she cumulatively ran her way down to a sub 5 minute 1500. At her last track meet with Mesa (NJCAA national outdoor meet) recently, she ran a 4:52 1500 meter prelims race. Yes, 4:52! She ran 48 seconds faster in the race than she did in high school! AND ran it BAREFOOTED! She is proof that some people DO run faster in BARE FEET! Quin is taking her barefooted running talents to a Division 1 school (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) beginning this fall for the next 2 years. She has now inspired one of her rival runners in junior college to start training barefooted for possible competition in cross country this fall ( her name is Mary Siml and she runs for Pima CC in Arizona).