Fiction featuring barefoot runners?

stjohnthegambler

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Jun 28, 2010
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Was wondering if I've missed any good fiction that features barefoot runners. I can think of two novels:

1. I swear it's called Marathon, but I can't find it on a cursory search of the internet. It was and old novel when I read it back in the 70s as a kid. Follows three men as they train for a marathon in (I think) Peru: An American, a Brit, and an African (can't remember which country: probably Kenya?). The African guy runs barefoot, I believe.

2. Marathon Man by William Goldman. Made into a movie featuring Dustin Hoffman, but I don't think he runs barefoot in the movie. In the novel, while the character doesn't normally run barefoot, he ends up having to, and invokes the spirit of his hero Bikila to help him.

3. Also, I tried this before here, years ago, but I read a short story in 5th grade, in my reading book, about a guy who shows up at an open race (not a marathon, shorter) in cowboy books and jeans, and takes off his boots to run the thing. And wins. Narrated by someone else at the race. Anyone remember this? Can't remember the author. I'd love to track it down.

Any other fiction anyone can think of? Any non-american fiction perhaps?
 
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How about Avatar?

I did a quick search and found this discussion. One even mentions the [main] character talking about how toughening up his feet helped him to run faster and farther.

20210912_084533.jpg
 
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How about Avatar?

I did a quick search and found this discussion. One even mentions the [main] character talking about how toughening up his feet helped him to run faster and farther.

View attachment 10084

That's right! Avatar! I guess this should be over in my movie thread, there is a great scene in the begining when the guy gets transferred to the blue body and he enjoys the feel of being barefoot.

But also, yes of course: The Hobbit and LOTR: the hobbits are barefoot!
 
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Also, the hobbits in Lord of the Rings are technically barefoot. Not even technically, they are.
I don't watch it. Do they glue fur to their feet to make them look hobbity?
 
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