I’ve written before about my first tentative steps with barefoot running and although I’m only dabbling – “Small moves, Mark. Small moves”!! – the experiences so far have been sensory revelations for my feet and my nervous system.

Some observations from the field (quite literally!):

• Sole and soul seem to feel the awesome rhythm of movement anew.
• Running shoeless on wet grass recalls times long ago when this was playfully but often furtively done!
• Asphalt delivers a coarse and vigorous (but rarely painful) foot massage.
• Snow running for about 15 minutes (we had a few laughably light flutters in Tokyo recently) has feet toasty and warm – or is that frostbite setting in?! Actually, I don’t think so, as the temperature remained above freezing and I was only out for a short time.

However, the most entrancing moments have been those gliding or “micro-sliding” over damp and compacted soil which is not yet muddy enough to have me “slip, sliding away” (thanks, Paul Simon!)

What my feet are signaling I cannot adequately do justice to with words – sensuous, tickling and titillating come to mind. And yet all symbols fall short at the nerve endings of narration, methinks!

A wry thought did cross my mind that this was the best free foot massage on offer in a country where people pay others to do what may very well be available naturally to the able-bodied.

Of course, running barefoot is not for everyone – nor should it be. But I do find it fascinating as a runner to “explore strange new surfaces and seek out bold new stride patterns…” Whoops, time to beam this post up to where it belongs.

I’d like to leave you with a 2 minutes video clip of Frenchman, Erwan Le Corre, barefoot running in what appear to be the hills of Corsica. It’s a remarkable clip, not least because of the cameraman’s ability to get some great movement shots.

Erwan’s approach to life is a very interesting one. He’s all about moving and living more naturally – visit his web site, movnat.com to learn more about why you may very well be another “zoo human”; and what to do about it. (Hint: learn to move…)

- Mark McClure

PS: Note that I’m not recommending in this post that YOU should try barefoot running. I’ve been running for 30+ years and walking barefoot around my apartment in Japan for the last 15, so it’s something I’m OK to try out. Your mileage may vary.

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