No One Cares Who You Are When You Run With Shoes

By Bob Deakin

Running has been my workout since I recovered from college 30 years ago, and barefoot running is where it’s at now: No shoes, no pavement, no osteoarthritis. As I wrote last week, I like running on grass in parks, with soccer fields the ideal choice.  

What I didn’t mention is that I’ve become fodder for passersby. I run in popular areas and thus far, I’m the only barefoot runner I’ve seen over the age of three. Some approach assuming I’m ‘grounding’ in the holistic sense, which is accurate, but not intentional. 

“Look at him, he’s grounding,” I heard recently. The young girl and her mother looked amazed, gazing at my dirty feet. I smiled knowingly, then realized what they were talking about. 

I’m a little hazy after a five-mile run, so when someone approaches to ask what I’m doing, I’m sometimes caught off guard. I explain that I run barefoot to extend my athletic lifetime. 

“Running on pavement hurts. Running on grass feels good. Give it a try some time.”

No One Cares Who You Are When You Run With Shoes

Barefoot running has been an ice-breaker. It leads to discussions about injuries, cures, vitamins, therapies, wellness, and life in general. No one cares who you are when you run with shoes.

I still lace up running shoes on occasion, out of necessity, for a race or a scenic location, but I keep it to a minimum. You run faster on pavement, bouncing over a hard surface. On grass, you’re jumping in and out of a hole with each stride, which is more difficult, but more natural.

When I run on grass I instinctively land on the forefoot. With shoes, I hit heel first even though I consciously try to avoid it. I feel better on grass and don’t have to buy $70 insoles to put in the $170 shoes. Nor do I have to pop a Naproxen for the inflammation.

Running should not curtail your running.

I always feel exhilarated after a run, but cooling down barefoot in the grass? Heaven. Sure, I’m grounding, and I feel like the Dalai Lama until the runner’s high wears off.

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