Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running
Join the revolution in running
Barefoot running is a growing trend in both the casual and competitive running arena. In fact, when I ran cross-country and track in high school (2001-2003), our coach actually recommended that we run barefoot occasionally during and after some of our workouts. It was a good way to build and strengthen our muscles, allowed us to work on good form and technique as well as keeping us injury free. There are many reasons why barefoot running has increased in popularity these days, but I’m sure one of the biggest reasons is from the New York Times’ Best Seller, Born to Run. People were intrigued by the idea of running barefoot or at least as close to barefoot as possible with minimalist running shoes. The problem is people were jumping right into it and getting hurt! It’s never smart to make such a dramatic change in your life and not be prepared for the consequences. This is where The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running comes in.
Part 1: An Overview of Barefoot Running
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running can help you guide through the transition from a regular running shoe wearer to a minimalist runner and eventually a barefoot runner. But let’s take a step back. Maybe you’re not convinced of the barefoot or minimalist running theory. Part 1 gives a nice overview of barefoot running in general. It starts by answering all the questions you may have about barefoot running. It’ll go into all of the benefits and even touch upon why barefoot running may not be for you. You’ll learn some very helpful background information about your body and how it interacts with your feet while in motion. Like I said, barefoot running is not for everyone and there are definitely barriers that prevent certain runners from going barefoot.
Part 2: Getting Started on the Right Foot
Part 2 of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running is where you build all the foundational knowledge of barefoot running, Barefoot Running 101. You’ll learn about specific stretches and exercises to train your feet and body to run barefoot. And even if you don’t get into barefoot running, the workouts are still great for runners in general. One of the great benefits of barefoot running is that it helps improve your running form. Form is a very important factor when it comes to running. If you have poor running form, you are wasting energy that could that could be saved for the end of the run when you’re tired; you are not running as efficiently as possible. This part of the book will help you correct your running form. One of the reasons why runners get backaches during and after a run is due to their form. You end up slouching your back, which is never good for you (flashback to your parents telling you not to slouch). Again, example workouts and drills are laid out to help with your overall form.
Part 3: Surviving the Elements
One thing that people are afraid of when barefoot running is causing more pain without shoes than you would with them on. Part 3 of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running is all about Surviving the Elements. When I started running competitively again after college, I ran a small trail 5K. I noticed one runner was actually going barefoot! The barefoot runner actually beat me in that race and as we were running by each other I thought to myself, “how the heck are his feet not hurting by now??” He must have read this chapter in the book!
A big portion of this part is talking about minimal footwear, as in running shoes that offer some protection from the elements while giving that barefoot-like running experience. I personally think this is a good part of the book to read if you don’t want to jump right into barefoot running. I feel like this is a good transition from regular running shoes to full on barefoot running. It talks about all the barefoot running shoe options including the most popular, Vibram Five Fingers (for more, read the Vibram Five Fingers KSO Review).
A section that should be read very thoroughly is the Barefoot Trail Running part. I have been running more and more trail races and yes, they are very scenic and fun to run, but they are also very dangerous! And this is with trail running shoes, so I would think trail running barefoot is even harder!
Another benefit of barefoot running is the prevention or most if not all running injuries. Although depending on how quickly you get into barefoot running and how often you do it, you may encounter an injury that needs to be addressed. Another section here is Dealing with Soreness and Injury which will be a good thing to read ahead of time to watch out for or as a reference if you ever are unfortunate to get hurt.
Part 4: In the Long Run
Part 4 of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running is definitely where you go if you have finally been sold on barefoot running. Here you will learn how to create your own barefoot training plan. Here you’ll create your own goals and what you hope to accomplish from barefoot running. You’ll learn about the different stages of barefoot periodization.
After you have ran barefoot often enough and are comfortable with it, you can look into really focusing on Distance and Speed. Here you’ll learn some advanced conditioning for barefoot running and well as some of the benefits of cross training (because you can only do so much barefoot!)
There’s another section on Racing Barefoot and why you should or should not do it (yet). There’s information on everything you’ll need to ensure that you are prepared to run the race barefoot. And once you’ve completed that race, you’ll learn about what you should do post-race to ensure that you’ll recover as quickly as possible and be able to run your next barefoot race.
And the final section is all about nutrition, which again can apply to all runners and not just barefoot runners. You’ll learn about what you should and should not be eating, how to fuel before during and after a run.
Appendix B is very helpful: Resources for Barefoot Living. It has some very interest tidbits of information and where to learn more about this fairly new concept of barefoot running. It’s sort of like a Q&A section and even offers resources to help find other fellow barefooters and clinics and workshops to learn more.
Summary
Overall, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running is a very easy to read and helpful resource for a new and exciting revolution that is barefoot running. You’ll some a lot of background information about the history of barefoot running and all the emotional, mental and physical benefits that follow barefoot running. You then get into the basics of barefoot running and everything you need to know to get started. Once you have Barefoot 101 nailed down, you can learn specific strategies to use to make sure you are benefitting from this new style of running. And rounding out The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running is advanced workouts to get faster and stronger while eating right. Even if you have just heard about barefoot running once, you’ll want to use this as your reference guide. However, if you’re ready to join the ‘revolution’ of barefoot running, you’ll have everything you need to know in this little book.
Where to Buy:
