The Barefoot Running Book (second edition) provides expert advice for new and experienced runners interested in making the transition to barefoot or minimalist shoe running. Why? Because runners find shedding their heavy, overly-cushioned shoes provides a more enjoyable running experience while reducing injury and allowing better form. Jason Ribald uses a combination of research, collaboration, and his own experiences to bring the latest methods for making a safe, enjoyable transition to barefoot or minimalist shoe running. This new expanded second edition includes training plans, information on ultramarathons, photos, tested running tips and helpful hints. Includes contributions from top barefoot runners and experts including Barefoot Ted McDonald, Barefoot Rick Roeber, Dr. Daniel Lieberman, Dr. Michael Nirenberg, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, Dr. Scott Hadley, Dr. Joseph Froncioni, and many more.

Foot pain and injuries can thwart even the most experienced athletes. Foot expert and ultra runner John Vonhof discredits the conventional wisdom of 'no pain, no gain, ' teaching instead how the interplay of anatomy, biomechanics, and footwear can lead to happy or hurting feet. With a focus on individual and team care, the 6th edition of Fixing Your Feet covers all that any active person needs to know to find out what works now and also hundreds of miles down the road. This sixth edition has an important new chapter, Blister Prevention - A New Paradigm. It contains new information about blister formation and introduces the concept of shear, which in turn, changes the way we look at blister prevention and treatment. This comprehensive resources covers the full gamut of footwear basics, prevention, and treatments. If it can happen to a foot, it's covered in this book.

The basic rationale for running barefoot or in minimalist models goes something like this: Humans evolved to cover long distances by foot. By introducing a thick layer of cushioning and an elevated heel between the foot and the ground, modern running shoes alter natural running form. But modern running shoes alter form in ways that lead to injury. Therefore, getting back to a more natural running gait by running in little-to-no shoe will lead to improved form, which should lower injury rates. A key reason to run barefoot or in minimalist shoes is to allow your feet to work more naturally, free from the confines and controls of overly engineered running shoes. Unfortunately, too many runners, eager to run more naturally, have gone too far, too fast, from one extreme to the other. The realities of modern life have weakened our feet, ankles, and lower legs, and our bodies have adapted to the shoes we have worn for most of our lives; if we suddenly start running in little-to-no shoe, our bodies are not prepared for the new stresses. Runner's World Essential Guides: Barefoot Running and Minimalism provides historical context, thoughts, advice, and tips on making a healthy transition. The foremost authorities on running on the planet show you how to ease into a transition from conventional running shoes to barefoot running or minimalist shoes, starting with some simple at-home tests to see if your feet already have the strength they need to handle little-to-no shoe. You'll learn a step-by-step process for safely moving away from doing all your running in big, bulky shoes, including guidelines on how to introduce barefoot running into your regimen. Whether you want to learn more about the barefoot craze that's swept the nation or you want to introduce barefoot running into your training plan, this indispensable guide contains everything you need to get started!

Learn Why Millions of Runners Have Decided That Less Is More! No topic in running has gotten more attention lately than minimalist shoes and barefoot running. Proponents say that running barefoot or in lighter, lower shoes leads to better running form and fewer injuries. But others caution that ditching your regular running shoes for barely there models can increase, not decrease, your risk of injury. In this indispensable guide, veteran running writer Scott Douglas draws on the knowledge of leading coaches and other running experts to show how and why to make the move safely to running in less shoe. Full of real-world wisdom, The Runner's World Complete Guide to Minimalism and Barefoot Running explains why most runners should consider minimalism, gives simple tests to determine if you're ready, shows how to make the transition safely to running in less shoe, and reveals easy exercises to improve your running form once you've switched. If you've been wondering whether minimalism and barefoot running are for you, let this book be your guide to a lifetime of healthy, happy running.

Enhanced running - naturally. For 30 years runners have been told that their only hope of salvation from injury is an expensive shoe - until now. The barefoot running and minimalist-footwear revolution is here and it is turning the world of running upside down. ? Offers expert advice on how to run barefoot and strengthen atrophied muscles and revitalize super-sensitive soles ? A Harvard University study made from early 2010 shows that barefoot running is better for the body and feet than running in expensive shoes

How could something we have for free—our bare feet—be better for running than $150 shoes? The truth is that running in shoes is high-impact, unstable, and inflexible. Shoes promote a heel-centric ground strike, which weakens your feet, knees, and hips, and leads to common running injuries. In contrast, barefoot running is low-impact, forefoot-centric, stable, and beneficial to your body. It encourages proper form and strengthens your feet in miraculous ways. When you run in shoes, you not only risk developing poor form, but you also hinder the natural relationship with the ground that running facilitates. Barefoot running restores the delightful sensory and spiritual connections to the earth that you were meant to experience. Barefoot Running offers the only step-by-step direction runners need at any age to overcome injuries, run faster than ever, and rediscover the pure joy of running. Once you tear off your shoes and learn to dance with nature, you’ll tread lightly and freely, hearing only the earth’s symphony and feeling only the dirt beneath your feet. Hit the ground running with revolutionary techniques for starting out slowly, choosing minimalist footwear, navigating rough weather and rugged terrain, and building your feet into living shoes.

Americans are chronic shoe-wearers. We buy shoes for infants who can’t yet walk. We wear shoes almost constantly, certainly in public spaces, and often within the comfortable walls of our own homes. If we’d like, we can purchase shoes for just about any occasion or purpose imaginable, in a vast array of styles, colors, materials, and prices. Well, of course. We need shoes. We need them for warmth and for protection. We wear shoes to be fashionable and because it’s expected. It’s just what we do. And what’s wrong with that? The Barefoot Book explores this question and provides a surprising answer. What’s wrong is that chronic shoe wearing is negatively affecting our health and especially the health of our feet. Most of us have experienced pain and blisters caused by wearing an ill-fitting shoe. In some cases, it’s only a matter of minutes before we realize the damage our shoes are causing to our feet. The long-term consequences of chronic shoe wearing are more difficult to connect but are abundant nonetheless. According to author L. Daniel Howell, the warm, moist environment of a shoe-clad foot makes a perfect condition for fungus and bacteria to grow. Poorly fitting shoes cause or exacerbate a host of foot issues from hammer-toes, bunions, and ingrown toenails to fallen arches and Hallux valgus. And high heeled shoes are the worst culprits of all with chronic use damaging the knees, spine, and posture. In fact, continuous wearing of shoes – any shoes – is a problem. Howell explains how shoes redistribute weight, alter joints, weaken foot muscles, decrease foot flexibility, and eliminate sensory feedback from the sole and shock absorption of the arch. This leaves feet weak, fragile, and even more dependent on shoes. Although shoes are meant to protect our feet, they can sometimes cause more problems than they prevent. This is especially true for women, who tend to wear the most unnatural types of shoes, such as high heels. In fact, high heels are likely to blame for the fact that women outnumber men in rates of foot problems by four to one. If shoes are causing such problems, the solution is obvious: take them off. (Or at least, take them off more often.) Ease out of shoes while sitting at the desk at work. Take the dog on a barefoot walk. Declare the house a barefoot-only zone. Spend an entire weekend without shoes. If we dare, commit to a fully barefoot lifestyle. Simply let our feet breathe. A startling idea at first glance, the barefoot lifestyle is one that increasingly makes sense in the context of foot health and culture. Americans might love their shoes, but the citizens of many other countries successfully and comfortably go barefoot. In fact, significant differences arise between the typical American foot, which is constantly shod, and that of the typical barefooter. Hint: barefooters are the ones reaping the benefits. In The Barefoot Book, Howell describes the best and healthiest kinds of shoes to wear for the times we must wear shoes. For the rest of the time, he suggests we go barefoot, and gives tips for getting started on a more barefoot lifestyle. He suggests ways to ease into going barefoot more often, defines the best conditions and situations for going barefoot, identifies the risks, and provides ways to explain to people why you’re going barefoot – particularly if you venture into public areas where shoes are expected. To help readers on the journey to a more barefoot lifestyle, Howell dispels some of the myths about going barefoot. Thus, readers can rest assured that the health department does not require shoes in public places, it’s not illegal to drive barefoot, and in most circumstances, going barefoot is not dangerous. Howell admits it isn’t practical for all of us to embrace a barefoot lifestyle all of the time; that isn’t the goal of The Barefoot Book. What he would like to see is more people going barefoot in more places, more often. He’d like us to experience healthier feet and fewer trips to the podiatrist’s office, to develop feet that are strong, flexible, and comfortable. After learning about the dangers of chronic shoe wearing and the health benefits of going barefoot (or after a long day in uncomfortable shoes), readers will likely agree.

Running can help you lose weight, create a healthy body image, and boost your self-esteem. No matter your fitness level, you too can enjoy the benefits of this sport! With this book, you'll gain the knowledge and tools you need to run a 10K, a marathon, or just a lap around the block! The new edition includes: Cutting-edge information on hugely influential trends in natural running, including ChiRunning, barefoot running, and cross-training with yoga and meditation Information on how to select the right gear and manage your nutrition, including details on new diets favored by endurance athletes A dedicated section on running for women, including specific nutritional and physical concerns Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned veteran, this book has everything you need to maximize your running potential--from start to finish!

This easy-to-use, practical guide helps runners safely build strength and endurance, get motivated and set realistic goals, choose the proper footwear and clothing, eat right, and avoid injury. Completely updated, this fourth edition contains a wealth of new material. A revised RunWalk program gives runners a choice between running 10K or covering the distance by running and walking. A whole new chapter on preparing for charity runs reflects the popularity of getting fit while giving back to the community. There are expanded and enhanced sections with cross-training options such as trail running and bootcamp sessions; information on running through pregnancy; facts about barefoot running, minimalist shoes and shorter strides lengths, plus links to online sources of information and running communities. Combining advice from the experts, training tips and testimonials from runners of all ages, The Beginning Runner's Handbook is a step-by-step road map for achieving running success.

Whether you run in the city or on trails, in races or just for fun, you'll find The Runner's Field Manual loaded with practical advice and how-to instruction. As funny as it is useful, this volume covers everything from Dealing With Drivers to Toenail Maintenance, and explores in explicit detail. COMMON THREATS • Urban: The Blackberry-transfixed businessman • Suburban: The bored, angry dog • Trail: The mountain biker who has watched too many Mountain Dew commercials SHOES & GEAR • The Reef Knot: The only knot you need to know • Barefoot Running: Crazy? Or just insane? • The Trash Bag Poncho: Three steps to ultra-cheap rainwear RACE DAY CHALLENGES • Finding the Damn Thing: Not always so easy • Navigating the Aid Station: Pinch the cup • Finish Line Vomit: Hey, it happens Full of charts, illustrations, and more than a few laughs, The Runner's Field Manual is the perfect reference for anyone who loves to run--or wants to learn how.