Spring

2013

Issue 08

FREE

You saw joy and you showed us how cruel you could be.

I was stunned, angry and confused,

Today I'll run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You tried to instill fear.

When I see fear, I will conquer it,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You showed us your hate.

When I see hate, I will show love,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You highlighted prejudice.

When I see prejudice, I will teach inclusion,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You may claim your God is true.

When I see religious intolerance, I will embrace all,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

Your aim was to hurt.

When I see pain, I will comfort,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You tried to take my voice.

When I see oppression, I will fight for human rights - even yours,

And I will run.

I will run in defiance of you.

You wanted to divide us.

When we see division, we will unite together,

And we will run.

We will run in defiance of you.

You will try to physically break me,

To stop me from running.

I will crawl.

I will crawl in defiance of you.

You will see my defiance and restrain me.

I will lie and dream of freedom.

I will dream.

I will dream in defiance of you.

You may destroy me.

I will inspire others.

They will run on my behalf.

They will run in defiance of you.

Your name is not important

You have not succeeded

We do not care what you think.

We will run in defiance of you.

And remember.

How to contact us

Barefoot Running Magazine

TRC Publishing UK Limited

21 Lyric Mews,

Silverdale,

London

SE26 4TD

United Kingdom

ISSN 2050-9022

email: info@bfrm.co.uk

website: www.bfrm.co.uk

tel: +44 (0) 845 226 7301

Overseas: +44 (0) 208 659 0269

Cover picture: Anton Krupicka

courtesy of New Balance

Insert picture: Courtesy of Eric Rutin

Poem: In defiance of you by Kate Kift

http://barefootkatiek.blogspot.co.uk

The health and fitness information presented in this magazine

is intended as an educational resource and is not intended

as a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before

attempting any of the exercises in this magazine or any other

exercise programme, particularly if you are pregnant, elderly

or have chronic or recurring medical conditions. Do not

attempt any of the exercises while under the influence of

alcohol or drugs. Discontinue any exercise that causes you

pain or discomfort and consult a medical expert. Neither the

author of the information nor the producer nor the distributors

make any warranty of any kind in regard to the content of the

information presented in this magazine.

www.trcpublishinguk.co.uk/bfrm

Find us at:

www.facebook.com/BarefootRunningMagazine

@BareFootRunMag

Anna Toombs Movement therapist, Pilates instructor,

running coach & author

anna.toombs@bfrm.co.uk

@ToombsAnna

David Robinson Movement therapist, sports performance

specialist & author

david.robinson@bfrm.co.uk

@barefootdrrob

Gareth Underhill Personal trainer, sports scientist

(Biomechanist/Physiologist)

gareth.underhill@bfrm.co.uk

Steven Sashen Creator of the Xero Shoe & sprinter

steven.sashen@bfrm.co.uk

Leigh Rogers Holistic sports nutritionist, health & wellness

coach

leigh.rogers@bfrm.co.uk

Togo Keynes

Cycling Coach, Sky Ride

Leader, Spinning Instructor,

Personal Trainer, Holistic

Health Coach & Nutritionist

www.njingacycling.com

Ricardo D’Ash Avid barefoot runner and co-founder of

the Maidstone Barefoot Dashers

Ricardo.d’ash@bfrm.co.uk

Steve Gangemi

(AKA Sock Doc)

Chiropractic physician &

MovNat coach

www.sock-doc.com

Monja Knoll

Psychologist, Lecturer and

Tim Minchin fan Ian Hicks Barefoot running enthusiast

ian.hicks@bfrm.co.uk

Chris Fielding Blogging enthusiast and barefoot runner.

Founder of Barefoot Beginner

www.barefootbeginner.com

Jonathan Mackintosh Keen ultrarunner and blogger

www.pixelscotland.com

Hi Everyone

Well, we’ve been a bit behind

with this issue but the weather

has been a bit behind too so

that’s alright! Glad it’s getting

warmer..

We have a bigger than ever

issue for you (number 8!),

including some new contributors.

Ultrarunner, Jonathan Mackintosh,

has reviewed the Mizuno

Cursoris for us whilst another new columnist, Chris Fielding, has

been investigating gluten free beers. To complement this, Abby,

a coelic sufferer, has kindly given us a very positive account of

living with coeliac disease, whilst our nutritionist, Leigh Rogers,

explains the pros and cons of alcohol.

I had a great Skype chat with Danny Dreyer, founder of

ChiRunning, whose spiritual approach to running has helped

thousands achieve better running form (see page 52). David

has been in his lab again – beware if you drink out of plastic

bottles because you’ll be having second thoughts after

reading what he’s found!

Togo Keynes (Njinga Cycle Tours & Training) gives us some

pointers on choosing the right bike, whilst we offer some hip

opening exercises to

improve overall movement

and running form.

The usual news, letters,

pics, etc. are sprinkled

throughout, including a

piece from someone who

tells us what it’s like to be

on the receiving end of a

barefoot running enthusiast’s

rants!

We’d like to dedicate this

issue to those affected by

the events at the Boston

Marathon and thank Kate

Kift for letting us share her

poignant words with you all

(page 2).

Run Strong, Run Free

Anna & David

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5

International News National news 56

On track 72

International news 76

A conversation with... ChiLiving founder Danny Dreyer

52

The Green Room Abby Turner – on being a

‘Coeliac’

62

Try this at home Freedom is HIP!

4 exercises to open the hip joint

74

How to: Purchase the correct bike for

your needs

80

Write back at you View from the other side by

Monja Knoll

84

Next Issue What’s coming Summer 2013

121

1 National news 72

On track 90

International news 92

Main feature The history and evolution of the

Boston Marathon 1897 - 2013

8

In focus Anton Krupicka - Standing on

top of the world

12

David’s laboratory Bottled water! Is it crystal clear?

20

Book review Barefoot Walking: Free Your Feet

28

Injury corner Educate yourself to recover from

and prevent injury

36

Technical tip Postural alignment

42

Nutritional nugget Alcohol - just how good is it for

you really?

46

P a g e 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Anna’s pause for thought Tips and general musings

18

Chris Fielding Roving Barefoot Reporter

58

Sashen speaks Barefoot Running is bad for you!

66

Backchat David Robinson’s latest

124

Backchat David Robinson’s latest

136

The Season in pictures 4

Clubhouse calendar 98

It’s your letters Your stories and thoughts

98

The society pages What’s happening within the

Barefoot Runners Society

100

Product reviews and

results B

102

Club directory Find a club near you

123

Outside the lab Other peoples’ labs

27

Questions & answers Your questions answered

32

Season in pictures A showcase of what you have

been up to

34

Caught in the web Internet snippets

49

Events Stuff that’s going on

50

Assorted goodies Products worth a look

70

What’s on 2013 events and race calendar

86

Barefoot Running UK The latest from Barefoot

Running UK

94

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7

Main feature

P a g e 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 9

he events that occurred at

this year’s Boston Marathon

shocked the whole world –

runners and non-runners alike. We

wanted to pay tribute to those who

were affected, but rather than

dwell on the awful details of what

happened, we thought we’d delve

into the history and evolution of this

great race and remind ourselves

why runners run and why we won’t

be stopped!

The first Boston Marathon was held in

April of 1897, with just 18 participants.

Back then, the race distance was

24.5 miles and remained that same

distance up until 1924 when it was

brought up to the standard 26.2

miles to conform to the IAAF ruling.

The course is run through eight

different cities and towns of

Massachusetts. As one of the

Marathon World Majors, it is the

oldest and also the one with the

highest elevation change, with a

series of challenging hills that begin

at around mile 16 and finish around

mile 21. People familiar with route

will know that the last hill in the

series is known as ‘Heartbreak Hill’,

although this is not to do with how

challenging it is on your heart but

the result of a journalist’s report in

1936 when he told of the broken

heart of the runner who almost

won, only to be overtaken on the

hill by the eventual race winner.

The race is traditionally held on

Patriot’s Day - the third Monday

in April – and this can mean

unpredictable weather too. Over

the years, the temperature has

usually been between 40 and 50

degrees but runners in 1905 would

have been particularly challenged

by the unusual 100 degree

temperature!

The Boston Marathon is one of a

number of marathons for which

runners need to achieve a qualifying

time in order to enter. The speed

goals are pretty tough: under 3:05

hours for men and under 3:35 hours

for women. However, about one

fifth of the places are reserved for

sponsors, charities, etc. so there is

scope for slower runners to join in.

The current men’s course record

was set in 2011 by Geoffrey Mutai

of Kenya, who ran the race in an

incredible 2:03:02. The women’s

record has stood since 2002, when

another Kenyan, Margaret Okayo,

achieved a fantastic 2:20:43.

The 2011 race was a particularly

significant one for Japan too – both

the men’s and women’s wheelchair

races were won by Japanese

athletes, just after the terrible

earthquake that devastated their

country. Incidentally, the Boston

Marathon was the first marathon

to include a wheelchair segment.

People often associate the Boston

Marathon with the controversy

that surrounded women’s distance

running back in the 60’s and 70’s as

women became more interested in

it but were told it was bad for their

health. To clarify, this was only

Western thinking; in other cultures,

women were regarded to be as

resilient as men. Chinese women

in the Red Army during the 30’s

trained hard, with long distance

running being an essential part

of their regime because the

endurance it built helped them in

their fighting. Women in the Soviet

Union were also on a par with men,

practising the same sports and

competing at the same levels.

Even in Western society, smaller,

poorer communities saw women

carrying out physical work on the

land alongside the men.

So, the opinion that women weren’t

strong enough to run came from a

very small minority and a certain

class of people. Luckily, some

talented women were determined

to reverse this thinking, even if it got

them into trouble! Despite a few

women having already run very

respectable marathons (French

woman Marie-Louise Ledru in 1918

and Englishwoman Violet Percy in

1926) the Boston Marathon, much

later on in the 60’s, was still a

men-only race. The first woman

to unofficially run the race was

Roberta Gibb in 1964 (in a time

of 3:19:33) and she went largely

unnoticed, concealing herself well

at the starting line. It was later in

1967 (when Ms Gibb also ran again)

that there was a great deal of

media coverage as Kathrine Switzer

competed in the race, along with

her boyfriend Thomas Miller. When

the race co-director found out that

there was a woman running, he

drove out to the course to try to

pull her out of the race. There are

several pictures of the scuffle as

her boyfriend defended her so

that she was able to finish.

Unfortunately, she was banned

from further competitions for her

illegal entry, but the public’s

sympathy was entirely with her

and she inspired many other

women to take up running.

Boston 2013

The explosions at the finish line of

the 2013 race cast a huge shadow

over the otherwise joyous coming

together of those who love to run.

Three people were killed and over

260 injured in the cowardly attack.

However, in the great spirit of

the running community, runners

all over the world have come

together to commemorate the

lives of those affected by the

tragedy, holding their own group

runs and ceremonies in tribute. The

‘One Fund’ has been set up to

raise money for the victims’ families

and so far, over $28 million dollars

have been raised. A concert will

be held on 30th May in Boston to

raise further funds and give people

the opportunity to reunite once

again “in defiance” of the

perpetrators.

Kate Kift’s words (page 2) say it all.

If you’d like to make a contribution

to the victims and their families,

please visit: www.onefund.org

Sources

www.bostonmagazine.com

www.onefundorg

www.cnn.com

www.baa.org

www.wikipedia.org

Gotaas, T: Running: A Global History

(2009)

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P a g e 1 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

In Focus

ometimes known as the barefoot

ultra runner, Anton Krupicka

is perhaps one of the most

familiar figures in the ultra running

world. Just punch in ‘ultra running’

on YouTube and he’ll be in at least

three or four of the first page of clips,

with just his shorts on and long hair

flowing in the wind. He may well

be a relative of Ken Bob Saxton...

Anton’s interest in running began

back in the 5th grade when he

wanted to produce a decent time

for the 1 mile time trial. He trained

for this by running one mile per

day...and just never really stopped.

In terms of ultra running, it certainly

helps to be surrounded by beautiful

places in which to run, so for Anton,

growing up in Nebraska, it was

perfect.

During his running career, he has

clocked up some very impressive

mileage and times:

100 mile Personal Record (PR) =

13:18:52 at the Rocky Racoon 100

50 mile PR = 5:42:37 at the American

River 50

He’s also a two-time Leadville 100

winner, which really puts him right

amongst the top runners in the ultra

world.

Prior to the barefoot running boom,

Anton was known for taking a knife

to his running shoes and getting

rid of all the excess padding

and support (there’s footage of him

doing so on YouTube). His approach

to his life is minimal too – he says

that he sometimes likes to empty

his life and fit all that he owns into

one truck, living out of it for an

entire summer. When he runs, he’s

known for wearing just his shoes

and a small pair of shorts, although

he finds the amount of interest in

his running garb, or lack of it, a little

strange. He doesn’t do it to make

any kind of statement – he’d merely

like to remain at a comfortable

temperature, rather than getting

too hot and also be able to move

as freely as possible – in which case,

the fewer clothes, the better.

He carries this sense of simplicity into

his diet too. He tends to eat mainly

whole grains, fruit and vegetables

and rarely has junk food. He’s not

vegetarian but doesn’t eat much

meat. During a race, he’ll opt for

water, a few gels and a bit of salt.

He saves solid food for post-race.

miles per week to improve his

form and proprioception; this is

also when running feels the most

comfortable. Perhaps he’d do

more if the terrain was more

forgiving but as he and many

others state, “shoes are tools” and

must be used when it’s appropriate

to do so.

Anton’s training regime has

changed over the years. He used

to focus on the mileage and aim

for around 200 miles per week

during peak training times leading

up to races. Over the last couple

of years, this strategy has changed,

largely due to injury as well as

a development in his mental

approach to the sport of ultra

running. In early 2011, Anton took

part in the Rocky Racoon 100,

enjoying a good race with fairly

decent training leading up to it.

In hindsight, he did have a niggly

In most interviews, he’s asked about

his diet and he’s very blasé about

it – there’s nothing specific or

monitored about his nutritional

intake, he just takes it all in his stride.

Anything is, “fair game” he tells one

interviewer in the Runners World

profile on YouTube.

Another topic that crops up in

interviews is barefoot running and

Anton has also written about his

thoughts on the subject in Runner’s

World. “I view footwear as an

experiment-of-one type situation

that should be based on personal

goals and individual preferences,

not necessarily on a generalized

theory”. Anton is an ambassador

for New Balance and predominantly

wears their minimalist shoe range –

sometimes with crampons attached

to the bottom when he’s traversing

mountainous, snowy terrain. He runs

around 30 completely barefoot

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 3

P a g e 1 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 5

his blog and he also writes for a few

other websites, including the Running

Times (www.runningtimes.com)

and Ultimate Direction

(www.blog.ultimatedirection.com)

along with his good friend and

frequent running partner, Scott

Jurek. His goal with his blog is to

share his experiences with people

to hopefully give them some

motivation and helpful tips

about the world of ultra running.

Regarding motivation, he explains

how his own love of running stems

from a passion for the mountains.

Whilst racing is part of the picture –

and he enjoys the community

aspect and ego boost that comes

from racing – he is adamant

that the key to a long, satisfying

relationship with running is to find

the enjoyment from the actual

‘doing’ rather than just end-goal

achievement.

As well as continuing to train

and race, Anton is also the subject

of an upcoming film, due for

release sometime this summer.

It’s called, ‘In the High Country’

and is filmed by Joel Wolpert. You

can find out more information at:

www.thewolpertinger.com. To

keep updated with Anton’s running

and helpful insights, visit his blog at:

www.antonkrupicka.blogspot.com.

Sources:

www.newbalance.com

www.antonkrupicka.blogspot.com

www.runnersworld.com

www.runningtimes.com

www.blog.ultimatedirection.com

www.thewolpertinger.com

www.youtube.com

left foot and some discomfort in

his right shin which, whilst relatively

mild before the race, seemed to

flare up afterwards and on top of

this, he lost a mini battle against a

cold which turned into a bout of flu.

Over the next couple of months, as

his blog details, he wasn’t able to

do much running because these

niggles just weren’t going away. He

could no longer put them down to

post-race fatigue and realized that

something was a little mechanically

awry.

In June 2011, on the home stretch

of a run and on relatively easy and

level terrain, Anton caught his left

toe on something and as his right

leg came through to prevent him

falling, he hyper-extended the

knee and heard a ‘snap’. This is

never good news and Anton later

found out that he had broken

his fibula, part of which was now

floating close to a very swollen

knee. This isn’t something he seems

to dwell on and is quick in his blog

to point out that, although this

situation was frustrating, it was only

temporary and he was still very

lucky compared to many others.

The good that came out of this

break and rehab programme was

that Anton began to focus less on

mileage and more on just the time

he spent on his feet. He began

to set vertical goals, rather than

horizontal ones! This involved more

hiking, scrambling and the use of

ropes and the aforementioned

crampons as he tackled different

summits in all kinds of weather.

Now, he generally aims towards

approximately 25 hours on his

feet during training per week and

14,000 – 15,000 feet of vertical

climb. This way, he’s using his body

in a more diverse way which, as

most of us understand, is generally

better than consistent, steady

pounding on even terrain. He still

has the odd twinge and has been

sharing the details of a hip problem

on his blog that he’s had since

before Christmas. He writes,

“Injuries are a funny thing. I’ve

run every day for over two weeks

now but I still don’t have 100%

confidence in my hip. But it’s

never really hurt, either. I’m hoping

that with continued vigilance,

diligence with my exercises, and

acupuncture, I’ll gradually get

there”.

There’s lots of info and insights on

P a g e 1 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

“Anytime you head into the

mountains, it’s a fascinating

but not entirely predictable,

controlled environment. It’s

a capricious arena, as is life

in general. Of course, that

wildness is part of why we

go…”

Anton Krupicka

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 7

he other day, I was thinking

about 'comfort zones'.

It's a phrase you hear a

lot in the fitness world and

although most have a general

understanding of what it means,

it is in fact quite ambiguous. The

ambiguity manifests itself in two

ways: firstly, exercisers are unsure

whether they are supposed to

stay safely within their comfort

zone or try and push beyond it

and secondly, there's really no

tangible measure of what it is

exactly because it's a subjective

perception of effort.

As an idea, it is sound because

it is based on the premise that

you should listen to your body

and adjust your effort level

accordingly. However, the ability

to do that is quite tricky. As an

example, many years ago when

I worked in a gym, part of the

standard fitness assessment was

to monitor the gym member as

they cycled on a bike, noting

their heart rate and 'Rate of

Perceived Exertion' (on a scale

of 1-10) as they pedaled at a

constant speed for ten minutes,

with resistance being added

every one or two minutes.

I remember clients working

hard but only feeling a 4 or 5

on the scale, whereas others

were clearly taking it easy but

claiming a 9.

These discrepancies were often

linked to the subject's previous

exercise experience. For instance,

those who were used to pushing

their heart rate up and breaking

a sweat were comfortable in

familiar territory, whereas new

exercisers felt out of control.

I can expand on this with my

own personal experience with

exercise. I've been a big fan

of cardiovascular/endurance

exercise for such a long time

that when I'm out for a run and

I feel my body start to respond

with deeper breaths, heat

generation and a raised heart

rate, it feels like an old friend.

In fact, weirdly, it feels safe.

In terms of pushing my

cardiovascular system, it's such

a familiar sensation to me that

I just know how much I can

push myself. I recently ran a

stupidly steep hill that I'd not

run for a few months and felt

that quivering feeling at the

back of my throat (you know,

the one that tells you that you

might just be about to vomit)

but still knew that I could get

to the top and be ok. And

that's purely down to experience.

I would certainly admit, however,

that it wasn't particularly

comfortable!

Barefoot running has made

me re-consider what the term

'comfort zone' means though.

Looking back, I realize that I

P a g e 1 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

“Leaving your

comfort zone

can also mean

identifying your

fears and facing

them.“

used to think about it in quite

a one dimensional manner.

It was all about how hard I

could push my body - how

fast/far I could go or how many

reps I could perform in the gym.

In the gym. Hmm, is that really

the only place I can push myself

or get out of my comfort zone?

How about: RUNNING BAREFOOT

IN THE SNOW AT -2 DEGREES?!

Wow, that takes things to a

different level. Gosh, how I've

been kidding myself! Pushing

my heart rate up and getting

hot isn't getting me out of my

comfort zone at all - not really.

It's not particularly uncomfortable

at any stage. It's just different

levels of work.

Getting outside your comfort

zone is about doing something

that makes you uncomfortable.

Part of that might be doing

something new or unknown.

Barefoot running was an

uncomfortable challenge at

first; not only was it quite painful

on my tender feet, but I also just

didn’t know whether or not I

would be able to do it. Or what

to expect. Added to that was

the concern about what other

people would think about me

doing it. The embarrassment

factor – sometimes much worse

than physical pain! There was

me thinking I’d been challenging

myself when in reality, I’d been

coasting along and probably

getting stuck in a rut too.

I’ve always done some running

outside but I’ve also tended to

exercise indoors a lot too – more

latterly at home than in the gym

which I stopped around eight

years ago. Those who know me

will be aware of the fact that I

hate the cold – I just find being

cold one of the worst states to

be in and I feel cold much of the

time, even in the height of summer.

It’s a weakness that I’ve never

really tried to deal with, hence

the indoor exercise, especially

in the Winter.

My attitude changed with

barefoot running though. It was

something that I was in awe of,

something that I didn’t find easy

initially but found myself falling in

love with nevertheless. I’ve been

out of my comfort zone as much

as I’ve been in it and it’s helped

me immensely. In my running

practice, it means I no longer opt

for a fitness DVD if I spot a drop

of rain – instead, I head out and

embrace it. I meet the challenge

of nature head-on rather than

hide away from it and miss its glory.

It’s still a challenge to get outside

when it’s very cold but I always

go if I’ve planned to because I

do warm up and it’s always fun!

And in my pursuit of fitness, that

must include being able to keep

going in adverse conditions.

Leaving your comfort zone can

also mean identifying your fears

and facing them. I’ve been

safely training people and

teaching classes which is fine,

but since taking on the challenge

of barefoot running it almost

feels that the sky’s the limit (or

not!) and David and I have grown

our little newsletter into what is

now Barefoot Running Magazine.

I’ve learnt not to limit my own

progress by being afraid.

Going back to the fitness side

of things, until a couple of years

ago I’d not swum for ages

because my shoulders have a

tendency to dislocate. I

decided to take it up as an

add-on to the running, doing

just breaststroke with a scary,

half length of crawl at the end

of the session, worrying about

my shoulders. Waaayyy outside

my comfort zone. But I kept

going. Now, I can crawl

easily for pretty much as long

as I want, something I never

thought I’d do as I watched

others in the pool with their

effortless strokes. Yoga too is

something I’ve struggled with in

the past but again, it’s just taken

patience and the decision not

to just take the easy way out

to now start feeling some real

progress.

These, as always, are just my

personal thoughts but they do

evolve from years of working

with clients and learning from

them. So, I’m guessing some

of this might ring true for some

of you and maybe it’s time to

find out what other worlds are

outside your comfort zone!

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 9

P a g e 2 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

David’s laboratory

Bottled water! Is it crystal clear?

“Fu-ti-can... It's Japanese. You wouldn't know it.

It's in the Japanese character to do this sort of thing.

They build these special ships… and sail them to the farthest

navigable extremes... And look for the bluest iceberg they can find...

and they tow it back. And one is able to drink

something… that was last in liquid form about

30,000 years ago.”

“Expensively clean.”

“What does it taste like?”

“Like water.”

- Dialogue from

Kiss the Girls (Paramount Pictures1997)

most ardent environmental crusaders,

found that approximately 22 % of

the brands they tested contained,

in at least one sample, chemical

contaminants at levels above strict

state health limits.[7]

The Environmental Working Group

conducted tests on ten different

bottled water brands at the University

of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, where

the group found a series of impurities

and contaminants. The tests came

back positive for fluoride, arsenic,

fertilizer, prescription drugs and

radioactive isotopes.[8] This is not to

say that impurities of this nature do

not occur in tap water, because

they do! Take the incident in 2008,

for example: 250,000 people in

Northamptonshire, UK were told to

boil tap water for drinking after

routine tests by Anglian Water

found cryptosporidium (a parasite

that causes stomach upsets and

diarrhoea) in a sample from supplies

to Northampton, Daventry and

surrounding villages.[9] But, unlike

bottled water companies, municipal

water providers dispense information

regarding filtration methods and

possible contamination.

Critics of bottled water also like to point

out that over 25% of all bottled water

on sale today began as municipal

the bottled variety, but frequently

is a great deal fresher, due to the

fact that the bottled water can sit

in storage and then on supermarket

shelves for up to two years before

consumption.[2] Ms Jackson went

so far as to describe bottled water

as 'a fashion accessory'. Not

surprisingly, bottled water company

representatives insist that the seals

on bottles protect against any

bacterial contamination, regardless

of storage time. They also reiterated

their product’s superiority to tap

water, which, they claim, can be

contaminated by bacteria, pesticides,

lead, nitrates from fertilizers and

chlorine.[3] Spokeswoman for – and

advocate of – bottled water, Jo

Jacobius, said: "The choice between

the two is whether you want your

water naturally clean or chemically

cleaned."[4]

Are the bottled water companies

correct? It seems not! In actual

fact, research shows that both

forms (bottled and tap) have

significant chemical contamination

and toxicity.[5] Municipal water

undergoes chemical treatments

contains added substances, such

as chlorine and fluoride, but

according to research, so does

bottled water.[6] Natural Resources

Defense Council, one of the US’s

ast issue I looked into how much

water we, as individuals, need

to sustain a healthy lifestyle but

one question that kept cropping up

was: Is bottled water good for us?

The image of a bottle of water is

often depicted alongside young,

sporty-looking individuals, full of life

and vitality and would lead you to

think that the two go hand in hand.

However, it now seems that bottled

water may not be as clean and

fresh as the bottled water companies

would like us to believe.

Prices for bottled water range

drastically - from £1.00 GBP for your

run-of-the-mill 500ml plastic bottle

product to a ridiculous £40.00 ($60.00)

price tag for a single bottle of

‘designer’ water. One glitzy bottle

(no names mentioned here) even

fetched an outlandish £40,000.00p

($60,000) for a mere 1.25 ml of fluid!

However, today bottled water

companies are facing major

criticisms as regulators and

consumers voice concerns over

the health and environmental

implications of the plastics used

in the manufacturing process.

Supporters of the global warming

theory believe that the packaging

and shipping is unnecessarily

consuming energy and contributes

to global warming, while the empty

plastic bottles add to litter and solid

waste when disposed of after use,

contaminating both land and sea.

With UK bottled water sales

equalling 2055 million litres (543

million US gallons) in 2010, and US

sales surpassing 33.1 billion litres

(8.75 billion US gallons), exceeding

sales of all other beverages except

carbonated soft drinks,[1] demand

is driven by a variety of factors

including convenience and taste

preferences, along with the best

marketing/advertising possible to

foster the perception that bottled

water is safer and much more

healthy than local municipal water.

But is this true?

Firstly let’s look at the true cost of

disposable bottled water and the

effects it is having on our health

and environment.

Deputy Chief Inspector, Claire

Jackson, of the Drinking Water

Inspectorate (DWI), controversially

stated recently that local municipal

water is not only just as good as

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 2 1

There has also been the worry over

calcium levels being too high in

many bottled brands, particularly

when there is not enough magnesium

present in the same product to allow

the calcium to be absorbed properly,

which researchers believe may lead

to calcification in soft tissues and

arteries and in turn, could adversely

affect bone density.[16]

There are further concerns regarding

high levels of sodium (salt) that some

companies add to their products

for taste purposes.[17] Sustain (an

environmental charity) says: "While

mineral waters usually contain only

trace amounts of minerals - including

sodium - people with high blood

pressure or who have had a stroke

or a heart attack should check

labels carefully."[18] The Environmental

Protection Agency suggests 20 mg

or less of sodium per litre should be

the aim in drinking water.[19]

Let’s now look at the containers

themselves. The vast majority of

disposable water bottles are a type

1 plastic (Polyethylene Terephthalate,

also known as PETE or PET)[20] and this

can be a problem. While water

is clear, it’s not always clear where

the plastic bottle ends and the drink

begins!

Some researchers are now

investigating the claims that

certain plastics are ‘leaching’ into

their contents. There has been

much speculation whether the

amounts are harmful, and whether

it is even a concern when it comes

to disposable water bottles. It

seems that small amounts of

chemicals from these PET water

bottles, such as antimony (a semi-

metal that’s thought to be toxic in

large doses) may not necessarily

be harmful in small doses but

eventually could cause increases

in blood cholesterol and decreases

in blood sugar in those that drink

bottled water over a number of

years.[21] There is also concern

over a chemical called DEHA, also

known as Bis(2-ethylhexyl) which

has been demonstrated to induce

liver adenomas and carcinomas in

mice but not in rats.[22] According

to the International Agency for

Research on Cancer (IARC), it is "not

classifiable as to its carcinogenicity

to humans (Group 3),"[23] suggesting

inadequate evidence of human

carcinogenicity. However, both

these chemicals are thought to

accumulate the longer bottled

water is kept in a hot environment.

The cancer claim has been rebutted

by Cancer UK, stating on their

website, “A group of hoax emails

have been doing the rounds for

a few years warning about the

so-called dangers of plastic bottles,

containers and films. The emails

generally warn people about one

or more of the following; freezing

water in plastic bottles, reusing

plastic water bottles, leaving plastic

bottles in cars, microwaving food

in plastic containers or covered

with plastic films. However, there

is no convincing scientific evidence

to back up these claims or to

suggest that any of these products

could cause cancer.” It went on

to say, “There is no convincing

scientific evidence to substantiate

these health warnings against

plastics. In the UK, there is legislation

in place to ensure that all materials

that come into contact with food,

such as containers for pre-packed

food, are thoroughly tested before

they can be used.”[24]

This may or may not be true, but

what about the environmental

concern? PET is manufactured

using crude oil. Specifically, 47

million gallons of oil per year goes

into production worldwide, an

estimated 17 million barrels of which

water[10] and in some cases

undergoes further treatment before

being bottled, for example Pepsi’s

‘Aquafina’.[11] Dasani, a Coca-

Cola product, is simply purified

Philadelphia municipal water that

has had minerals added back in.[12]

Once sold in the UK (and taken from

the Thames water supply) Dasani

was pulled from the shelves in 2004,

when it became contaminated

with bromate, a cancer-causing

chemical.[13] The Drinking Water

Inspectorate confirmed it had

checked the Thames Water supplied

to the taps in the factory in Sidcup,

England, and found it free of

bromate.[14] It is believed that the

purification process was at fault,

during which calcium chloride was

added, containing bromide, for the

‘taste profile’. This in itself was not

a problem, but when ozone was

pumped through it, oxidizing the

bromide and converting it into

bromate, that, most definitely, was

a problem! When it was finally

dispatched to the shops, the ‘pure’

bottles of water contained up to

twice the legal limit for bromate

(10 micrograms per litre).[15]

The whole scandal was a marketing

nightmare for Coca- Cola - such

that they abandoned the sale of

Dasani in the UK and have not

remarketed here for over a decade.

P a g e 2 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

are used in the US alone, according

to the United States Conference

of Mayors and scientists at the

University of Louisville.[25] What’s

more, 80 % of 28 billion PET water

bottles sold annually in the US are

simply thrown away and not being

recycled, according to data from

the Container Recycling Institute.[26]

Worldwide, recycling rates are even

lower; up to 90% of bottles are not

recycled.[27] This is creating a

disastrous outcome. It is believed

that PET bottles produce up to 1.5

million tons of plastic waste per

year and take 400 to1000 years to

degrade, according to Food and

Water Watch.[28] Which begs the

question: If our current rate of

consumption continues, where will

we put all of this discarded plastic?

Well the answer seems to be: Into

our seas and oceans. ‘Islands of

litter’ in the five Ocean Gyres have

now been discovered, with an

estimated mass of 100 million tons

in the North Pacific Ocean (AKA:

‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’)

alone. 80% of its mass of garbage

originates from land, 20% from ships,

and - not surprisingly - 90% of it is

plastic.[29]

Worldwide, according to the United

Not to mention the adverse effects

on ground water levels if bottling

plants pumping out more water than

is naturally replenished. For example,

Perrier's Zephyr hills facility requested

an increase to pumping from a spring

on a private ranch in central Florida

by 600% in the next 10 years. The

request was denied by a judge,

ruling that the pumping could dry

up Tampa Bay resident tap water,

some 37 miles downstream.[32]

It must be remembered that rivers

are delicate ecosystems and

therefore tapping springs and

aquifers, even on a small scale, can

alter their dynamics, disrupting the

food supply for fish and other wildlife.

"It's a very complicated system, and

we don't have a very good predictive

understanding of how the properties

of the river channel will be affected” ,

warns Kurt Cuffey, assistant Professor

of Geology at the University of

California at Berkeley.[33]

So instead, should I use municipal

water in a purpose manufactured

sport plastic bottle? The concern

of ‘leaching’ of certain harmful

substances from the plastics is

not only a possibility with reused

disposable bottles, but also with

many reusable sports/ juice bottles

Nations Environment Programme,

plastic is killing a million seabirds a

year, and 100,000 marine mammals

and turtles. It kills by entanglement,

choking and clogging up digestive

tracts, leading to fatal constipation.

Bottle caps are routinely found in the

stomachs of dead seabirds, marine

mammals and turtles.[30]

Let’s not forget the carbon dioxide.

The Pacific Institute estimates that

for every ton of PET manufactured,

around 3 tons of carbon dioxide

(CO2) is produced and in 2006,

bottling water plants within the US

created more than 2.5 million tons

of CO2. Add the delivery miles by

ground transportation (lorry, rail

and/or ships) and the true cost is

outrageous! For example, for each

bottle of Fuji water imported into

the US approximately 250g of

CO2 is produced - 93g for bottle

manufacturing in China, 4g for

transporting an empty bottle to Fiji,

and 153g for shipping a full bottle to

the US. Peter Gleick, an expert on

water policy and director at the

Pacific Institute in Oakland, California,

stated, “Overall, the average energy

cost to make the plastic, fill the bottle,

transport it to market and then deal

with the waste would be like filling up

a quarter of every bottle with oil."[31]

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 2 3

and office water cooler containers

that are generally made from

polycarbonate (a type 7 plastic).

The chemical in question is Bisphenol

A or BPA. It is a chemical used in

the creation of polycarbonate

plastics and therefore not only used

in the manufacturing of sport water

bottles but is also used extensively

in consumer products ranging from

laptop computers and CDs to car

components, and even the linings

in other food and drink containers,[34]

with a world production capacity

increasing from 1 million tons in the

80s,[35] to more than 4.7 million

estimated tons by 2012.[36] Such is

the extent that a recent study in

the US found that 95% of the adults

tested between 1988 and 1994 had

BPA present in their urine[37], as well

as in 93% of children and adults

tested in 2003 and 2004,.[38] A 2011

study that investigated the number

of chemicals pregnant women are

exposed to in the U.S. found BPA in

96% of women and was commonly

found in the umbilical cords of

babies in utero.[39] As Dr. Hugh

S. Taylor (reproductive endocrinologist

at Yale University School of Medicine,

who is studying the impact of the

chemical on female reproductive

health) says, “Everyone is exposed

to it.”

Historically, back in the 1930s, BPA

was used for two purposes: 1) To

enhance the growth of cattle and

poultry and 2) As an oestrogen

replacement for women.[39, 40, 41]

Although it was only used as such

for a short period of time, it is only

relatively recently that research

has begun to highlight the safety

concerns surrounding the chemical,

particularly exposure to it during

pregnancy and subsequently for

young babies.[42]

Professor Frederick vom Saal, a

biology professor at the University

of Missouri at Columbia, has spent

over 10 years researching the effects

of BPA exposure during pregnancy

and on young children, after coming

across it in 1997 while studying foetal

development. He believes that,

“The foetus and infant are exquisitely

sensitive to Bisphenol A. One hit

during a brief window of time can

influence future development as it passes through the placenta from

mother to baby. Even low levels

of exposure while the baby is

developing can cause lasting

changes in reproductive and

metabolic development. Actually

there is so much BPA in the

environment it is as if we are all

wearing ‘a sex hormone patch’.”[43]

This research project, one of many

initiating from the early 1990’s, has

proven that Bisphenol A does leach

into its external environment. So

now the debate is whether BPA

is damaging or not. What is so

unusual about the research findings

is, scientists believe that low doses

can cause genetic abnormalities

while high doses may not, as Prof.

Saal explains, “The foetus and infant

are exquisitely sensitive to Bisphenol A.

One hit during a brief window of time

can influence future development”.

He added, “These changes to the

foetus are permanent and irreversible,

whereas impacts of adult exposure

are seem to be reversible.”[44] This causes different viewpoints

amongst regulators. In 2010 the US

Food and Drug Administration started

supporting efforts by manufacturers

to remove BPA from baby feeding

bottles, as well as infant feeding

cups and to replace it in food can

linings, but at the same time

rejecting an outright ban on all food

packaging, saying that the science

was still uncertain. Canada in the

same year concluded that, while

adverse health effects were not

expected, the margin of safety was

too small for formula fed infants

and so declared BPA as a ‘toxic

substance’ to human health and

the environment,[45, 46] but to date

no other country has followed suit,

although in 2011 the European

Commission banned BPA from baby

bottles, while the European Food

Safety Authority concluded that

consumers are not at risk from

exposure to BPA leaching into food,

and has criticized the methodology

of scientific studies concluding

otherwise. Even now the row is

continuing with the UK and a number of other EU member states

opposing a new plan from the

French regulators to ban BPA from

all food packaging by 2014, after

the French Agency for Food,

Environmental and Occupational

Health and Safely raised concerns

after a hazard assessment, stating

it would be a breach of rules.[47] Even though BPA has been banned

in the construction of baby bottles

it is still considered safe by the UK

Food Standards Agency and this

organization told the European

Commission that the draft French

bill ‘does not follow sound science’.

France's Health Minister Xavier

Bertrand has backed the ban,

which was proposed by Dr Michèle

Delaunay, a doctor and member of

France's Socialist Party, who warned

that the chemical could be behind

cases of young girls prematurely

developing breasts and in September

2012, Ms Delaunay went on record

stating: "The chemical (BPA) poses

other risks. It can be responsible for

obesity, cardiovascular diseases and

could possibly increase the risk of

cancer."[48] UK based cancer charity,

Breast Cancer UK, that led the

campaign back in 2010 to the ban

of BPA in baby bottles throughout

the EU, has welcomed the French

Food Safety Agency’s opinion on its

internal review by launching a

petition (www.nomorebpa.org.uk)

urging the UK government to ‘take

the lead’ and ban BPA and other

endocrine disrupting chemicals in

food and drink packaging.[49] Lynn

Ladbrook, campaign manager for

Breast Cancer UK when asked

said, “We want the UK

government to take the lead on

endocrine disrupting chemicals

in Europe and look to ban the

import and export of BPA. We

will present the petition to the

UK government and hope for

a UK-wide ban or for them to

take an approach like

France has done.” She

added, “We need to

take the precautionary

principle, the rise in

breast cancer cannot

be down to genetics

and environmental

exposure alone, but

we need to ensure the

chemical is not simply

replaced by chemicals

of a similar molecular

make up but replaced

with safer alternatives.

The onus is on the industry

and at times like these, it

often spurs innovation with

manufacturers already

looking at alternatives

because of consumer

pressure to phase it

out.”[50]

Elizabeth Salter Green,

director of the pressure

group Chem Trust said:

"The UK is trying to

scupper the French

ban, but it is not alone.

Many member states

seem to want to stop

the French initiative.

P a g e 2 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

level exposure to BPA, and it seems

no one is immune to these health

implications. Research has linked

BPA to: Structural damage to

the brain,[55, 56] hyperactivity and

attention deficits,[57] increased

aggressiveness and impaired

learning,[58, 59, 60] an increased fat

formation and risk of obesity,[61, 62]

altered immune function,[63, 64] early

puberty,[65] stimulation of mammary

gland development, disrupted

reproductive cycles, and ovarian

dysfunction.[66, 67, 68] Not to mention

changes in gender-specific

behaviour and abnormal sexual

behaviour,[69, 70] and the stimulation

of prostate and breast cancer

cells.[71, 72, 73, 74]

However, BPA's proponents argue

that the substance does not

accumulate in your body and

therefore is not harmful, even

though BPA has been found in 98%

of all people tested in the US.[75]

Conclusion

For me, weighing up all evidence

I’ve found regarding bottled versus

municipal water, I personally have

to fall onto the side of municipal tap

water. Unlike municipal tap water,

to be produced and shipped,

bottled water uses up a vast amount

of crude oil and other fossil fuels,

fills up landfills and pollutes our

oceans, wastes money and does

not go through nearly as rigorous

filtering and cleansing processes as

western world tap water does. My

answer is to invest in good filtration

within the household, either through

a filter jug or, better still, inline filters

for the kitchen and/or bathroom.

Another worthwhile investment

might be a BPA-Free, reusable

drinking container such as the

‘Bobble’ (see page 118).

As Anna said at the Running Show

2012, “Just taking your shoes off

to run is not going to fix all your

problems. We have to change

other aspects of our lives – eating

out of boxes, drinking out of plastic

- that’s also unnatural!” The best

option for the majority of people is

to look at their daily lives and figure

out where they can limit their

exposure to manmade substances

and live as naturally as possible

within their own capabilities. This

recipe will be different for everyone,

but given the above, it’s certainly

worth some time thinking about it!

References

1. Zenith International. The 2011 BSDA Report: By

Popular Demand. www.britishsoftdrinks.com/PDF/2011%

20soft%20drinks%20report.pdf; 2011

2. Utton T. ’How old is your water?’ Daily Mail online; 2009

3. Caplin C. Is tap or bottled water best for our bodies?

The Daily Mail; 13th April 2004

4. Tap water ‘never better’. BBC News; 9th July 2003

5. Ikem A, Odueyungbo S, Egiebor N & Nyavor K.

‘Chemical quality of bottled waters from three cities in

eastern Alabama’. The Science of the Total Environment

285 (1-3): 165–175. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00915-9;

2001

6. DWRF Analysis of the February 1999.Natural Resources

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7. Zinczenko D. The Truth About Bottled Water. Yahoo

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8. Gutierrez D. Bottled Water Found Contaminated with

Medications, Fertilizer, Disinfection Chemicals. Natural

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9. Sickness bug found in tap water. BBC News; 25th June

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10. Olson E. Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype?

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www.aquafina.com/purity-guaranteed.php#;

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12. Larsen Dr B. Discover the Fountain of Youth: PH

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13. Dasani UK delay cans Europe sales. BBC News; 24th

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14. Lawrence F. Things get worse with Coke: Bottled tap

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15. Watch out your health people (2008). Don’t buy

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16. Morr S, Cuartas E, Alwattar B, & Lane J. How Much

Calcium Is in Your Drinking Water? A Survey of Calcium

Concentrations in Bottled and Tap Water and Their

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17. Azoulay A, Garzon P & Eisenberg M. Comparison of the

Mineral Content of Tap Water and Bottled Waters. J

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j.1525-1497.2001.04189.x

I feel this is very much a reflection

of what industry wants. The UK does

not manufacture BPA, but we do

use it a lot in consumer products."[51]

But not all in the food industry are

opposed to the removal of BPA, as

Heinz and Campbell's, two of the

world's biggest food manufacturers,

are publicly committed to removing

BPA from all their products.[52]

So what do the findings suggest?

BPA first caught the attention of

researchers' after experimental

mice began to display uncommon

genetic abnormalities. The defects

were later attributed to the plastic

cages and water bottles and the

fact that this equipment was

cleaned in powerful detergent,

causing BPA to ‘leach out’.[53]

The researchers realized after

determining how much BPA the

mice had been exposed to, that

even an extremely small dose, of

20 parts per billion daily, for just five

to seven days, was enough to

produce detrimental effects.[54]

To date, over 115 Peer-reviewed

scientific animal studies have

been completed and 81% found

significant effects from even low-

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 2 5

Symbol Acronym Full name and uses

PET Polyethylene terephthalate - Carbonated drink

bottles and frozen ready meal packages. Does

not clean well - DO NOT reuse

HDPE High-density polyethylene -

Milk and washing-up liquid bottles.

Few scholarly studies show no toxicity

PVC Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays,

cling film, squash bottles, mineral water and

shampoo

LDPE Low-density polyethylene -

Carrier bags and bin liners

Few scholarly studies show no leaching

PP Polypropylene - Margarine tubs,

microwaveable meal trays

PS Polystyrene - Yogurt pots, foam meat or fish trays,

hamburger boxes and egg cartons, vending

cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for

electronic goods and toys

Other

resins

Any other plastics that do not fall into any above

categories. Beverage bottles, computer cases

and baby bottles until 2011. Known to contain

BPA

Understanding the plastic code © 2013

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mental Control. Drinking Water: Common Water Quality

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pdfs/media/2006-5-WMW-DownDrain.pdf

27. Huber M. Bottled Water: The Risks to Our Health, Our

Environment, and Our Wallets. School of Public and

Environmental Affairs;2010

28. Take back the tap: Why Choosing Tap Water Over

Bottled Water is Better for Your Health, Your Pocket

book, and the Environment. Food an Water Watch.

http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/

TakeBackTheTap_web.pdf; 2007

29. Marks K & Howden D. The world's rubbish dump: a tip

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Ihara T, Kuroda Y, Yoshikawa Y. et al. Alterations in

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74. Richter T. J, Taylor J. A, Ruhlen R. L, Welshons W. V,

Vom Saal F. S. (2007). Estradiol and Bisphenol A

stimulate androgen receptor and oestrogen

receptor gene expression in foetal mouse prostate

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exposure to Bisphenol A increases prostate cancer

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to ban BPA in food and drinks packaging’ Food

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chemical linked to cancer’, The Independent; 10 April

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24 (2): 199–224; 2007

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G, Tsurugizawa T, Takata N, Kimoto T. et al. Rapid

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PMID 18769210.

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October 2008

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environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals during

the prenatal period on the aetiology of obesity:

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doi:10.1016/j.mce.2009.02.025. PMID 19433253; 2009

64. Clayton T, Todd M, Dowd J, Aiello A. The Impact of

Bisphenol A and Triclosan on Immune Parameters in

the U.S. Population, NHANES 2003–2006. Environ Health

Perspectives 119 (3): 390–396. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002883.

PMC 3060004. PMID 21062687.

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65. O'Connor JC & Chapin RE. Critical evaluation of

observed adverse effects of endocrine active

substances on reproduction and development, the

immune system, and the nervous system. Pure Appl.

Chem. 2003;75(11–12):2099–2123.

doi:10.1351/pac200375112099; (cited 28 February 2007)

66. Bucher, PhD J & Shelby, PhD M. National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences. Since you asked –

Bisphenol A (BPA): Questions and Answers about

Bisphenol A (cited 2 February 2012)

P a g e 2 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 2 7

esearchers at the University of California have

identified a gene that is linked to migraines.

The research team, led by Louis Ptacek, initially

studied two families of sufferers to first identify the

gene and then continued their research on mice.

The mice with the genetic flaw displayed the same

sensitivity to light, touch, sound and pain that are

typical symptoms of a human sufferer. They also

appeared to suffer less when administered with

migraine relief drugs.

The team are excited to be able to improve

medication for migraine sufferers with this

new knowledge. Serious migraines can be

extremely debilitating, with loss of vision and

vomiting that can last for several days.

Their research also found that the ‘migraine

gene’ has a role in sleep patterns which will

help in treatment in terms of sufferers getting

the appropriate amount of sleep.

Good news for migraine sufferers – not such

good news for the mice…!

Outside the lab

here have been concerns about the prescription of the

anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac, due to its various

side effects.

A team of researchers recently investigated the prescription

patterns of the drug in 15 different countries to find out

whether or not it was being overprescribed and indeed,

they found it to be a common choice amongst doctors to

treat patients with painful conditions, such as arthritis (article

published in PLoS Medicine).

The main concern is the risk of heart disease associated

with the drug. It is suggested that 1 in every 1,000 patients who have been taking

the drug for a year will develop heart disease and it is not generally prescribed for patients

with existing heart disease.

There are other anti-inflammatory drugs that may be considered as an alternative – it is something that

should be discussed between patient and doctor to find the most appropriate drug, if necessary.

The UK’s drug regulator, the MHRA, is keeping diclofenac under review which is somewhat reassuring,

considering that what was once a prescription-only drug can now be purchased over the counter,

albeit at a low dose.

P a g e 2 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Book review Barefoot Walking: Free Your Feet by Michael Sandler & Jessica Lee

hen I first received this book for

review, it was quite daunting –

a thick, heavy book containing

almost 400 pages of information!

However, Michael and Jessica’s

writing style is an easy, conversational

flow and I soon became absorbed

in what they had to say.

There are many benefits to being

barefoot, both mental and physical.

The focus of the book tends towards

the healing nature of being barefoot

and the spiritual well-being that

comes from connecting with the

earth. The authors refer frequently

to ‘vitamin G’ – the ‘G’ standing for

‘ground’. They explain the concept

of the earth’s frequency being in

tune with that of the human body.

They touched on this in their book

Barefoot Running but cover it in

greater detail in this book. It’s a

fascinating subject and one that

has been researched quite

extensively by a man called Clint

Ober who has developed a series

of popular products, such as the

grounding pad which helps improve

sleep and reduce muscle stiffness.

Michael and Jessica also include a

section on dirt, which was possibly

my favourite part of the book.

Again, they emphasize that dirt isn’t

actually ‘dirty’ – it has many healing

properties. Funnily enough, we all

know this but don’t recognize it

because it’s almost in disguise in our

society. People use mud packs on

their skin to improve texture and

quality and will pay significant sums

of money for these mud packs,

which probably contain very little

of the stuff in its natural form.

Michael and Jessica spend some

time reminding us just how good

dirt is and how they use it as their

go-to remedy, collecting it directly

from the earth so that it has all of its

natural ingredients, to reduce

inflammation and help injuries heal

more quickly.

Both authors (as well as the majority

of their readers, no doubt) have

sustained injuries that have seen

them hobbling about for a good

few weeks. They both offer insights

into how they coped with their

injuries and what they learned from

them. In all instances, connecting

with the earth was an integral part

of their recovery.

The practical guide to barefoot

walking begins about half way

through the book. They begin by

explaining that almost anyone can

walk barefoot and benefit from it.

They run through excuses that

they’ve heard and explain why

they are just that – excuses, rather

than sensible reasoning. They then

take a look at posture and offer

some suggestions as to how to

improve posture with visual cues

and exercises.

After this introduction, they are more

walking specific and explain three

different methods of walking: 1) The

Feather Walk (walking silently, lightly

up on your toes), 2) The Tiger Walk

(focusing on strengthening the feet

by ‘grabbing’ the ground) and 3)

The Walk and Roll (slightly more of a

glide – to be used when the Feather

Walk doesn’t feel appropriate,

perhaps due to the terrain or fatigue).

They then go on to offer a three

month barefoot walking programme.

The first four weeks are written in

detail, with a day by day guide. It

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 2 9

begins with a series of 10 to 20 yard

walks with rest in between each stint

and with a total distance of no more

than 100 yards. This sounds like a

very small amount, but by the end

of week four, they have progressed

you gradually to 30 minutes of

continuous barefoot walking.

Months two and three are more of

a general guide but by the end,

they suggest that you will be happily

walking significant distances (or

times) as well as over varying terrain.

Michael and Jessica stress the

importance of cross training and

offer numerous examples of other

exercises and an outline of what

aspects of health and fitness they

will improve. They also explain some

fantastic foot and ankle exercises

with photos to accompany the

instructions.

There’s a lot of research about how

being barefoot can help people of

all ages and Michael and Jessica

P a g e 3 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Barefoot Walking: Free Your Feet

to Minimize Impact, Maximize

Efficiency, and Discover the

Pleasure of Getting in Touch with

the Earth.

By Michael Sandler & Jessica Lee

Paperback: $19.99

Language English

ISBN-13: 978-0307985910

www.runbare.com

Did

y

ou

kn

ow

Running fact 1. The female record for one mile is 4:12.56 set by

Svetlana Masterkova of Russia on 14th August 1996.

Running fact 2. The human heart, while running, creates enough

pressure to squirt blood 30 feet.

Svetlana Masterkova

© Reuters

cover this in different sections about

children and the elderly. For young

kids, it’s extremely important that

their feet are allowed to develop

naturally and for older adults, being

barefoot significantly helps balance

and coordination.

The injury section is very detailed,

tackling many foot-related problems

but also discussing typical injuries of

the lower legs, hips and spine. As

they point out, injury is often a result

of attitude – forcing the body to do

a little too much. Michael writes,

“When I leave ego alone I never

seem to get hurt.” I think we can

all identify with that!

Michael and Jessica have included

a very interesting section on diet.

They both eat 90% raw and have

reaped the benefits of making this

drastic change to their eating

patterns. Neither of them are

qualified nutritionists but, like many

fitness professionals who’ve been in

the game a long time and who’ve

been open minded enough to

experiment, they can offer scientific

back up as well as anecdotal

evidence regarding their nutritional

advice.

As with any book about barefoot

walking or running, there’s also a

section about shoes! As is the case

for most barefoot proponents, they

recognize the fact that shoes are

sometimes necessary and they offer

a decent guide into what to look for

in a shoe as well as mentioning their

own particular favourites.

Finally, they hint towards barefoot

running and if the reader has

followed all the advice in the book,

that progression will feel as natural

as anything.

I guess for some readers, they might

find the ‘spiritual’ point of view is not

something they buy into and this is a

strong theme at the beginning of

the book. There is even a section

about hugging a tree! I would

challenge anyone to hug a tree

and not feel better though – part

of the bigger picture of being

barefoot is learning to be open to

new experiences. And don’t be

put off by the small font and

number of words – it’s written in

very manageable chunks so that

you can read it section by section.

Michael and Jessica really have

thought of absolutely everything

so that even if you think you know

everything about walking barefoot,

you will learn from this book.

A highly recommended read.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3 1

check out the calendar in the

Barefoot Running Magazine.

All the best

Anna

Many thanks Anna, I live in the

Basingstoke area. After spending

my childhood in bare feet

everywhere, a recent article had

me going for it again. Did a trial

walk to local Tesco but they were

very unhappy to have someone

walking around their store in

bare feet - health and safety!!

However I said I was an adult and

took full responsibility for myself

and what do they do in summer

with everyone in flip flops but it

was to no avail - if I do it again

what's betting they throw me

out?

Sorry, this is probably a silly

question - I'm injured at the

moment, but can start very

short runs in the next week or so.

I thought it would be an ideal

time to start the transition to

minimal/Barefoot running, the

question I have - do people still

wear socks in minimal shoes?

I've got some Merrells that I'm

going to use, but it just doesn't

feel right with no socks, but then

thinking about it, the whole point

is to get as close as possible to

the ground, so why stick socks

in as well???

I'm confusing myself!

(Karen, via facebook)

Hi Karen - starting with "very

short runs" is perfect for going

completely barefoot, so that's

what I'd recommend. Regarding

the sock question, more people

Send your running questions to

Anna & David and they will

endeavour to answer them for

you: letters@bfrm.co.uk

P a g e 3 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Posture

1. a. A position of the body or of body

parts

b. An attitude; a pose

2. A characteristic way of bearing

one's body; carriage 3. Relative placement or arrangement

4. A stance or disposition with regard

to something 5. A frame of mind affecting one's

thoughts or behaviour; an overall

attitude.

Qu

est

ion

s &

an

swe

rs 1

23456

7899

876532

12

Are there clubs around the uk?

(Susan, Basingstoke)

Hi Susan

Thanks for your email, I’ve added

you to our subscriber list.

There aren’t really any official

clubs as yet. However, we have

a group on facebook through

which people are beginning

to organize runs in their own

areas. If you use facebook,

search ‘Barefoot Running U.K.’

and request to join and then just

put a post on there to see who’s

in your area. Alternatively, if you

let me know whereabouts you

are I can possibly put you in

touch with someone who

organizes runs as the network

is growing quite rapidly!

David Robinson and I are holding

several group runs this year in

various places around the UK, so

than not (in my experience) go

without socks and often remove

the inner sole of shoes too.

A lot comes down to personal

preference. If you're injured

though and getting back to

running slowly - completely

barefoot is best! Progress

gradually, patiently and wisely :)

Hello,

Just thought I would let you know

of progress. I think I may have

had a eureka moment. My

posture has been getting better

and better. I told you about the

Alexander technique and that is

helping loads. I think I mentioned

before, it just underlines what you

talk about with posture in your

book. Just some of us need a

little more help to get it!!! Anyway,

things were improving but just not

quite there. I was still aware that

I was overusing my right hip flexor

and not using my glute, and I

was rotating forward on the right

rather than extending from the

hip. Then just this morning I got it!

If I just relax and make sure I allow

my shoulders and hips to rotate

when I walk and run, I am much

more balanced. Of course, this is

dependent on good, tall posture.

I remember you telling me that I

needed to do this when we were

out running but at the time I was

too tense in my upper body to be

able to. Well, now I can and it

makes a lot of difference.

So, did I need to be barefoot

to achieve this? Well actually,

I have been minimalist rather

than barefoot for a while since

barefoot didn’t work for me to

start with. Hmm, I think being

barefoot or minimalist helps

hugely with posture and bal-

ance. For now I shall carry on

and try and actually build up

some mileage. I fancy giving

proper barefoot another go

too now that things are going

better… .just for fun!

I had another look at a running

film of me too. I decided that

the “down bounce” on the left I

was concerned about is more of

a “no bounce” on the right. My

right leg lands less bent than my

left. Maybe this will improve as I

get stronger.

Thank you for keeping us updated

– it’s great to listen to your running

story develop!

All the best

Anna

Hi there, I'm hoping for some

advice if possible. I am currently

recovering from an injury (medial

tibial stress syndrome) which I

picked up after running too much

while training for a marathon

(which I now need to pull out of).

I was running in neutral shoes,

always on tarmac, 4-5 days a

week. I've read a lot about

running barefoot, and have

tentatively started trying it out

over the last 4 weeks. However

I am still having some pain from

my injury (it's been 11 weeks now

since I got the injury). I'm only

running for 10 minutes at a time,

once every five days. Should I

wait until I am completely

recovered before starting barefoot

running? I am a slight over pronater

which is how I think I picked up the

injury. Any advice you can give

would be really appreciated.

Many thanks, Sarah.

Hi Sarah

Sorry to hear you’re injured.

That is often the nature of racing

unfortunately – if you run according

to a schedule rather than what your

body is telling you, an injury is likely

to happen eventually.

However, you are in a perfect

position to begin barefoot

running! The best way to start

is completely from scratch,

completely barefoot. I would

suggest that you start by getting

used to walking barefoot, on

concrete to start with. I would

recommend that you wait until the

pain is gone before you run

and the walking will give your feet

a chance to gain strength and

flexibility, as well as starting to build

up the fat pads on the soles of your

feet. Start with smooth concrete

and progress to rougher surfaces

when you feel ready. Patience is

the key!

There’s a great book that’s just

been released called Barefoot

Walking by Michael Sandler (see

page 28). It explains everything

in detail – including the healing

influence of connecting directly

with the ground.

We’ve written a book that will

teach you all you need to know

about barefoot running (which

you can begin to do once your

injury is fully healed). It’s available

here: www.trcpublishinguk.com

Our feet are designed for walking

and running, so biomechanically it

makes sense. It also means that

you can’t do too much too soon

(speed or mileage) which is another

reason why it’s linked to less injuries.

Be patient with it and it won’t take

you too long to make progress. If

you try and force it, it’ll end up

taking longer.

Anything that’s repeated too much

will potentially injure you, so further

down the line, you should vary the

surfaces you run on as well as doing

other types of training (the more

you mix it up, the better).

If you can find a nearby movement

therapist and/or running coach,

it would be useful to have your

technique assessed – there maybe

some corrective exercises that will

help ( I wouldn’t like to suggest any

without seeing you).

You didn’t ask about minimalist

or ‘barefoot shoes’ but, as I said,

I would begin completely

barefoot. You want as little

interference as possible as you

learn to improve your walking and

running gait. Minimalist shoes are

great for everyday wear though.

I hope this helps!

I listened to your interview with

Caity last week (the podcast).

I really enjoyed it. I thought

you came across as very

knowledgeable and told it like it

is. I found the contrast between

you and Caity quite funny. In a

good way!

Anyway, hope all well, take care!

Anne (Liverpool)

Hi Anne

It’s really good to hear how

well you’re progressing. You’ll

probably find that you experience

many more eureka moments –

that’s what it’s all about, just

continuously learning, discovering

and enjoying. I always think that

the number one rule for everyone

is to relax – it’s so easy to begin

restricting natural movement when

you over-think your running form.

As you’ve discovered, many

people find it useful to explore

other movement techniques to

help them understand their own

body and movement – which

then aids them in running.

I wholeheartedly encourage

all runners to try other forms

of movement and find what

works for them, whether it’s

one particular regime or just

a mixture of many.

It sounds as though you’re

enjoying it so, above all, keep

having fun! And thankfully, we

are seeing some sunshine too

which always helps!

Glad you enjoyed the podcast.

I think it was only interesting for

runners though – my sister said

she tried to listen to it but got

bored!

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3 3

Shin splints may refer to a number of lower

leg complaints and injuries. In most cases,

shin splints refer to the pain that results from

overload on the tissues that connect muscles

to the shin bone (tibia).

They also may come from the small bone of

the lower leg and ankle, called the fibula.

The medical term for shin splints is Medial

Tibial Stress Syndrome.

The

late

st Na

tion

al n

ew

s Qu

estio

ns &

an

swe

rs

Victoria Zaniewicz,

Tracy ‘Barefoot

Britain’ Davenport,

Ricardo D'Ash, Zsolt

Velykovits and

Robin Dearle at

this year’s IBRD

Brighton run

Season in pictures A showcase of what you have been up to for the past 3 months

P a g e 3 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Stephen Fowler.

“This is why I run with

friends/amigos” -

post- race in sunny

Spain

Left to right:

Alan Thwaits, Chris G

and Marcus C after

finishing the Sarasota

Half Marathon in March

IBRD 2013 -

German BRS

chapter

Patrick Sweeney

making friends at

the Bare Burro 5K

race

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3 5

P a g e 3 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Injury Corner Educate yourself to recover from and prevent injury by Steve Gangemi

obody wants to be injured and

if you’re injured you obviously

want the injury gone as soon as

possible. Properly treating an injury

involves more than just looking at the

symptom, which is usually where the

pain is felt. You have to understand

why you’re injured to properly assess,

treat, and prevent that injury and

any other injury from occurring

again and that can sometimes be

hard to figure out on your own.

We live in a symptom-based

treatment world which relies on

outdated, unproven, and often

harmful therapies. Combine this

“professional” help with the loads

of advice out there, (yes, including

Sock Doc advice), and you’re left

with wondering what to do and

who to trust.

One of the most common questions

I receive is from an injured athlete

asking me what they should do for

a certain injury. So many people

are injured though the majority of

them can be avoided. Of course

there are exceptions such as

accidents – sudden trauma to your

body maybe from tripping over a

rock while running or some jackass

taking your flag football game way

too seriously.

Ideally what you should be doing

for any injury you ever sustain are

some specific therapies and lifestyle

adjustments which are individualized

for you and only you. That means

your plantar fasciitis may need a

trigger point addressed on the back

of your upper leg and you may

need to change your training by

easing off the anaerobic workouts.

Someone else with the exact same

symptoms may have a trigger point

by the arch of their foot and they

need to change their running shoes.

Another with the same injury may

not even have a trigger point but

their foot pain, though the same

as yours, is a result of four cups of

coffee a day and working twelve

hours, six days a week.

But of course we all can’t have

individualized treatment. So the

information I provide here, which of

course is typically the opposite of

what many are told, is meant to

cover the most common findings

which are present when there is an

injury as well as assessments and

harmless treatment options you can

try yourself. In my office, there’s a

whole lot more I do when I see

someone with an injury; but I also

use the very same therapies and

principles I discuss throughout the

Sock Doc site.

So you want to take care of yourself,

and use the advice of others as you

see fit. Of course you don’t want to

be foolish and end up trying to

assess and treat your own injury

only to realize weeks later you had

a broken bone or something even

worse the whole time. But it also

doesn’t mean that if you turn an

ankle you run over to your hospital

to have an X-Ray, CT scan, and MRI

lined up the next day.

The point here is to be smart about

your injury and think about why you

got injured and what is going to

make the most sense to you and

given your situation. I’m not here

to convince you of anything; I’m

sharing ideas, knowledge, beliefs,

and experience gained over many

years. You can take or leave

anything on the Sock Doc site. But

if you choose to learn this different

approach and give it a go, you

have to give just more than a “try”.

This isn’t some program where if you

don’t get better in a day or two

then you head back to your old ways.

Regardless of how you respond,

I encourage you to consider and

learn perhaps controversial and

unorthodox methods for the

prevention of injuries.

Conventional vs. Natural Methods:

Risk vs. Rewards

The natural assessment, treatment,

and prevention principles and

therapies which I discuss come with

zero downside risk - that is as long

as you’re doing them correctly. In

other words, if you’re working a

trigger point on your Achilles tendon

and it’s becoming more and more

inflamed then that is a problem.

But if you’re doing such a thing

then you’re not only doing the

therapy wrong, (as I often say stay

off the injured area), but you’re also

not listening to your body. You

should either see improvement

or at worst no further increase in

symptoms when applying any

therapy. Some next day discomfort,

but not pain, is sometimes normal

and expected.

Conventional therapies come with

risks. The common “go-to” methods

of stretching, bracing, icing, and

drugs such as NSAIDs rarely, if ever,

help. But many (most) continue to

use them despite the fact that they

often cause more harm than benefit.

Some will tell me they feel better

stretching but that’s often because

it’s providing mechanical stimulation

to the area of pain and temporarily

damping that pain. It’s not

correcting anything and actually

will delay healing. Same goes with

ice – it’s great for pain reduction

but not if you want waste products

removed and healing nutrients and

blood circulated to the injured area.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3 7

Minimalist Footwear? Conventional

Footwear? Barefoot? Orthotics?

How about the minimalist footwear

idea or going barefoot – is that for

you? That depends on you. The

sole reason I wrote “Healthy People

= Barefoot People” (see my website)

is so athletes can understand the

relationship between their feet,

footwear (or lack of), and health.

Should you wear a more supportive

shoe when you’re injured? It

depends on your injury. Someone

may need less of a shoe to help

them recover from an injury while

another may need a bit more. It’s

not uncommon for a little bit more

heel in a shoe to help relieve an

Achilles tendonitis issue; many have

created such a problem by going

the minimalist route too quickly. But

also know that if you’re feeling much

better always wearing a shoe that

provides more support that doesn’t

mean you just wear it all the time

and never work your way to more

minimalist. You’re not correcting

the problem if you’re in that situation.

How about orthotics or even some

sort of heel lift or arch support – do

you need them? I can’t personally

tell you what you need or don’t

need but I can tell you that they

will never correct the problem. Sure

there are cases of acute trauma to

the foot and a temporary orthotic

brace may help relieve the pain

and start the healing process.

Though think how often someone is

put in such a device for only a few

days or weeks. Very rarely. Some

doctors believe in the necessity of

orthotics with specific injuries and

But we love to ice and stretch.

Think you’re an exception to this

rule? I don’t.

And of course many take the

anti-inflammatory drugs every day

or for every injury. These are still

provided in many major races

(often endurance type) despite the

fact that we know of their impact

to health. Not only will they tear up

your gut perhaps to the point where

you have fecal bacteria in your

bloodstream but they slow down

connective tissue repair. But if your

diet is less than ideal and thus

provoking inflammation then you’ll

feel better when you take your

NSAID, that’s a fact. If you choose

to make some lifestyle/dietary

changes and figure out the

problem then lasting results will

follow.

P a g e 3 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

at the same time. This combined

effort often doesn’t help. If you’re

still wearing that night splint to

stretch your plantar fascia and

wondering why the trigger points

or other non-invasive approaches

aren’t helping – well, improvement

is probably not going to happen.

Seeking Professional Help: Choose

the therapist, not the therapy.

As most of you know, I answer

each and every question on this

site personally. There is only one

“cut and paste response” I have

written which I use. It is this: “As

I often say to people – ‘Sometimes

you just gotta be treated by a doc

or therapist who looks at the entire

body from a structural, nutritional,

and emotional perspective and

understands how everything is

interrelated and attributing to a

health issue or injury. Although

for their “aging population”. None

of this changes the fact that while

orthotics may provide some relief

they aren’t healing the problem

or figuring out why the person is

unable to function without such sup-

port. Instead of relying on

orthotics, figure out the source of

the problem so you can move

unassisted again, regardless of age.

Find me a truly healthy person in

orthotics and I’ll reevaluate my

position.

Look at the bigger picture.

But focus on the problem.

When you’re injured it is fine and

helpful to treat it symptomatically

to some degree to lower the pain

quickly, but you need to go further

and figure out why the injury has

occurred and that’s a much bigger

picture. Sometimes it’s an easily

solution – say if you have been

wearing the wrong footwear. But

often it’s much more than that.

Lifestyle stress, dietary inadequacies

including poor food

choices, and training

problems are often

either the reason

you’re injured and/

or not recovering.

These are also

much harder to

figure out on your

own and address

and sometimes it

takes more than just

eating “Paleo”, more

aerobic training, and

lowering stress at work.

When there is an injury

there are always muscle

imbalances. Not

sometimes – always.

In my office I am

constantly evaluating,

testing, challenging, and

treating these imbalances

to figure out the best

approach to an injury while

correcting other problems

along the way. So since you

can’t provide such detailed

service to yourself you have to

try the general (though they

can be very specific) applications

of such therapies as I show

in the videos and discuss

throughout my website.

Sometimes I am told that someone

isn’t improving with the “natural”

approach because they’re also still

doing other conventional therapies

there’s not a lot of “us” out there,

that’s your best bet. A good doc

will be able to get you back in a

very short period of time and if not,

at least explain why it may take

longer.’”

So ask around and do your own

research when it comes to your

health. Look for an individual – a

physician or therapist – who shares

a similar philosophy and approach

to health and fitness. If you’re

focused on a title or a bunch of

letters after a name, you probably

will not have much luck; (though

the guy at the gas station giving

foot rubs is probably a bad idea).

The best advice I can give you

when seeking someone out is to

see how much time that person

spends with you and actually listens

to you. If it’s only a few minutes

and more of a question and answer

session (they’re asking the questions)

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3 9

pocket for those orthotics? Would

you pay hundreds of dollars for a

cortisone shot or PRP injection?

How about a couple thousand

bucks for that MRI? Don’t use it

just because it’s “paid for”, it’s the

wrong approach. Not to get into

the whole insurance debacle out

there, but you, I, and everyone else

are paying for it somewhere down

the line – premiums don’t jump

every year for no reason. A good

doc or therapist may cost you but

a bad one will cost you more.

and not a conversation especially

one that at least goes a bit beyond

your chief complaint, then it’s

probably a good idea to look

elsewhere.

Finally, and this is the part nobody

likes to have to face – don’t go

to a doc or use some therapy just

because your insurance pays for it.

Yeah I know it sucks that health

insurance pays little, if any, for

real “health care.” It’s like auto

insurance – it doesn’t pay for your

maintenance, wear and tear, or

when you break down. Yeah, you

should have a doc available when

you need to see him or her for an

ailment but if you’re going to

someone just because they take

your insurance it’s often a bad idea.

The same goes for therapies. Would

you pay the $300-$400 out of

P a g e 4 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Otherwise known as the ‘Sock Doc’

because he advocates being

barefoot whenever possible and

socks as the next best thing, Steve

Gangemi is a highly experienced

physician and coach. He is a

chiropractic physician and has

training in functional neurology,

biochemistry, acupressure meridian

therapies, applied kinesiology and

dietary and lifestyle modification

methods. Steve is also a certified

MovNat coach.

His approach with his clients is

holistic, addressing the whole

body when looking at movement

function, as well as taking into

account lifestyle and nutritional

habits.

Steve practises what he preaches

which is evident in his admirable

athletic achievements, including

20 Ironman competitions and

numerous triathlons. Steve runs

a busy clinic in the US as well as

generously offering many fantastic

articles and insights through his

website.

www.sock-doc.com

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Prices start at $19.95 USD

P a g e 4 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Technical tip Postural alignment by Anna Toombs

ody alignment is a key issue in

running. In fact, it’s pretty

important all of the time,

especially when you’re upright

and your body needs to function

efficiently when subjected to

gravitational forces.

Most people have seen a picture

of what ‘ideal alignment’ looks like.

A straight line can be drawn from

the ear, down through the shoulder,

hip and ankle. We tend not to

see this kind of posture in Western

society but it’s fairly common in

cultures where individuals live a

more natural lifestyle, working the

land and keeping active rather

than sitting inside at computers for

the majority of each day.

Too much sitting down and not

enough activity will change the

shape of your body, causing

lengthening in certain tissues and

shortness or tightening in others.

The typical posture that results from

inactivity is one where the head

sits forward of the rest of the body,

causing strain on the muscles of the

neck. The chest tends to be slightly

‘sunken’ so that movement in the

rib cage is restricted. The hip flexor

muscles are often short and

restricted, as are the calf muscles.

Your body is always trying to

maintain balance and it will adapt

and shift so that you are able to stay

upright. For example, if someone’s

head is sitting further forward than

it should, the pelvis will often

counteract this by tilting forward.

Sometimes the pelvis will tilt the other

way and then the individual will

change the weight distribution in

their legs and feet to compensate.

All of this usually means that certain

areas of your body are over-working

and under tension, often causing

pain. If you add further stress to an

awkward posture by running, you

are quite likely to eventually feel

more pain and discomfort.

So, what’s the answer? Well, the

starting point is to figure out where

your own compensations are (often

NOT at the site of pain!). Each

person’s body will be different, so

if you can, find a professional to

assess your imbalances. Also, try

to feel your body more – when

you’re out running, pay attention

to the areas of your body that feel

restricted or seem to tire more

easily. Ask someone to film you

to see where your pelvis and neck

are sitting as you run – is your

movement fluid or is it awkward

and halting?

Once you understand your own

particular areas of weakness, you

can begin to work on them. This

might be under the guidance of

a Movement Therapist, Pilates

teacher or Alexander Technique/

Feldenkrais practitioner. You can

also begin to identify patterns in

your everyday movement that

might be contributing to your

imbalances. Do you sit for

long periods of time without

regular movement? Do you wear

shoes with a heel (any form of

conventional shoe will have a

raised heel)? Do you slump at

your desk or slump when you’re

watching television? Do you

always sit in the same position

when watching your favourite TV

programme? If you go to the

gym, is your workout balanced?

Do you cross-train or do you

always do the same exercises?

The reason for all these questions

is that there will be several

contributing factors to your body’s

shape and how comfortable it

feels. It’s no good just trying to

lengthen your spine when you

run – because most of your time

is spent not running! It’s also

difficult to ‘force’ better posture.

Think of it more as a work in

progress and have an awareness

of your posture and movement

throughout your day.

Using imagery and visualization is

a very helpful tool. If someone

tells you to, “Stand up straight”

you will immediately tense into a

position that you can’t maintain.

Instead, if someone asks you to,

“Imagine you have a bowl of

water balanced on your head”,

you will adopt a different posture

but in a more relaxed and fluid

manner. Try it!

It’s harder for some than for

others to visualize images, but it’s

something that can improve with

practice. There’s an infinite

number of images you can use

too – a piece of string lifting you

up through the top of your head,

glasses of water balanced on

your shoulders, etc. Using imagery

invokes a more gentle physical

reaction, rather than actively

trying to tighten your muscles into

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 4 3

a particular position.

Remember, too, that posture is

fluid. Your aim is for your movement

to flow effortlessly, so try not to keep

your body too rigid. If you’re running

and feel that trying to lengthen is

just making you tighter, drop your

arms, turn your head side to side

and take some deep breaths. Do

a few side steps or zigzags to help

you release and bring you back

into your natural running rhythm.

One more point to consider is

where you aim your gaze.

Typically, when people first try

running barefoot, they’re very

focused on the ground, being

careful to avoid obstacles. This

will alter your head position and

therefore your entire alignment.

Try to learn to scan the ground

ahead rather than directly

beneath you and use your

eyes to look down rather than

dropping your whole head.

Staying relaxed will encourage

better alignment, so make sure

that when you’re running, you’re

travelling at a pace that allows

this to happen.

For more in depth information and

guidance on posture, alignment

and soft tissue, check out: Run

Strong • Run Free: An introduction

to the science and art of barefoot

running by Anna Toombs and

David Robinson, (available from

www.trcpublishinguk.com)

P a g e 4 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Did

y

ou

kn

ow

Running fact 4. The current male marathon world record of

02:03:38 was set by Patrick Makau of Kenya on

25th September 2011, at the Berlin Marathon,

even though Geoffrey Mutai, also of Kenya,

ran a 02:03:02 at the Boston Marathon 2011.

This is due to the Boston courses’ elevation and

point- to-point measurements not making it

eligible for world record consideration by the

IAAF.

Running fact 5. Twenty six bones, thirty three joints, one hundred

and twelve ligaments and a network of tendons,

nerves, and blood vessels are found in the human

foot. These amazing components work together

as a system when we stand, walk and run.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 4 5

A comprehensive guide into the ‘why’

and ‘how’ of barefoot running.

The book explains the theory behind

running barefoot as well as providing

practical advice, drills and exercises

to help readers improve their running

technique.

Although the emphasis is on barefoot

running, this book is useful for any level

of runner, whether barefoot or not.

Available direct from www.trcpublishinguk.com

P a g e 4 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Nutritional nugget Alcohol-just how good is it for you really? By Leigh Rogers

t comes up as a topic of debate

regularly and particularly at

social gatherings involving a

glass or two of the stuff: Is drinking

alcohol really beneficial for you

and, if so, how much is too much

and what are the best options?

We deal with this question a lot in

our practice too as clients struggle

to figure out just what they should

be doing with regard to their social

or sometimes anti-social levels of

drinking. Well, the answer is that it's

not clear cut unfortunately, as it's

got both good and bad properties

and everyone will have their own

tolerance level. Let's dive a little

more into the basics.

The Downside:

By nature it is addictive and toxic.

Alcohol is less addictive than

nicotine, crystal meth and crack,

but more addictive than heroin,

cocaine and caffeine. When

consumed, it requires enzymes in

the liver to help break it down into

acetic acid (vinegar) which is the

end product our bodies are able

to flush from our system. Not

everyone has the same quality

and quantity of these enzymes

which determines how effectively

you are able to metabolize

alcohol and the resulting side

effects you will experience. One

stage in the breakdown of alcohol

requires the enzymes to turn the

ethanol into acetaldehyde, an

incredibly toxic compound that’s

been implicated as one of the

causes of those dreaded hangover

symptoms. This toxic load on the

liver, combined with dehydration,

leads to headaches, tiredness and

poor brain function.

More than 2 drinks a day has been

reported to increase the risk of liver

disease and certain cancers such

as stomach, liver and colon. For

women, the risk of breast cancer

increases the more alcohol you

consume and drinking excessive

amounts of alcohol - or binge

drinking - can also raise blood

pressure, a risk factor for heart

attacks. A study which monitored

binge-drinking patterns in Northern

Ireland at the weekends reported

a much higher incidence of heart

attacks on Mondays and Tuesdays

due to the increase in blood

pressure as a result of excess

alcohol. In contrast, blood pressure

levels in French drinkers were

constant throughout the week,

reflecting their more moderate and

consistent drinking patterns.

Alcohol also upsets blood sugar

levels. The drop in blood sugar

leaves you feeling starved for

energy and nutrition, resulting in

excessive cravings for greasy, fat

foods that will help provide a quick

fix. How many times after a night

out do you NEED to stop at the

kebab shop on the way home?

If you are trying to lose weight,

alcohol can have a detrimental

impact on your plans. Alcohol

enhances both active overeating

and passive overeating. Active

overeating is your conscious

decision to ‘fill up now.’ Passive

overeating describes the amount

you eat once the food is in front

of you. Too much alcohol affects

your ability to determine if you are

full. It also contains tons of empty

calories with no nutritional benefits

as it does not contain any minerals,

vitamins, fats, fibre, or proteins

necessary for basic bodily functions.

Even at moderate levels, alcohol

can cause delayed reaction

times and affect judgment and

perception. One out of six traffic

accidents in the UK happen under

the influence and as much as two-

thirds of people who are admitted

to hospital or die from burns have

been drinking.

Finally, alcohol also disrupts healthy

sleep, essential for a healthy

balanced lifestyle. It initially acts

as a depressant helping you to fall

asleep but reduces REM sleep

leading to restless sleep patterns.

The upside:

There are however a few good

points too. Having a glass of wine

in the evening definitely helps ease

the stresses of a crazy day. While

we are not suggesting you down

a bottle after a particularly bad

day, having a glass of wine to help

mellow you out a little is better than

stewing with all that negative stress

energy.

Some research suggests that it may

help protect against heart disease

and strokes. Drinking alcohol raises

levels of HDL- the good cholesterol -

reducing the formation of arterial

blood clots which typically lead to

heart attacks. Most reports refer to

red wine and the benefits of its high

antioxidant levels.

So if you are going to drink, here

are our top 7 recommendations:

1. The all too familiar advice,

moderation is crucial if you are

going to receive any of the

health benefits. Quantifying

what moderation is, is slightly

challenging as a number of

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 4 7

Image courtesy of NHS

If you have any questions or feel

you need specific support in

addressing some of your health

concerns, please contact us at

info@meorganic.co.uk. We have

all the tools and tips to support you

in creating a healthier, more

energized lifestyle. Plus, for all

Barefoot Running Magazine readers

we will be offering a FREE 30 minute

Breakthrough session on SKYPE plus

10% off our programmes if booked

in the month of May.

To stay updated with tips, recipes

and health news, like us on our

Facebook page.

www.facebook.com/#!/meorganic

factors can influence an

individual's limits. In general

though, for a healthy adult with

no history of alcoholism, 3-4 units

a day is recommended for men

and a limit of 2-3 units for women,

who generally tend to metabolize

alcohol more slowly. But what

does this actually mean in drink

size? (see diagram page 49).

2. Make sure you have alcohol free

days every week by limiting your

drinking to 2-3 times a week .

3. Drink darker beers and red wine

for the most health benefits. Red

wine contains some nutrients

that are beneficial to the body

such as resveratrol, tannins and

anti-oxidants.

4. Look for sulphite (a preservative)

free organic wine and notice the

difference in how you feel after

drinking it.

5. Make sure you drink with food,

preferably some protein to slow

down the absorption of alcohol.

5. Drink a big glass of water for

every glass of alcohol you are

having.

6. Try and stay away from alcohol

with sugary mixers such as

margaritas, daiquires etc. These

add to the increase in blood

sugar levels already caused by

alcohol.

In summary, as long as you are

maintaining a healthy lifestyle with

good diet , regular exercise, proper

sleep, fresh air and sunshine, the

occasional drink won't throw you

too far off balance. Simply make

sure you maintain the 80/20 rule,

healthy wholesome living 80% of

the time so that you can throw

a little caution to the wind the

remaining 20% to ensure long-term

health and wellness.

P a g e 4 0 W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

me organic is a holistic health and wellness

business based in Richmond, London. We

focus on transforming the health and

fitness of our clients through 1to1 nutrition

programmes, personal training, cycling

coaching, health workshops and more.

Contact us for your FREE session and

receive 10% off all our programmes for

all Barefoot Running Magazine readers.

Plus 10% off all workshops, using code:

barefoot12.

Visit www.meorganic.co.uk for more info.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 4 9

www.caughtintheweb.com/spring2013/13/page45

Caught in the web

arefoot Running UK is holding

a one day barefoot running

workshop in Edinburgh on

Saturday 22nd June, from 9am

– 6pm.

The workshop is based on Anna

Toombs and David Robinson’s

book, Run Strong • Run Free:

An introduction to the science

and art of barefoot running.

The focus is very much on

anatomy, movement and running

mechanics so any runner will

benefit, regardless of ability,

fitness level or footwear type.

The day includes a mixture of

theory and practical work and

participants will receive individual

feedback on their technique.

There are limited spaces

available and several have

gone already, so book soon to

avoid disappointment!

For more info and to secure

your place, please visit:

www.barefootrunninguk.com

P a g e 5 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

his is a race that attracts runners from all over the world,

with beautiful scenery and something to offer everyone.

As well as the marathon on 24th August, there are various

other races over the weekend, even including a ‘Lazy Town

Race’ for kids! It’s an ideal venue for a decent run as well

as a mini break, with a large number of hotels within walking

distance of the race start.

Entry includes the ‘usuals’ such as a t-shirt and medal but

participants can also enjoy a pasta dinner at the EXPO

and free entry to the geothermal baths and pools.

For more details and entries, visit: www.marathon.is

Ev

en

ts

Stu

ff t

ha

t’s

go

ing

on

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5 1

his event will be taking place between 7th

and 9th June in Chicago. It is sponsored by

‘Healthkeeper’s Alliance’, a group concerned

with providing people with a wider, more natural

range of methods for improving and maintaining

health.

The message is that there are ways other than

conventional medicine that can help people

manage various health-related issues, from

hormonal imbalances to cancer. There is a long

list of keynote speakers, ranging from osteopaths

to nutritionists to spiritual healers.

Tickets are only $20 per day or $35 for the weekend.

For more information and bookings, visit:

www.healthfreedomexpo.com

his popular event takes place on

27th and 28th July this year at the

Excel Centre.

It’s a well-organized race that is also

perfect for spectators. We watched a

friend compete last year and it was a

great day out in the sunshine, although

the hot weather was tough for the

competitors!

General entries are now closed but

there are still charity places available.

There are two different distance to

choose from (sprint or full) and you

can also enter a relay team of three

so that each team member completes

one leg (either the swim, cycle or run).

Public transport takes you right to the

hub of the action and there are numerous

places to stand and watch the various

legs.

Check out the website for more info:

www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5 1

Stu

ff tha

t’s go

ing

on

Ev

en

ts

A conversation with… ChiLiving founder Danny Dreyer

P a g e 5 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

anny Dreyer is an accomplished

ultramarathon runner and

founder of ChiRunning, an

approach to running that

encompasses many of the mental

and physical components of T’ai

Chi. We caught up with Danny to

find out more about the ChiRunning

story…

The beginning

Danny had been a keen runner

for many years when he reached

what he refers to jokingly as a

“mid-life crisis”. It was back in

1991 when he decided he wanted

to do something more with his

running and wondered at what

level he could become competitive.

He didn’t think he would be fast

enough, even over marathon

distance, to be up amongst the

front runners but he did stand a

chance in distances over the 26.2

miles, so he made the decision

to begin training for his first

ultramarathon. Three and a half

years later, he completed his first

50 miler and placed in the top

ten finishers!

T’ai Chi

Danny tells me that he was

always searching for efficiency

in his running, working towards

improving distance and speed

with the least amount of effort

possible. However, it wasn’t until

five years later that he experienced

a kind of epiphany during his first

T’ai Chi class. His instructor taught

him that movement should come

from one’s centre and most of his

first class was focused on posture

and development of his grounding

stance (which later became one

of the fundamental aspects of

ChiRunning).

Danny immediately recognized

that the physical elements of

T’ai Chi – moving from the centre,

posture, alignment, etc. – could

easily relate to running. He points

out to me that when you’re doing

10,000 steps with every mile of

running, you’d better have good

posture or you’re in trouble! He

also realized that the mental or

spiritual components are of equal

importance to physical capabilities

and that an overall balance of the

mental and physical helps to

create a balanced, happy runner.

well and during these sessions

began gathering a database of

email addresses so that he could

contact students to let them know

of forthcoming workshops. These

popular sessions continued and he

gained individual clients too as the

word began to spread. Later on in

1999 he sent out his first newsletter

to all the subscribers and things

continued to escalate from there,

with the ChiRunning subscriber list

currently up to 50,000 – and growing!

Ultrarunning

At this point in the interview, I

wanted to go back to the subject

ChiRunning is born

In 1999 Danny moved from Boulder

to San Francisco which is where he

began teaching ChiRunning.

Danny tells me that the West Coast

of America is very open to new ideas

so it was a perfect place to test the

water.

I was curious to know how Danny

had reached out to people with

his new concept, given that the

internet in those days was still

relatively new and certainly not the

buzzing, networking hub it is today.

“Email”, Danny replies. He explains

how he visited all the local running

clubs, offering lessons on how to run

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5 3

ultra distances (phew!) to achieve

a mindful practice. As Danny says,

it can be “as simple as walking”.

What it’s about is “creating the

conditions for energy to flow. Be in

your body, not your head”. In other

words, being in your body helps you

to focus on the present moment,

whereas being in your head can

lead you away from it.

The book and DVD

Danny’s wife Katherine was the

inspiration behind the book:

ChiRunning: A revolutionary

approach to effortless, injury-free

running. Katherine’s background

was in publishing and she felt that

it would be a productive step to

harness the ChiRunning principles

and reach out to more people.

She found an agent and together,

Katherine and Danny created the

book. The first edition was released

in 2004 and the second edition in

2009, containing a further 60 pages

of information and what Danny

describes as being, “more applied”,

meaning that he has outlined the

steps to learning ChiRunning in a

clearer, structured manner. There is

a DVD that complements the book

which has also been updated,

which allows a student to gain a

deeper understanding of the

technique through watching the

practical demonstrations.

ChiWalking

After the success of the ChiRunning

book and DVD, Danny began to

receive requests from people who

didn’t run but were interested in

getting the same benefits from

their walking practice as they’d

seen others experience through

ChiRunning. Danny was happy

to put together a programme for

walkers that followed the same

principles of ChiRunning, many

of which translate immediately,

such as moving from the centre,

being mindful and learning not to

overuse the legs. The book was

released in 2006 and includes 12

different types of walking so that

walkers can choose what they’d

like to achieve from each particular

walk, whether it’s a cardiovascular

workout for fitness, a meditation

session to relax or mental focus for

inspiration. The feedback has been

very positive – ChiWalkers are

finding that they can walk further

and faster with less impact.

So, if people are walking further

and faster and getting fitter, do

they naturally start to want to run?

Yes! “That’s why we developed

P a g e 5 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

of ultrarunning because it seems

to me that the further you run, it

becomes less about the running

and more about mental strength.

Danny agrees. In fact, when I

asked him whether his motivation to

run ultras was purely the competition,

he explained that was only part of it.

“It was also partly a spiritual practice.

Because if you’re out there for

enough hours, it really breaks down

barriers – breaks your ego down and

opens you up to the environment,

to change. All the rules start falling

apart when you’re out there”.

As Danny talks, I’m struck by the

parallels between running and the

martial arts. As Danny points out,

running an ultra, “teaches you an

incredible amount both on a

physical level and emotional level”.

Crucial elements to a successful

running practice are, like the martial

arts, focus and discipline. “Running

can be as mindful as yoga or

meditation” Danny explains. And

you certainly need to tap into those

skills when running long distances;

they help you “work with your own

voices when they tell you get out

the bus fare and go home!”

The word ‘mindful’ featured a lot in

our conversation, because that is

really one of the key elements of

ChiRunning. You don’t have to run

and to have a bit of fun with it too.

The online training programme is

also something that Danny is keen

to develop further. He feels that

many online programmes are too

generic and the ChiRunning

programmes are unique for two

very important reasons: 1) They are

technique-based and focus on

different areas of the body and

2) They are race specific. So,

people can really gear their training

towards a specific event, so that

they’re incorporating similar

conditions to those of the race

for which they’re training. The

golden rule for racing is to come

prepared – this is something that

Danny feels very strongly about

and he’s planning to build specific

programmes for the more well-known

events such as the London marathon

and other world-renowned races.

Danny is also looking forward to

the introduction of webinars. These

will include demonstrations, the

opportunity for people to call in and

ask questions, etc., so it’s an exciting

step towards an interactive approach

to teaching the ChiRunning principles.

Danny and I also discussed the

science. We both agree that

anecdotal evidence speaks volumes

about the benefits and success of

any particular running method, but

people always want the scientific

back up. The good news is that

ChiRunning has produced some

great results in recent studies,

demonstrating in one particular

study that ChiRunners experienced

the least amount of impact when

running, compared with groups

of runners in traditional shoes and

minimalist shoes. The US army are

currently testing ChiRunning in a

small, pilot group of special forces

soldiers to investigate its impact

on injury rates. If all goes to plan, a

further study will go ahead with 680

soldiers all following a programme

initially taught by Danny and with

follow up training from a local

ChiRunning instructor and further

online coaching.

One more avenue which Danny is

keen to investigate further is how

ChiRunning Principles can be used

in other sports. Not long ago he

met up with Terry Laughlin, founder

of Total Immersion Swimming.

Danny tells me that straight away,

the two of them were on exactly

the same wavelength with their

the walk-run DVD” Danny tells me.

It explains how to carry the mindful,

internal practice that walkers have

learnt into their running. There

are many walk-run programmes

available but the mindfulness is

key as Danny points out, “In walk-

run programmes, people give

running their best shot but when

they walk, they just stroll!” The key

is maintaining the right mind-set

and focus throughout.

“The other reason why we came

up with ChiWalking as well is

because you walk many more

hours in the day than you will

ever run. So it’s a really good

way to keep your practice going

throughout the day - whether

you’re carrying groceries to the

car or sitting at your desk, you

can always be working your

focuses”.

Barefoot running

Of course, I was keen to get

Danny’s opinion about running

barefoot. Danny will often ask

students to remove their shoes

as part of workshop training: “I

give them an experience of what

it feels like to run without shoes”.

Most of Danny’s running is on

rough trails, so he personally

wears minimalist, zero drop shoes

but his preferred shoe will always

be the one that “does the least.”

It’s for protection, not for helping

you to run better. “You might as

well be taking a performance-

enhancing drug if you’re relying

on your shoes to enhance your

performance”.

Well said!

Looking forwards

So, what does the future hold for

ChiRunning? Well, there are many

new ventures in development, one

of which is a Smart Phone App

which has just recently become

available within the next two or

three months. It will guide the user

towards mindful training, they’ll be

able to check in and monitor what

they’ve been doing and they’ll be

given goals – something to strive

for. There may also be a ‘gaming’

aspect to it where people can

compete on a friendly level, just

to give them some extra impetus,

the chance to connect with others

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5 5

Image credit: www.wncmagazine.com

to work your core a lot but you

don’t want to be going out and

just building a bunch of muscles”.

His philosophy is akin to the

‘functional’ or ‘natural’ training

that people are moving towards

and Danny describes his T’ai Chi

as, “Outside the studio Pilates”.

In T’ai Chi, you strengthen and

stretch through movements rather

than just isolating certain muscles

that may well lead to imbalances.

We touched briefly on treadmill

training, which Danny described

as “mindnumbing; the opposite of

mindful!” When people ask him

about using a treadmill, he tells

them that running on a treadmill is

in fact not running but, “Keeping

balance on a moving object”.

The only reason he would advocate

using a treadmill is, “purely for

convenience” – i.e. when the

weather is too extreme for running

outside.

What’s Danny’s take on diet?

Again, the concept of balance is

Danny’s main goal – don’t eat too

much of any one particular thing.

He tends towards a diet with less

meat and more grains but is careful

to source organic, natural food

sources and steers clear of wheat,

which he thinks is probably too

processed in today’s society for

most people’s systems to tolerate.

I remember Danny’s enjoyment of

cheese which he wrote about in

the book – he claims he is still very

much a fan of cheese but it doesn’t

seem to be doing him any harm!

As we wind up the interview, I

wish Danny luck in his upcoming

marathon, only a few days away.

He has been coaching a number

of runners to run this race alongside

him – the hilly, off road Asheville

Marathon. 75 people signed up

to join his training group and he has

regularly had at least 15 runners

turn up for each coaching session.

He was looking forward to racing

with the group and crossing the

finish line together.

This sense of giving and genuinely

caring about other people’s running

enjoyment is what gives Danny his

motivation to continue on his path

and this is apparent both when

speaking with him and reading his

books. As ChiRunning continues

to spread across the world (there

are 200 registered instructors

worldwide, including the US, UK,

Germany, Singapore and Australia)

there will be more and more happy

runners.

Visit Danny’s website:

www.chiliving.com for information

regarding tuition, courses, books

and DVDs.

We’d like to say a huge thank you

to Danny for taking the time to

speak with us and look forward to

running with him one day in the

future!

thoughts; Danny advocates not

over-using the legs in ChiRunning

and Terry teaches not to use the

arms for power in swimming. They

both highlight the importance of

movement from the centre. Danny

said they now refer to each other

as, “Twin sons of different mothers”

due to their almost identical

philosophies within the two very

different modes of movement.

Danny and Terry taught each other

running and swimming respectively

and hope to transform the world

of triathlons with their like-minded

approaches.

All of these different products

and pathways are leading towards

Danny’s overall goal, which is to

spread the word about ChiRunning

and help as many people as possible

to get outside and enjoy running

more.

Day to day

Danny and his wife Katherine run

the business together. They also

have a 13 year old daughter, a

cat and a dog. “We conceived

our daughter and our business in

the same month – January 1999”,

Danny tells me. “We’ve always

said we raised twins!” Katherine

is the business side of things (Danny

says he “wouldn’t know how to

run a business if I had a gun to my

head!”) and half the authorship.

Danny is the “face out in the world

and developer of new material”.

Both he and Katherine are creative

people. “We think the same and

feel the same and that’s why you

feel the language in the book”.

Over the years, they’ve learnt how

to work together and support each

other in their work. I wonder how

Danny fit his training in too and ask

him what a typical week will look

like for him in terms of his own

exercise. He runs 5 times per week

(he’d already been for a run when

we spoke at 9am) as well as taking

an advanced, hour and a half T’ai

Chi class each week. On top of

this, Danny fits in a further 15 minutes

each day of his own T’ai Chi practice

and ensures that he spends some

time each day just meditating.

Other than the word ‘mindful’,

the other recurring word in our

conversation was ‘balance’.

“People ask about stretches and

strength training and you do need

P a g e 5 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 7 3

Running and Biomechanics

Specialists

Workshops and individual tuition to

help improve running performance

and reduce injury.

Visit the website or contact us for

more details.

www.barefootrunninguk.com

info@barefootrunninguk.com

0845 226 7302

magine being told you can never

have a beer again! Ever!

Derek Green received that

message in 1988.

But..... Derek Green is a Yorkshireman

and in my experience Yorkshiremen

don’t take that sort of thing lying

down. I love a beer, it is true.

I can’t imagine being given that

message. So when Anna asked

me to investigate gluten free beer

for this issue, it was too good an

opportunity to miss. My wife has

been gluten free for years and

as well as barefooting I also write

a little bit about beer. It was as

though the separate parts of my

life were coming together at one

point.

That point was a meeting with

David Ware of Green’s Original

Gluten Free Beers. David took

over the company from Derek

Green in 2011 and I met him at

his offices based in Hazel Grove

in Cheshire.

Greens Beers export all over

the world and their story is an

interesting one. Derek Green

was a textile merchant from

West Yorkshire and a diagnosed

coeliac. Derek had managed

to adjust his life accordingly but

longed for a beer. Cider and wine

are all very well but sometimes

only a beer will cut it. Derek just

couldn’t get hold of gluten free

beer in the UK and so, after his

retirement in 2002, he embarked

on a mission to put that right.

Derek knew that there was a long

held tradition in African countries

of brewing beer from Sorghum.

Sorghum is a grass and is mainly

used for animal feed but it is also

completely free of gluten.

Traditionally, the sugars are

extracted and used to make

beer. However, making a

palatable sorghum based beer

David Ware of Green’s Original Gluten Free Beers

P a g e 5 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

the end of the brewing process,

then maybe these sorghum beers

would die out. David held up one

hand to quell my fears and my

education continued.

It seems that the term ‘gluten free’

means different things depending

on which part of the world you

inhabit.

In Europe, a beer can be labelled

as gluten free as long as it has less

than 20 parts per million gluten.

In the US, the rules are different.

A beer can only be labelled as

gluten free if it has been made

from gluten free, raw materials.

All the work that’s done to remove

gluten after the beers have been

brewed is completely immaterial

in the US.

Although rigorous testing shows

that his malt based beers contain

no detectable gluten, David

cannot sell them in the US as

‘gluten free’. Green’s US market

require his sorghum based beers

and they continue to do very well

over there.

The filtering process is natural, no

can be a challenge. That was the

challenge that Derek took on.

A determined man, Derek

couldn’t persuade any of the

main breweries to take on the

idea. They considered it was just

too much of a shot in the dark.

Even ten years ago, the market

was very different than it is now.

Then Derek had a lucky break. He

met a professor of brewing from

Belgium who was sympathetic to

his cause. The professor had a

daughter who was a coeliac and

he offered to help. Thus in 2004,

Green’s first beer was born. It

was called ‘Discovery’ and is still

going strong.

Over the next few years, Derek’s

company brewed a range of

styles, each one made from a

sorghum base and they began

to sell all over the world.

Then the Spanish brewing giants

Estrella entered the mix and

turned things on their head.

Estrella started to produce gluten

free beers using a completely

different method. They perfected

a way of removing the gluten

from traditionally brewed beers

at the end of the process. This

was revolutionary and with their

extensive distribution networks,

Estrella’s beer quickly became

available everywhere.

Derek and the professor went

back to the drawing board and in

2008 perfected their own method

of removing gluten using natural

processes. This opened up a

world of possibilities but Green’s

brand is all about quality and only

the best will do. To ensure a high

end outcome, Greens selected

an award winning Belgian beer

and removed the gluten, leaving

behind a premium product.

They quickly used this method to

produce a Pilsner and Golden Ale

and sales of this way outstripped

their sorgham based beers. For

the record, my wife is fussy and

she enjoys both these beers.

As David was telling me this, my

heart sank. I had read lots about

their sorghum based beers and

independent reviews talked of

rich, complex beers that stood up

against any traditionally brewed

dark ale. If beer can be made

simply by removing the gluten at

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5 9

David Ware of Green’s Original Gluten Free Beers

animal products are used, making

Green’s beers suitable for

vegetarians. A host of awards has

followed.

Before our visit, I went to visit the

supermarket to pick up a couple

of bottles. I scoured the shelves

and eventually found them tucked

away in the ‘Free From’ section,

in a completely different part of

the store. When I pointed that

out to David, his decades of

experience in the brewing industry

came to the fore. He asks the

store to put them there. In the

same way that coeliacs don’t go

down the bread aisle, David says

that many coeliacs also don’t

bother with the beer aisle

because there isn’t anything

there for them. A good point

well made.

David was kind enough to crack

open a couple of bottles. The

dry hopped lager was excellent.

Crisp and just the job on a hot

day. The Discovery was a good

quality darker beer. It had a

short finish, leaving a faint apple

aftertaste that spoke of its

sorghum base. Very nice!

These beers stand up well in their

own right and so the question of

pubs arose. Draught simply

wouldn’t work; there is too much

chance of cross contamination

and buying a barrel of a niche

product would be too much of

a punt for many licensees. I can’t

help thinking that many pubs are

missing a trick.

My wife is gluten free and we

know people who will drive miles

just to visit a certain gluten free

chip shop. If I knew that a pub

sold gluten free beer in bottles,

especially one as good as Greens,

I would be much more likely to

head there than other pubs. It

would be great to see some

behind the bar in more places.

There are other gluten free beers

on the market. It seems that most

countries have their own versions

but there are very few premium

products that cross borders.

Estrella and St. Peters are two

others that spring to mind.

Green’s business is 80% export and

if you can’t find their beers locally

then you can always visit their

online shop and order some in:

www.glutenfreebeers.co.uk

Please remember that I have been

drinking lots of beer for the last

month so that you don’t have to.

I have been doing so with an air

of self-sacrifice. If you would like

to show your gratitude by sending

me a bottle, that would be jolly

nice.

P a g e 6 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

“David was kind

enough to crack

open a couple of

bottles. The dry

hopped lager was

excellent. Crisp

and just the job

on a hot day.”

magnesium citrate) included, which

should be ideally between 2-

4:1 calcium to magnesium. This is

known to play an important role in

skeletal maintenance, but more

importantly is essential for cellular en-

ergy and optimal muscle function. Con-

sumption of dairy protein powders will

help to boost calcium content but is

often otherwise easily attainable

through natural diet.

Vitamin K-2 (MK7), more readily ab-

sorbed than MK4 and has a longer

half life, is also highly recommended as

it is only found in trace quantities in

foods. It has a number of impor-

tant key functions such as prevent-

ing a build up of plaque within the arter-

ies therefore preventing some

forms of cardiovascular disease.

At the same time it removes any

excess calcium in the blood and de-

posits it into bones.

Look out for products which contain

ingredients such as

become depleted leaving you run

down and susceptible to illness or injury.

So, it is with this in mind that I’ll recom-

mend a few basics.

A good multivitamin geared towards

an active lifestyle, but remem-

ber that not all multivitamins

are created equal. Active individuals

simply have different needs be-

cause in order for us to perform

at our best it is imperative

for us to have the correct nutrition; even

slight deficiencies can cause us

to under perform. Most multi

vitamins available in the market today

have scientifically researched

levels of ingredients based on the RDA,

so any bought from a reputable

manufacturer should be of a decent

standard as long as they contain at

least the RDA of the follow-

ing vitamins B1, B2, B3, B12, C, D and

Folic Acid.

Ratios of calcium and

magnesium (preferably the more

bioavailable form of

Bioperine (or piperine extract – a form

of black pepper which aids absorp-

tion).

Omega 3, one of the most widely used

supplements in the

UK today. Most of us are aware that we

should be taking it for the numerous

health benefits it offers. But it is impor-

tant to know what you are looking for

in a supplement and in this case, don't

just go for any old fish oils. It simply isn't

necessary to supplement with Omega

6's and 9's as they are much more

readily abundant in other foods,

so it really is just the Omega 3 you need

to look for. Then it is important to check

the information on the label as there

are a variety of kinds out there which all

offer varying levels of health bene-

fits. What you are looking for here is the

EPA and DHA content, ideally between

500-1000 mg per day. These have been

proven to be the most effective

forms of Omega 3 for improving heart,

brain and immune function as well as

being known to work as an anti-

inflammatory.

In addition to this it is also impor-

tant to know the purity in terms of

heavy metal contamination.

What this means is that some of the

waters in the world are subject to high

levels of contaminants such as mercury

and other toxins and it is this

which is the other variable you

can encounter. Naturally we all

know that heavy metals are toxic and

should not be consumed, so it

is important that the fish are

sourced from declared clean water

sources. If you are unsure contact the

manufacturer who should be able to

provide you with this information

and even a copy of the certifica-

tion which will come with each batch.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 3 9

P a g e 6 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

The Green Room Abby Turner – on being a ‘Coeliac’

he first time I ever heard the

word Coeliac was when my

mum and my aunty (her twin)

were diagnosed when they were in

their fifties. They were dumbfounded.

How could they have lived all their

lives without realising they had this

disease? The difficulties in diagnosis

were soon to become even more

apparent for me.

Often mistaken for IBS, Coeliac is

an auto-immune disease and it's

hereditary, so my whole family

were tested. I was initially given

the all clear from a blood test,

only to become very ill a few years

later. A second blood test came

back positive and an endoscopy

confirmed the diagnosis. I waved

goodbye to gluten, wheat, barley

and rye in my diet forever.

Even though I felt sorry for my

mum, I was relieved to receive

a negative blood test. After all,

I’d inherited the webbed toes in

our family - surely I’d had my fair

share of hand-me-downs? For

three years I carried on enjoying

pasta, pizzas and pasties. All

usually washed down with a lovely

cold beer, completely unaware

of the damage I was doing to

myself.

Then, following a beer and BBQ

fuelled holiday to Australia, I felt

bloated all the time. I ignored it,

putting it down to holiday excess.

I also ignored the fact I felt

constantly tired and had terrible

stomach pains and cramps.

But, I just couldn’t ignore the

embarrassing symptoms (chronic

diarrhoea and smelly wind). When

you’re spending most of the day

on the loo and your boyfriend

needs a gas mask, it’s time to go

to the doctors.

When Coeliacs eat gluten, it

triggers an immune reaction which

damages the lining of the small

intestine and the body can’t absorb

all the nutrients from food properly.

My body was attacking itself

because of the gluten I was

shovelling into it, but having had

a negative blood test I dismissed

Coeliac disease and self-diagnosed

all sorts of awful diseases with the

help of Google. It therefore came

as somewhat of a relief to be told I

could be cured by simply changing

my diet.

Growing up in the South West, I’ve

always considered the Cornish

pasty as a major food group, so

going without my beloved ‘Oggies’

was going to be a challenge. But

knowing how ill I had become

before I was gluten free, I pledged

to stick to the diet rigidly. By now

my mum was an expert gluten free

cook and was there to show me

the ropes.

I felt a hundred times better within

a few weeks of not eating gluten

and was especially pleased when

the more embarrassing symptoms

disappeared altogether.

My eating habits have completely

changed and I usually cook

everything from scratch with fresh

ingredients, eating much healthier

foods, such as quinoa. I still eat

pasta and bread, but just swap

these for a gluten free version.

I can even get some products on

prescription. To prevent cross-

contamination, there are two tubs

of butter in our fridge, one clearly

marked up as mine, so that no

wheaty bread crumbs can make

their way onto my gluten free toast.

Gluten pops up in the strangest of

places, so I’m an expert ingredient

scrutinizer, reading the small print

on everything I eat.

Eating out is becoming easier too.

A lot of restaurants now mark their

menu with GFs, or have separate

allergy menus. In places that don’t

,

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 6 3

I regularly raise money for Coeliac

UK and last year ran the Reading,

Baldock and Plymouth half

marathons, as well as the British 10K

for the charity. I’m now currently

training for the Windsor half and

the Grim challenge.

Keeping to a strict gluten free diet

has meant I haven't developed

any complications which are linked

to Coeliac disease - skin rashes,

hair loss, infertility, depression, and

nerve problems, to name a few.

And yes, it can be frustrating when

everyone is tucking into something

yummy that I can't eat, but I

always put it into perspective.

When I compare it to some of the

painful treatments people go

through for terrible diseases, missing

out on a bit of cake really isn’t the

end of the world.

I have a well practiced speech for

waiters which explains what I can

and can’t eat. And it’s wine or

cider for me, instead of beer, from

now on.

Over the years, I’ve watched the

gluten free aisles in supermarkets

grow. Croissants, crumpets, custard

creams, bagels, biscuits and beer

– all are available (at a slightly

higher price!).

Coeliac disease can affect joints

and means that you are more

prone to osteoporosis. So, as well

as taking calcium tablets, I try to

keep active and healthy. After

I was diagnosed, I put all the

regained energy a gluten free

diet had given me into exercise.

I took up running and got hooked.

Building muscle with resistance

exercises is essential to help prevent

osteoporosis from developing, so

running and regular gym trips all

contribute to keeping me healthy.

P a g e 6 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Coeliac UK is the leading charity

working for people with coeliac

disease and dermatitis herpetiformis

(DH). Our mission is to improve the

lives of people with coeliac disease

through support, campaigning and

research.

We do this by:

providing independent and

expert information to help people

manage their health and diet

campaign for improved access

to fast diagnosis, good medical

treatment and safe foods - in the

home and out

research into new treatments

and possible cures.

Further info: www.coeliac.org.uk

barefoot, you adjust your stride

to put less stress on your body.

And, right on the heels of it (pun

intended), came editorials about

how running barefoot is the worst

thing you could do… though,

most of those editorials came

from people who own or work for

shoe companies or shoe sellers.

A few days ago, someone

forwarded me an email saying

“Well, I’ve seen people who

tried running barefoot and they

got injured! I’ve seen people

during marathons, sitting on the

side of the road in their Vibram

FiveFingers, crying in pain!”

(Of course, right after, I got

an email from a Xero Shoes

huaraches running sandal owner,

raving about how old running

injuries they used to have are

gone now that they’re out of

shoes, but let’s ignore that for

ver since Chris McDoguall’s

book, Born to Run, became

popular (interestingly, long

after it came out), the debate

about barefoot running has

become heated.

There was no big argument when

Zola Budd ran barefoot, or when

Abebe Bikila won the marathon

without shoes, or when Ron Hill

competed in the Mexico City

Olympics in “the lightest shoes

I could find.”

But once “regular folk” started

kicking off their kicks, it’s become

a rhetorical battlefield out there

- the converts touting the great

benefits of barefoot running, and

the critics assuring everyone that

taking off your running shoes is

akin to playing Russian Roulette.

Then the Harvard study came

out, showing that when you run

a moment.)

Mark Plaatjes, world champion

marathon runner, physical therapist,

and co-owner of the Boulder

Running Company, has said that

he doesn’t think most people have

the correct body type for running

barefoot.

Road Runner Sports sent out an

email saying, “Well, if you run

barefoot, you could step on

something and really screw

yourself up!” (that’s not the actual

quote, which I’m too lazy to look up,

but the gist of what they warned).

The Vancouver Sun recently

published an article, like dozens

of others like it, claiming that running

barefoot was dangerous, and the

proof was the opinion of some

doctors.

What amazes me about this back

P a g e 6 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

and forth nonsense is how enraged

the anti-barefoot gang is getting,

and how they’ve thrown out not

only their logic and critical thinking

skills, but how they’ve ignored what

every well-known barefoot running

coach has advised.

So let’s address some of the issues,

as quickly as possible (which isn’t

hard, since the arguments are

simple).

If you memorize these answers

(or print out this article and have

a copy in your back pocket), you

can save yourself the frustration

and/or humiliation of arguing

with some Know-It-All who tries to

talk you out of running barefoot.

1. Assertion: Barefoot running

will give you plantar fasciitis,

Achilles tendonitis, ingrown hair,

or male-pattern balding (or any

other injury).

Response: Runners in SHOES get

the same injuries! Those problems,

when they occur are not from

“barefoot running”, they’re from

OVERUSE. If someone you knew

went to the gym for the first time,

and did the workout that Arnold

Schwarzenegger used in his Mr.

Olympia days, they’d end up

with all manner of injuries,

soreness and overall inability-to-

move-for-days-ness. But nobody

would scream from the rooftops,

“Weight lifting is bad for you!”

They would say, to that individual,

“Dude, you did too much too

soon. Scale WAY back and build

up to that slowly. ”Clearly, the

cure for overuse is UNDERUSE.

Do less. The only problem is that

the only way to know how much

you can really handle, is by doing

too much… until you’ve done

that enough and gotten the hint.

I will concede though, that

barefoot running form may have

an overuse bias built into it, and

that’s because the motion of

absorbing shock is like doing

“negatives” in the gym, doing

more eccentric contractions of

the muscle. With “negatives,”

instead of contracting a muscle

to move a weight, you try to

resist as the weight pulls against

you (think about a bench press

in reverse - instead of pushing

the weight from your chest, you

try to keep a heavy weight from

dropping onto your chest). We

are much stronger in the

eccentric direction, and it

doesn’t give the same kind

of “burn” you get from the

concentric movement… but

the next day, you realize

you’ve done WAY too much

work. This is similar to why

walking DOWN a mountain

feels fine at the time, but the

next day you realize - due to

the massive soreness - that it

was harder than walking UP the

mountain.

Nonetheless, it’s possible to get

smart enough not to over train…

just takes some practice.

2. Assertion: Some people aren’t

built to go barefoot.

Response: Not only is there no

evidence for this, but what the

barefoot running coaches all

say is that by running barefoot

you develop the skills, strength,

and form that allow you to run

barefoot. Now, there’s not any

hard science behind that

argument, YET, either (some

researchers are working on it)…

but, come on, which makes

more sense: That someone is

physically unable to run barefoot

or in minimalist running shoes

(the way humans have run for

hundreds of thousands of years),

but is absolutely fine in shoes…

or that, due to lack of use,

they may need to build up the

strength before they can run

barefoot. Besides, the only

reason they would be okay

in shoes and not barefoot,

is because they’ve transferred

the stress that the muscles and

tendons and ligaments would

have to deal with if they were

barefooted (and get stronger

by doing so) into the bones

and joints.

Again, the message is, Go slowly!

(seeing a pattern here?)

3. Assertion: You could step on

something or, worse, IN

something!

Response: Yeah, so? But: a)

How bad would it REALLY be?;

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 6 7

most people who say they’re

running barefoot have never

put their bare skin on the

ground, or worn something as

minimalist as Xero Shoes).

Fourthly, I’ve never met a

doctor who has said to their

patient, “Let’s take a look at

some slow-motion video of

your running and see if the real

problem is your form, and not

your footwear or lack thereof.”

Finally, what cracks me up about

the anti-barefoot gang is the simple

denial of the numbers. That is, there

are a LOT of people taking off their

shoes without a problem. WAY

MORE, it seems, than those who

have any of the easy-to-solve

overuse issues. You don’t end up

with a movement like the barefoot

running movement without a high

percentage of happy converts.

This alone should, but doesn’t,

temper their argument.

And, again, the answer couldn’t

be simpler: Oh, if you’re going to

try barefoot running, you may

need to go WAY slower than you

thought, you’ll have to learn to

listen to your body in a way you

haven’t, you’ll need time to build

up strength to let you handle the

same distances you may now be

running, and you may want to get

something to give your sole a bit

of protection.

Enjoy!

b) How often is this REALLY

a problem, or are you just

imagining it happening

without knowing the actual

numbers?; c) Are these injuries

worse than the various problems

people have in shoes?; d) If you

do step in poo… which is easier

to hose off: your feet or a

waffle-soled shoe? This argument,

of course, cracks me up since I

offer a solution on my website

(www.xeroshoes.com) - get

some huaraches running shoes

and you’ll add a HUGE (but

thin) layer of protection with a

barefoot feel.

I have to back up to the

“stepping in poo” idea, because

I just got a call from someone

who said they were worried that’s

what they would do if they were

walking around barefoot.

“When’s the last time you stepped

in poo?” I asked. “About 20 years

ago,” the poo-fearer answered.

“Then what makes you think you’ll

suddenly start doing it now?” I

asked. “Ohh…,” said the former

poo-fearer.

By the way, I’m a bigger fan of

running sandals rather than

Vibram FiveFingers (VFF’s) , or

Nike Free, or the other minimalist

running shoes not because I sell

Xero Shoes, but because sandals

feel more like barefoot. The VFF’s

actually have quite a bit of

support, the Nike Free have a

big thick heel, and anything

with an upper that covers your

toes… well, it covers your toes.

4. Assertion: Doctors say they’re

seeing more patients with injuries

who are running barefoot.

Response: First of all, doctors

said the same thing 40 years

ago when running shoes became

popular. Secondly, doctors are

not seeing the people who are

not having problems running

barefoot… because those

people don’t go to doctors. In

other words, if you don’t know

the total number of people who

are running barefoot, seeing an

uptick in patients is a meaningless

statistic. Thirdly, I’ve never met

a doctor who asked their injured

patient, “So, are you running

barefoot or in something like a

Vibram FiveFingers shoe?” (hint,

P a g e 6 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 3B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 6 9

Assorted goodies Products worth a look

P a g e 7 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 1

1. Fitbit Flex. This new gadget, the latest

in the Fitbit range, will be available

to gadget lovers very soon. It is a

wristband that comes in various colours

and is able to track your steps, calories,

sleep quality, distance travelled and

activity levels, linking to your PC to store

info as well as link with friends to share

and compete!

Visit: www.fitbit.com for more info

2. “Never wipe your ass with a squirrel”.

Author and runner, Jason Robillard,

has written a fun and extremely useful

book called: “Never wipe your ass with

a squirrel”. It’s packed full of great tips

on trail and ultramarathon running

based on Jason’s significant knowledge

and experience, written in a manner

that will have you giggling throughout.

To find out how to purchase either an

e-book version or hard copy visit:

www.barefootrunninguniversity.com

3. Bobble Sport (750ml). Water Bobble

has introduced the ‘Bobble Sport’

which is the latest in their range of BPA

free bottles. It has a soft cap and

handy carrying loop and comes in an

array of fantastic colours. It contains

the usual carbon filter that removes

impurities for safer, fresher tasting

water.

Visit: www.waterbobble.com for more

info

4. Avenue Madison 2SRAM Dino Black/

Red - 2 Speed £1,055.00p. Check out

the latest gorgeous bike from Avenue,

the speed Dino black/mat red

super-sleek machine! Simplicity is what

makes this bike so desirable and the 2

speed gearing system means you can

get just a little bit of help on the hills!

Visit: www.avenuebicycles.co.uk for

more info and models

5. Moving Comfort Vero Bra. Moving

Comfort is an all woman company

specializing in creating trendy yet

functional fitness wear for women,

whatever their chosen sport. Their

latest offering is a new sports bra, the

‘Vero’, with fully adjustable straps that

can be worn straight or cross back.

Visit: www.movingcomfort.com

P a g e 7 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Na

tio

na

l n

ew

s

Th

e la

test

na

tio

na

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ew

s

- cigarettes are becoming an

increasing problem amongst

pupils in secondary school.

As the product does not contain tobacco, it is not covered by the

Health Act 2006 and children of

any age can, at the moment, buy

them legally (sales are currently

at the shopkeeper’s discretion).

Many secondary schools have

banned e-cigarettes as they see

them as the beginning of the

pathway to smoking normal cigarettes. Indeed, it seems to be

the ‘in thing’ at schools, with pupils

being found behind the bike sheds

‘smoking’ and for many, smoking

the real thing will be a natural

progression. One 14 year old

Inquiry called for as the state of

the new, non-emergency ‘111’

phone line remains “fragile”,

NHS bosses admit.

even reported seeing someone

‘smoking’ an e-cigarette in class

because the vapour evaporates

quickly and is relatively

undetectable.

It’s a concern that a product

originally designed to help

people stop smoking is actually

encouraging youngsters to start.

There are also health concerns

surrounding the e-cigarette and

its ingredients (one of which is

the addictive drug, nicotine)

and it has already been banned

in a number of countries. The

legislation regarding product

sales/usage will hopefully

change very soon.

43 year old Yoshinari Matsushita

was sadly involved in a fatal

accident at this year’s race. He

was highly popular in the Racing TT

paddock and will be sorely missed.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 3

survey carried out for the walking charity,

Ramblers, has revealed that a quarter of

UK adults only walk a total of one hour a

week. This includes to and from the car, to

the shops, etc.

A separate survey by YouGov of 2,000 people

found similar results – 43% of the adults they

surveyed were walking less than two hours

per week.

Ramblers (the charity) are trying to promote

the health benefits of walking in an effort to

get the nation moving and they are, quite

obviously, strongly backed by the medical

profession. Dr Stuart Biddle, a professor at

Loughborough University, has highlighted

the mental health benefits of walking which

have been proven time and again, such as

improved mood, clarity of thought and

higher self-esteem.

The British Heart Foundation promote walking

as one of the best ways to keep your heart

healthy – it’s moderate intensity, accessible

and cheap!

You can find out more about group walks

and routes here: www.ramblers.org.uk

The

late

st Na

tion

al n

ew

s Na

tion

al n

ew

s

he number of organ donations in

the UK has increased threefold

in the past year. This year’s

numbers include the first instance

of an individual giving part of their

liver to a stranger.

A nurse at NHS Blood & Transplant

has attributed this significant rise

to the raised awareness of organ

donating and the fact that people

feel they want to do something

genuinely good for somebody else.

The increase was unexpected but

certainly very welcome; three

people die every day due to the

lack of availability of suitable/

available organs.

Those considering donating are

advised to do their research and

spend some time making the

decision. Each donor is also given

extensive screening to ensure

that they are psychologically and

medically prepared.

Visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk

for more information

P a g e 7 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Try this at home

spine. In our experience, most

people will have some pelvic/spinal

deviation (for example, the pelvis

sitting higher on one side and the

spine being slightly rotated) which

will affect the movement within

the hip joints. With this in mind, the

exercises we have chosen involve

movement of the pelvis and hips

together, rather than trying to

isolate the hip joint.

As always, these exercises are just

a guide to give you some ideas to

explore things further. If you have

specific issues that need addressing,

it’s worth seeing a movement

and/or hands on therapist to give

you targeted exercises under

supervision.

to experience discomfort in your

knees – the poor knee joint is often

punished merely for its position

within the human body, sitting

stranded between the ankle and

hip and feeling the effects of

what’s going on at those two joints.

Lack of mobility and proper

function of the ankle and/or hip

joint will frequently be felt as pain

in the knee which can lead to

unnecessary and useless surgical

procedures. Opening up the hips

on a regular basis, using a range

of different exercises, helps overall

function as well as avoiding undue

stress on the knee joint.

Rather than thinking of the hip joints

as separate entities, it can be far

more useful to recognize them as

an integral part of the pelvis and

n the ‘Try this at home’ section of

our Winter issue, we discussed

how restrictions in the foot and

ankle can have an impact on the

rest of the body and its movement

and we gave you some sample

exercises to try as well as some

general advice on how to free up

those joints.

In this Spring issue, we’d like to focus

on hip mobility. As we mentioned

last time, lack of general daily

activity can cause tightness to

build up in your joints and the hip

joints are no exception. Sitting

down for too long is one of the

main culprits, as well as exercise

programmes that don’t effectively

maintain a full range of motion

at the hips. If you have restriction

in your hips, you may well begin

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 5

Cross over crawl

1. Begin on hands and knees (Pic. A)

2. Slide your right knee forward and around in front of your

left knee. (Pic.B) Sit back slightly. (Pic. C)

3. Rock forward again slightly and release your left knee

from behind your right knee, slide it forwards and around

in front of your right knee. (Pic. D) Sit back slightly.

4. Keep going with this movement, allowing your weight to

shift naturally between your hands and knees. You should

find that you progressively move forwards.

5. Try reversing the movement (crawling backwards) to return

to your starting position.

A

B

C

D

P a g e 7 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Seated twist

6. Sit with your legs to the right, knees pointing left. (Pic. E)

Rotate the right side of your pelvis forward and allow

your spine to follow that rotation so you end up looking

over your left shoulder. Place your hands on the floor

wherever it feels most natural. (Pic. F)

7. Begin to make the transition over to the other side,

so that your knees lift up and over to the right. You’ll

probably want to place your hands on the floor behind

you for balance. (Pic. G) When your legs are down on

the floor, let your left pelvis rotate forward and allow

your spine to follow that rotation so you end up looking

over your right shoulder.

8. Repeat this around ten times, or however many feels

appropriate. You’ll probably find that one side feel

easier than the other. Try and achieve a little more

range of movement each time and keep moving

fluidly and continuously.

Side to side lunge

9. Take your legs fairly wide apart (bent or straight), hands on the

floor in front of you. (Pic. H)

10. Turn your left foot out and bend your left knee, keeping it in line

with the foot. Keep your right foot facing forwards. Look straight

ahead and try to flatten your back, drawing your shoulders

away from your ears. (Pic.I)

11. Swap over to the other side, straightening your left knee as you

bend your right knee. At the same time, turn your right foot out

and your left foot to face the front. Stay as low as you can

(although your bottom will lift up slightly as you move from one

side to the other), walking your hands along the floor to help

keep your balance. (Pic.J)

12. Keep swapping sides for 6-8 repetitions, moving carefully but

fluidly.

E

F

G

H

J

I

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 7

Side lunge with rotation (a continuation of the previous

exercise)

13. Take your legs fairly wide apart (bent or straight), hands on the

floor in front of you. (Pic. K)

14. Turn your left foot out and bend your left knee, keeping it in line

with the foot. Keep your right foot facing forwards. Look straight

ahead and try to flatten your back, drawing your shoulders away

from your ears. (Pic. L)

15. Walk your hands towards your left foot and turn it out more.

Let your right leg rotate inwards as you try and look behind you,

past your left leg. Drop down slightly and feel a stretch in your

right side. (Pic. M)

16. Walk your hands back to the front, simultaneously rotating your

right leg outwards and then bending it, as you straighten your

left leg to bring you back into a side lunge position, this time

with your right leg bent and left leg straight. (Pic.N)

17. Walk your hands towards your right foot and turn it out more.

Let your left leg rotate inwards as you try and look behind you,

past your right leg. Drop down slightly and feel a stretch in

your left side. (Pic.O)

18. Return to a side lunge, this time with your left leg bent and right

leg straight. (Pic.P)

19. Keep moving from one rotation to the other, with a side lunge

in the middle. Repeat 6-8 times.

After you’ve got the hang of these exercises, you should feel that

each session (which will take less than 5 minutes) instantly releases

your hips and, over time, will help you gain more freedom and

movement, allowing you to move deeper into each position.

K

L

P

M

N

O

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 3 3

11 Artillery Lane, London, E1 7LP www.trainingshoplondon.co.uk

Functional Footwear

Fitness Equipment

Supplementation

London City’s First Specialist Health and Fitness Shop

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 P a g e 6 9

11 Artillery Lane, London, E1 7LP www.trainingshoplondon.co.uk

Exercise and Movement Therapy is about re-educating your body to move as it was

designed to move. It’s about releasing your body from restrictions that result from

past injuries, emotional issues, tension and stress. Imagine how a dancer moves; with

elegance, grace and control. Using physical exercises, visualization and breathing

techniques, Exercise and Movement Therapy teaches you to move naturally, with

more agility, balance and coordination.

We use variations of this technique with all of our clients – everyone benefits, whether

they are sports people, people in pain or those who just generally would like to feel

better. Rather than traditional “gym” training where movements are very one

dimensional, we teach you more natural, spiralling movements, often put together

into sequences to encourage whole body, multi-directional movement patterns,

similar to how you move through your daily life.

Website: www.trbalance.com tel: 0845 226 7303 email: info@trbalance.com

P a g e 8 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

How to

fter all the hype surrounding Team

Sky and Bradley Wiggins

winning the Tour de France last

year, British Cycling has taken a

front row seat amongst the masses

of UK sports fans! More and more

people have been swept up in

‘cycle mania’ and are wanting to

get their first bike but simply don’t

know where to start! Buying your

first bike can be daunting and

somewhat confusing with the wide

choice of manufacturers, array of

componentry and several price

points to consider.

Your first decision comes in

determining what type of bike you

are after. There are over 7 main

styles of bikes to choose from and

your selection should really depend

on what you anticipate your main

type of riding to be.

Here are my top 12 tips:

1. Decide on the style of bike – what do you want to use it for?

Where do you intend to ride it

and how often? These questions

will help determine the best bike

for you. The main beginner styles

are as follows:

a. Road bike (also known as a

racing bike) - designed for

racing or fitness riders who

have the need for speed or

longer sportive endurance

road rides. Generally a lighter

weight construction than other

bike styles with dropdown

handlebars and componentry

designed specifically for use

on paved roads.

b. Mountain bike - designed for

heavier use off-road and not

speed, hence the wider,

knobbly tyres. Most will have

front-suspension to improve

comfort and stability, although

more models now have

suspension front and rear.

c. Hybrid bike - great all-rounder

for leisure and commuting

riders as it combines the best

elements of mountain bikes

and road bikes with flat

handlebars. Offers lightweight

components, an easy riding

position, often includes

mudguards and slick or semi-

slick tyres for riding on tarmac

or cycle / forest paths.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 8 1

P a g e 8 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

d. Dutch / Town bike - designed

for comfort not speed with a

more upright riding position.

Generally features a basket

at the front plus mudguards,

luggage rack at the rear and

enclosed chain and gears

for low-maintenance riding.

2. Set a Budget – don’t get

caught up in all the bells and

whistles that bike manufacturers

offer. Generally speaking you

can buy a good entry level

road, mountain or hybrid for

approximately £500-600. If

budgets are tight then consider

buying a second hand bike

online or through a local cycle

club. Make sure you go with

someone who knows something

about bikes and stick to the

larger more reputable brands

as there are so many cheap

and badly made bikes that lure

you in with their great looks.

Often cheap bikes have to be

assembled by the buyer. This is

more complicated to do than

you think and the result is a

home-built bike that's actually

dangerous.

3. Check if your company offers

a ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme – this will help you save a

considerable amount depending

on your scheme and allow you

to potentially consider an even

better bike. Most cycle to work

schemes allow for your bike to

be deducted off your salary so

you don’t have to pay a lump

sum in one go! The downside

to these cycle schemes is that

your work might only be affiliated

to a certain bike shop or chain

who may not stock your ideal

bike or model.

4. Consider your gears – the

majority of modern bikes have

several gears. Systems with 16,

20, 27 and even 30 gears aren't

unusual. The idea here is to

provide you with a wide range

of gears so that you can ride

comfortably up or down

anything. So it’s not the number

of gears that really matters but

whether the range fits the terrain

you’ll be riding on. If you’ll only

be riding on flat roads you don’t

need the super-low gears of a

typical mountain bike.

5. Take a test ride – ask to test

ride the bike before you buy it

from the shop and try to wear

appropriate cycling clothing

when test riding so you get the

true feel of the bike.

5. Get measured for bike size – one of the most important

parts of getting a new bike is

to ensure you get properly

measured so you don’t have

any pain or discomfort later.

Some bike shops will offer this

service.

6. Buy a good cycling helmet – buy this new and don’t go for

second hand or the cheapest

options in the store. Good,

reputable brands to consider

are: Giro, Las, Bell, Kask, Met

and Specialized. Always cycle

with a helmet when you ride.

No matter how short the

distance. Safety first at all times.

7. Consider appropriate

cycling gear – the key

to enjoying cycling is to

ensure its fun and

comfortable, especially

if you intend to

ride longer

distances. To

avoid the

unpleasant

experience

of walking

like John

Wayne for

weeks, consider

purchasing a

good pair of

cycling pants or shorts with

soft inner padding to avoid

chafing. You may also want

to consider cycling shoes

and cleats if you ride often.

8. Buy safety gear – besides a

helmet, you should purchase

the following:

a. Front & rear light (front is a

normal light and rear is a red

light) - especially important

if you will be riding on the

roads or commuting to and

from work or school.

b. Visible waterproof jacket –

ideally bright neon yellow

or orange so you are clearly

visible on the road or cycle

path to other cyclists,

become a more efficient and

confident rider. Njinga Cycling

has a great training programme

for people wanting to get into

road cycling or who have

signed up for charity cycle

challenge and don’t know

where to start. Or, find a

cycling coach – sign up to a

few individual cycling lessons

to help you become more

confident on the bike and

avoid developing bad habits.

Email me for more details

info@njingacycling.com

Feel free to contact me if you need

help in buying your first bike. The

main thing is to just get out there,

be safe and have fun.

Happy Cycling!

Togo Keynes is a Cycling Coach,

Sky Ride Leader, Spinning Instructor,

Personal Trainer, Holistic Health

Coach & Nutritionist and runs Njinga-

Cycle Tours and Training. Njinga

offers cycling weekends and training

programmes with a difference.

They focus on getting the best out

of their clients by not only focusing

on improving cycling through

exceptional coaching and training

but providing the nutritional support

and focus needed to drive optimal

performance. They work with

beginner and intermediate road

cyclists looking to have fun, get fit

and complete their first endurance

road cycling challenge. Contact

Njinga and receive 10% off their

1-1 cycle coaching sessions.

Visit www.njingacycling.com for

more info.

motorists and pedestrians.

9. Buy a puncture repair kit –

it’s critical to have the

appropriate repair kit and

mini bag to attach under

your seat.

10. Find a cycle challenge –

to keep you motivated and

cycling week in week out!

It will take you at least 4-6

weeks before you really get

comfortable riding and feel

the true bug kick in!

11. Sign up for a cycle training

programme for beginners or

intermediates – to learn how to

brake, corner, climb, descend,

pedal and choose the most

appropriate gear. All of these

training drills will help you

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 8 3

love Tim Minchin (comedian,

musician; www.timminchin.com).

He is funny, witty and very sexy.

He also doesn’t wear shoes during

his shows. He is barefoot. That’s ok.

He is famous, quirky and I don’t

mind at all if a comedian wants to

make a fool of himself. However,

do I have to live with the same

behaviour at home?

The short answer should be a most

emphatic “no”. I fear the long

answer is a bit more complex,

and difficult to articulate. My other

half is, for wont of a better word,

‘special’. To paraphrase Tim Minchin,

he definitely does not fall within a

bell curve. In fact, he is positioned

somewhere so much outside of this

lovely statistical construct that I have

to send out a sniffer dog to find him.

During our very long relationship,

I had to put up with quite a lot.

On our very first date, he opened

the door in a home-sewn kilt (in

South England). He also wore a

sarong long before David Beckham,

for a very short time, donned the

same garment (why do these

things look sexy on other people?),

and my initiation test to pass

muster as a girlfriend included the

watching and approval of the

1970’s cult horror film Wicker Man

(www.imdb.co.uk/title/tt0070917/).

night, and all of a sudden even new

running shoes were pronounced

“evil” and unnatural, making us soft

and were responsible for all knee

and hip injuries under the sun

(probably even for the hole in the

Ozone layer!). According to my

other half, the only logical and

natural way forward was to strip

ourselves naked (well our feet

anyway).

Why? I personally blame our rabbit;

my other half had been admiring

her carpet-like hindfoot for quite a

while (yes one of them, our little

adopted girl is three-legged).

Nonetheless, we are not rabbits,

and shoes are not evil.

Of course, being a scientist, it

wasn’t enough for him to take off

his shoes and just run (that would

have been fine, no worries). He

had to learn everything about it,

for instance about the physiology,

biomechanics and technique (he

even took part in a recent study

into barefoot running). Why we

have to ‘learn’ the technique of

barefoot running if it is our natural

state of being is beyond me.

He started to buy books on the

subject, joined the barefoot running

community and spent hours on the

Sock Doc website, and also bought

There are too many other things

to mention here, but I want to

make sure that you, the reader,

understands that I’m a very patient

and tolerant woman (at least in

my mind, naturally my other half

disagrees).

Then a few years back, my very

special man decided to stretch my

tolerance and understanding even

more. However, this time he may

have taken one ‘barefoot’ step

too far. For years, he preached

that I needed better running shoes,

that I should buy myself some better

trainers, and that it wasn’t healthy

to run in my old dilapidated trainers.

His attitude literally changed over

P a g e 8 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Write back at you View from the other side by Monja Knoll

“He also wore

a sarong

long before

David Beckham,

for a very short

time, donned

the same garment

(why do these

things look sexy on

other people?)”

himself several pairs of barefoot

running shoes (surely a contradiction

in itself). More importantly, he

wanted to share and discuss his

newfound ‘obsession’ with someone,

and guess with whom! Imagine

my horror, when each conversation

was swiftly diverted into a discussion

about the benefits of barefoot

running. I’m not kidding! I’m sure,

given the opportunity, he would

have even managed to attribute

a sore throat to the evil, unnatural

state that our poor feet had to

endure when encased in evil leather

‘straight jackets’ (probably because

of the misappropriation of a foot

motor-neuron as a throat pain

receptor due to a1/2 inch heel).

I thought his previous obsession with

the Bronze Age Minoan civilization

was bad (I won’t even go there, but

see here for short introduction:

www.britishmuseum.org/explore/

highlights/articles/m/the_minoans.

aspx), but this was infinitely worse.

To deal with the situation, I had to

turn to my knowledge of the human

psyche to explain his behaviour (did

I mention that I’m a Psychologist?).

It’s obvious what had happened,

it’s a midlife crisis! How could it be

anything else? According to quite

a few of the seminal psychologists

(Carl Jung, Erik Erikson & Daniel

Levinson), we undergo some form

of crisis during middle adulthood

(my other half is in his forties).

Obviously the decline in our mental

and physical faculties (eyesight,

hearing and memory), and the

realization that we have less time

left than we have already lived,

makes us re-evaluate our lives. As

a result, ‘normal people’ may buy

themselves a Porsche or a snazzy

motorbike, wear tight leather

trousers, die their hair blond and

run off with a substantially younger

partner (take this with a pinch

of salt, by now you may have

probably realized that I have a

myself). Third, it’s also reassuring to

know that he isn’t checking out a

woman’s bottom when we drive

past a female runner, but instead

criticizes or makes favourable

comments about her running form

(heel striking, forefoot striking or

midfoot striking; he does the same

if we pass a male runner). Fourth,

he could have decided to strip off

naked completely (being the most

natural state of being) and joined

a nudist community, which would

have the potential to be much

more embarrassing and awkward.

Imagine having a drink with your

friends and your other half tries to

convince them to strip off as he

normally tries to promote barefoot

running (I hope I’m not giving him

any ideas).

I think, all things considered, the

view from the other side is not that

bad and I’ll take barefoot running

over the purchase of expensive

status symbols, nudity and infidelity

any day. If nothing else helps, I can

always purchase some earplugs,

and keep nodding and smiling

inanely as soon as he mentions the

dreaded word that begins with a

‘B’ and rhymes with ‘dare-put’

once again.

slight tendency to exaggerate).

If you are a bit special or poor (like

my other half), well you will start

barefoot running instead. Needless

to say, he isn’t quite convinced that

my psychological assessment of his

new found interest is entirely correct.

However, I found that the short

strategic mentioning of the

term ‘Midlife Crisis’ is a helpful

conversation killer, particularly

when he preaches that running

barefoot is the answer to all the

world’s problems and that it may

even reverse hair loss (I might

have dreamt that one; I wonder

what Sigmund Freud would have

to say about this).

Of course having made this

assessment, I cannot help but

notice that there are some

advantages to barefoot running,

specifically when it is used as an

outward expression of the feared

midlife crisis. First, a Porsche

would cost infinitely more than

Vivobarefoot running shoes (we

cannot afford this). Second, our

neighbours, although very tolerant

of this kilt wearing eccentric,

may finally lose it if he parks a

$ 1,600,000.00 Lamborghini next

to our 23 year Renault 19 (when

I say the neighbours, I actually mean

“it’s also reassuring

to know that he

isn’t checking out

a woman’s bottom

when we drive

past a female runner,

but instead criticizes

or makes favourable

comments about her

running form”

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 8 5

P a g e 8 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

What’s On

Sunday 3rd BFR UK Group Run Moat Park, Maidstone See page 95 for more information

Saturday 9th Run Strong • Run Free workshop Bacon’s College, London See page 95 for more information

Sunday 10th Milton Keynes Half Marathon Buckinghamshire www.mkhalf.co.uk

Sunday 10th Brutal 10 Windmill Hill, near Frimley www.brutalrun.co.uk

Sunday 24th Hastings Half Marathon East Sussex www.hastings-half.co.uk

Sunday 3rd Eastbourne Half Marathon East Sussex www.eastbournehalf.co.uk

Friday 1-3rd Triathlon Show Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey www.triathlonshow.co.uk

Sunday 3rd Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon Northamptonshire www.adidashalfmarathon.com

Sunday 17th Fleet Half Marathon Hampshire www.fleethalfmarathon.com

Sunday 17th Mizuno Reading Half Marathon Green Park, Reading www.readinghalfmarathon.com

Sunday 17th Wild Warrior Obstacle Race Wild Park, Derbyshire www.xrunner.co.uk

Saturday 27th Australian Outback Marathon Yulara, Australia www.australianoutbackmarathon.com

Saturday 13-14th Race to the Stones Oxfordshire www.recatothestones.com

Sunday 14th Surrey Badger Half Denbies Estate, Dorking www.eventstolive.co.uk

Thursday 4th Sandy 10 Bedfordshire www.biggleswadeac.org.uk

Saturday 6-7th Gold Coast Airport Marathon www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au

Sunday 21st USN Eton Dorney Triathlons Eton College, Windsor www.votwo.co.uk

Sunday 14th The British 10K London Run London City www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk

Saturday 27th La 6000D Savoie, France www.la6000d.com

Monday 1-5th Northwest Passage Marathon & Ultra Nunavut, Canada www.arcticwatch.ca

Saturday 27th BFR UK Group Run King’s Parade, Cambridge See page 95 for more information

Monday 15th Badwater 135 Death Valley, California www.badwater.com

Sunday 3rd Copper Canyon Ultra Urique, Chihuahua, Mexico www.ultracb.com

Friday 12-14th Balanced Body Pilates on Tour Denver, Colorado www.pilates.com

Gold Coast, Australia

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 8 7

Saturday 3rd Inca Trail Marathon Machu Picchu, Peru www.andesadventures.com

Sunday 11th BFR UK Group Run London Wall, City London See page 95 for more information

Saturday 17-18th Leadville Trail 100 Run Colorado, USA www.leadvilleraceseries.com

Monday 5th Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon Dublin, Ireland www.ie.competitor.com/dublin

Sunday 25th London Spartan Sprint Pippingford, East Sussex www.spartanrace.com

Friday 9th Swiss Irontrail Graubünden, Switzerland www.irontrail.ch

Sunday 18th Kimbolton Castle 10k Cambridgeshire www.nicetri.co.uk

Saturday 24th Reykjavik Marathon Reykjavik, Iceland www.marathon.is

Sunday 4th Brisbane Running Festival Brisbane, Australia www.brisbanemarathon.com

Saturday 13-18th Transrockies Run Buena Vista, Colorado www.transrockies-run.com

Saturday 7th BFR UK Group Run Brighton, East Sussex See page 95 for more information

Sunday 29th BUPA Great Yorkshire Run Sheffield City Centre www.greatrun.org

Sunday 29th Baxters Loch Ness Marathon Scotland www.lochnessmarathon.com

Saturday 7th Mattoni Prague Grand Prix Old Town Square, Prague www.praguemarathon.com

Sunday 22th Rock ‘n’ Roll de Montréal Marathon Montreal, Canada www.ca.competitor.com/montreal

Saturday 21st Great Gorilla Run London, United Kingdom www.greatgorillarun.org

Sunday 8th KamiKaze. The Banzai Challenge Mapperton, Dorset www.votwo.co.uk

Saturday 5th BFR UK Group Run East London, Location TBC See page 95 for more information

Sunday 27th Steeplechase Norwich, Norfolk www.muckyraces.co.uk

Sunday 6th Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run Glasgow, Lanarkshire www.runglasgow.org

Monday 28th Dublin Marathon Dublin, Ireland www.dublinmarathon.ie

Saturday 19th Run Richmond Riverside 10K London www.thefixevents.com

Sunday 13th GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon Victoria, British Columbia www.runvictoriamarathon.com

Sunday 6h Royal Parks Half Marathon Hyde Park, London www.royalparkshalf.com

Sunday 20th BUPA Great Birmingham Run Birmingham City Centre www.greatrun.org

Thursday 3 -12th UVU Jungle Marathon Brazil www.junglemarathon.com

Sunday 6th Rock ‘n’ Roll Lisbon Marathon & ½ Lisbon, Portugal www.pt.competitor.com/portugal

Sunday 6th MBNA Chester Marathon City of Chester www.chestermarathon.co.uk

Saturday 14-15th Thames Path Challenge (100k) Putney - Henley (London) www.thamespathchallenge.com

Saturday 14-15th BUPA Great North Run Gateshead, Newcastle www.greatrun.org

Saturday 26-27th BUPA Great South Run Southsea, Portsmouth www.greatrun.org

Friday 27-29th Balanced Body Pilates on Tour Chicago, Illinois www.pilates.com

Friday 16-18th Balanced Body Pilates on Tour Washington, DC www.pilates.com

Wednesday 1st Hardmoors 30 Whitby, United Kingdom www.hardmoors110.org.uk

Saturday 11th Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge Epcot®, Walt Disney World® www.rundisney.com

Saturday 4th Salem Lakeshore Frosty Fifty North Carolina, U.S.A www.twincitytc.org

Saturday 11th Country to Capital 45 Wendover, United Kingdom www.gobeyondultra.co.uk

Sunday 12th Thanet Mountain Bike Duathlon Birchington, United Kingdom www.thanetroadrunners.org.uk

Sunday 26th Gran Canaria Marathon Gran Canaria, Spain www.grancanariamaraton.com

Sunday 26th Threshold Winter Series Race 4 Illmington, United Kingdom www.thresholdevents.co.uk

Wednesday 1st Brooks New Year's Day 10k London, United Kingdom www.serpentine.org.uk

Saturday 18-19th HURT 100 Mile Endurance Run Hawaii, U.S.A www.hurt100trailrace.com

P a g e 8 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Saturday 16th Anthem Richmond Marathon Richmond, Virginia www.richmondmarathon.com

Sunday 24th Norwich Half Marathon Norwich, Norfolk www.cityofnorwichhalfmarathon.com

Saturday 9th London Spartan Beast Pippingford, East Sussex www.spartanrace.com

Sunday 3rd ING New York Marathon New York, USA www www.ingnycmarathon.org

Saturday 2nd BFR UK Group Run Richmond Park, W. London See page 95 for more information

Saturday 30th 24 Ore Del Sol Palermo, Sicily www.asdmol.it

Monday 18th Conwy Half Marathon Conwy Quayside, Wales www.runwales.com

Saturday 23-24th The Running Show Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey www.therunningshow.co.uk

Saturday 20th Antarctic Ice Marathon Ellsworth Mountains www.icemarathon.com

Saturday 20th Antarctic Ice Marathon Ellsworth Mountains www.icemarathon.com

Thursday 26th Sønndersø Rundt Vaerloese, Denmark www.puls96.dk

Saturday 7th Winter Sun 10K Moab, Utah, USA www.moabhalfmarathon.com

Thursday 26th Cockleroy Chaser Cockleroy, West Lothian www.lothianrunningclub.co.uk

Sunday 1st Grim Challenge (2 Day) Aldershot, Hampshire www.grimchallenge.co.uk

Thursday 19th Patagonia Running Adventure Patagonia, Chile www.andesadventures.com

Saturday 14th DAM Jingle Bell 10K/5K Dash Orinda, California www.wolfpackevents.com

Saturday 14th Santa’s Scamper Calne, Wiltshire www.calneleisure.co.uk

Sunday 8th BCS Marathon and Half Marathon College Station , Texas www.bcsmarathon.com

Saturday 7th Aspen PE City Marathon Port Elizabeth, South Africa www.crusaders-athletic-club.com

Thursday 19th Urban Jungle Mdina 2 Spinola Mdina, Malta www.maltamarathon.com

Sunday 8th Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon San Antonio , Texas www.runrocknrollcompetitor.com

Saturday 9th Run Strong • Run Free workshop Bacon’s College, London See page 95 for more information

Saturday 7th BFR UK Group Run Clapham Common, London See page 95 for more information

Saturday 11th Avalon Benefit 50 Mile Run California, U.S.A www.avalon50.com

Saturday 4th Brooks HellRunner: Hell down South Longmoor, Hampshire www.hellrunner.co.uk

Sunday 3rd Lancaster Half Marathon City of Lancaster www.shoestringresults.com

Sunday 19th Inskip Derby Arms Half Marathon Preston, United Kingdom www.northernrunningguide.com

Individuals or team relay

Limited spaces at World Heritage sites

Sunday 24th Heartbreaker Run Festival Fordingbridge, Hampshire www.racenewforest.co.uk

Saturday 23rd TuffMan Trail Run Pippingford Park, E. Sussex www.humanrace.co.uk

Saturday 16-17th Clonakilty Back 2 Back Marathon West County Cork, Ireland

Sunday 17th Barcelona Half Marathon Barcelona, Spain www.barcelona.de

Sunday 24th Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan www.tokyo42195.org

Sunday 24th The Beast Melton Mowbray, LE14 3PF www.thebeastrun.co.uk

Sunday 17th Rock ‘n’ Roll Nice du Carnaval Nice, France www.fr.competitor.com/nice

Sunday 17th Brighton Half Marathon Brighton, East Sussex www.brightonhalfmarathon.com

Sunday 17th Hagg Lake Mud Run Forest Grove, Oregon. USA www.haggmud.com

Saturday 16th Hog Wild Mud Run Tampa, Florida. USA www.hogwildmudrun.com

Sunday 17th Valentines 10k Chessington, Surrey www.26point2.co.uk

Sunday 24th Land Rover Malta Marathon & ½ Mdina, Malta www.maltamarathon.com

Saturday 6th BFR UK Group Run Richmond Park, London See page 81 for more information

Sunday 14th Rock ‘n’ Roll Edinburgh ½ Marathon Edinburgh, Scotland www.uk.competitor.com/edinburgh

Saturday 20th Run Strong • Run Free workshop Brighton, Sussex See page 81 for more information

Sunday 14th Brighton Marathon Brighton, East Sussex www.brightonmarathon.co.uk

Friday 5-15th Marathon des Sables Sahara Desert, Morocco www.marathondessables.co.uk

Monday 15th Boston Marathon Boston, Massachusetts www.baa.org

Saturday 27th Lost Worlds 50/100K Tuscany Crossing, Italy www.lostworldracing.com

Sunday 28th Rock ‘n’ Roll Madrid Maratón & Half Madrid, Ireland www.es.competitor.com/madrid

Saturday 1st BFR UK Group Run The City of London See page 81 for more information

Saturday 29th Water Wipeout Obstacle Race Nottingham www.xrunner.co.uk

Saturday 1st Tillingham Valley Rockabilly Nr Rye, East Sussex www.nice-work.org.uk

Saturday 16th Estes Park Marathon Estes Park, Colorado www.epmarathon.org

Sunday 23rd BFR UK Group Run Edinburgh, Scotland See page 81 for more information

Saturday 5th Rock ‘n’ Roll Oslo Half Marathon Oslo, Norway www.no.competitor.com/oslo

Saturday 22-23rd Trans Pennine Challenge (100k) Manchester - Sheffield www.transpenninechallenge.com

Monday 24th Midnight Sun Half Marathon Reykjavik, Iceland www.all-iceland.co.uk

Saturday 29th Clif Bar 10 Peaks - The Lakes Brecon Beacons www.10peaks.com

Saturday 22nd Run Strong • Run Free workshop Edinburgh, Scotland See page 81 for more information

See page xx for more information

Sunday 7th Marathon de Paris Paris, France www.parismarathon.com

Sunday 21st Virgin London Marathon www.virginlondonmarathon.com

Saturday 22-23rd The Wall Ultra Run Carlisle - Gateshead www.thewallrun.com

Friday 5-7th Balanced Body Pilates on Tour Phoenix, Arizona www.pilates.com

Friday 26-28th Balanced Body Pilates on Tour London, United Kingdom www.pilates.com

Wednesday 12th Marathon des Sables 2014 Registration www.marathondessables.co.uk

www.clonakiltyback2backmarathons.com

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7 9

Individuals or team relay

Limited spaces at World Heritage sites

100k Ultra

50k Ultra

P a g e 9 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Spanish doctor, Enfemiano

Fuentes, has been convicted

of using blood doping to help a

number of cycling clients, after a

long investigation that began in

2006 when 200 bags of frozen

plasma were seized from his office.

Fuentes has been charged under

public health laws as doping

wasn’t illegal in Spain when the

initial search was carried out.

He has been given a one year

suspended sentence as well as

being struck off the medical doctor

list for four years. Fuentes claims

that he was helping his clients and

was providing a form of therapy;

he has also hinted at having clients

from other fields of sport but has

not mentioned any names.

This news comes as part of a

seemingly continuous problem

of drug use in sports. Only a couple

of months ago, Lance Armstrong

was stripped of his seven Tour de

France titles after admitting to

blood doping. More recently,

Turkish runner Asli Cakir Alptekin

has been provisionally suspended

due to abnormal test results and

maybe stripped of her Olympic

Gold Medal from London 2012, as

has silver medallist discus thrower

Darya Pishchalnikova of Russia.

Both have received suspensions

for drug use in previous years.

On

tra

ck

N

ew

s fr

om

th

e s

po

rtin

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ren

a

his year’s event took place

on Sunday 21st April in sunny,

rather warm conditions.

Thousands took part and

thousands lined the streets to

watch this popular race. Runners

were encourage to wear black

ribbons in tribute to the victims of

the Boston explosions less than

a week earlier and there were 30

second’s silence at the beginning

of each of the three starts.

Popular runner Mo Farah ran

the first half of the race as part

of his preparation to run the full

marathon next year. He thoroughly

enjoyed the experience and the

buzz, telling interviewers that one

of the hardest parts of the race

was trying to grab your own drink

whilst running past the aid stations.

He’s admitted that’s something

he’ll have to work on!

Men’s race winner:

Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) in 2:06:04

Women’s race winner:

Priscan Jeptoo (Kenya) in 2:20:15

Men’s wheelchair race winner:

Kurt Fearnley (Australia) in 1:31:29

Women’s wheelchair race winner:

Tatyan McFadden (USA) in 1:46:02

Well done to all those who took part!

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 9 1

Mohamad Ahansal of Morocco wins

his fifth title at the gruelling Marathon

des Sables, with enough energy left

to cartwheel over the finish line!

Ne

ws fro

m th

e sp

ortin

g a

ren

a O

n tra

ck

wenty eight year old Vincenzo

Nibali has won this year’s Giro

d’Italia, his second Grand

Tour victory. The Sicilian-born

racer was “very happy” with his

win and commended the strong

team who helped to support him.

The multi-stage race takes place

annually over a 3 week period

and is part of the ‘Grand Tour’

group along with the Tour de

France and Vuelta a Espana.

The UK’s Mark Cavendish also

performed well demonstrating

his usual incredible sprinting skills,

whilst fellow Brit, Bradley Wiggins,

had to retire from the race due

illness

.

Congratulations to all the

competitors who attempted

this gruelling race!

ritish sailor, Andrew Simpson,

has died in a tragic sailing

accident in San Francisco.

The Olympic medallist (Gold at

Beijing in 2008 and Silver at London

2012) had only just moved to

California with his family to train

as part of the Artemis team to

compete in the America’s Cup.

It was during a practice session

that the team’s large yacht

capsized and Simpson became

trapped underneath it. CPR

attempts were sadly unsuccessful.

A full investigation is underway

and there are concerns that the

yachts have become too powerful,

making them highly dangerous.

Our thoughts are with his family

and those who were close to him.

Haile Gebrselassie has confirmed

he will take part in the Great

Manchester 10k run later this

month, competing for his 5th

race title.

P a g e 9 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Inte

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The

late

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his year’s World Health Day was celebrated on 7th April, marking the founding of WHO (World Health Organization)

in 1948.

Each year, there is a theme; this year’s focus was high blood pressure. It is a global problem, with one in three adults

suffering from this condition. High blood pressure can be a serious health issue and is linked to heart attacks, strokes,

heart and kidney disease.

The aim of the campaign was to increase global awareness of the problem, highlighting the causes and

consequences and offering guidance regarding prevention and treatment. Many people don’t realize they

have high blood pressure, whilst others have symptoms but don’t have the financial capacity to seek treatment.

Posters and fact sheets were made available online for people to download and distribute, as well as a 30 second

video about high blood pressure. Health organizations, journalists and community leaders were asked to help

spread the word as well as individuals being encouraged to have their blood pressure checked and assess their

lifestyles for risk factors.

There is more information about WHO here: www.who.int

All over the world on Sunday 5th May, runners were gathering together to celebrate International Barefoot Running Day

(IBRD).

Some people ran barefoot in unrelated races that happened to fall on 5th, whilst others held their own barefoot specific

runs or races in groups of varying sizes. No one knows why, but Slovenia appears

to be rather a hub of barefoot runners, with over 200 getting together this year to

run barefoot!

At the home of BRS (www.thebarefootrunners.org) you can read all about the

different events and how there seem to be more and more people trying out

barefoot running and even becoming converts at races they were planning to

run in shoes! (See the posts about the Michigan Chapter run).

Tracy of Barefoot Britain has written a lovely piece about the UK event – read her

report in the BRS pages.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 9 3

The

late

st inte

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tion

al n

ew

s Inte

rna

tion

al n

ew

s

ews just in that Wayne Botha,

ultra runner, has just been

granted the record for

the fastest 100km to be run

barefoot.

He unofficially set the record

in October last year at Sri

Chinmoy 24 Hour Race, beating

the previous record by 3 minutes,

but he’s had to wait months for

it to be made official. It is now

a recognized record and he has

received an official certificate.

Botha, who now resides in

New Zealand, grew up in South

Africa and was inspired by the

Comrades Ultra Marathon,

running his first ultra, The Two

Oceans, in 1995 following it up

that same year with his ‘home’

ultra, the Comrades.

Botha has the same philosophy

as a lot of runners: “…to me

running just makes sense”.

That pretty much sums it up –

well done Wayne!

The Berlin hospital, Charite, has begun

an investigation after claims were made in

German magazine, Spiegel, that it was amongst

50 East German hospitals that used their patients

to test new drugs during the 1980’s.

According to the allegations, 600 clinical trials

took place and patients were often unaware that

the drugs they were being given were untested and

therefore potentially dangerous.

Funds for the alleged trials came from various US, Swiss and

West German drug companies and were given to the East

German government which was undergoing financial problems.

Several people allegedly died as a result of the trials; the named

drug companies are denying any wrong-doing.

Usain Bolt wins the 100m at Cayman

Invitational but is disappointed with

his time of 10.09 seconds.

David Rudisha got off to a great start

at the first in the IAAF Diamond

League series in Doha, winning the

800m in 1:43:87.

recent add-on to the other

movement methods that we’ve

been teaching for 15+ years.

David is an accomplished martial

artist, dancer and sports fitness

specialist whilst my teaching is a

diverse mix of traditional, quite

‘hard core’ training at one end of

the spectrum and Pilates, injury

rehab and weight management

at the other.

n 2013, we are continuing to travel

around the UK with our one day work-

shop, the basis of which is formed from

our book and the ‘extras’ are

layered on top according

to what elements of health

and fitness our students

wish to discuss.

As some of you know, although

we’ve been running barefoot

for several years, it is a relatively

will include as many barefoot/

minimalist running groups as

possible from not only the UK but

worldwide, so that the network

becomes more solid.

If you have formed such a group

that is free to join (and anybody

can join in if they happen to be

in the area) then please email us

with the info and we’ll try to add

you into the next issue.

of emails asking us if we know of

barefoot runners in a particular

area and we always direct them

to the facebook group where

they’re bound to find someone.

With this in mind, as the group

continues to grow and other

groups keep sprouting up across

the UK, we’ve decided to

sponsor a ‘Club Directory’ within

Barefoot Running Magazine. This

e recently taught a workshop

down in Brighton on one of the

first sunny days of the year!

We had a wonderful little group of

people, all of whom had dabbled

with some barefoot running but

were keen to learn more.

We taught the theory in Unity

Yoga Studio, enjoying lunch in the

little garden in the sun. We had

some strange looks (as usual)

teaching the drills barefoot outside

the studio in the street.

Here’s an email we received after

the session:

“Just wanted to say a quick thank

you for the Brighton Workshop. I

learnt a lot and have been working

on my drills!! My calves and ankles

are getting stronger and more

resilient as a result. I have also

been having ice baths on my return

from a run which are tolerable in

this improved weather and seem

very beneficial.”

Minimalist shoes • Supplements • Books • Huarache kits • Vitamins

www.barefootbritain.co.uk

Barefoot Running UK The latest from Barefoot Running UK

e’re looking forward to heading

up to Edinburgh to teach a

workshop at the end of June.

We’ve found a great venue with

lovely grounds in which to work on

the drills and exercises.

We’ll be staying up there for a few

days and hopefully doing some

barefoot walks and runs surrounded

by the stunning Scottish scenery.

There are still a few spaces left on

the workshop, which will be held on

Saturday 22nd June from 9am –

6pm – visit the website for more

details and booking:

www.barefootrunninguk.com

We also have limited availability for

talks at running clubs/sports shops

and individual/group tuition so

please contact us if you’d like more

information:

info@barefootrunninguk.com

P a g e 9 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 0 1

Saturday 7th BFR UK Group Run

10.30 am

Clapham Common , London

The Bandstand

Saturday 2nd BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

West London - Richmond Park

Saturday 9th

Run Strong•Run Free: An introduction to the science and art

of barefoot running.

A running workshop based on our book

with the same title

Bacon’s College - London

December 2013

Minimalist shoes • Supplements • Books • Huarache kits • Vitamins

www.barefootbritain.co.uk

Sunday 2nd BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

London - Richmond Park

Saturday 22nd

Run Strong•Run Free: An introduction to the science and art

of barefoot running.

A running workshop based on our book

with the same title

Edinburgh, Scotland - Location TBC

June 2013

Sunday 23rd BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

Edinburgh, Scotland - Location TBC

July 2013

Saturday 27th BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

King’s Parade, Cambridge

Sunday 11th BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

London Wall - Location TBC

Saturday 7th BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

Brighton, East Sussex - Location TBC

Saturday 5th BFR UK Group Run

11.00 am

East London - Location TBC

August 2013

November 2013

October 2013

September 2013

November 2013 cont.

avid has been busy putting his MMA team through their paces (see their

ugly mugs above!). Joey entered an important fight a few weeks ago

but sadly wasn’t victorious this time. However, he’s been training hard

and is going for the World Title in another few weeks. The team are feeling

positive, if a little battered, as David’s relentless coaching sessions has them

running two miles as a warm up before they begin two and a half hours of

circuits and technical drills.

David has also been continuing to cycle and was told his bike was “sick” the

other day – it took him a moment to realize that this meant his bike was ‘cool’

rather than broken or offensive in some way!

barefootrunninguk.com

Group Run Most club runs are between 5 and 8

miles, around 9 minute per mile pace.

Any footwear is fine!

Please email us prior to a run if you’re

planning to attend.

info@barefootrunninguk.com

UK tel: 0845 226 7302

Overseas tel: +44 (0) 208 659 0269

email:

info@barefootrunninguk.com

website:

www.barefootrunninguk.com

youtube:

youtube.com/bfruk

facebook:

barefootrunninguk/facebook

Bespoke talks and

workshops If you would like to organize your

own talk/workshop for your running

club, please call or email us to set

something up.

Workshop bookings

All the workshops are available for

booking online so please visit the

website. If you’d like to attend a

workshop but can’t make any of

the dates, please email us as we’ll

be adding more dates and venues

according to demand.

’ve decided to take on a new challenge. I will detail it in my new blog

(www.yoga108journey.blogspot.com) but I am basically committing to

a daily yoga regime for 108 days and cleansing my system (and hopefully

my mind) in the process. My yoga practice has improved over the years

as I’ve developed a deeper understanding of the system and I’m keen to

continue that learning, under the guidance (via DVD!) of renowned yoga

teacher, Travis Eliot.

I will try to get David to take some photos for me to post – either for

inspiration or to give people a laugh, depending on how successful I am!

P a g e 9 6 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Hi

Looking forward to the workshop

(Barefoot Running UK’s Run

Strong - Run Free one day

workshop) later this month.

However, just thought I would

update you on my progress thus

far...

Have been running in minimalist

shoes for an hour twice a week

for a few weeks now. However,

went to Cornwall last week and

on a dawn coastal run with the

sun breaking out over the hills

and the waves crashing on

the rocks below, I did it....yes, I

removed my shoes and hid them

under a stile and off I trotted.

Wow, is all I can say. It was an

incredible feeling. I felt like a

mountain goat as my feet literally

P a g e 9 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

It’s

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ur

lett

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Th

e la

test

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s

hugged the earth beneath me.

Of course, it wasn't all plain

sailing. The ground was very

cold and my feet did not warm

up, also there were parts of the

trail which had too many loose

stones (Cornwall is slate-tastic!)

so I had to turn back sooner than

anticipated and get re-shod.

My feet tingled all day and into

the evening. They felt alive.

I left is a couple of days and then

this time went along the sand and

into the sand dunes. Again it was

an awesome experience, with

blue skies and a fresh wind. I felt

incredible. I ran past a family and

the mum said "hey, look, she's

running barefoot, I bet that

feels great", to which the dad

responded "Yeah, but apparently

when they get home....." I'd gone

by then and didn't hear Dad's

inevitable pearls of wisdom from

his vast experience as a barefoot

runner (not!). I guess I will get that

a lot in the future. However, smug

I cannot be as I think I may have

gone too far too soon as I felt so

good. When I got home three

days later I went for a run early

and within minutes, twang, pain in

my calf! Pants! So have been

icing and massaging. I think this

is a common problem according

to your book (Run Strong - Run

Free: An introduction to the

science and art of barefoot

running. Although I had no prior

warning signs I think the sand

dune experience probably set

me up for this injury. Feeling

deflated but all good experience

on how important it is to prepare

gradually.

Anyway, thought I would share

my first barefoot experience with

you!

(G, via email)

P a g e 9 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Completed my first half marathon

on Sunday (5th May). The course

was extreme for barefooters,

gravel and flint tracks for miles

and miles. I wore 4mm xeros for

the really rough stuff but bare

feet as much as I was able to.

Before the race started I tried to

hop over a barbed wire fence!

Didn't quite make it over and

took the barbed wire with me!!!

So I was at the start line standing

barefoot on a gravel track with

blood pouring down my leg!!!

Not really a good ambassador

for barefoot runners!

(Ian, via facebook)

Hey guys - just wanted to say a

Big Barefoot HELLO from the

New Forest!

Very pleased to be part of a

growing community of Barefoot

Brits.

Divide my runs up between

minimal trail shoes, huaraches

and barefoot - as spring takes

hold and summer approaches

I'm hoping to keep time spent '

shod' to a minimum - case of

needs must with some of the

tricky trails near me.

The

late

st inte

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s It’s yo

ur le

tters

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 9 9

I've just been for my first ever

barefoot run!! Just had 3 weeks

off thanks to a niggle I got from

wearing my Vivos so convinced

by you lot to go for it, I just have. I

didn't go far, just down the road

and back plus it is FREEZING out

there so I didn't want to hurt

myself purely because I couldn't

feel the soles of my feet but

running barefoot felt so 'right'.

I have major self confidence

issues so it took a lot to get me

out there, but I did it and will

definitely be ditching the Vivos.

Although I might wear my Xeros

once they're here on freezing

cold days in the future!!

Now all I need is to get to know

some other barefooters local to

Cheltenham....

(Sally, Cheltenham)

Any like minded locals who fancy

meeting for a cheeky forest run

just shout!

(Alex, via facebook)

Had a great barefoot run in Le

Harve, France, well whilst on

board the 'Adventure of the

Seas'. Really nice running track

on deck 12 (sports deck) that

covers 1/5 mile, so 20 laps later

and 4 miles under the belt

decided enough calories burnt

to go and have some more of

the fab food they serve on

board :)

(Ricardo, Maidstone)

Reflex doing the design for me.

I really do love the design - thank

you Andy! Then I managed to get

Reflex to kindly donate goody bags

and samples for the day, which was

brilliant - thank you Julian! Endless

hours were then spent promoting,

putting up posters and talking to

everyone, I mean everyone I came

across who would listen!

Before I knew it the race was only

a week away. It was one of those

things when you know you have

loads of time, it was miles away.....

then one morning I woke up and it

was only a matter of days!! Yikes!

It is always when we face pressure

that we decide that it is a wise idea

to increase our workload tenfold -

at least that's what I always do.

Sometimes I think I must just be

completely nuts.

Anyway, going from having all the

time in the world to do things, plan

and organize, I suddenly had very

little and there was so much I still

wanted to do! Namely getting

race medals, I had always planned

on buying them but due to the time

- or lack thereof it wasn't going to

work out. Then I knew I had to

make them so I had thought about

visiting a ceramics studio and after

my initial consultation realized I just

wouldn't have the time. What

next.... I know fimo or modelling

clay! So I found a how to guide on

the internet - it looked easy enough

right? But I had never done it

before and had zero idea of what

to expect.

his journey for me began so long

ago it is really hard to remember

exactly how it all started. I know

that it was just after I had made the

decision that I was going to go into

business for myself in the big, bright,

beautiful world of barefoot! I had

heard that there was a barefoot

run put on in Brighton and thought

that as it was on my own doorstep

that I should really see it there was

anything I could do to help.

I managed to track down Martyn

the organizer and got his email

address. He said that he would

certainly be glad of some help as

he lived in Nottingham! Quite a

trek from Brighton.

A couple months later I was

planning my second group run in

Brighton, people were coming from

all over (which is one of the things

I love about doing them). Martyn

travelled down for it which was a

great opportunity for us to meet

and chat. We decided to stay in

touch so we could work together

on the 5k. Little did I realize how

consumed I would become with

this race!

It started off that I thought getting

tee shirts printed would be a great

keep sake, so I did that with the

very talented Andrew Barrow from

P a g e 1 0 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

The society pages What’s happening within the Barefoot Runners Society

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 0 1

I think that it was at this point my

better judgement (or not as the

case may be....) kicked in. Don't

chance it on something which

could go completely wrong, it was

too important to me that every

racer had a medal. Eureka! I had

it. So I put it to a Facebook poll

and boy was I happy with the

results! I was going to do what I

know I'm good at and have done

a gazillion times on a large scale.....

bake cookies. Yep, for those of

you haven't seen the snaps I made

three types of gingerbread cookie

race medals - Vegan, Vegan Gluten

Free and regular ones. I went right

out and bought the letter stamps,

foot shaped cookie cutter and

ingredients to start baking!

I spent four solid nights baking huge

batches (plenty didn't make the cut

and somehow made it into not only

my belly but everyone I work with at

Reflex and the kids bellies too -

what a shame...not! Mmmm they

were tasty!).

The day of the race as I'm told

always hinges on the weather and

this year the gods were kind to us -

it was a corker of a day! Lots of

people came from all over,

including a couple I had met from

the New Forest when I had done

the running festival there! Thanks

for coming Vineeta and Tom, we

really appreciate the effort in

getting there!

OK - so there were a few hitches

with the day, some of the times

didn't get recorded and there were

a couple of wrong turns on the

course. But I didn't see a single

face which wasn't beaming from

ear to ear, everyone had a brilliant

time and to me it is this that makes

it an amazing event. In fact, it felt

like it was all over far too soon.

There were lots of familiar faces -

Ricardo D'ash, Stephen Fowler,

Robin Dearle, Joe Addison and my

good friend Victoria Zaniewicz

doing her first race came second

in the ladies and it was one of the

first few times she had tried minimal!

It is at this point that I wanted to say

a great big thank you to my good

friend Sam Hastings, her beautiful

polite and helpful kids, her lovely

friend Bonita, my friend Lionel Jones

(whom I'd first met at the first group

run I'd planned in Brighton) and the

wonderful Stephen Fowler from

naked runner. Without all of your

help setting up and taking down

my gazebo, I think I may have still

bare feet and managed to capture

his experience by strapping his

iPhone to his chest and recording

as he ran. He’s condensed the

footage to capture all the

moments he received comments

about his feet – funny how the

same ones crop up wherever you

go! They were all positive and

encouraging though and it looked

like good fun.

One of the many forums on the

BRS website is the ‘Blog’ forum,

with many runners contributing

race reports, experiences in

different footwear and general

running anecdotes.

The ‘Belfast Marathon 2013’ by

Darkland featured recently, taking

place on 6th May. ‘Darkland’ was

running a leg of the marathon in

been hobbling back and forth to

the van!

Once packed up I sat in the van

looking around at the site for a

while, I felt like I was left with a

great big gaping hole in my heart.

Sad and empty. I couldn't believe

it was all over! It really hit me hard,

I had a real sense of loss.

I suppose when you really put your

heart and ‘sole’ into something it is

to be expected.

Thank you so much Martyn Candler

and your wonderful wife Liz for

allowing me to be a part of your

amazing event, without you none

of this would have been possible.

Here's looking forward to a bigger

better Brighton Barefoot in 2014!

Take a look at the footage and

have a look at the other blog

posts too – lots of interesting bits

and pieces and there are always

useful things to learn from other

people’s experiences.

Competition Bobble sport

120

Minimal review results

122

30

34

38

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Competition Win a Bobble Sport

118

Product Review Testers

103

Minimal review Swiss Barefoot Company

Protection Socks

104

Long-term review INOV8 Bare-X™ 200

108

Tester profiles Profiles of the latest product

reviewers

109

Minimal review Mizuno Wave EVO Cursoris

110

Product review Silva Runner vs. Silva Trail Runner

114

Long-term review Living with Xero Shoes™

116

P a g e 1 0 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

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We are an independent magazine

and unaffiliated with any particular

brand or product. This means that

our reviews are honest and unbiased,

written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts!

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Appalling. Not worth

unpacking. The box is

probably of more use.

Very poor. Under performs in

every area. Significantly

flawed.

Poor. Under performs

in nearly all areas.

Not recommended.

Off the pace. Below

average in nearly every

area.

Acceptable. Average

in most areas but has its

disappointments.

Good. Above average

in some areas but very

average in others.

Very Good. Recommended

in all areas.

Excellent. Highly

recommended in all areas.

Fantastic. Almost flawless.

A must have.

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Name: Ian Hicks

Preferred footwear: Barefoot

Preferred terrain: Trail

Tester initials: IH

Name: Jonathan Mackintosh

Preferred footwear: Minimal

Preferred terrain: Trail

Tester initials: JM

Name: Gareth “Gadget” Underhill

Preferred footwear: Minimal

Preferred terrain: -

Tester initials: GGU

Name: Anna Toombs

Preferred footwear: Barefoot

Preferred terrain: Multi-terrain

Tester initials: ALT

Name: David Robinson

Preferred footwear: Barefoot

Preferred terrain: Multi-terrain

Tester initials: DRR

Name:

Preferred footwear: -

Preferred terrain: -

Tester initials: -

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UK EU US-M US-W

55 g / 1.94 oz 1.5 mm 0 mm N/A

Kevlar knit / PVC Kevlar knit N/A Unisex

5½ -10½ (inc ½) 38-45 6-11 7½ - 13

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nicknamed them my ‘Shrek feet’.

She says that I would probably

turn more heads wearing these

than going completely barefoot!

However, style is not an issue for

me and perhaps this is the only

colour that can be used given

the necessary materials. Some

people might hope that the

company will experiment with

other colours but for me, the

performance and feel of the

socks are far more important.

Styling is more important for

minimalist shoes that are for

everyday wear as well as running.

These socks have been designed

purely with outdoor activity in

mind.

Fit

This is an interesting one. There

are only four sizes available and

each one covers two shoes sizes.

So I went for the smallest size

(38-39) given that my shoe size is

either one of those, depending

aving watched with interest

as people debated the

pros and cons of this item

of footwear on facebook, I was

keen to try them out. I must

admit, I really did not know what

to expect because I run barefoot

all the time, unless I’m testing

a shoe. Socks were something

‘in between’ so I wasn’t sure if

they’d provide a great middle

ground or would be not enough

of one thing or the other.

The Swiss Barefoot Company

says this about their sock: “True,

genuine new barefoot feeling

with cut protection”. On their

website, they explain that shoes

interfere too much in the

connection between the ground

and the foot but that their sock

merely provides protection for

the foot whilst allowing it to

move freely.

The socks I tested were the

original design and there is also

now a ‘sockette’ version available

which sits just above the ankle

rather than reaching half way up

the lower leg.

Styling

It’s a struggle to find anything

stylish about this sock. It comes

in one colour – a sort of ‘earthy’

green – with a red cross on

the outer side of each sock,

presumably to represent (but

not replicate) the Swiss flag.

I pretty quickly began to refer to

them as my ‘gremlin feet’ (like

Vibram Five Fingers, they have

separate holes for each toe)

and one of my clients has

on the type of shoe.

I wore them around the flat for

a while, getting used to the

separate toe holes. I wear

Vibram FiveFingers now and

again for everyday wear, but

the toes in these socks feel

different - a little more snug.

When I first went out for a run,

I was initially disappointed

because my feet were slipping

around in the socks which

interfered with my running gait.

However, as soon as my feet

got a bit warmer and more

moist (after about five minutes),

the socks stopped slipping and

instead felt secure and

comfortable.

I guess the fit will be different for

everyone, depending on foot size

and, in particular, toe length. My

toes are quite short but the socks

still feel secure. I wonder how

much difference it would make

if they added more sizes to the

range...it’s probably something

they’ve experimented with, so

maybe none at all.

UK EU US-M US-W

55 g / 1.94 oz 1.5 mm 0 mm N/A

Kevlar knit / PVC Kevlar knit N/A Unisex

5½ -10½ (inc ½) 38-45 6-11 7½ - 13

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Build quality

This is one of the topics that

comes up in discussions about

the socks. How durable are

they? Well, I’ve run some pretty

rough surfaces in them so far

and washed them several times

(they dried within a couple of

days). I’m not sure how long

they’ll last over the next few

months but certainly for now,

they seem to be very well put

together and pretty tough!

Performance

Now, here is where we get to

the nitty gritty. I have to say

that I was delighted with the

performance of these socks.

Despite the initial slippage when

my feet were dry, the socks

quickly seemed to mould to my

feet and I felt confident tackling

different types of terrain. They

kept my feet extremely warm

on colder, dry runs and the grip

was surprisingly good in the

deep, wet mud at Richmond

Park. I left David R slipping and

sliding in my wake as I traversed

some really squelchy surfaces

without losing my footing once.

They weigh next to nothing too

and are as flexible as my own

feet, so there really wasn’t any

interference in my running stride

or speed.

They didn’t feel cumbersome or

heavy when wet (although on

tarmac when they’re wet, they

do make a squelchy sound!).

I did wonder how they’d feel on

hills...just like my bare feet!

I also like to do my strength training

climbing trees, so I did a test climb

in the socks as well. Again, the

grip gave me confidence, as

did the freedom of movement.

I really hate climbing trees in

shoes as they can feel restrictive

and you can get your feet stuck

in between branches if you’re not

careful. I didn’t feel like this would

happen in the socks.

right level of thickness.

Oh! And another thing I noticed

– and something that many

of you will relate to – there is no

sound! If you run barefoot, you’re

used to running silently and having

to run in any kind of shoe is

disconcerting because they all

make some kind of tapping sound

when you’re running on concrete.

These socks are very ninja-like –

no one will hear you coming

(unless it’s wet, as mentioned

above and then you will squelch

a bit...).

Price

As I write this, The Swiss Barefoot

Company has a sale on and the

socks are selling for 38, 35 Euros

instead of 59 Euros (sockettes

are 35, 75 instead of 55). This is

without postage.

Some people have suggested

that this is quite expensive for a

sock. However, as the company

director has explained to me,

the components that form the

sock are quite expensive, as

well as the manufacturing

process. My own personal use

for the socks is for when it’s very

Barefoot simulation

For those of you looking for that ‘barefoot feel’ without the structure

of a shoe, then look no further.

The way I’ve begun to describe

these socks is that they just ‘take

the edge off’ when it comes to

running on rough surfaces. You

can feel the ground, including

every little bump and stone, but

there’s just enough protection

that you don’t tense up as your

feet begin to get tender.

David R and I usually run for

well over an hour at Richmond

Park, over all manner of surfaces

including lots of twigs and stones.

Towards the end, I often feel

myself begin to lose focus as my

feet start telling me they’ve had

enough. In the socks, I didn’t get

that sensation and was able to

remain relaxed and focused the

whole time.

They protect against sharp

objects but also, surprisingly,

offer a welcome barrier when

you land on something hard right

in the middle of your plantar

fascia. I wasn’t expecting this as

there’s no structure to the middle

of the sock. It just seems to have

been developed to exactly the

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when required, without losing

the barefoot feel. And if you do

usually run barefoot, you’ll be

used the stares and comments

so the fact that you look a bit

like Shrek won’t bother you in

the slightest. After all, part of

running barefoot is learning not

to care about what others think

about your choices!

For more info and purchasing,

visit: www.barefootcompany.ch

Tested by Anna Toombs

Fit

Build quality

Performance

Styling

Barefoot simulation

Price

Overall rating

Limited colours

Initial foot slip

Not for everyday wear

Great barefoot feel

Good grip

Limited ground-contact noise

cold or I’m on very rough

surfaces, so for me the price

is very fair.

I won’t be using them much so

I expect them to last a long time.

Overall rating

I wasn’t expecting it, but I love

these socks! All the shoes that

I try seem to compromise my

technique in some way which is

why I always run barefoot, but

I feel I’ve found something I can

wear that allows me to run freely

with just a bit of protection.

David R and I are hoping to run

in one of those ‘man Vs horse’

races and, for that, on unfamiliar

terrain, I think these would be

ideal.

I do imagine that they will feel

very hot when (if!) the weather

gets warmer but in terms of

protection, I’m looking forward

to trying them out when the

ground is too hot to run on.

These socks are perfect for those

who run primarily completely

barefoot and just occasionally

want the option of protection

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ince its minimal review back

in September 2012 I have

definitely put these through

their paces. Out in all weathers

and on various terrains covering

approximately 800 walk/run miles

(40 miles per week), they have

not come up wanting.

Build quality

Build quality is outstanding. I have

put them through hell over the

past six months and except for the

loss of the whiteness, they are still

solid with no signs of excessive

wear.

Functionality

Functionality did however let the

side down somewhat. On asphalt

and grass trails they perform well,

but the lack of grip on wet trails

did at points get slightly hairy!

That being said, the same terrains

when barefoot can often create

the same scenario.

Durability

Along with run/walk sessions I

have used them while instructing

my MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

guys at the ‘Shack Dojo’ in both

conditioning (cross training) and

the technical aspects of kicking

Easy to clean

Moulds well to the foot

Barefoot simulation increases

Slippery on wet trails

Discolours easily

Comfortable

Functionality

Maintenance

Performance

Build quality

Overall rating

Durability

etc. and they have suited all

these activities.

They were even used as a

substitute for motor racing boots

on a rally driving lesson! Again,

I had no problems with them and,

in fact, due to their thinness of

sole, the feel of the car pedals

was superb.

Maintenance

Maintenance has been a doddle!

They have not needed much in

the way of care. The most I have

done is throw them into the

washing machine on a 40º wash

probably four or five times over

the last half year with only a single

threaded lace to show for it.

Performance

I actually think that these shoes

are even better than they were

when new as they’ve become

more supple and grippy.

Overall rating

I stand by my first test results. The

INOV-8 Bare 200 is a fine minimalist

shoe and is recommended not

only for running but also everyday

wear.

DRR

Hi, my name is Ian and I live in Trowbridge,

Wiltshire. I have been a barefoot

runner for over a year now. I have just

completed my first trail half-marathon -

mostly barefoot, but with a bit of help

from my 4mm xeros over the really rough

stuff. Before then I was a minimal runner,

wearing VFF’s. The majority of my running

is trails - grass, gravel and with the

amount of rain we’ve had in the past

year, mud! Living in Wiltshire gives me a

great opportunity to run some fantastic

trails around Avebury and Stonehenge.

I tend to avoid running on roads as I

keep getting stopped by the police!

I’m a member of a small running group called “Wiltshire Barefoot Runners”.

We meet up every two to three weeks at different locations around the

Chippenham area. Some of us are barefoot runners, others are minimal

shoe runners.

My preferred footwear is barefoot, but when the conditions become too

severe I will resort to VFF’s or 4mm xeros. I became interested in barefoot

running after seeing VFF’s for sale in my local running shop. I was hooked

from that point. To me, barefoot running is about letting my body work the

way it is designed to work - naturally, and also the sheer enjoyment it gives

me.

Jonathan runs the running related

www.pixelscotland.com website

and writes and reviews regularly

for www.therunningbug.co.uk

where he authors the ‘Aim High –

Anything Is Possible’ blog.

A former avoider of anything

remotely exercise related, he

now lists running ultramarathons as

his hobby and lists his completion

of seven ultramarathons in 2012,

including the 95 mile West Highland

Way Race, as his greatest running

achievement to date. After the

birth of his son Harris in February

of this year, the challenges ahead

are somewhat different to that of

the previous year but he still hopes

to complete at least four ultras in

2013, including a return to the

West Highland Way Race.

A self confessed trainer and gear

addict, Jonathan loves nothing

more than testing out trainers,

particularly those of a minimalist

nature, and is constantly on

the search for the perfect

ultramarathon backpack. His

twitter feed (@jonmackintosh)

best describes his running:

‘Born to run, just not very fast!’

Jonathan completing the 2012

West Highland Way Race

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G3/X10 carbon rubber AIRmesh Synthetic Mens

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205g / 7.23OZ 12 mm 0 mm AP+ Copolymer

6-12,13 (inc ½) 38½ - 46½,47½ (inc ½) 6½ - 12½,13½ (inc ½) N/A

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running/products/discoverevo)

Styling

As soon as I received the email

about the UK Test Team I was

straight on to Google for a quick

search to see what I could find in

terms of both information and

images. As such, I did have an

idea of what to expect when the

shoes arrived. However, even

'pre-armed' with this knowledge,

I don't think I was adequately

prepared for the reality of seeing

the shoes 'in the flesh'.

Subtle, they are not - quite the

opposite in fact! Aesthetically, the

shoes make a statement. From

a purely personal perspective,

the vibrant orange Cursoris fares

better than the very purple Levitas.

Fortunately I love orange and, as

such, didn't find the vibrant orange

colour scheme objectionable.

However, these shoes are never

going to blend in so expect

plenty of subtle (and not so subtle)

passing glances when you are out

running in them!

At the end of the day, however,

aesthetics are secondary to the

fit and performance of the shoe.

Fit

There's no disputing that the

Cursoris is supremely comfortable.

I would go so far as to say it has

an almost slipper like fit. They

ack at the beginning of the

year I received an email

informing me that I had been

selected to join a mixed bunch

of experts, elite runners, ultra

marathoners, marathoners, fitness

runners and running newbies on

the Mizuno EVO UK Test Team.

The purpose of the team - to

test out the new minimalist

offering from Japanese company,

Mizuno, their first zero drop shoe,

designed entirely from scratch

and promoted on the their

website as being suitable for

'midfoot running'.

As a self-confessed trainer addict,

my delight was compounded

with the arrival of not one but

two new shoes, the Mizuno EVO

Cursoris and the Mizuno EVO

Levitas, with 12mm and 8mm of

cushioning respectively.

For my first product review,

Barefoot Running Magazine

has given me the opportunity to

share my thoughts on the Mizuno

EVO Cursoris.

“Offering a thicker 12mm AP+

cushioned midsole and wider

platform, the EVO Cursorsis

provides moderate protection

and allows for a more natural

gait. Exceptionally light and

incorporating Mizuno's renowned

Wave technology, Mizuno EVO

Cursoris running shoes have been

meticulously crafted as a 'training

tool' for the newer midfoot runner,

providing a smoother and more

efficient transition from strike to

toe off" (www.mizuno.eu/sports/

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are not ‘the' most comfortable

trainers that I have ever worn

but would definitely rank in any

comfort top 10.

There is a distinct lack of overlays

in the upper of the Cursoris and,

as such, the feet move freely,

barely constrained by the porous

mesh upper. It would be nigh

on impossible not to find this

comfortable! As someone with

wide feet, it’s refreshing to find a

shoe with such flexibility in the

upper, providing a comfortable

instead of overly tight fit.

The Cursoris uses asymmetric

lacing for improved fit and flex

and I personally found that this

resulted in a nice secure fit.

However, I have come across

comments on line that suggest

others have found it difficult to

get the perfect fit, finding that

they lace too loose or too tight.

My one and, it has to be said, only

real gripe with the shoe, has to do

with slight upwards pressure that

I feel midfoot when I initially slip

on the shoe. However, once

running, this slight pressure soon

disappears and, in all likelihood,

there's a good chance that I

only notice this because I spend

quite so much time in sparsely

cushioned zero drop shoes.

I did try running barefoot in the

Cursoris but it just didn't feel right

and I was concerned that a toe

or toenail would do some damage

to the soft mesh upper. As such,

I opted to wear a thin sock when

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from injury. With 12mm cushioning

it’s more forgiving than most

minimalist shoes but it’s not a

comfortable shoe to heel strike

in and, as such, this helps to

promote the intended midfoot

to forefoot landing style.

The Cursoris is designed with road/

pavement running in mind but I

have actually taken them 'off road',

on to my favoured terrain. They

coped pretty well with the fairly

uneven, often rocky path but

there were a couple of ‘ankle

turning moments’, highlighting

the lack of support in the upper.

Fortunately for me, these didn’t

come to anything. Given the

fairly basic tread on the Cursoris,

I doubt very much whether they

would cope with, for example,

muddy terrain, so I will most likely

stick with their intended purpose

in future.

Note also that this is not a shoe for

speedwork. If this is one of your

requirements, consider instead

the Levitas, with its additional

heel support which provides the

increased level of stability required

when running at higher speed.

running in the shoe.

Finally, in terms of sizing, I found

that my usual UK size 8 provided

the perfect fit so there was no

need to size up or down.

Build quality

The Cursoris are well constructed,

neatly stitched, with no annoying

seams that I have experienced.

My only 'concern' would be the

long-term durability of the mesh

used in the uppers. However, this

kind of concern is fairly typical

with a lot of the current lightweight,

minimalist offerings.

Performance

The Cursoris is touted for those

new to midfoot running and/or

looking to run longer distances in

a minimalist shoe. With 12mm of

cushioning you don't have to scan

ahead quite as diligently as you

might with less cushioned shoes

and if you land on a stone, the

cushioning should protect you

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You might also want to consider

how you feel about wet feet if the

weather is inclement as the porous

mesh upper does little to stop the

rain and water from puddles. The

consolation to this is that what

easily goes in just as easily comes

out!

Barefoot simulation

The Cursoris sits flatter than your

average trainer so that the toes

are engaging the ground -

excellent in terms of stability

and enabling you to push off

in the most optimum way.

Landing midfoot, you want

flexibility both from heel to toe

and, also, laterally, and the

Cursoris provides this flexibility

with deep multi-directional flex

grooves, allowing for a versatile,

natural movement. The flex

grooves split up the front sole

area into a number of ‘pods’,

some of which are covered with

a reinforced rubber in perceived

high wear areas. The rear of the

shoe is relatively smooth, offering

little in the way of grip.

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Fit

Build quality

Performance

Styling

Barefoot simulation

Price

Overall rating

Not to everyone’s taste

Moderate feedback

Porous mesh upper

Light & flexible

Extremely comfortable

Wide toe box

In terms of feedback, I would

describe the level of feedback

as moderate, most likely towards

the upper end of what you

would consider acceptable for

a minimalist shoe.

There is a small Wave plate under

the forefoot area which filters

some of the impact and returns

energy during the propulsion,

‘pushing off’ phase, something

that I think can be felt when

running. There’s a definite feeling

of ‘assistance’ from strike through

to push off.

There’s an excellent, very

thorough review of the Cursoris

and the Levitas by Fred Brossard

over at the Runblogger website.

Fred captures the essence of the

shoes in his review:

“Mizuno’s designers have

obviously read and studied the

‘What should a real minimalist

shoe feature?’ theories that

flourish on the web. In their first

minimalist offerings, they very

seriously tried to respect 5 key

principles of minimalist shoe

design: zero-drop, wide toebox,

minimal structure, light cushioning,

and flexibility under the

metatarsals which leads to two

quite different shoes: the Levitas

is a real racer, and the Cursoris

is great for smooth, easy runs.”

(www.runblogger.com/2013/01/

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Price

Retailing at around £75-80, the

Cursoris is a reasonably priced

shoe for anyone looking to make

the transition to 'midfoot running'.

For those who have already

transitioned, the Levitas retails for

around £80.

Overall rating

The Cursoris is a good first entry

into the minimalist market from

Mizuno, ticking all the boxes for a

minimalist shoe. The only question

would be over the 12mm of

cushioning which may prove to

be too much for some runners.

Consider that the shoe is aimed

at those looking to transition and/

or those looking for a minimalist

trainer capable of distances and,

as such, the 12mm can be justified

in this respect. For anyone looking

for a higher level of connectivity

with the ground, there is always

the Levitas with 8mm cushioning.

Having tested both shoes, the 4mm

difference is indeed noticeable.

Retailing at around £75-80, the

Cursoris is reasonably priced; just

don’t expect not to stand out

when wearing them!

Specifications from the Mizuno

website:

Named after one of the oldest

known bipedal creatures, the

Eudibamus Cursoris

Designed to provide a more

stable platform and cushioning

for someone transforming to a

midfoot strike

ZERO RAMP offset between the

heel and forefoot provides a

natural plane tailored to a

midfoot strike

WAVE TECHNOLOGY in the

forefoot for maximum protection,

comfort and a smooth ride

Flat-bottomed forefoot design

coupled with a wider platform

provides stability and assurance

from foot strike to toe-off

12mm/12mm heel-forefoot

design offers a more protective

ride

Tested by: JM

by two AA batteries that provide

you with 100 lumens of light over

a 50 metre distance for about

24 hours of usage. The Runner is

powered by a rechargeable

battery pack giving you 550

lumens of light over a 90 metre

distance and lasts for around

10 hours. Both lights come on a

sturdy adjustable headband and

both lights can be adjusted for

angle.

Iknow that this seems like entirely

ithe wrong time of year to be

ireviewing headtorches, but I

have to share with you what I’ve

found. I run with my local run club

on a Wednesday night and have

recently been on my first night

time trail run. This was a revelation

for me! Since living in the South

Downs I’ve started to enjoy

running as a way of getting out in

the local landscape, which is

stunning. Going out with the

run club, I had been using head-

torches all winter as a necessary

accessory, as outside of the main

part of town nowhere has been

streetlit. But this was different; this

satiated my boyhood want for

adventure! Even coming into the

summer months, late night trail

runs are going to be dark, so

I believe this still has value to you.

So with my introduction out of the

way, hopefully I have piqued your

interest. Potentially you are like

me and view running with a head-

torch as quite an advanced set

up; no one wants to have all the

gear and no idea! I would suggest

that it can be quite the opposite.

These things can be very simple

and inexpensive and can open

up many hours of potential run

time that was not available to you

previously. Like any technology,

they can be very costly and over

the top as well. So my review will

focus on two different levels of

head torches (both made by

Silva) with which I now have good

experience.

The two headtorches are the Trail

Runner at £60 and the Runner at

£150. To run you through the

specs, the Trail Runner is powered

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Runner, which in turn made it

less comfortable on the head.

However, with a bit of adjustment

making the battery pack sit lower

on my head, I found a workable

solution. If you are running with a

backpack this can be overcome

altogether as Silva provides an

extension lead meaning you

can locate it in a pocket of the

backpack leaving the headband

to be exceedingly lightweight.

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 1 5

Verdict

So which one should you choose?

Unfortunately, now that I’ve

experienced the level of

performance on offer from the

Runner I would find it hard to go

back, but then I’m already in

possession of both! If you are

looking for something practical

that will do the job, you can’t

go wrong with the Trail Runner,

and for the price I think it’s fantastic.

It will keep all runners happy

regardless of level of experience

as it does what you need it to do.

However, if you are after the best

without having to carry a bulky

lighting rig around on your head,

I don’t believe you’ll find better

than the Runner, the performance

is outrageous! If you also go out

for night rides on your bike, then

this is definitely the one to go for.

Gareth Underhill

Silv

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Silva Runner

Silva Trail Runner

Battery Life 10hr 24hr

Max Lumen 550 80

Light Distance 90m 50m

Weight 62g 135g

Intelligent Light® Yes Yes

Splash proof Yes Yes

Price £150 £60

I ran with the Trail Runner several

times before I used the Runner,

and the Trail Runner proved more

than adequate for pitch black

winter night running. It is supremely

comfortable on the head, very

light and shows no sign of moving

around when you’re running.

This was something I had taken

for granted until I tried others and

they weren’t as comfortable or

stable. The light is very easy to

use, with one large button for

operation and clear signs for the

battery running out of juice. Most

importantly, the light itself is easily

adjusted with one hand when on

the run if you want to change the

direction of throw. This is far and

away the most popular torch

at our run club, and I think that’s

testament to its good illumination,

ergonomics and competitive

price point.

The runner on the other hand is

a different beast entirely, as you

may well have picked up on from

the specs. The reaction from

everybody when you turn it on

is the same; astonishment! It is

mindboggling how blisteringly

bright such a small light can be.

It would happily provide enough

light for the whole running group

and actually makes the head

torch of the person running next

to you redundant; you wouldn’t

notice if it was on or off. Personally,

I actually preferred having the

rechargeable battery as I just

made sure it went on charge

after every run and I didn’t have

to worry. However, that battery

pack is fairly weighty and bulky

in comparison to the housing

for the AA batteries in the Trail

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other shoes that perhaps don’t

provide enough grip on certain

terrains or certain weathers.

Durability

As I mentioned above, I foresee

these having a long life-span. I

would expect the laces to snap

eventually but this is a minor

aspect. I’ve taken them on all

manner of terrain and different

weathers and they’re still going

strong.

Maintenance

What maintenance?! If they get

dirty (and they have done) I just

hold them under a tap and give

them a scrub with a brush or

something. Job done!

Performance

The only real issue I have with the

Xero Shoes is the one that I have

with most other minimalist footwear.

They do make a noise when I land,

so I have to concentrate on not

changing my form to reduce the

noise as this makes me run too far

towards the front of my foot.

As far as walking is concerned,

they’re perfect.

t’s been a while since I wrote my

review of the Xero Shoes.

They have remained my ‘go

to’ shoe for when I need to take

shoes with me somewhere just in

case, or when I wear them to visit

clients.

Build quality

I think the soles are going to last

forever! They still have plenty of

grip and show no signs of falling

apart.

The lace on one shoe did snap

very recently but they are over

two years old so I won’t hold this

against them! I can still use the

same lace too – I just needed to

adjust them slightly.

Functionality

I’ve probably done more walking

than running in these as my

preferred running footwear is still…

my feet! They are functional in

that they are extremely minimal

but still enough to be allowed into

shops that might kick me out if I’m

barefoot. Very quick to put on/

take off.

They’re fine on all surfaces too,

which is not the case for some

Foot exposure

Lightweight

Maintenance free

Noisy on ground contact

Foot exposure

Functionality

Maintenance

Performance

Build quality

Overall rating

Durability

Overall rating

Still one of my favourites. I haven’t

worn them as much over the Winter

months but they will remain my shoe

of choice for everyday, breathable

footwear.

ALT

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Parts & servicing

Race preparation

Modifications

Custom builds

Expert advice from a friendly team 82 High Street

London SE20 7HB

07711 015102

P a g e 1 1 8 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

Co

mp

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n

B

ob

ble

Sp

ort

BP

A-F

ree

Wa

ter

Bo

ttle

iving in London, it’s difficult to get

past the taste of chlorine in the

tap water! The taste when water

is filtered through the

Bobble, however, is just

as the Bobble team

suggest – fresh, clear

and crisp.

It’s probably a little big to run with

but is easily portable for use in any

fitness class, with a cap that doesn’t

leak and a handy little carrying

strap.

If you like your accessories, this is a

great (and healthy!) addition to your

collection with an array of bright

colours to choose from.

We have a Sports Bobble to give

away to a lucky reader. Just email

us at: info@bfrm.co.uk with ‘Bobble

Sport giveaway’ in the subject line

by the deadline 30th June 2013.

Good luck!

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 2 1

Bo

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Minimal review results Out-of-the-box trail test results

P a g e 1 2 0 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

My Foot

Trail Glove

Classic Sprint

Vibram FiveFingers

(12/2011)

Bare X 200™

INOV8

Xero Shoe

Protection Sock

4mm Xero Shoe

KSO

Merrell

6mm Xero Shoe (12/2011)

Tri Black

(01/2012)

(02/2010)

(01/2009)

(01/2013)

(06/2011)

(11/2012)

Mizuno

Kigo

(06/2012) Drive

Min

ima

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Ou

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test

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Human Foot

EVO Cursoris

DRR

DRR

DRR

DRR

ALT

DRR

DRR

ALT

DRR

VivoBarefoot

Swiss Barefoot Company. The

Ozark Sandals

ALT

New Balance

(05/2013)

(05/2013)

(04/2013) JJM

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 2 1

Vibram FiveFingers

INOV8

Xero Shoe

Merrell

Mizuno

Kigo

Human Foot

VivoBarefoot

Swiss Barefoot Company. The

New Balance

P a g e 1 2 2 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

United Kingdom

United States Europe

Boulder, CO

www.runBARE.com

Austin Barefoot Running Club

www.meetup.com/Austin-Barefoot-Running

www.meetup.com/New-England-Barefoot-Runners

www.facebook.com/MaidstoneBarefootDashers

lenaweebarefoot.runningclub@facebook.com

Clu

b D

ire

cto

ry

www.barefootnyc.com

www.barefootbeginner.com

Asia

www.facebook.com/BangkokBarefootRun

www.facebook.com/pages/Barefoot-Running-Group-of-Grand-Rapids

Min

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Europe

Asia

n the summer of 1976 I got my first

bicycle. It was wondrous! Blue

and purple frame, with a metal

chain guard to stop my corduroy

trousers from getting stuck, fat white

tyres and hand grip made of hard

wearing plastic.

To me it was “the bestest thing ever!”

In many ways it was my first step

to independence as I spent many

hours just ‘out’ (nowhere in particular,

just out) in my neighbourhood, riding

around the streets, parks and

woodlands.

That little bike became a faithful

friend and together we discovered

much of the world I still see around

me to this day. With pride of place

at the end of my bed all that

summer, it was always within hand’s

reach, but like so many things in life

with the passing of two summers

and a 7 inch or so growth spurt,

I outgrew my old friend and moved

on to a bigger and faster, more

‘grown up’ bike.

But I must admit that in all the years

since then and all the bikes I’ve

owned (and there have been a

fair few) from rugged mountain

versions with hi-tech suspension

systems to lightweight road

racers that I could pick up

with my small finger, that little

second hand fat white-tyred,

purple and blue bike holds

my affection. It was more

than just a piece of equipment

I used for training or racing.

It breathed life not only

within itself but into me as it

transported me into new

environments and an ever

greater world view.

For me, it was one of the

milestones in my life; a true

life changer, up there with

my first day at school, my

first day at work, my first car

and my first home. But, as the

years roll on there seem to

be less and less milestones

left that allow me to experience

the world in a different light.

I truly believe that these milestones

have greatly contributed to the man

I am today. Be they good or bad, it

is quite irrelevant; the development

of my mind, body and soul is the

P a g e 1 2 4 S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e

recently, engaging in barefoot

running, there are always ways to

not conform and instead literally

follow a new pathway.

We should not stop discovering

milestones. On the contrary, we

should go out of our way to find

more. My old bike was just a few

components welded together. It

could have been any colour and

any age. What it represented was

the important thing – my first steps

to freedom.

Technology removes us from real

interaction with people. Shoes

remove us from interaction with

the earth. Taking off my shoes and

walking or running brings me back

to myself and at the same time

reminds me that the world isn’t

closed and rigid – it is open, vast

and ready for me to explore.

Run strong run free.

result of these experiences and I

wouldn’t change them.

But in this modern world of Ethernet

connections and data clouds it is

becoming harder and harder for kids

to achieve a rounded development.

‘They’ (the do-gooders with loud

voices) want everything to be

safe and secure. The youngsters

shouldn’t be out riding their bikes on

their own, without being padded

up on every joint and a crash hat

two times the size of their own heads,

and as for venturing into the woods?

No way! The risks are too high with

speeding cars and weird men lurking

in every shadow.

It’s not just the youngsters that are

being corralled into a homogenized

state of existence. We adults are at

risk of losing our ability of opening

new avenues of thought and lifestyle

as the cotton wool, single-minded

world is closing in all around us. But

I have found throughout my years

in the martial art world and more

B a r e f o o t R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 P a g e 1 2 5

©TRC Publishing UK

“Technology

removes us from

real interaction with

people. Shoes

remove us from

interaction with

the earth.”

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