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When I started my journey in 2009 with the goal of being able to run pain-free and injury-free, there is

nothing out there about minimal shoes or how to transition safely into them. I've made it my goal to

learn everything about minimalist running shoes and running form.

CHAPTER 1

1

The Vision


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How would you like to be able to run 5 to 6 days a

week and putting in 20 to 30 or more miles without

back pains, plantar fasciitis, and orthotics?

How about running injury-free for the next 50 yearsand being able to compete in track & field and other

sports?

That is exactly what I'm doing today (September 2012)

at the age of53. I've transitioned from traditional run-

ning shoes into minimalist or barefoot-style running

shoes and changed my running form from heel-strikingto midfoot or forefoot striking or the natural running

form. But I learned it the hard way with many injuries

along the way. Fortunately, you have taken the right

step by reading this book and I will show you how to

transition to minimalist running shoes, change your run-

ning form, and run injury-free, all without getting in-

jured along the way.

When I started my journey in 2009 with the goal of be-

ing able to run pain-free and injury-free, there is noth-

ing out there about minimal shoes or how to transition

safely into them. I've made it my goal to learn every-

thing about minimalist running shoes and running

form. I've witnessed the barefoot-style running shoes

revolution first hand and is fortunate to have wear

tested over 100 minimal shoes and published shoe re-

views in my blog, Minimalist Running Shoes. Andthanks to Dr. Mark Cucuzzella (Professor West Virginia

2

Minimalist Running Shoes

Gallery 1.1 Running Web Sites
http://minimalistrunningshoes.org/armour-charge-rc-shoe-reviewhttp://minimalistrunningshoes.org/armour-charge-rc-shoe-review


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University School of Medicine, multiple winner at both

Air Force & Marine Corp Marathons) and Bill Katovsky

(founder of Tri-Athlete Magazine, Zero Drop, and two-

time Ironman), we were able to build the Natural Run-

ning Center, an educational web site with a wealth of in-formation and ideas about natural injury-free running.

On the day of my 53rd birthday, I competed in the Bay

Area Senior Games at Stanford University. I partici-

pated in the 400m, 800m, Long Jump, and Triple Jump

events. I qualified to represent California in the Na-

tional Senior Games at Cleveland 2013 for all fourevents but will focus on training for the 400m and Tri-

ple Jump. I hope to make All-American for my age

group in both those events on my journey to the Nation-

als!

So let's begin your pain-free and injury-free journey

to sustainable running!

3

2012 Bay Area Senior Games

Figure 1.1 Senior Games
http://www.nationalmastersnews.com/allamer/aa_tf_m.htmhttp://www.nationalmastersnews.com/allamer/aa_tf_m.htmhttp://www.nsga.com/2013-national-gameshttp://www.nsga.com/2013-national-gameshttp://www.nsga.com/2013-national-gameshttp://www.nsga.com/2013-national-gameshttp://naturalrunningcenter.com/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/http://zero-drop.com/http://zero-drop.com/


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I've been to where you are right now. I know how painful it is, but I solved the problem for myself

when I discovered about minimal shoes and running form. I'm going to share it with you so that you

can achieve the success too.

CHAPTER 2

4

The Problem & Solution


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The Problem

Every year, as more and more runners participate in

half marathons or longer distances, they are still getting

injured wearing traditional running shoes. It's not al-ways the running shoe that's a problem but their run-

ning form. With heel striking, traditional cushioned

shoes may absorb some of that shock going up their spi-

nal cord but over prolonged periods, it will take its toll.

I know because I've worn traditional cushioned shoes

with orthotics and heel striking for over 20 years before

I transitioned to minimal shoes. And I have lower back

pains, plantar fasciitis, and blisters after every run - I

thought it was just the mileage and age!

For those runners who are transitioning to minimal

shoes, they can also get injured because they are not fit-

ted correctly in the right running shoe or they are transi-

tioning too fast or without a plan. It's more than just

how you land, it's about how you run and running in-

volves posture, cadence, and many aspects of form. Youneed to looking at your running technique before you

look at your shoes. Shoes are just one of the tools in

your fitness arsenal.

A Solution

I started transitioning to minimal shoes when I was age

50 but in 2009, there are only a few minimal shoe op-

tions out there and no proven transitioning plan. It was

trial and error and I researched and self experimented

with whatever I can get my hands and feet on. I was for-

5

Figure 2.1 Body Impact


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tunate enough to hook up with the right people in my

professional and running network to have early access

to shoes and educational materials. But I injured myself

while transitioning too fast and before transitioning

plans were made available. And I never want to get in-jured again.

Since then, I have wear tested over 100+ minimal shoes

personally on my 'senior' body with over 20 years of

running. Even magazines like Runners World and Run-

ning Times have not tested as many minimal shoes -

combined. Now I'm the minimal shoe expert and a com-

petitive senior athlete.

I have safely transitioned completely to minimal shoes

and midfoot/forefoot striking in about 9 months. Being

comfortable in the modified running form is what took

most of the time. No more cushioned heeled shoes, no

more orthotics, no more narrow toe boxes, no more

socks. Goodbye to lower back pains, plantar fasciitis,

and socks.

This book will help you safely transition to minimal

shoes and improve or change your running form so you

can run naturally and injury free, not matter what age

you are. Even though this book is written with the mas-

ters and senior athletes in mind, younger athletes may

be able to transition faster. But better be safe than sorry.Stress fractures or ankle sprains are no fun!

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Figure 2.2 Minimalist Running Shoes


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My Solution

I've been to where you are right now. I know how pain-

ful it is, but I solved the problem for myself when I dis-

covered minimal shoes and good running form. I'm go-ing to share it with you so that you can achieve the suc-

cess too.

I stopped running for about a year because of severe

knee pains, plantar fasciitis, and lower back pains. And

I was wearing orthotics with my traditional heeled &

cushioned running shoes. I did not enjoy running be-cause after each run, I will be in pain. So I started doing

kick boxing, Hapkido, and boot camp. The only differ-

ence is that I'm doing it barefoot and did not have the

same pains I get from running, just different soreness

from different muscle groups. But all this also provided

what I believe is a major side benefit for athletes - my

core is solidified. Without a strong core, you can get in-

jured easily no matter what sports you participate in.

I struggled with finding a transition plan in 2009 and

have no idea if wearing minimal shoes will help me get

back into running and track (and field) - my true pas-

sion. I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers KSO. Yes,

those shoes that look like gorilla feet. They were the

closest to barefoot but with minor protection from small

objects like gravel, broken glass, or thorns that can hurt

your feet. I ran a mile in them the first day. And 2 milesthe next day. NOT! My calves were killing me and I

could barely walk after the second day.

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Figure 2.3 Vibram Five Finger KSO


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The soreness went away three to four days later but I

still did not get any lower back pains or plantar fasci-

itis. And no orthotics! I decided early on that orthotics

didn't help anyway since I'm still getting lower back

pains and plantar fasciitis. I went to the rubber track tosee if I can do speed work in the VFF KSO. I was start-

ing to enjoy running again after a few laps. Then I de-

cide to go all out and sprint the last 50 meters. Injury

happens... I sprained my ankle and I was out for 3

months. The ankles is one crucial element in transition-

ing to minimal shoes and mine were not strong enough.

And I also did not loosen them up before running.

More information about running in these new minimal

shoes started to hit the web and I realized that I was

running too long and too fast in these shoes without get-

ting my feet ready. Now after 2+ years, 100+ shoes,

readily available educational and scientific materials, I

will certainly do it differently and do it injury-free. Andthat is what I will show you in this book.

But what prompted me to look at minimal shoes and

running form is credited to Christopher McDougall's

book, Born To Run, and Harvard Professor Daniel Lie-

berman barefoot running studies at Harvard University.

For those of you who have not read Born To Run, it is a

MUST HAVE book - get it from your library or local

bookstore. The author sets off to find a tribe of the

worlds greatest distance runners and learn their se-crets, and in the process shows us that everything we

thought we knew about running is wrong. McDougall

came to believe that it was the sandals, made out of rub-

ber tire, that hold one of the answers. These sandals

force Tarahumara runners to engage all the muscles and

tendons in their legs, to cushion the impact forces.

Theyre also forced into a distinctive stride, landing onthe midfoot, running hours on end. Perfect running

form in a minimal shoe...

Meanwhile, Professor Lieberman's Skeletal Biology Lab

have been investigating the biomechanics of endurance

running by comparing habitually barefoot runners with

runners who normally run in traditional running shoeswith built-up heels, stiff soles and arch support. In a nut-

shell, barefoot or minimally shod runners can minimize

additional injury due to transient forces generated by

repeated foot strikes.

8
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~skeleton/http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~skeleton/http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~skeleton/http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/


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And what made me think I can still run and compete as

a senior athlete? I had just volunteered at the 2009 Na-

tional Senior Games (Track & Field) at Stanford Univer-

sity. I wanted to run again competitively. The 65+

year-old sprinters at the Senior Games are inspirational.

Can you run the 100 Meter Dash in 13.3 seconds at age

65? How about the 400 Meter Dash at 1 minute 3 sec-

onds? Or the 1600 Meter Dash in 4 minutes 32 seconds?

Im determined to be able to perform such feats of ath-

leticism in the years to come.

The Myths

Everything else I've seen out there says go barefoot in-

stead of wearing minimal shoes. There are less than 2%

of runners in the US who are hardcore barefoot runners

and who only run without shoes. The majority cannot

because of illness or physical conditions or circum-stances. Going barefoot immediately for anything more

than 100 yards can cause injury. And people quit when

they get injured and never tried transitioning to mini-

mal shoes as a result.

Barefoot running is not practical for the majority of us.

We live in a world of cement, asphalt, sharp materials.However, the skin of the feet becomes thickened and

resistant with prolonged exposure to hard objects such

as gravel, cement and asphalt. Unfortunately, most of

you will never experience this hypertrophying and

strengthening of the skin and arches of the foot, which

9

Figure 2.4 National Senior Games Association


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is taken for granted in many developing countries like

Ethiopia and Kenya, where all out sprinting over sharp

rocks causes neither pain, nor injury.

Note that if you stop running barefoot for more than

two weeks, the skin of your feet begins to soften again -

it is no longer leather-like. So unless you can keep run-

ning barefoot all the time, minimalist running shoes are

the only alternative.

I'm not against barefoot running and does it one day a

week on a rubber track for about 3 miles. Barefoot run-ning is a powerful tool for fine tuning your running

form and should be on everyone's training program.

And I walk barefoot whenever I can doing chores, exer-

cises, and what not. But I'm always minimally shod

when running on asphalt or trails.

Most people think that minimal shoes is the magical so-lution for their running injuries and performance. Run-

ning shoes, whether minimal or not, is just a tool, noth-

ing else. I believe running form is the most important

element to running injury-free into your golden years.

You probably have thought until now that minimal

shoes are for runners with strong arches. I disagree.Your feet may be weak after wearing cushioned shoes

for most of your life. Muscle atrophy may have set in

and you need to strengthen those muscles using vari-

ous exercises including walking barefoot. Once you are

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Figure 2.5 Barefoot Running


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ready, everyone should be able to wear minimal shoes

for walking and running.

You may have experienced calf pains or ankle pains

and think that minimal shoes are causing that. It is! Youare using your leg muscles as they are intended in natu-

ral running and they are also getting stronger. In a few

weeks, the soreness will disappear and coupled with a

good running form and plan, you are well on your way

to running injury-free and pain-free.

You may think heavy runners should wear thickly cush-ioned shoes instead ofminimal shoes. According to Dr.

Casey Kerrigan, heavy runners should not use thick

cushioned shoes. The heavy runner should run in a

shoe with no cushioning. I've read many stories out

there of heavy runners in minimal shoes that are enjoy-

ing pain-free running.

11
http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/07/03/ask-the-expert-should-heavier-runners-use-thickly-cushioned-shoes/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/07/03/ask-the-expert-should-heavier-runners-use-thickly-cushioned-shoes/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/07/03/ask-the-expert-should-heavier-runners-use-thickly-cushioned-shoes/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/07/03/ask-the-expert-should-heavier-runners-use-thickly-cushioned-shoes/http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/07/03/ask-the-expert-should-heavier-runners-use-thickly-cushioned-shoes/


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Barefoot-style running is a running form that mimics the running style of the barefoot runner. Short

strides, high cadence, and midfoot or forefoot strike.

CHAPTER 3

12

Introduction


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This book is written with the Masters and Seniors ath-

letes in mind. Obviously, if you are younger, you can

take the same lessons from this book and apply it to

your own situation without any discrimination - you

will most likely be able to achieve the results faster!

Before we go into the solution in detail, heres a glos-

sary of some of the common terms or phrases that will

be used throughout this eBook.

A Little Glossary

Master Athlete

A Master's athlete begins at age 30 for Track & Field

and Race Walking, and at age 40 for long distance run-

ning.

Senior Athlete

A Senior's athlete begins at age 50 for all events.

Barefoot-style Running

Running form that mimics the running style of the bare-

foot runner. Short strides, high cadence, and midfoot or

forefoot strike.

Barefoot Running

Running without shoes or sandals, skin to surface.

Stack Height

Stack height is the total height from the bottom of the

foot to the ground including outsole, midsole, insertand additional materials for lasting/lining.

Traditional Running Shoes

Standard running shoes with heel-to-toe differential of

12mm or higher, extra cushioning or motion control,

narrow toe boxes, and stack height of 26mm or higher.

Barefoot Running Shoes

An oxymoron and a term that should not be used. Any-

one using this is describing minimal shoes incorrectly.

Barefoot-style Shoes, Minimal Shoes, Minimalist RunningShoes

All referring to minimal shoes. These shoes in generalshould be lightweight, flexible, have low heel-to-toe dif-

ferential (drop), low stack height, and wide toe boxes.

Preferably less than 7 ounces in weight, 4mm or lower

drop, 12mm or lower stack height, and 2E+ toe box

width.

13


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Shod

Wearing shoes or sandal.

Unshod

Totally barefoot, nothing else on your feet.

Muscle Atrophy

Decrease in the mass of the muscle from misuse. For

shoes, too much cushioning and support elements can

lead to muscle atrophy. Cushioning and support are

damaging to the foot and even harmful on the body, be-

cause they alter your motion from what's natural.

Natural Running

Natural running is running the way the human body

was meant to run in its purest form - namely, barefoot -

across a solid surface. That means running with good

mechanics and a efficient gait that focuses on landing

lightly on the midfoot/forefoot (the ball of the foot, but

not the toes) and quickly lifting your foot off theground instead of pushing off with excessive muscular

force.

A Bonus

For those who run or jog at least an hour a week, there

is a very real reward - an average of six more years of

life, Danish researchers found. Jogging was associatedwith a 44% reduction in the relative risk of death over

35 years compared with deaths among non-joggers, ac-

cording to Peter Schnohr, MD, chief cardiologist from

the Copenhagen City Heart study. And the benefit was

observed for both men and women. With more than 35

years follow-up, jogging was associated with an in-

crease of 6.2 years in lifespan for men and 5.6 years forwomen compared with non-joggers. The amount of jog-

ging required to achieve this improved survival was

modest - between 1 and 2.5 hours per week divided

into two or three sessions at a self-described slow to av-

erage pace.

14
http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/EuroPRevent/32513http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/EuroPRevent/32513http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/EuroPRevent/32513


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Changing your old running form takes time. In general, it takes at least 3 weeks to change any kind of

habit and 6 months to lock it in for good. Applying this to your running form, it may take 6 months or

more if you are vigilant about changing your form.

CHAPTER 4

15

The Full Solution


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Wearing minimal shoes will let your feet move naturally and prevent muscle atrophy. Healthy feet

means a healthy body. And running or jogging when you're healthy add years to your longevity and

brain power - keep dementia away!

CHAPTER 5

16

Conclusion


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The golden years are the best years of your life. Enjoy it by being able to do physical activities without

pain or injuries. Best of all, without any restrictions. And to be able to do it, you have to start your

transitioning program now.

CHAPTER 6

17

Next Steps


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Directory of the latest minimalist shoe manufacturers for road running, trail running, casual/business

wear, gym, water sports, walking, and much more.

CHAPTER 7

18

Minimalist Shoe Brands


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CHAPTER 8

19

About The Author

While not tinkering with the latest Internet technologies for Silicon Valley start-ups in real estate, re-

tail, and local government, Nick is busy fine tuning his running form and training hard for the Na-

tional Senior Games and World Masters Athletics Championships.


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Barefoot Running

Running without shoes or sandals, skin to surface.

Related Glossary Terms

Index

Chapter 3 - Introduction

Drag related terms here


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Barefoot Running Shoes

An oxymoron and a term that should not be used. Anyone using this is de-

scribing minimal shoes incorrectly.


Index




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Barefoot-style Running

Running form that mimics the running style of the barefoot runner. Short

strides, high cadence, and midfoot or forefoot strike.


Index




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Barefoot-style Shoes

All referring to minimal shoes. These shoes in general should be lightweight,

flexible, have low heel-to-toe differential (drop), low stack height, and wide

toe boxes. Preferably less than 7 ounces in weight, 4mm or lower drop,

12mm or lower stack height, and 2E+ toe box width.


Index




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Master Athlete

A Master's athlete begins at age 30 for Track & Field and Race Walking, and

at age 40 for long distance running.


Index




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Minimal Shoes






Index




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Minimalist Running Shoes






Index




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Muscle Atrophy

Decrease in the mass of the muscle from misuse. For shoes, too much cush-

ioning and support elements can lead to muscle atrophy. Cushioning and

support are damaging to the foot and even harmful on the body, because

they alter your motion from what's natural.


Index




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Natural Running

Natural running is running the way the human body was meant to run in its

purest form - namely, barefoot - across a solid surface. That means running

with good mechanics and a efficient gait that focuses on landing lightly on

the midfoot/forefoot (the ball of the foot, but not the toes) and quickly lifting

your foot off the ground instead of pushing off with excessive muscular

force.


Index



hl


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Senior Athlete

A Senior's athlete begins at age 50 for all events.


Index



Sh d


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Shod

Wearing shoes or sandal.


Index



St k H i ht


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Stack Height

Stack height is the total height from the bottom of the foot to the ground in-

cluding outsole, midsole, insert and additional materials for lasting/lining.


Index



T diti l R i Sh


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Traditional Running Shoes

Standard running shoes with heel-to-toe differential of 12mm or higher, extra

cushioning or motion control, narrow toe boxes, and stack height of 26mm or

higher.


Index



Unshod


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Unshod

Totally barefoot, nothing else on your feet.


Index



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Wear Tested - Sample