Homemade huaraces with used lawn tractor tire soles
I've never really been a runner. I ran track for two seasons in junior high, but I always preferred bikes and skateboards to moving on my own two feet. This changed last week, at least for the moment. I came across this blog while checking out this blog that a friend told me had a link to my blog, whew! It turns out that there is a whole counterculture of runners who believe that the modern running shoe and the way we run is unhealthy, and that running barefoot or in very thin huarache sandals, like the Tarahumara of Mexico, is the way we were built to run. Supposedly the Tarahumara are know for their ability to run "hundreds" of miles without a break and with ease.
I got all excited when I read this because I like inexpensive sports and human-powered ways of transportation. Bikes are human-powered but definitely not inexpensive. So, while I will always remain a cyclist, for now I am toying with the idea of running barefoot. I have been practicing in the field where I live and even on the city sidewalks. So far I feel great. My muscles are a little sore but this is, I think, only because I rarely run and I am finally using those muscles.
The sandals of our early ancestors. Buffalo rawhide soles with brain tan buckskin lacing. I made these last month before I even got into the idea of running in sandals. I'll have to see how they hold up. The soft fur makes them look like primitive bathroom slippers.
3 comments:
You should read "Born to Run" about ultramarathons and the Tarahumara indians. great book and it will motivate you to take off your shoes.
yeah, I've been wanting to check this book out. Thanks!
I always thought the only way I would run was if someone was chasing me with a weapon....or I had to get to the phone in a hurry. One day when the weight of all the stress in my life was too much, I decided to walk. Three steps into it, I was running and I haven't stopped for 3 months. It clears my mind, relieves stress, and produces endorphins. I am hooked.
Post a Comment