As much as I love running shoes, I would
prefer to run without them.
Hi. My name is Quirl. I’m a barefoot runner. I’ve been clean
for 8 months… Yeah, my name is Quirl but you can call me Jacob, most people do.
I should probably clarify though that I’m not an exclusive barefoot runner.
Don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t walk around without shoes at school, I don’t
go to work in sock feet, I even wear shoes around my own house sometimes. I
just want to be up front with y’all, I’m not that guy. I don’t picket gas
stations that have “no shirt, no shoes, no service” posted on the door. I sneak
in a little flip flop action on occasion and if I’m really honest with you I
would tell you that I have 6 times more shoes in my closet than the average
guy. Maybe more than some girls even -cringe- . okay, okay, I don’t even wear
my Fivefingers to the grocery store at midnight when I run out of milk. (I
drink whole milk) I definitely don’t wear them to the grocery store at midday.
That’s because my girlfriend has convinced me that they are ugly. She would
know. I can’t say every outfit I put on is the epitome of contemporary fashion
but lets just say my blue vibrams don’t really match much. Except my urban
camouflage pants, I’m kidding, about owning camo pants not about whether they
match or not. I don’t even wear them to run all that often because, well, it
hurts to run on the road. So for a long tempo run on Saturday instead of
velcroing my VFF’s I lace up my SHOES (ASICS speedstars).
I still run barefoot. As much as I love shoes, especially running shoes, I
would prefer to run without them. I could rattle off more information about
brands, models, weights, impact reducing technologies, and stabilizing
properties of running shoes than you could probably stomach without losing your
lunch. Despite that or maybe because of that when I kick off my shoes and take
off running I feel like my feet have been unhinged. Its so… clean. Every step I
take is like a personal clinic in bio mechanical goodness. I feel faster. Like
I might even catch mister Bolt from behind while he is warrior posing towards the
sky. I feel lighter. Like I might be flying over the grass with the ease that
Dibaba floats on the track. It’s an addicting feeling and yeah, I’m addicted.
