I have Haole feet*.

(photo courtesy of Vibram Five Fingers)

Thanks to my cousin, Jeff, this article about modern running shoes being a waste of money, was brought to my attention. The whole article was basically a strong scientific argument that running shoes are not only better when they're cheap, but that they also increase your risk of injury. Apparently, humans were designed to run without shoes. Our toes, arches, and muscle-skeletal structure are already naturally woven together to create an elegant solution for quickly getting from point A to point B. And according to those scientists, we're ruining mother nature's design by running long distances in fancy designer shoes.

Ok, being an engineer, does that mean I'm going to throw out my shoes and change my running style since these claims are backed by hard scientific evidence? Not really. The article also states that if we've already grown up wearing shoes, then converting back to barefoot running will also injure us. The way I see it, it's all a matter of smart shopping. After cycling through several shoes in the last 3-4 years, I've figured out what's comfortable for my feet. In fact, I chose my latest pair of shoes specifically because I felt like I could feel the ground better due to the thinner rubber sole. Which coincidentally, is what the article suggested is a desirable feature in a running shoe. Go figure.

Although, I must say that my lack of barefoot running ability did somehow make me feel less rugged, less hard-core, even less worthy of being called a true runner. In essence, it made me feel like I have Haole feet. I've seen several groups of people trying to get back to barefoot running in all of the races I've run. And I've even seen a handful of people running in FiveFingers shoes (pictured above), which is essentially a glove on your feet that simulates running barefoot while still maintaining protection against the elements. So why can't I start doing the same? Well, because I'm not crazy and I'm ok with having Haole feet.

I actually think that running shoes are a great invention. Running in today's environment isn't the same as running through the forests thousands of years ago. Asphalt is hard! They may not be the perfect design yet, but every invention needs progressive improvement. For example, take the very first marathon runner. The legend is that the Greeks sent a soldier from Marathon to Greece (26 miles) to announce their victory over the Persians. You know what happened to that guy? He died from exhaustion right after he gave that announcement. I will guarantee you that I have better running shoes than he had. So, I may not be able to outrun a barefoot runner from the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, who are evidently the best long distance runners in the world. But, I do have pretty, comfortable, functional running shoes that do seem to enhance my running experience.

*Note: Local Hawaii kids like to refer to more delicate feet as Haole feet. Haole is Hawaiian slang for a caucasian person. But in this connotation, it refers to someone who hasn't grown up walking barefoot all around the island.