Forget those comfortable running shoes, I'm going barefoot!

The Tarahumara strike out in the unforgiving terrain of the Sierra Madre Occidental

THERE is a tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara. You've probably never heard of them before, and why should you? But in the running world, these mystical and somewhat reclusive guys are Gods.

The Tarahumara, or Rarámuri, as they are sometimes known, live in the unforgiving and mountainous areas of north-western Mexico. This is rough canyon country on the high sierras in a region known as Sierra Madre Occidental where the running terrain is tough and the heat can fry an egg in minutes.

Translated, Rarámuri means "runners on foot" or "those who run fast", but what makes these guys so special is their ability to run long without the aid of modern day technology - no fancydan footwear, no neat isotonic drinks or gels, no specialist dieticians or exercise practitioners.

In fact, their amazingly healthy diet of pinole (a coarse flour made from ground toasted maize kernels) mixed with beans, such as pinto beans, squash, chilli peppers, wild green and chia (nutritional seed drawn from the mint family) is reckoned to reduce cancers among the tribe.

No, these mere mortals can just take off and run up to 200 miles in one session, sometimes for up to two days. It's their way of transporting goods, communicating between villages, and also how they hunt.

These modern day Forrest Gumps also run for fun with tribal events known as rarajipari, which is a sort of foot-throwing race where balls are kicked by the runners in relays, and at the changeover points team-mates run ahead to the next handover. Sometimes these races can last for a couple of days without a break. It's crazy!

Christopher McDougall wrote one of the most absorbing running books ever a few years ago called "Born To Run" where he sets out to find the world's greatest ultra-distance athletes and to run with them. Born from the premise that as a runner himself why does he keep getting these aches and pains in his foot, McDougall wonders how the Tarahumara can keep on running while spurning the latest in modern footwear, gizmos and gadgets.

The book is an absolute revelation. McDougall discovers how the Tarahumara use the toe strike method of running, which is a natural style for barefoot running. Crucially, the book dismisses the multi-billion pound running shoe industry by insisting that modern technology, with cushioned shoes, designed to incorporate pronation and all sorts of running styles, hasn't helped eliminate muscular injuries.

He quotes one leading athletics coach, Vin Lananna, who was based at Stanford University, who once said: "I can't prove this, but I believe when my runners train barefoot, they run faster and suffer fewer injuries."

Working on the notion that modern running shoes have now shielded our feet from their natural position by providing more and more support, McDougall controversially outlines what he describes as three painful running truths:

 

• The best shoes are the worst.
• Feet like a good beating.
• Human beings are designed to run without shoes

The Tarahumara don't exactly go Zola Budd by wearing nothing at all on the soles of their feet. They wear sandals instead, which are non-cushioned, but offer protection against getting cut on the soles of your feet.



The Tarahumara sandal

So it's no surprise that in response to McDougall's book, which questioned the whole principle of buying expensive, highly cushioned running shoes, that the manufacturers have gone back to the drawing board to come up with what they describe as minimalist shoes to simulate barefoot running.

Since reading McDougall's book, I've been fascinated by this phenomenon, but have not yet been brave enough to take the plunge into barefoot running - until now!

I've been invited by Mizuno to try out their new Wave Evo Levitas which is being launched this month. A group of experienced runners from a variety of backgrounds have been asked to train with them over the next couple of months before taking part in the Mizuno-sponsored Reading Half Marathon in March.

We're being asked to blog and Tweet about the whole experience which is probably going to redefine our running styles. I am excited, although a little anxious too about how I will fare with the new shoes.

But ultimately, the science make sense. Running barefoot strengthens your feet and is a more natural way to run. As I read from one blogger, "running in cushioned, motion-controlled shoes is like having your neck in a cast for a month - when you take the case off, your neck muscles will be weak".

So over the next few weeks, by blog will become more running centric than usual. I would be interested in your comments and advice. Are there exercises I can do, how should I prepare and what are some of the tips you may have found from running with minimalist shoes?

Email me at: peekay63@hotmail.co.uk or follow me on Twitter on @RunningPeekay

You can also follow other running guinea pigs, some of whom look much faster and prettier than me at:

• @jonmackintosh
• @gofasterfood
• @Boshrun
• @kimingleby
• @BePrettyFit
• @NatRunClinic
• @Ashton378
• @JuliaArmstrong
• @sammymargo

And here's a link to what the new shoes look like - love the colours!

www.mizuno.eu/sports/running/products/discoverevo



The new Wave Evo Levitas