In 2024 I read and reviewed Born to Run, a nonfiction book about a journalist (Christopher McDougall) who traveled to Mexico to study the Tarahumara, an elusive native tribe consisting of many elite long-distance runners who wear nothing but thin sandals. That led him to learning the science of how humans evolved to run barefoot, and how excessively cushioned shoes are detrimental to foot health. By wearing more minimalist footwear, he helped heal his own foot pain. I had already learned about barefoot shoes before reading the book, so it was like preaching to the choir. I’ve been wearing “barefoot shoes” for several years now, healing some foot problems of my own. At this point, I don’t think I could ever wear traditional shoes again.
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T.Z. Barry 