![]() While it comes with its own set of challenges and peculiarities, sandal-running can broaden your running experience for the better. Photo: Paul Baswick Don’t be afraid to explore your eccentric side Know that on every run there’s an excellent chance a loudmouth will point and laugh at the runner wearing “flip-flops” or chime in about “real” runners wearing shoes. Grow a thick skin (and not just on your feet) ![]() Trail-running can be an exhilarating, almost liberating, experience in sandals, but it pays to pack a trusty pair of shoes in case of a muddy emergency. Particularly slimy mud will lubricate your soles and have you slipping inside your footwear with every step, even in the best-fitting sandals. ![]() Sandal-runners must consider not only the traction their footwear provides, but also the traction of their feet where sole meets sandal. But if sandals have one Achilles heel, it’s mud-particularly when it’s as viscous as motor oil. With the variety of materials and designs available, you can find running sandals suitable for just about any terrain. Experimenting and tweaking the length and positioning of your straps will lead to a more comfortable, bespoke fit in the end-just be prepared for a longer, more blister-filled breaking-in period before you get there. ![]() This “getting to know you” phase has the potential to be longer and more uncomfortable in sandals than it is with running shoes, however, given that running-sandal straps tend to be so adjustable and customizable to different parts of the foot. Photo: Paul Baswick Adjust everything elseĪs is the case with conventional running shoes, your first kilometres in a new pair of running sandals can be a bumpy introduction as hot spots and other quirks emerge. Researchers concluded, in part, that most runners who are used to conventional footwear “do not automatically adopt a running technique that reduces when barefoot.” Research published in 2020 shows that runners sporting minimalist footwear will not necessarily develop stiffer tendons compared to those running in conventional footwear, and for runners who do not, “it is possible that minimalist footwear may increase injury risk.” In short, adopting minimalist footwear, such as sandals, might benefit some, but its promise of being a surefire solution to becoming a stronger, faster runner doesn’t always pan out. (McDougall recently published Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide, along with Eric Orton.) Those dipping a toe into the world of sandal-running often do so on the premise that running with a thinner (or no) cushion will result in a gait that strengthens the muscles and tendons in the feet, ultimately leading to fewer injuries and better performance.Īccording to a 2016 study, this might be correct-but only if you’re one of the lucky ones. The phenomenal success of Christopher McDougall’s bestselling 2009 book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen helped spur the belief that, when it comes to footwear, less is more. ![]()
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