I’ve been lying to you. Yep, the entire time. You see, far too many times have I told you about my barefoot shoes, specifically my Vibrams, which don’t actually exist. Caught in a common misuse of the phrase “barefoot shoes,” I’m writing today to tell you the truth.
There’s no such thing as barefoot shoes. Never has, never will be. The shoes I’m running in are minimalist shoes – or possibly low-profile shoes, but I think of Terra Planas, not Vibrams, when I hear that phrase – because, really, there’s no such thing as barefoot shoes. The two words contradict each other, right?
Yet you and most likely I will continue to call Vibrams barefoot shoes because they look like feet. Like gorilla feet or ninja feet. Like a foot dipped in rubber, Vibrams actually DO make you look barefoot, but until we Vibrams wearers start pounding our chests or silently killing people, we’ll always be minimalist running enthusiasts.
Please, get this right. Call them minimalist shoes. Heck, I’m pretty sure if I start talking about minimalist shoes, minimalist runner and minimalist runnning more, I’ll rank higher against less competition, because only people in the know know to ask for minimalist running gear, not barefoot shoes that would get you snickered at in a high-end sports store. When that happens, I’ll be able to sell ads, stop working, run more and produce better posts for you! Everyone wins.
There you have it. Oh, I’m not really a barefoot runner. While I do train barefoot from time to time, I’m mostly in my minimalist shoes, doing some running. Minimalist running, that is.
(For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I hope we can still be friends. Please, there is no need to take action against me as a means of retaliation, I’m gladly pay my penance on your terms, just name the time and place. I promise to earn back your trust and assure you this will never happen again.)
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