ESPN poll suggests 1 in 3 people would run barefoot
By David • Aug 2nd, 2009 • Category: Features •ESPN recently conducted an informal poll asking:
“A recent theory in the running world proposes that running without shoes is better for you. Would you consider running barefoot?”
The result? The average from coast-to-coast shows 34% would give it a try…
Below are the results from over 6,000 respondents across the country. Quite promising data despite nearly 40 years of ’shoe technology’ marketing. More detail (per State) after the jump.
David is an instigator and barefoot runner since 2002.
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Its nice to see that at least 1/3 of people are willing to try. But at the same time sad that 2/3 of the US aren’t even willing to give it a shot! But such is the life of a close minded person.
Yay for Montana! My home state, politically conservative, athletically progressive, who knew?! Course, the sample is really small, but still…
Interestingly, Montana is the state where John Colter made his famous run, barefoot and naked, to escape from 5-600 armed Blackfoot indians, covering 300 miles with no shoes!
Okay, I can’t stomach barefoot on the pavement… especially when you’re in a hot area and it feels like running on hot coal. On the flip side, barefoot on the beach or grass sounds super. So I’d probably get down to the beach or the park on the grass.
Mark Martinez,
Testing out hypergain like the energizer bunny
I began running barefoot about to months ago. I got rid of to constant pains in the my foot and runners knee on my left leg