Foothold

Experts are now saying that running barefoot, or as close to that as possible, may be better for your feet than using expensive bells-and-whistles trainers.

Journalist and runner Christopher McDougal in his new book, Born to Run, studied a reclusive Indian tribe in Mexico whose members run hundreds of miles barefoot without rest or injury. Without shoes, says McDougal, their feet are able to flex and absorb shock better.
But since barefoot running may not be everyone’s cuppa — especially in city dirt and grime — what’s the alternative?

Try the Vibram FiveFinger. They look like gloves for your feet (or as less charitable critics say, “like gorilla feet”) with separate pockets for each toe, allowing them to move independently, vastly aiding running posture and stamina. Their soles are plastic, with etches that expand when you run to allow for a better grip. Runners swear by them, though starting injuries plagued many. The trick, they say, is to transition gradually from your running shoes to these.