The only example of a fast barefoot runner that the barefoot movement can come up with is Abebe Bikila.

Of course all current professional runners run shod. Know why? Because shoe companies are the only ones who will sponsor elite athletes. Which is not to say it's some giant conspiracy and that Geb is only endorsing shoes because Adidas pays him to, just saying that it's something to keep in mind: Elite athletes just don't have the opportunity to run barefoot because they're all sponsored by shoe companies!

It's also why there have not been many significantly fast barefoot runners over the years - because to reach the elite level almost always now requires going pro to some degree, and the only opportunity to do that is by getting a contract with a shoe company.

I believe Herb Elliott and/or Merv Lincoln raced barefoot on the grass tracks of Oz circa 1956-1960, particularly as juniors.

They didn't just run barefoot on the sand dunes of Portsea.

this guy is barefoot beating German ..below photo

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/worldxc/imagepages/image43.html

girl in the green

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/worldxc/imagepages/image64.html

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/worldxc/imagepages/image72.html

there you get the idea...you want more photos you do the research!

a few more...I am tired or could find more

http://www.runnerspace.com/photos.php?do=view&photo_id=81981

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2010/worldcross0402/imagepages/image5.php

http://www.letsrun.com/2007/worldxc2/imagepages/image273.html

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/worldxc/imagepages/image12.html

fasdfsd wrote:

J.R. wrote:

A Kenyan ran around 8:05 for the steeplechase when that was a world leading time.

I don't recall his name at the moment, but he was told to either wear shoes or he wouldn't be able to get in any big meets.

Christopher Koskei.

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=9072

I love that picture

Yes, Koskie. Thank you

Not even with the nicest shoes in the world will any of you ever be as fast as any of the top racers. The Kenyans who are winning these things would still beat you soundly, even if they were barefoot. So, as you spend hundreds of $$ on shoes and products, trying to improve your stupid mediocre PR by a few minutes, perhaps it helps to feel smug that you're wearing the same shoes as them.

Ron Hill and Bruce Tulloh both ran many track races (cinders) barefoot.

Never mentioned in these threads is the Caribbean sprinters. There was a series of vids of the Caribbean primary schools championships fairly recently and the majority of the kids were shoeless.

Ron Hill raced loads of times barefoot back in the 60's. He raced in 1968 Olympics without shoes. 2:09 Marathon runner way back in the 60's and hasn't missed a days running since December 20, 1964.

As others have suggested, watch the Junior races at the XC champs. Loads of Africans run them in barefeet because they're unknown and have no shoe sponsors. Eluid Kipchoge even said that his felt his stride became less powerful after he won the World 5k champs and he got given loads of shoes to train in.

The main reason you don't see shoeless guys in the top races is because the shoe companies through shoes at them and money talks.

If I recall correctly, in the "training talk" interview with Joseph Ebuya's coach, the coach talks about how they gave him shoes after "discovering" him running barefoot and he almost immediately wound up injured.

I can’t recall Ron Hill running barefoot on the road, although he most certainly did on occasions on the cinder track and cross-country.

He must have had very strong feet - I bought a pair of his road-racing shoes back then and they were little different to a pair of spikes without the spikes.

Crippled my feet on a mere 6 mile road race and I gave them away after that one run.

I saw the spikes Koman set his 3000 record in and they were so minimalist, he was close to running barefoot.

I continue to be baffled by the barefoot haters. Why do you care if people run barefoot? Is it because they get more attention when running in the park than you do? Could be. Also, the science that backs up the benefits of barefoot running is ridiculously strong.....similar to the science behind global warming, but that is another thread for another day.

Herb Elliott in Sports Illustrated:

http://barefootted.com/uploaded_images/SportsllustratedBarefoot02-773822.jpg

http://barefootted.com/uploaded_images/SportsllustratedBarefoot01-719926.jpg

African kids:

http://www.arunningstart.org/photos/ourmission_2.jpg

Christopher Kosgei:

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_athletics/KOSKEI_C_19950809_GH_L.jpg

XC

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/ammanrace/images/P1010842.JPG

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2009/ammanrace/images/P1010847.JPG

Have to scroll through the pics:

http://www.iaaf.org/WXC10/photo/index.html#55614

Hill ran the 10,000 in Mexico City so he would not have been on the road. In his autobiography he mentions some cross country races where he ran in bare feet. I can recall mention of one in either Belgium or France where he says it was a mistake because the course was muddy and he couldn't get any traction. I also recall an interview where he says he was planning to run the Munich Marathon without shoes but changed his mind when he saw the gravel sections of the course.

Jim Hogan also did a fair amount of racing in bare feet as did Charley Robbins here in the US. Trevor Vincent, gold medal in the steeple at the 1962 Commonwealth (or Empire) Games told me he did a lot of barefoot running but didn't say whether it was racing, training, or both.

More XC photos:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050222014752/http://chepkero.com/images/HENRYDISCOVERY.JPG

http://web.archive.org/web/20050217110634/http://chepkero.com/images/DISCOVERYHENRY3.JPG

Dale Story, 1961 NCAA XC Champ and Oregon State Alum:

http://thevig.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=7858

http://alumni.oregonstate.edu/eclips/carry/images/030504_dale_story.jpg

Zola Budd, 2-World XC Champ, 14:48 5K barefoot on the track:

http://www2.iaaf.org/wxc97/images/zola_budd86.jpg

Christina Kambua Muyanga, 2008 World Junior Steeple Champ, 9:31, and Elizabeth Mueni, 9:36:

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/RobDZMsiLYy/IAAF+World+Junior+Championship/hRiJWh_w89k/Christine+Kambua+Muyanga

http://www.life.com/image/81892793

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3000W_final_gold_and_silver_KEN.JPG

Bruce Tulloh:

http://runningbarefoot.org/uploads/2006/10/TULLOH_Bruce_19590711_EL_L.jpg

The pros who run barefoot do it because that is what is comfortable for them. They grew up running that way. It doesn't make them faster. That's just who they are. Same with the guys who wear shoes.