Barefoot runners in NCAA Championship?

That cop noticed too. I bet she got arrested.

They talk about it here.

All they need is to step on a rock or stick or even be stepped on by someone else's spikes and it's over for them.

Shouldn't they at least wear vibrams for some minimal protection?

Quests wrote:

All they need is to step on a rock or stick or even be stepped on by someone else's spikes and it's over for them.

they are feet, not balloons or glassware.

Tony Conroy for Arkansas in 77, 78, 79 and 80

Vibrams are heavier than spikes. It's mostly an attention thing.

Quests wrote:All they need is to step on a rock or stick or even be stepped on by someone else's spikes and it's over for them.

Bad Wigins wrote:they are feet, not balloons or glassware.

Are you trolling or really that stupid? Have you ever run barefoot? Severe lacerations and major trauma to the fascia are a real concern for people who do, especially on the type of surface that XC courses present. You simply can't see exactly what your foot is landing on well enough with every step. We are talking about considerable force, too.

But I suppose your argument is that bare feet are simply too tough for a badly-angled rock or stick, jutting out of the ground, to injure them!

Lol just exactly how did your hunter gatherer ancestors survive without the manicured golf courses most xc races are run on.

Umustbeacreationist wrote:Lol just exactly how did your hunter gatherer ancestors survive without the manicured golf courses most xc races are run on.

Lolz!!! because they were barefoot from birth.

The two women in question, running for Coastal Carolina are from South Africa and Zola Budd Pieterse has been an asst coach at CC for a few years now. These things might have something to do with their choice of unshod feet.

truly stupid wigins wrote:

Are you trolling or really that stupid? Have you ever run barefoot? Severe lacerations and major trauma to the fascia are a real concern for people who do, especially on the type of surface that XC courses present. You simply can't see exactly what your foot is landing on well enough with every step. We are talking about considerable force, too.

But I suppose your argument is that bare feet are simply too tough for a badly-angled rock or stick, jutting out of the ground, to injure them!

I don't see why you couldn't see what you're stepping on. My dog doesn't seem to have any issues with stepping on rocks or whatever, so I don't see why I should either if I run barefoot. There's plenty of pictures of Kenyan juniors going barefoot at World XCs, for example.

These girls are my former teammates. They don't wear shoes in South Africa, like ever. They said that even in primary school (elementary) that they don't wear shoes. This is not an "attention" thing. it's how they've always ran and how they feel natural.

Indiana's Michelle Dekkers won NCAAs barefoot in 1988. She is also a South African native. Her son is Matthew Maton, the kid who just broke Rupp's Oregon state meet record.

Ignore that troll and/or ignorant blowhard. In particular

Yes, as a matter of fact, they are. Might hurt a bit, but injury isn't likely. Karate fighters kick boards and each other with feet, they're pretty hard.

I also grew up in South Africa and I ran in state and national meets there. We ran on grass tracks in elementary school so we often ran barefoot. However by middle school, with rare exceptions, almost everyone wore shoes. I do think you take on a slight increased risk when the rest of the field are wearing spikes

truly stupid wigins wrote:

Have you ever run barefoot?

Have you?

If you can go around the course you can decide whether to run barefoot or not.

And, in the end, I think it worked for the girl on the picture so that proves you're an idiot.

Your welcome. :)

truly stupid wigins wrote:

Quests wrote:All they need is to step on a rock or stick or even be stepped on by someone else's spikes and it's over for them.

Bad Wigins wrote:they are feet, not balloons or glassware.

Are you trolling or really that stupid? Have you ever run barefoot? Severe lacerations and major trauma to the fascia are a real concern for people who do, especially on the type of surface that XC courses present. You simply can't see exactly what your foot is landing on well enough with every step. We are talking about considerable force, too.

But I suppose your argument is that bare feet are simply too tough for a badly-angled rock or stick, jutting out of the ground, to injure them!

Ignorance is bliss. Did YOU ever run barefoot? I did, a lot, and still do whenever I feel like it (I prefer VFF's or similar minimalistic shoes most of the time). Ofcourse when people are acustomed to thick, dampening shoes it needs time and effort to readjust, but apart from that most people are perfectly capable of running barefoot.

I've run like this for years, and wouldn't want it any other way. With a friend I have given many clinics over the years, and nearly all participants are pleasantly surpised by how comfortable and fun it is. And before you ask: yes, you can run on nearly every undrground you want. The stride is lighter and more 'alert', so apart from some occasional minor pain when hitting something (sharp rocks or roots etc.) it's no problem at all.

Ergo: if you don't know what you are talking about, it's best to not talk at all.

Dale Story of Oregon State won the men's NCAA XC barefoot in 1961, I believe it was.

Umustbeacreationist wrote:

Lol just exactly how did your hunter gatherer ancestors survive without the manicured golf courses most xc races are run on.

They didn´t run 3 min/km for half an hour, idiot.

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday... wrote:

The two women in question, running for Coastal Carolina are from South Africa and Zola Budd Pieterse has been an asst coach at CC for a few years now. These things might have something to do with their choice of unshod feet.

Zola being an assistant might have something to do with it but I will bet anything that both of them grew up running barefoot. It is pretty normal in South Africa to run barefoot, and it seems it is even more common in the Afrikaans community of which both the Coastal ladies are from.

As for the people above who are concerned that they might hurt their feet. Running cross in the veld of the Free State or around Alberton dam most probably made Terre Haute seem like running on indoor carpet for those young ladies.