Barefoot Trainers Are Here!

A couple of posts ago I made reference here to a review of Christopher McDougal's book making the argument that humanity is especially evolved for running barefoot over long distances. In addition, I presented an anecdote about my experience running two marathon races in new trainers and the effects that this had. Concluding that blog post, I argued that there was little chance of my running the marathon unshod even while admitting that expensive trainers are not always worth their cost.

Clearly, an entrepreneurial firm agrees with my contention about the comfort that comes with running with trainers and has designed an alternative form of trainers. Vibram's Five Fingers running shoes mimic the effect if running barefoot and illustrate to me the ingenuity of firms in responding to the needs that people have. While acknowledging this factor, I am sure that even Vibram has tow challenges because at £98.99 Sterling, these are still an expensive and specialist pair. Secondly, the marketers of the pair of alternative footwear will probably face the task of selling the item because it does not compare well to conventional trainers and sneakers on the aesthetics side.

What must be stated though is the fact that markets respond to opportunity and perhaps for this item of footwear, the cost may be absorbed entirely by those who are specialist runners for whom it is obviously good value. I now wait to see whether the East African elite marathoners will be asked to endorse the product. More power to the markets.