Will there be a film adaptation of Christopher McDougall’s bestseller Born to Run? There has been talk of it for years, with rumours that Jake Gyllenhaal was going to play a lead role, and that his step-brother Peter Sarsgaard (An Education, Garden State) would be in the directors chair.
If you’ve never read the book, here is an overview:
“Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.”
Have we been waiting in vain?
A simple Google search can yield thousands of results covering the possible adaptation, some dating as far back as July 2010. After years of waiting (in vain it seemed) there has been dwindling talk of the film, but this week, several online resources released information that McDougall had taken the reins instead of Sarsgaard:
McDougall told Relaxnews that the film adaptation negotiations have recently been “on the griddle,” with him taking on the project after finding Sarsgaard’s screenplay to be misguided. Sarsgaard also was hoping to make this project his directorial debut, but McDougall, who was excited about working with the “Jake/Peter combo,” said the working relationship with Sarsgaard has become acrimonious.
I would interpret this that it may be many, many years before we see anything come of this. Perhaps this story has been reignited in the media lately to help boost interest in McDougall’s new book.
Another adventure story
McDougall adds that he is also working on a book project, “another adventure story.” While he won’t give away too many details, he said he is looking at how “natural movement played a pivotal role in resistance fighting in World War II.”
Barefoot running has seen a huge surge in interest since the 2009 release of Christopher McDougall’s bestseller Born to Run.
As appetite grows for shoes that replicate the ‘feel’ of running with bare feet, have you taken the time to understand exactly why running barefoot is good for you?
Why Should I Adopt A Barefoot Running Style?
Runners in shoes typically land on their heels, using the cushioning built in to the heel of the shoe. When your foot lands in this manner, it sends a jolt of force though your ankles, knees, hips and spine. This impact is called a transient force spike.
Running barefoot promotes a different technique. Runners who run barefoot tend to land on their forefoot or midfoot. This effectively keeps the landing point closer to your centre of gravity (as opposed to in front of the body, like shoe-clad runners).
When you run, your muscles, ligaments, and tendons in and around your feet will provide you with a natural spring-like mechanism, reducing the impact (transient force) through your body.
It’s All About Technique
Running with bare feet (or with barefoot shoes) will not guarantee injury-free running. Instead, you have to ensure you learn correct technique, focusing on a forefoot/midfoot strike, a shorter gait (shorter, faster foot steps), and only increase your mileage incrementally.
If you tried to run barefoot the same way you do when you’re in running shoes, it would really hurt. You should lose the shoes to understand how to run in a way that feels light and comfortable. Once you have mastered this, start to increase your mileage by around 10% and you may find running more fun and less likely to cause injuries.
There is no science that proves running shoes are helpful. In fact, people lived for millions of years without shoes. Until the 1970’s, runners enjoyed running without padding, orthotics, pronation, arch support, and motion control shoes.
Stephen Sashen from Xero Shoes (rather splendidly) puts it this way:
The three parts of our body that have the most nerve endings are our hands, our mouths and our feet. There’s only one of those that we regularly cover and make numb to the world… does that seem right?
Put a limb in a cast and it comes out of the cast a month later atrophied and weaker. When bind your feet in shoes that don’t let your foot flex or feel the earth, isn’t that similar to putting it in a cast (or as barefoot runners like to say, a “foot coffin”)?
Barefoot Running Shoes
Of course, in today’s world we can scarcely discard our shoes in favour of bare feet. That’s where barefoot shoes come in. They give you the sensation of running barefoot, whilst providing protection from anything nasty you may step on. VIVOBAREFOOT shoes have puncture-resistant soles. Xero Shoes have FeelTrue rubber soles that are guaranteed for 5,000 miles. And of course, Vibram FiveFingers and Merrell running shoes are equipped with Vibram TC-1 rubber – Very flexible, yet extremely durable!
Now our online store has gone live, we have also integrated a brand-spanking new blog in to it. Very shortly, all of the posts on this blog will migrate over to the new one too.
Barefoot and minimalist running fanatics in the UK have been crying out for Skora since their introduction to the US market in 2009. Now, Feetus.co.uk are thrilled to announce that we will become UK stockists of Skora running shoes in the very near future.
Excited? You probably are. And we’ll be giving away a pair of Skora Base running shoes in March 2013. See more details here.
…In the meantime, here is our review of both the Skora Base and Form shoes.
First Impressions
Have you ever bought an Apple product? Perhaps you have an iPhone, a MacBook, or an iPod. If so, you’ll know that Apple place as must thought in to their packaging as they do their main product. This creates a special experience. You genuinely feel like you are getting an amazing, one-off product.
Skora are no different. Their shoe box looks and feels such high quality (no flimsy tissue-box here!)– magnetic closure, classy branding, sleek design – you know there’s going to be something amazing inside.
Opening up, the first thing that hits you is the smell. They honestly do smell great! How often do you smell leather when you open up a box of running shoes?
Enough about the box. What about the shoes?
The Sole
Both the Base and Form have the same zero-drop sole, that comprises of an outer sole, midsole, and an insole. You will see from the images that we have a 4mm rubber tread with raised lugs for grip. On top of that is 5mm of a softer rubber that features a quirky pattern (consistent with design on upper and on box).
The insole is around 5mm, and features small ‘bumps’ which are designed to help your foot grip the inside the shoe better. These small bumps feel great – like a mobile massage!
The shoes are definitely built for use on the road, the treadmill, or hard-packed trails – Not so much for rugged terrain.
The Uppers
The difference between the Base and Form is all in the upper. The Base is made from synthetic material for breathability. Across the top is a cross-strap which Velcro’s on the outer side of the foot.
The Form is a little more luxurious; its upper made from Pittards goatskin leather, and features a diagonal lacing system that follows the contour of your foot. There is no separate tongue, so the leather behind the laces will always stay in place (similar to the New Balance Minimus range).
The inside of the shoe is sheepskin-lined. This incredibly soft material is extremely comfortable and quite grippy, keeping your foot firmly in place on the run. The Form also comes with a spare pair of laces to match the sole of the shoe (Nice touch!).
Both models feature a rear-strap Velcro, which allows you to tighten the shoes further, should you wish to. The toe box on both models is sufficiently wide, giving your toes the important space to splay as you run.
Fitting and Feel
The Base feels a little more snug than the Form. I have narrow feet and for me, the Base is a perfect fit, with the cross-strap Velcro offering the right amount of tightness. The Form seems to have a wider toe box, which would be better for runners with wider feet. The rear strap offers very little in terms of increasing tightness around the heel.
I love to run in shoes that have as minimal sole as possible. I found that, in order to get the desired level of ‘feel’ from my run in these shoes, I had to remove the 4mm insole. The combined stack of 13mm (sole, midsole, insole) was a little too thick for my liking.
The soles offer the right degree of flexibility and sturdiness for running. They won’t roll-up like a pair of Vibram FiveFingers, but they certainly aren’t as stiff as a pair of Asics! …For comparison sake, they are perhaps as flexible as the New Balance MT10s.
What do I love about Skora shoes?
Amazing, built-to-last quality
Very attractive (Wired magazine called the Form ‘The Bentley of running shoes’)
Zero-drop heel to toe
The cross-strap system on the Base. Looks great, easy to fasten – A possible triathlon favourite?
Good road grip
Wide, roomy toe box
What could be improved / What I would like to see
The luxury of leather on the Form means it is heavier, and less breathable.
Further weight reduction
A further stripped-down sole
An alternative model with aggressive sole for trail use
More attention on the purpose of the rear strap
Overall
I haven’t tested these shoes out in a race yet, so a comment on their performance will follow later in the month; but for now, I have high expectations – especially for the closer-fitting, lighter (and cheaper!) Base. Bring it on.
There is certainly a lot to love about both the Base and Form. Minimalist runners will enjoy the zero-drop, though may crave a lighter, thinner sole. For anyone who does like a little extra cushioning, or is looking for a first shoe to transition in to a more minimalist running shoe – Skora is a perfect choice. I can’t wait to see their forthcoming Phase and Core models later this year. #RunReal.
You will be pleased to know that we’re still offering a whopping 25% off EVERYTHING. This fantastic welcome offer is only valid for ONE MORE WEEK, ending midnight on 28th February 2013.
Simply enter ILOVEFEETUS25 at the checkout, and don’t forget that when you spend over £25 we will ship the goods to you absolutely free!
All Injinji toe socks now have a further 25% off, so you will be able to grab some massive bargains there!
Exciting Times: SagePay. More Stock. Site Improvements. Blog Update
Sage Pay will be introduced very soon, but for now, you can pay 100% securely with PayPal.
Over the next week you will see fantastic new products and an increased size-range added.
And although feetus.co.uk is already a lovely-looking, well-oiled machine, we’re still working on making it EVEN BETTER. You will benefit from better product filtering to find exactly what you’re looking for, in what size, and which colour, plus much more…
We will also be importing all of our existing blog posts from our previous WordPress blog: FeetusOnline.Wordpress.com
If you love the best barefoot and minimalist running shoes on the market – You will love Feetus.co.uk.
To celebrate the launch of our new online store http://feetus.co.uk we are giving YOU 25% off EVERYTHING (including: Vibram FiveFingers, VivoBarefoot, Merrell, Inov-8, New Balance, Xero Shoes, and much, much more!)
This offer ends midnight 28-February-2013 and is open to everyone in the UK and EU
We are very pleased to announce the launch of our brand new eCommerce site, and also our new blog, which will be updated regularly to keep you up to date with the latest news and special offers.
Our new site has been developed with our customers in mind, and as a result of this you’ll find an easy to use website with effective search facilities and an efficient checkout process.
We really hope you enjoy having a look around the new site – we will be constantly adding new products and updating the site, so keep checking back.
That’s right folks… Your new favourite barefoot running store goes live on Wednesday 13th February 2013, and to celebrate the launch, we’ll be offering exclusive discount codes to our Facebook friends.
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