The Cautious Minimalist Strategy
I don't think runners whose goal is to get faster should run 100 percent barefoot. The choice to never wear shoes, or only wear very minimalist shoes, is more of a lifestyle than a way of getting faster in any particular race.
I'm a "cautious minimalist" and I recommend this approach to the runners that I coach. For most runners, a modest amount of barefoot running or training in minimalist shoes is the best strategy to get nearly all of the benefits of barefoot running with a fraction of the injury risk inherent in running unshod. Instead of risking injuries like Achilles tendonitis, this approach ensures that barefoot work isn't done too quickly and is balanced by also running in supportive shoes.
More: How Runners Can Prevent Achilles Tendonitis and Calf Injuries
Just like other training tools such as tempo runs, strength exercises and long runs, barefoot running is a method to help you strategically accomplish a particular training goal. You wouldn't complete a long run or lift weights every day, so you shouldn't run barefoot every day either.
How to Start Barefoot Running
There's one extremely simple way of getting started with barefoot running that adds virtually no extra time to your weekly training, is fun, and provides a host of benefits. When you run strides, take your shoes off.
More: Run Fast With Strides
Strides are accelerations done after you finish your distance run. Start at a jog, build to about 95 percent of your top speed, and then slow to a stop. They should be about 100 meters long (the straight section of an outdoor track), and take about 20 to 30 seconds for most folks. Take about a minute of walking/standing recovery in between each stride and start with four, building to six, after completing strides twice per week for two weeks.
You can run barefoot strides on almost any soft surface: your front lawn, a nearby baseball field or (my personal favorite) a synthetic turf field. Start by running four barefoot strides per week and then increase to six after two weeks. After two more weeks of running six barefoot strides, you can do them twice per week.
This effective method of barefoot running helps you prevent injuries, get faster, and become a more efficient runner. You'll definitely notice the results on race day.
More: Is Barefoot Running "The Perfect" Running Shoe?
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