Book Review: The Barefoot Running Book by Jason Robillard

Many of you reading this blog are probably familiar with Jason Robillard. He's the author of the blog Barefoot Running University, a frequent contributor on the Runner's World and Barefoot Runners Society forums under the name Last Place Jason, and all-around barefoot celebrity.

Basically Emma Watson with a more feminine haircut 

When he hasn't been running, blogging, or answering questions from inquisitive runners online, Jason has spent a lot of time over the years teaching countless people the ins and outs of running barefoot. It was only logical, then, that he would eventually write a book on the subject. Jason first published The Barefoot Running Book in 2010. The first edition was little more than a pamphlet of 60-some odd pages, but the brand new third edition is 224 pages of wiggly-toed wisdom.

Given how much Jason has written online over the years, and how much of it is still available on the web for free, it's reasonable to ask why you should pay $15 for a book when you could just go to his blog or read his forum posts. Heck, given the ton of information to be found on all of the excellent blogs, websites and forums that have popped up in the last few years, it's fair to ask why you should buy anyone's book in the first place instead of just doing a Google search whenever you have a question. 

And to answer my question, yes of course there's a running-related Google Doodle

Well, the problem with the internet is that there's a bit too much advice and information out there, most of it terrible, and bad advice can get you injured (or at the very least severely confused). What Jason has done with this book is compile everything that he's learned from teaching runners over the years along with the information he's picked up from other people into one succinct, easy to read book. This saves you from the trouble and headache of wading through a veritable Fire Swamp of conflicting advice.

You especially have to watch out for the TOUS's (Trolls of Unusual Stupidity)

Jason's approach is very eclectic, borrowing freely from all sources while weeding out questionable dogma. For instance, while he recommends the Pose Method in general he has rejected the Pose Method's assertion that you should lift your feet high while running, even at low speeds. Instead, Jason gives the more common sense suggestion of merely lifting your feet high enough to clear the ground. As someone who was confused by that particular piece of bad advice as a new runner, I wish I'd had this book back in 2009. 

Although the book starts off with a bunch of testimonials to the benefits of barefoot running, Jason’s own section on why people should run barefoot is surprisingly short and moderately worded. He’s clearly trying to stick to statements that can be backed by the current scientific research, which hasn't been terribly conclusive as of yet. (The relative benefits of barefoot, minimalist, and heavily shod running are extremely difficult to measure in a clinical setting). This gives the book a certain amount of credibility and protects against accusations of being sensational or pseudo-scientific, but the flip side is that if you’re looking for a book to give to a disbelieving friend or relative this isn't the most persuasive one on the market. This is (and is meant to be) a straightforward how-to book, not an impassioned argument.

Some people might prefer it that way

As a how-to book, The Barefoot Running Book will serve the reader well. It covers all of the basics while answering most of the questions that beginners invariably have, including the less obvious but frequently-wondered ones like “what’s wrong with starting out in FiveFingers” or “is it okay to heel-strike when walking?” Jason starts the beginner out walking and includes quite a few drills. If you are new to barefoot running and follow the advice in the book you should have a pleasant and safe transition and avoid the injuries and problems that some experience. 

The title is actually a bit of a misnomer, since the book covers much more than just transitioning out of your shoes. If bare feet weren't still so controversial, it could have just been titled something like "A Beginner's Guide to Running" (or, I suppose, "The Running Book"). The topics covered include diet, racing, training plans, cross-training, and ultrarunning. Some topics are covered in more detail than others, but most new (or old) runners will have most of the information they need in this one book. I thought the section on cross-training was particularly good. It includes a collection of suggested full body exercises (many of which I'd never heard of before) along with detailed pictures. 

So what did I not like about the book? For one thing, the organization can be a bit odd. To a large degree, the book is a loose collection of tips on various topics, some of which seem a bit out of place. For instance, the section "10 Barefoot Running Tips" at the end of the “Racing” chapter includes tips for running with a stroller and dealing with stores that require shoes. That being said, most of the tips in the book are excellent and if you read the entire book (which you should) you will get all the information, a slight case of ADD notwithstanding.

As I mentioned earlier, another thing I wish were different about the book is that it says relatively little about the benefits and history of barefoot and minimalist running. It seems strange that a book expansive enough to cover barefoot ultrarunning doesn’t spend more time explaining why you should be running barefoot in the first place. It mentions a little about the scientific research and includes a quote from Barefoot Ted about our prehistoric ancestors, but leaves out what--in my mind at least--is the most persuasive argument of all, which is the astounding history of barefoot and minimalist distance running in recorded history. (Ultra-distance running either barefoot or in what we would now call minimalist shoes was common in virtually every horseless civilization from ancient Greece to the early 20^th-century Hopi).

Finally, I have to note Jason’s demeaning practice of using increasingly skimpily-clad brunettes as cover models. When you look at the different editions side by side it's clear what Jason's marketing strategy is. Here is the 1st edition:

Toes...

2nd edition:

Knees...

 3rd edition:

Argghgh! My eyes!!

Based on this trend I strongly encourage you to buy the book now, since I shudder to think what Jason will be wearing (if anything) on the cover of the 4th edition. You can find it on Amazon. 

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Book provided by the author.


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Order my children's book about barefoot running: What Should I Put on My Feet to Go Run?

Shoe Review: Merrell Trail Glove/Pace Glove

These shoes aren't exactly hot off the press (they came out spring 2010) but this seemed like a good time to write a review because (1) I've run several hundred miles in my pair, (2) they're still Merrell's flagship minimalist shoe, and (3) they're still probably the best minimalist trail shoe on the market right now. In fact, when Emily was looking for a new trail shoe this summer to replace her New Balance MT10s, getting a pair of Pace Gloves ended up being a no-brainer.

The Basics
First of all, Merrell has different names for the men's and women's version of this shoe. The men's version is the Trail Glove, while the women's version is the Pace Glove.

No, I don't know why they have different names. Yes, it's needlessly confusing. In this review I will refer to both models as the "Trail Glove," mainly for convenience, but also because I'm a sexist pig.

"A sow's place is in the barn!"

The only difference that I can find between the Trail Glove and the Pace Glove is that the Pace Glove has an elastic material around the top of the heel, while the Trail Glove doesn't. More on that in a bit.

Trail Glove on the left, Pace Glove on the right

Uploading that last picture I just realized that the Pace Glove also doesn't have one of those loops on the back of the heel. So if you're one of those women who depend on loops on the back of your shoes to get them on, then you might be out of luck.

"A woman of true inner beauty will have feet which fit into a shoe without effort." --Merrell  promotional material

On the other hand, if you are one of those people who have always wondered why shoes need loops on the back in the first place, you might be okay.

Merrell lists the weight as 6.2 ounces for the Trail Glove and 4.7 ounces for the Pace Glove. They certainly feel very light on my feet. The shoe is zero drop (meaning there's no raised heel), with 4mm of EVA cushioning (that's not very much) and a 1mm rock plate in the forefoot.

The Trail Glove retails for $110 and the Pace Glove for $100. Why the price difference? Beats me, unless $10 is what it costs to manufacture a heel loop. The Trail Glove comes in eleven different color schemes (including one with the uninspiring name of "drizzle") while the Pace Glove only comes in six, apparently reflecting Merrell's belief that men are more fashion conscious than women when it comes to shoes.

Fit
These are very form-fitting shoes. They fit snugly around the entire foot except for around the toes. This combined with a non-bulky upper makes my feet seem smaller when I'm wearing the shoes. (Emily says my feet look "dainty" in them, so if that's what you're going for, great). The last (shape of the shoe) matches my foot well, without any wasted space. The toe box is roomy enough to not constrict the toes during running, but not so roomy as to feel luxuriantly spacious. In other words, my toes don't feel squished during a run, but if I stretch my toes out they will hit the sides of the shoe. This isn't necessarily a problem but if you spend a lot of time barefoot or in huaraches it is noticeable. I for one would prefer a roomier toe box.

This is how a barefoot runner's toes respond to shoes

For those of you with especially wide feet, or who just want more room, a wide version of the shoe is available, although there aren't as many color options (only two for men and three for women).

Comfort
These are not shoes that strike you as comfortable when you put them on. There's virtually no cushioning anywhere so they don't have that bedroom slipper cushiness that many cushioned running shoes have.

Next year the Brooks Addiction 10 will have more cushioning, advanced motion control, and bigger ears. 

I also don't find them very comfortable for wearing around town. In fact, I never wear them except when running because I find them uncomfortable and constrictive.

However, complaining that the Trail Glove is uncomfortable walking around town is like complaining that the four point seat belt in your Ferrari is uncomfortable driving to the grocery store. Of course it is. The real question is whether the Trail Glove is comfortable while trail running, and the answer to that is yes. They feel great while I'm running, which is to say that they don't feel like much at all. They almost let me forget I'm wearing shoes, which for me is the ultimate test of a running shoe.

Some shoes have bad spots where they rub the foot but the Trail Gloves don't and blisters haven't been a problem for me. I always wear socks but the shoe is designed to be able to be worn sockless. I tried running sockless a little bit and it felt fine, although I can't say whether that would be true for longer distances.

Emily loves the elastic around the Achilles tendon and says that it's extremely comfortable when she runs, especially compared to her New Balance MT10s which often left the back of her ankles bleeding. The backs of my Trail Gloves have never caused me any problems.

Me about to run the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in my Trail Gloves

Performance 
Okay, now we get to the real question: how do these shoes perform on the trail? The answer is, almost perfectly. Where this shoe really shines is running fast on technical trails. If you've tried this in bulky shoes you know how irritating or downright dangerous this can be, with falls or twisted ankles a constant possibility. The Trail Glove's low stack height (how much material there is between your foot and the ground--not much in this case) makes it hard to twist your ankle, the snug fit and lack of a padded upper keep the shoe from moving around as you run, and the slim profile of the shoe (mainly due to its lack of extraneous material) allow you to place your shoe with precision on the trail, reducing the odds of tripping. Traction is pretty good, with tread that is aggressive enough to work well on most trails without being too pronounced to be comfortable on flat surfaces. You're going to slip around in deep mud or snow, but that's true just about anytime you're not wearing crampons.

Most importantly of all, the shoe allows the foot to function naturally. The sole is very flexible (the rock plate is only in the forefoot) and this combined with the minimal cushioning gives you excellent proprioception and groundfeel. However, groundfeel is a double-edged issue in a trail shoe, since you always have to strike a balance between being able to feel what's under you and being protected from it. Even good shoes will fall on a continuum, with shoes with great groundfeel and terrible protection on one end and shoes with terrible groundfeel and great protection on the other. Where on that continuum your ideal shoe falls is determined by what you are going to be doing--if most of your runs will be 10 miles or less in the daytime then you'll want something on the groundfeel end, whereas if you are going to be running rugged 100 mile ultras in the dark, you probably want something with more protection. I think the Trail Glove has more than enough protection for people running distances less than 50 miles. I have run up to 25 miles on extremely rocky trails in my pair and have never come close to needing more protection. That being said, if you step directly on a sharp rock it's going to feel bad, but that's why you don't step directly on sharp rocks.

Toe protection is something that's an issue for some people. I have extensively tested this quality of the shoe and can conclusively tell you that if you kick a rock or stump in a pair of Trail Gloves it is going to hurt a lot, though much less than if you had done so barefoot.

The mesh upper breathes well, although the flip side of that is that plenty of dirt and moisture is going to get into the shoe, especially into the toe box. Several times I have dribbled water from a bottle onto my shoes and instantly ended up with wet socks. Water-resistant, these are not. On the other hand, once your feet do get wet the shoe drains quickly, although it will still take hours to dry completely. If you want something water-resistant, Merrell does offer the Sonic Glove/Lithe Glove, which is basically the Trail Glove but with a water-resistant softshell upper.

It's $25 more, but at least you ladies finally get a heel loop

As for durability, at this point I have several hundred miles on my pair and while they wouldn't pass for new, they seem to still be near the beginning of their lifespan. I expect them to last much longer. The Vibram sole is most likely going to last forever and the upper still looks as good as new. In fact, at this point it's impossible to tell what the weak link is going to be since nothing is showing much wear. This is an extremely well-made shoe.

Although the Trail Glove is of course meant for trail running (just as the Pace Glove is of course meant for pacing back and forth), I have done a lot of road running in my pair. They're definitely not ideal for road running (no shoe with a rock plate and off road tread would be) and if you are going to do most of your running on the roads I would recommend getting something else, preferably something farther toward the groundfeel end of the spectrum. However, if you're going to be doing both trail and road running and want to use one shoe for both, then the Trail Glove will work just fine. In fact, I've been surprised at how much I like running on the road in them, although they are a bit loud when they hit the ground.

Conclusion
As I mentioned at the beginning, I think the Trail Glove is hands down the best minimalist trail shoe on the market today, at least for the needs of the average person. If you are going to run 100 milers over rugged terrain you may want more protection, whereas if you do most of your running completely barefoot it may be a bit too much shoe for you. For most people, however, the Trail Glove will be just about perfect.


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Order my children's book about barefoot running: What Should I Put on My Feet to Go Run?