How To Make Huaraches Barefoot Running Sandals Of The Tarahumara
Do you run?If so, you should definitely think about dropping your familiar running shoes and switching to bare foot running sandals.
You don't have to tell me that "barefoot running sandals" is an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp.
I mean if you're running barefoot, then, by definition, you aren't, wearing sandals. Right?
Here's how.
Running barefoot is all the rage. Ever since Chris McDougall's book, Born to Run, about the Tarahumara Indians who ran (and won) ultra-marathons either barefoot or wearing huaraches -- low-tech running sandals they often made out of old tires and string, more and more people are interested in barefoot running. People, myself included, were captivated by the stories of Caballo Blanco (the "white horse") and Barefoot Ted, who got rid of their regular running shoes and set off barefoot or in Mexican running sandals instead.
In his book, Chris talks about how he had been plagued with injuries until he got rid of his running shoes.
There have been articles in almost every major newspaper about running barefoot, with pro- and con- discussions about whether this is good for you or not -- those in favor saying that it's more natural and can not only eliminate running injuries but heal old ones, and the 'con' camp saying barefoot running could be painful for your feet and calves.
By the way, my experience is that if you go slow at first and don't do too much, it's really fine -- certainly not more than running in shoes. And, I also had some old calf injuries that, after four weeks of running barefoot, are totally gone.
So, here's the story.
Bare foot running is great. It's tons of fun, it changes how you run to a more efficient technique, it's wonderful to not be bundled in socks and shoes... and it can hurt you pretty bad if you step on something by accident (which, for what it's worth, happens A LOT less often than people think... in fact, less often than the number of times I would trip on something when out running in my well-cushioned shoes).
Or, every now and then you want to run somewhere that, well, just doesn't seem conducive to being barefootted.
Which brings us back to the barefoot running shoes of the Tarahumara, huaraches.
Huaraches running sandals give you the best things about being barefoot(or as close as you can get) with the protection that can keep you from getting cut up by stepping on something by accident.
Barefoot running sandals are really pretty simple: something to use for a sole, and something to lace that sole onto the bottom of your foot.
Regarding soles, you could find cardboard, carpet, leather, rubber, even your basic beach flip-flop bottom. A cool, high-tech variation, if you can find it, is Vibram 4mm "Cherry" material. It's extremely flexible but provides wonderful protection.
Regarding the lacing, people use leather lace, hemp, nylon/polypropylene or some other cord or rope that's strong but flexible. There are different ways to tie huaraches: one looks like you should wear it with a toga, the other doesn't look as strange and allows you to slip-on and slip-off your huaraches.
One popular choice lately -- not exactly a sandal, but worth mentioning -- is called Vibram Five Finger shoes (yup, the same Vibram mentioned before). These look like gloves for your feet, with little sections that each toe fits into.
The Vibram Five Fingers are okay, but they don't let your feet be as free as huaraches. They also don't fit my feet as comfortably as I'd like, and the soles are a lot thicker and more structured than the huaraches barefoot running sandals.
Barefoot running sandals are the nearest thing you'll get to barefoot, other than somehow painting a bullet-proof yet flexible layer of something-or-other directly onto your sole.
by: Julie Simmons
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