Born to Run Barefoot to Be Happy, Healthy and Strong Against COVID-19 and Future Pandemics

The 2018 Comrades Marathon (90.2 km)

Barefoot Ultramarathon  # 1
Date: 10/06/2018
My finish time: 11:13:04
Certificate

When I decided to get rid of the sneakers in 2015, at the age of 60, one of my goals was to run barefoot the 90 km of the Comrades Marathon. I first ran the whole distance of the 2016 Comrades Marathon (89 km) with minimalist shoes. I returned the following year and ran barefoot the first 63 km of the 2017 Comrades Marathon, then I put on minimalist shoes to prevent unnecessary pain or damage.

Finally, I easily ran barefoot the 90.2 km of the 2018 edition of the Comrades Marathon, completing the race pain and injury free, just 7 days after achieving in Duisburg, Germany, my fastest barefoot marathon (3:37). My purpose is to show that we all can readapt to barefoot running, regardless of age or any other consideration. It’s the biology. The 2015 Two Ocean Marathon (56 km), also in South Africa, is the last official race I ran with sneakers.

Photos of the 2018 Comrades Marathon (those on the course are Courtesy of Jetline Action Photo)

I share in this book my experience from sedentary lifestyle to barefoot running, my understanding of the vital importance of long-distance running for humans and why the COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to act before it’s too late. Find out more.