The Six Barefoot World Marathon Majors
March 3, 2024
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I've run barefoot the Six World Marathon Majors to show the benefits of running the way the human body is designed to.
I did my first marathon at 55, in 2010. I switched to barefoot running in 2015. I’ve so far run barefoot a 90 km ultramarathon and 141 marathons—including the Six World Marathon Majors—to show the benefits of running on our naked feet, i.e. like our ancestors.
The 2010 Chicago Marathon was my first marathon. Having completed with sneakers all the World Marathon Majors, some of them more than once, I decided in 2019 to launch a barefoot tour of the Six World Marathon Majors that I initially planned to start with the 2019 Chicago Marathon and wrap up with the 2020 London Marathon. My goal was to show on the world’s best marathons the benefits of barefoot running.
I registered therefore for the six races either by qualification (the 2019 Chicago Marathon and the 2020 Boston Marathon), through lottery (the 2020 Tokyo Marathon) or through authorized travel agents (the 2019 New York Marathon, the 2020 Berlin Marathon and the 2020 London Marathon).
I completed barefoot as planned the 2019 Chicago Marathon and the 2019 New York Marathon, finishing the races like a walk in the park, without any pain, injury or fatigue. In early 2020 I did three barefoot marathons: the 2020 Miami Marathon, the 2020 Malta Marathon and the 2020 Los Angeles Marathon. Afterwards, planet Earth experienced unprecedented race cancellations or postponements, lockdowns, travel restrictions, etc.
I resumed the tour in 2021, when the situation started to normalize progressively. So I did barefoot the 2021 Berlin Marathon, the 2021 London Marathon and the 2022 Boston Marathon. I finally wrapped up my barefoot tour of the World Marathon Majors with the 2024 Tokyo Marathon in arguably the world cleanest capital.
My book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, takes an innovative and more rational approach to running to explain why all humans are perfect innate runners and how they can successfully engage in regular—preferably barefoot—running and walking to stay fit, happy and healthy, avoid or stop addictions, enhance their lifespan in good health, enjoy a better quality of life, avoid ending up in nursing homes; and save money on useless or harmful consumption, disappointing weight-loss diets, healthcare, etc., while significantly reducing their carbon footprint and consequently contributing to the survival of all living species—including Homo sapiens.
I’m 69-old retired French diplomat and medical doctor. I did my first marathon at 55, and I’ve completed so far 20 ultramarathons and 426 marathons on all the continents—including Antarctica.
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I've run barefoot the Six World Marathon Majors to show the benefits of running the way the human body is designed to.
I did my first marathon at 55, in 2010. I switched to barefoot running in 2015. I’ve so far run barefoot a 90 km ultramarathon and 141 marathons—including the Six World Marathon Majors—to show the benefits of running on our naked feet, i.e. like our ancestors.
The 2010 Chicago Marathon was my first marathon. Having completed with sneakers all the World Marathon Majors, some of them more than once, I decided in 2019 to launch a barefoot tour of the Six World Marathon Majors that I initially planned to start with the 2019 Chicago Marathon and wrap up with the 2020 London Marathon. My goal was to show on the world’s best marathons the benefits of barefoot running.
I registered therefore for the six races either by qualification (the 2019 Chicago Marathon and the 2020 Boston Marathon), through lottery (the 2020 Tokyo Marathon) or through authorized travel agents (the 2019 New York Marathon, the 2020 Berlin Marathon and the 2020 London Marathon).
I completed barefoot as planned the 2019 Chicago Marathon and the 2019 New York Marathon, finishing the races like a walk in the park, without any pain, injury or fatigue. In early 2020 I did three barefoot marathons: the 2020 Miami Marathon, the 2020 Malta Marathon and the 2020 Los Angeles Marathon. Afterwards, planet Earth experienced unprecedented race cancellations or postponements, lockdowns, travel restrictions, etc.
I resumed the tour in 2021, when the situation started to normalize progressively. So I did barefoot the 2021 Berlin Marathon, the 2021 London Marathon and the 2022 Boston Marathon. I finally wrapped up my barefoot tour of the World Marathon Majors with the 2024 Tokyo Marathon in arguably the world cleanest capital.
My book, Running Barefoot for Human Survival, takes an innovative and more rational approach to running to explain why all humans are perfect innate runners and how they can successfully engage in regular—preferably barefoot—running and walking to stay fit, happy and healthy, avoid or stop addictions, enhance their lifespan in good health, enjoy a better quality of life, avoid ending up in nursing homes; and save money on useless or harmful consumption, disappointing weight-loss diets, healthcare, etc., while significantly reducing their carbon footprint and consequently contributing to the survival of all living species—including Homo sapiens.
I’m 69-old retired French diplomat and medical doctor. I did my first marathon at 55, and I’ve completed so far 20 ultramarathons and 426 marathons on all the continents—including Antarctica.
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).