Over the last few days, my family has shifted our morning runs from the BYU indoor track to public parks. As soon as I started to jog along the grassy turf, I felt as if weights had been shackled to my ankles. While I’d been running up to four miles with ease at the track, suddenly lumbering through just a single mile was a heavy chore. Why did my knees feel so stiff, my feet so clumsy? Was it the uneven ground? The heat of the sun? The fumes in the air?
Then I realized the problem. I was wearing shoes. Duh. As soon as I took them off, I was back to my usual, carefree glides, and life was wonderful again.
Any other barefoot runners out there? I will never go back.