Like the proverbial chicken and the egg, is it the barefoot running that makes people happy, or are naturally happy people the type to experiment with barefoot running? Thanks to our friend Dalit for the heads up on this recent article in the New York Times: "Is Running Barefoot Better for You?". In a nutshell, the author, Gretchen Reynolds positions...

Soft Star has a growing contingent of barefoot runners knocking on our workshop door looking for footwear. Who are barefoot runners, you ask? Athletes who run either completely barefoot, or with some type of minimal shoe. Check out Donald's blog entry titled "The Barefoot Revolution" for a great overview (see his 8/27 post). Donald is an ultra-marathoner and journalist who...

Softstar running mocs after 60 miles of running on asphalt Tue Jepsen is a 26-year-old runner from Denmark with a passion for minimal shoes. When Tue called last month for some Softstar Shoes to test out the Elves were happy to send him a pair. He ran over 60 miles in the shoes and loved them—a high compliment given the minimal...

Last week a great article came out in the Wall Street Journal about barefoot runners. It covered the growing base of people who content that modern day shoes with their over-designed soling and arch supports are actually creating "lazy" or comparatively "weak" feet. While this article is cashing in on the sensationalism of "extreme" barefoot enthusiasts -- (Those who run...