Mark Cucuzella, a Family Physician, Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine, Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves and coach and captain of their marathon team. He is a strong advocate of the barefoot / minimalist running movement and talks to VIVOBAREFOOT about, among other things, Freedom’s Run for Kids.

Throughout this week customers in the EU and UK can get 10% off all VIVOBAREFOOT kids shoes from vivobarefoot.com – using KIDS10 discount code. In the US the New York store is offering the same discount.

“Changing the running world, one odd look at a time” – BRS

The first International Barefoot Running Day (IBRD) is happening this Sunday, May 1, 2011.

VIVOBAREFOOT is proud to announce that we are officially supporting IBRD. To mark the event, the Barefoot Runners Society has coordinated local running events all over the world. To be part of the great day and for more details in your area, check the Barefoot Runners Society website.

IBRD is a grassroots movement designed to promote barefoot running as a healthy and viable way to run, which we (VIVOBAREFOOT) are all for. Most of the events are 1k or 5k Fun Runs to encourage everyone to be involved. Be sure to check back in with us after your events on Facebook and Twitter to tell us your stories and share your pictures! You’ll be celebrating the day among thousands of other barefoot runners from around the world.

Whether you’re new to barefoot running or a seasoned veteran, we encourage you to have a look at our FREE eBook; Proprioception: Making Sense Of Barefoot Running. Written by our barefoot running expert, Lee Saxby, it will take you from the basic barefoot movement milestones, all the way to correct form while running as nature intended – barefoot.

For more information visit the Barefoot Running Society’s website – (barefootrunners.org/ibrd).

Read more…

Only a week away, and each second seems to be moving faster than the other. Normally I don’t get over-excited about marathons, being more a longer distance type of runner, but for this last week of training the Oakland Marathon stands as my final prize in my barefoot running quest.

When I started running 12 years ago, I never thought about what I actually put on my feet. I would think more of the race, my training, the distance, and a number of other factors that seem to pile up as runner’s trudge through the daily grind. Probably the most important factor-shoes, was almost an afterthought when I started this as my ‘other career’.

I think something most people don’t consider when they run, are the two mittens that wrap their feet, they help in so many ways, and no one thinks how shoes can actually make you a stronger, faster, and a more efficient runner. Read more…

My name is Nick. I have just turned 48, and have always enjoyed running. When I was at school I was a member of the cross-country team and as a student I was well known for running everywhere. Read more…

The Barefoot giveaway promotion on Saturday the 22nd of January was a great success.

We heard that some die hard Terra Plana fans had caught the 5.45am train down from London to join the queue!
The queue started around 7am and had already reached around 50 people by the time we arrived at 9:30 to prepare the shop.
We started letting people in to the shop at 10:00 after taking a few photos of everyone without there shoes.
At its peak the queue had approximately 80 people waiting, not including those who had already made it into the shop.
A wide range of shoes were taken from each of the three brands; including United Nude Folds, Terra Plana Janis, Marianne, Wittgenstein and Brawn, VIVOBAREFOOT Brooklyn, Belles, Franklin and Kariba.

“A free pair of £200 #barefoot boots? Oh alright then. Thanks @Terra_Plana Brighton! Uber chumpfy! : D” – @MaryAnn_no_e via Twitter

The local paper, the Argus came down and took lots of photos and spoke to many of the customers in the shop.
Although very busy there was a great atmosphere in store, everyone was glad to be warming there feet up in there new free pair of shoes!
There was still a large queue outside when we announced that all 50 pairs had been given away, however some people remained to receive a consolation prize of 10% off any pair.

Here we are on the Guardian website:

Fancy winning a holiday to the Caribbean? Is that the stupidest question you’ve ever been asked? Probably. Anyway, to be in with a chance just head to a Terra Plana store and try on a pair of their Vivobarefoot shoes. Fifty runners up will also get a free pair of the shoes.
Terra Plana stores – Neal Street, Bermondsey Street, Kensington High Street and Brushfield Street in London, and Brighton. vivobarefoot.com