Are we better runners when the shoes come off? That’s the question more runners are asking, thanks to the growing popularity of barefoot running, one of this year’s biggest running trends. It’s not a new trend, however. Serious runners have been braving the asphalt sans shoes professionally for decades (some have even competed in the Olympics without them !), but the movement started gaining even more traction with the 2009 publication of the book Born to Run , in which author Christopher McDougall explores how members of a Mexican Indian tribe have learned to run hundreds of miles continuously, injury-free, wearing only thin sandals on their feet. The book’s promotion of barefoot running has led to

a marked increase in runners who decided to ditch their heavier running shoes for minimalist pairs, or nothing at all! It may not be new, but 2011 was definitely the year of the minimalist/barefoot running trend. Here at FitSugar we got a jumpstart by trying it out for ourselves late last year. Turns out, barefoot running is comfortable (especially on a treadmill over asphalt) and correcting; see for yourself how much your gait can change with this video comparing minimalist running with normal running shoes . Celebs love barefoot running too! Read on for more about the trend after the break.

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Best of 2011: The Barefoot Running Trend