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A 2009 best-seller by Christopher McDougall made shoemakers very nervous. The book, Born to Run, told the near-mythical tale of groups around the world that run incomprehensible distances with ease, totally or nearly barefoot. For runners constantly suffering injuries and setbacks, the book and its message (ditch the shoes) was a huge success. It wasn’t long after bare feet began to take to the pavement nationwide that shoemakers and their advertisers regained a foothold in an industry that they’ve ruled for decades.
The latest statistics from sporting goods market research firm SportsOneSource show that sales for barefoot-friendly, minimalist running shoes are up more than 280 percent over the same period last year.
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