Lij Shaw Has a Unique Motto for a Runner: “I Eschew the Shoe”

Lij Shaw is like most runners that I can relate to, but with one major difference:

He runs without shoes.

Lij Shaw

The thought of running a road race without shoes on literally gives me the heebie jeebies. My feet are very sensitive, and sometimes I hesitate to  walk through the grass in my bare feet for fear of a random twig or pebble and stepping on it.

Run a marathon without some type of shoe to protect my feet? No chance.

But Lij Shaw has no such issues. He loves barefoot running, and is ready to go on roads, in snow, or under any other conditions that present themselves. And who would have thought that it all started on a trip to store to get some Vibrams to run in.

Here are some of the highlights from our conversation:

• His first time running barefoot would have caused most of us to swear off the idea
• The transition process from shoes to barefoot running
• One of the biggest myths of barefoot running
• The positive benefits of going barefoot that he has learned over time
• Dealing with gravel, debris, and other hazards inherent with barefoot running
• The feeling of barefoot running after a fresh snow fall

If you’d like to connect with Lij, check out his (still to come) barefoot running blog, join the Nashville Barefoot Runners group on Facebook, and follow the Toy Box Studio on Twitter and Instagram!

Lij also mentions a lot of great books during our chat. (Affiliate Links)

• The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss
• Barefoot Running: How to Run Light and Free by Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee
• Becoming the Iceman by Wim Hof and Justin Rosales
• Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

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