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well it makes you think...
This is all well and good, but I think the important part of the article was the fact that Jim Fixx died tragicaly young, despite being an obviously fit person. And I can tell you this much from personal experience: if you have any family history of heart disease, running is not an antidote! In fact, don't muck about - at least know your cholesterol levels. It's a very simple, very cheap test, and it's all too easy to think that because you're fit and healthy the heart is going to be OK. It doesn't work that way. Not at all. A genetic disposition to coronary disease is not negated by running. Scary but true. Even scarier - you don't get any early symptoms. The first you know of it is when you have a heart attack, stroke or angina. By then the damage is done. Have it checked - your mother has spoken.
On the subject of flats and bare-foot running, I have oftened pondered this. It feels great to run bare foot - quite natural and normal, but it seems to only be good for short distances, which is why I guess sprinters wear flats and distance runners don't. I think (but am not sure) that it's simply more efficient to heel strike when covering longer distances, which is why we wear the shoes we do.
I tried running a long 'un barefoot on the beach once, but very quickly scoured the skin off the balls of my feet. I would like to try it again in flats, but my podiatrist has warned me off doing so. I can't remember exactly the reason he gave, but it made sense at the time!
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