An Irishman Abroad

Can all repetitive strain injuries be traced back to modern running shoes? Jarlath asks Sonia about this and other claims of the barefoot running movement. It makes sense on paper. We have conditioned our feet to expect a type of cushioning that encourages heal striking rather than the flat strike that lets the miracle of engineering that is human foot so its job. Sonia looks back at her days running barefoot at competitive events, the Kenyan model, Zola Budd, ice baths and the danger of transitioning to shoeless running or minimal shoes. There’s look at Jarlath stalled progress after he suffered a hip injury this week. How will this impact his plan to run 2000K for Jigsaw.ie? And we hear one of the funniest emails the show has ever received. Sonia also tells us about the return of Park Runs to Australia and her 19 minute 5K effort for her beloved Snowy the dog.   Be kind to yourself and others this January. Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds f