I prefer running barefoot. I'd never wear shoes to run if I could get away with it. However, where I live, there are at least 3 months of the year where it is too cold to run barefoot. There are times, too, when the temp isn't that low, but running on pavement hurts the soles of my feet. I'm not sure what causes this, but at temperatures below about 42 degrees F, the skin on the soles of my feet become hyper-sensitive. It's like every grain of sand feels like a pin prick. It is during those times, that I think minimalist footwear would be an advantage.
While I can tolerate shoes, I'm not used to wearing them any more. My times suffer, and I swear that the weight of even a light pair of conventional running shoes puts a lot extra stress on my upper leg muscles. Maybe it's an angular momentum thing, since shoes are pretty much like the weights on the end of a pendulum.
So, I figure, maybe if I can protect the soles of my feet for those times when the temperature is a little outside of my comfort zone, I can extend the season of running outdoors, without my times suffering too much or feeling the extra stress on my legs.
While I can tolerate shoes, I'm not used to wearing them any more. My times suffer, and I swear that the weight of even a light pair of conventional running shoes puts a lot extra stress on my upper leg muscles. Maybe it's an angular momentum thing, since shoes are pretty much like the weights on the end of a pendulum.
So, I figure, maybe if I can protect the soles of my feet for those times when the temperature is a little outside of my comfort zone, I can extend the season of running outdoors, without my times suffering too much or feeling the extra stress on my legs.