The benefits of running barefoot and the Hongkongers making shoeless strides
Hong Kong barefoot runners and hikers share the health benefits and risks of going shoeless and give advice on how to start training
If you are a seasoned marathon runner, you may have experienced that brief, bewildering moment mid-race when you realise the competitor cruising past you is missing seemingly crucial gear: shoes.
Leo Chan is one of them. The 51-year-old entrepreneur has swum across the English Channel, competed in more than 100 triathlons – including nine full Ironman competitions – and finished 30 marathons and three Hyrox races. He founded his own distribution company that often partners with fitness gadget brands.
His most recent athletic pursuit may be his most striking. It began nearly three years ago in Singapore when he spotted a shoeless competitor in a race.
“It’s actually the most natural way to run,” the man told him.