So my local newspaper has a fitness section that they do on Wednesdays. This week their focus was on barefoot running, "Born to Run," and Vibram 5 fingers. In the article they were trying to give advice on how to become a better runner. They were basically saying that the way to become a better runner was to do barefoot running. Now while I have never doen this and I am skeptical the part that I thought was absurd is the person who was supposed to be the evidence as to how this working was a lady who used to run 3:45 half marathons and now runs 3:30 half marathons. Yes that is right I said half marathon not marathon. Personally I think the advice she should give out as to how to improve is walk faster.
This whole fad seems like it is almost an excuse for the slow runner as for reasoning for not just running more and harder. Though it may helpe with your foot strike and your mechanics I feel like at the same time unless your parents start you in this when you are born that it is going to lead to injury if you are someone who trains a lot.