I run over the the park in barefoot-style shoes (Vivobarefoot NEOs, which I like, but buy them from Zappos, because they run very large and Zappos ships both ways free). That's a quarter mile or so. I wear shoes here because I have to run on a grassy shoulder which is often loaded with cans that the mowers have run over and shredded into little sharp pieces of aluminum, which are hidden in the grass. I'd do it without shoes, but my wife made me promise.
I run my 3-5 miles barefoot (tuck my shoes under the bench).
The surface at the park is better than chip-seal, but not as much fun as smooth, fresh pavement. It's old pavement, with large aggregate.
There is little comparison between running in barefoot-style shoes and running barefoot. The latter is so much better. I'd say it's like the difference between wearing "protection" and not, but that would be just a crazy thing to say.
are you running actual barefoot or barefoot "style" with the toe shoes?
