The Xero Blog

There's nothing I find funnier than when I'm running in my Xero Shoes sandals and someone asks, "Can you run in those?"Uh... you're WATCHING me run in them!Well, when I tell non-runners that some people run 100k ultramarathons in huaraches, they're incredulous.Now I don't need to explain anything, I can just show this video of the La Ruta Run, a 50k and 100k race that took place in Costa Rica. Arguably, La Ruta is the hardest trail ultramarathon in the world.Check it out... but be careful. This video will make you want to run La Ruta!Oh, and look at the 4:18 -ish mark for Jonathan Sinclair and Melissa Gosse running La Ruta in their Xero Shoes! Hear them talk about running La Ruta here.And check out the women running in their cheap plastic sandals!

Want to run with the Tarahumara (the Mexican tribe featured in Chris McDougall's bestseller, Born to Run)? Well, if you can't make it to the Copper Canyon, or anywhere else for that matter, here's the next best thing. Ultra runners Jonathan Sinclair and Melissa Gosse went to Costa Rica for La Ruta 100k, arguably the hardest trail ultramarathon in the world. About a dozen Tarahumara runners were there and Jon and Mel got to spend the better part of a week hanging out and running with them -- as well as swapping huaraches and Xero Shoes, eating, drinking, and much more. They'll be sharing pictures and stories as well as giving great tips about barefoot running, minimalist running, ultramarathon training, and anything you can think to ask about. You can also click on this link to watch live video chat we had with them a few months ago.