Freet Book Recommendations
Embracing the joy of reading, we wanted to give you some of our favourite book recommendations related to barefoot, walking, running & more! Read below to see some of the favourite picks from the Freet team.
Just a Little Run Around the World
5 years, 3 packs of wolves and 53 pairs of shoes
Synopsis:
- After her husband died of cancer, 57-year-old Rosie set off to run around the world, raising money in memory of the man she loved. Followed by wolves, knocked down by a bus, confronted by bears, chased by a naked man with a gun and stranded with severe frostbite, Rosie’s breathtaking 20,000-mile solo journey is as gripping as it is inspiring.
- Rosie’s solo run around the world started out of sorrow and heartache and a wish to turn something around.
- Heartbroken when she lost her husband to cancer, Rosie set off from Wales with nothing but a small backpack of food and equipment, and funded by the rent from her little cottage. So began her epic 5-year journey that would take her 20,000 miles around the world, crossing Europe, Russia, Asia, Alaska, North America, Greenland, Iceland, and back into the UK.
- On a good day she’d run 30 miles, on a bad day she’d only manage 500 yards, digging herself out of the snow at -62 degrees C, moving her cart inches at a time. Every inch, every mile, was a triumph, a celebration of life, and 53 pairs of shoes later Rosie arrived home to jubilant crowds in Tenby, Wales.
- Rosie’s incredible story is a mesmerizing page-turner of the run of her life. It will wake up the sleeping adventurer in you; it will inspire hope, courage and determination in you; but most of all it will convince you to live your life to the full and make every day count.
Andrew & Sarah say:
The 53 pairs of shoes says it all! An amazing and inspirational book about a lady who set off to run around the world to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Along the way, she inspired many people and describes some amazing sites. Anyone who reads of her lying in her tent as wolves passed by, cannot but be impressed by her courage!
Born to Run
The hidden tribe, the ultra-runners and the greatest race the world has never seen
Synopsis:
- Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
- Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
- With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
Andrew & Sarah say:
This book excites you to explore more about the benefits of moving naturally. We have had lots of people coming to Freet shoes who say they were inspired by this book.
Walking the Amazon
860 days. One step at a time
Synopsis:
- From the star of Discovery Channel’s Naked and Marooned comes a a riveting, adventurous account of one man’s history-making journey along the entire length of the Amazon–and through the most bio-diverse habitat on Earth. Fans of Turn Right at Machu Piccu and readers of Jon Krakauer and Bill Bryson and will revel in Ed Stafford’s extraordinary prose and lush descriptions.
- In April 2008, Ed Stafford set off to become the first man ever to walk the entire length of the Amazon. He started on the Pacific coast of Peru, crossed the Andes Mountain range to find the official source of the river. His journey lead on through parts of Colombia and right across Brazil; all while outwitting dangerous animals, machete wielding indigenous people as well as negotiating injuries, weather and his own fears and doubts. Yet, Stafford was undeterred. On his grueling 860-day, 4,000-plus mile journey, Stafford witnessed the devastation of deforestation firsthand, the pressure on tribes due to loss of habitats as well as nature in its true-raw form. Jaw-dropping from start to finish, Walking the Amazon is the unforgettable and gripping story of an unprecedented adventure.
Andrew & Sarah say:
I love this book, and have read three times, because a journey which should have taken 1 year, took 860 days. Amazing book about a man going through an unbelievable struggle to find his way through the densest jungle. It also emphasises the misery when your shoes hurt!
Fixing Your Feet
Injury Prevention and Treatment for Athletes
Synopsis:
- Hiking, backpacking, running, walking, and other athletic endeavors, your feet take a beating with every step. Don’t wait until foot pain inhibits your speed, strength, and style. Learn the basics―along with the finer points―of foot care before pain becomes a problem. Foot expert and ultrarunner John Vonhof and physical therapist Tonya Olson share how the interplay of anatomy, biomechanics, and footwear can lead to happy (or hurting!) feet. Fixing Your Feet covers all that you need to know to care for your feet, right now and hundreds of miles down the road!
- Inside You’ll Find:
- Tried-and-true methods of foot care from numerous expert
- Tips and anecdotes about recovery and training
- Information about hundreds of foot-care products for nearly every foot ailment
- High-interest topics such as “Barefoot & Minimalist Footwear,” “Blister Prevention,” and “Providing Foot Care for Athletes”
- Discussions of individual foot care and team care
Liza says:
This is an invaluable book for everyone who spends a lot of time on their feet – whether it’s hiking, running or walking. It’s full of practical advice about caring for your feet and has some great tips for getting started with barefoot running.
Do you have any book recommendations? If you do, please let us know in the comments!