I’ll pretty much try anything with the word naked in the title. So when a buddy of mine suggested running a ‘naked mile,’ I figured why not and started to drop trow. Luckily, he explained that by naked he meant ‘barefoot’ before I made it to my boxers.

Barefoot running is simply running without shoes (or with thinly-soled shoes). BR enthusiasts taut the benefits of the free-footed run, chief among them that it corrects running form by encouraging a ‘proper’ forefoot strike. However, critics are quick to note that studies on the sport are inconclusive, and that it poses too great a risk of puncture wounds, injury and infection.

Beginning barefoot runners should make sure to:

• Go slowly. Before you hit the road, start off running on soft and safe surfaces– on an indoor track, a treadmill, or a sandy beach.
• Try intervals. Incorporate short intervals into your workout routine at the beginning between 5-15 minutes.
• Keep watch. Make sure to watch your running form to avoid injuries—and stepping on dog poop.

Running a ‘naked mile’ turned out to be a liberating experience, but in the end I wasn’t as much of an exhibitionism as I thought. I kept my socks on.