The marathon is the stuff of tales and it is a very a difficult event to run, even for athletes that happen to be prepared. The marathon covers 26.2 miles and it is difficult on your body, particularly the feet which is why all marathon athletes usually invest a huge amount of effort on and give so much consideration to exactly what it is that they put on on their own feet. Marathon do devote lots of time buying the proper running footwear and a lot of cash is associated with running shoes with it as being a huge industry. Back at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, Abebe Bikala from Ethiopia had been a late inclusion in their team, so that when he turned up to get fitted with the team equipment there were no running shoes left in the teams supplies which could suit him. Instead of wearing an inappropriate size Bikala thought we would do the marathon without athletic shoes after which went on to win the gold medal. This can be the stuff that legends are made from.

Bikala's achieving success in doing this is generally commended as something remarkable and well worthy of mythical status. Not long ago there was a fad with a sizeable group of runners recommending that running footwear are not that beneficial and they are not all they are thought to be. These runners were suggesting barefoot running comparable to nature intended as which is the manner in which we evolved. Historically human beings needed to run big distances to stay alive as animals would have to be hunted by running over lengthy distances which was completed without the need for running shoes. The running shoes are really only a comparatively recent invention.

Those who recommend the barefoot method of running point out the accomplishments of Abebe Bikala as more proof that runners do not actually need running footwear for running and that barefoot is best. Abebe Bikala winning gold medal at the Rome Olympic games without athletic shoes surely implies that it is possible to do it. However, he later went on to get the gold medal and break the world record in the marathon at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This time he was making use of suitable running shoes. This means that he had the ability to run faster when he was wearing athletic shoes. These triumphs of him were impressive however making use of them as substantiation that it's preferable to not use running shoes and run barefoot will not stack up to scrutiny.

Abebe Bikala was born August 7, 1932. His achievement in winning the Rome Olympics marathon was the first gold medal received by a competitor coming from the African continent. On March 22, 1969, he was paralysed after having a vehicle accident and never walked again, passing away October 25, 1973 aged 41 from complications. There is a arena in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that was named after Bikala. You can find many different biographies and movies about him and documenting his athletic career and his legendary achievements against various odds. Almost all publications regarding the marathon as well as the Olympics carry accounts about Bikala.