In my experience, the running community has been a solid, positive, and generally unified in its love of the sport, writes Hannah Webster. But I have recently discovered an issue that is causing no end of bitching and whinging in a way that only the internet can feed.

The barefoot running debate. Pro-barefooters claim that people run more naturally and avoid more injuries if they ditch their trainers and allow their bodies to run the way humans have done in the millions of years before the technical running shoe was invented in the 1970s. According to them, the running shoe is a conspiracy by sports companies to make money.

Anti-barefooters, however, will have you believe that pro-barefooters are a bunch of hippies and that wearing proper running trainers is essential as part of the modern cement-clad world we now live in. Predictably, both sides cite different studies and stories from their friends and relatives which back up their position.

What dismays me about the whole thing is the vehemence with which people argue about this. There is no agreeable philosophy like “do whatever suits you” as there is with every other aspect of running. People are shouting each other down over which is the best approach, and accepting nothing less than an admission from the other side that they are wrong (which, like with most online arguments, they know they will never get). Some chat websites show people berating runners for wearing trainers (which seems a ridiculous thing to say in itself!) because they are falling for the advertising put out by sportswear firms, while others call barefooters “fanatics” and compare them to religious zealots.

Barefoot running appears to be gaining its audience, with celebrities like Scarlett Johansson buying into the idea. I find elements of both sides of the fence interesting, although I have to say the conspiracy theory of pro-barefooters is a bit thin, especially as the minimalist footwear they choose as an alternative to trainers, like Vibrams aren’t exactly cheap.

I won’t be ditching my trainers any time soon, not least due to the help I have been given by Salts Techstep in banishing shin splints. But I would like to think, as with anything else to do with running, other runners wouldn’t criticise me for doing what I believe is best for myself. It certainly doesn’t bother me if other people like wearing minimalist footwear.

We are all in this for the same reason – we enjoy running and want to get better at it. The different means we use to do this is really neither here nor there.