I received the following email today from Ian Masri at University College London (UCL) and thought I'd post it here for anyone who is interested...

Title of Project: Injury rate in barefoot and minimal footwear runners preparing for the London 2013 Marathon
This study has been approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee (Project ID Number): 4252/001

Name: Ian Masri
Contact Details: rmhkima@live.ucl.ac.uk

We would like to invite all runners from the age of 18 years and above, who are taking part in the 2013 Virgin London Marathon and are training for it either barefoot or in minimalist footwear, to participate in this research project.

Details of Study: If you wish to participate please reply to rmhkima@live.ucl.ac.uk stating you wish to participate in Injury rate in barefoot and minimal footwear runners preparing for the London 2013 Marathon and an initial questionnaire will be sent to you with a sample copy of the weekly running diary.

This study is designed to look at the location, type of injuries as well as their rates that occur in runners who are training for the 2013 Virgin London Marathon barefoot and/or in minimalist footwear. The study will start in January 2013 and carry on until the week of the marathon (21st April 2013). The data collected will hopefully give a better understanding of whether this type of running has fewer injury rates than conventional heel strike running (shod), and whether running barefoot or in minimalist footwear has a similar injury rate. This data may also help improve the way people are taught to run barefoot and/or in minimalist footwear.

If any of your members are interested in participating in the study please have them email us for further information.

As I didn't get a ballot place, I can't take part, but if you did and meet the above criteria, contact Ian and offer up your feet and training logs.