John Mazzei, a 57-year-old ballroom-dance instructor from Long Island, has garnered attention for completing six marathons barefoot, including four New York City Marathons. Mazzei, who has been running without shoes or socks for years, views the occasional minor foot injuries as part of the experience. "I do get, periodically, a little shard of glass or something in my foot, and what I say is that that’s what the bib pins are for," Mazzei told The Post. "I could perform minor surgery on my feet now."
Mazzei's dedication to barefoot running began after conventional sneakers started causing him knee pain. After a break from running, he was inspired by Christopher McDougall's book "Born to Run" to try running without footwear. He found that his background as a dancer aided his focus on technique, and he has experienced no knee issues since adopting the barefoot approach.
His training often involves navigating uneven terrain, including gravel and debris on Long Island's roads. He recalled an instance where a police officer pulled him over while he was training, initially suspecting wrongdoing before Mazzei informed the officer he was maintaining an 8-minute mile pace.
Mazzei has participated in four New York City Marathons, with his first occurring in the early 2010s to honor his uncle, Thomas Stone, who was diagnosed with ALS. He completed that race in 3 hours and 48 minutes. While he acknowledges that some parts of the city are rougher than others, he finds that running in the center of the road during races is generally cleaner.
While Mazzei will not be running this year's New York City Marathon, he is focused on qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He has encountered many onlookers during races, some of whom recognize him and call out, "Barefoot John!" He often responds with a quip, "I just forgot to tie them and ran right out of them."
The legend of Mazzei's barefoot running has reached even elite athletes. Meb Keflezighi, the 2009 New York City Marathon winner, once signed Mazzei's foot with the message "Run to win" at an expo. Mazzei stated that the connections he makes with people are the most rewarding aspect of his running journey. "I do get those looks like I’m crazy or whatever. But it works for me," he said.