DE PERE (NBC 26) — It's National Go Barefoot Day, and Luke Titus knows this day best.
Titus, a De Pere resident, said he is "The Barefoot Guy," and he's been going barefoot almost his whole life.
"I never really liked wearing shoes," Titus said. "I started going barefoot a lot more in high school like when I was hanging out with friends. I even got in trouble with my principal a few times for walking through high school barefoot."
Titus said most people might cringe at the thought of their feet touching the ground other people walk on, but, for him, it's "just natural."
“Some people are just curious or they think it’s cool or just ask me about it," he said. "Other people kind of give me a weird look or they’ll do the classic kind of double take sort of thing."
Whether he's hiking outside, shopping at the grocery store or getting gas, he said he's probably "shoeless."
Though Titus is not a podiatrist, he said he goes barefoot because he believes there's some health benefits to doing so.
"The main benefit is having strong healthy feet, so if you wear shoes too often, it prevents the proper functioning of your feet," Titus said. "It kind of weakens and atrophies the muscles in your feet, and the feet are the base of your body, so you need to build a strong foundation.”
He said there's also environmental benefits to going barefoot, like "zero waste" since shoes aren't required.
However, he said the temperature can have an affect his ability to go barefoot at times. He said he can usually tolerate the heat, but the cold is a "different story."
“100 degrees out...it’s never an issue," Titus said. "If it's below freezing, I have to pay attention."
He also said he doesn't usually step on anything or injure his feet while walking barefoot, and according to him, there’s a whole community of "barefooters," like him, with the goal of practicing the lifestyle and undoing the stigmas that going barefoot in public is illegal or unacceptable.
“People should wear on their feet what they think is best for them. For me, that’s going barefoot, and I try not to push that on people," he said. "I’m just trying to show that going barefoot can in fact be an option.”
Titus said it's a big feat to let your feet out, but, it doesn't make him any different than those who choose shoes.
“Pretty much my day is just like anyone else. The only difference is I just do it all barefoot," Titus said.
