To add to all the anecdotes I enjoy barefoot running to this day. I was never able to run with shoes very well and without them I run 10-15 miles a week at a 8:30 pace. Totally get it might not be for everyone but it helps me enjoy something I otherwise hated. I do wear what amount to rubberized socks[0] for puncture protection since I’m in a city.
0: https://www.skinnersfootwear.com/products/comfort-2-0-carmin...
I mostly run barefoot now, but I’ve run in Skinners a lot too (everything up to full marathons), and still do sometimes when I’m unsure of the surface I’ll be running on. I just finished a run in them a couple of hours ago actually. They are great. A lot more minimal than Vibrams or similar. Describing them as “rubberised” doesn’t really capture the benefit though. The sole is tough but bends like fabric, so it’s not like a thin shoe sole – there’s no rigidity. It gives you a much better sense of the ground under your feet, and you can roll them up or squash them flat, so they are very packable.
If you're like me and the $75 price for something strange scares you a bit, you can also take a look at WHITIN "yoga socks" on Amazon which are the cheap Chinese knock off for $20 version. They're not as good as the Skinners (material is thicker and rubbery feeling) but they're good for testing the concept out. I've ran in them on the treadmill and occasionally outside for the past year. Also nice on trips as an emergency shoe.