[andychase]

I disagree with the first part, I have walked a bit barefoot and dirt/leaves is pretty soft. I imagine early humans looked where they were stepping.

That said, shoes have been found to go back 40,000 years at least

[bluGill]

Nobody sane will run on leaves. You run on surfaces that don't hide sharp sticks. Deer in the wiled run on deer trails - well worn paths of hard packed dirt. They walk elsewhere. (if chased they will run to the trails, which are close enough that the risk of running on something not safe is low)