Stride length, hip, knee and ankle angles were compared during barefoot and shod running on a treadmill at two speeds. Nine well-trained (1500m time: 3min:59.80s ± 14.7 s) male (22 ±3 years; 73 ±9 kg; 1.79 ±0.4 m) middle distance (800 m – 5,000 m) runners performed 2 minutes of running at 3.05 m·s^-1 and 4.72 m·s^-1 on an treadmill. This approach allowed continuous measurement of lower extremity kinematic data and calculation of stride length. Statistical analysis using a 2X2 factorial ANOVA revealed speed to have a main effect on stride length and hip angle and footwear to have a main effect on hip angle. There was a significant speed*footwear interaction for knee and ankle angles. Compared to shod running at the lower speed (3.05 m·s^-1), well trained runners have greater hip, knee and ankle angles when running barefoot. Runners undertake a high volume (~75%) of training at lower intensities and therefore knowledge of how barefoot running alters running kinematics at low and high speeds may be useful to the runner.

• Barefoot and shod kinematics are examined in competitive track runners with a mean 1500m personal best of 3:59:80. Previous literature has not investigated competitive track runners.

• Compared to amateur runners, competitive track runners demonstrate a smaller reduction in stride length during barefoot running at ~3 m·s^-1.

• There is no difference in stride length or lower extremity kinematics when running at 4.72 m·s^-1.

• Given that competitive runners spend a large (~75%) amount of time training at lower speeds, interventions which favourably alter running kinematics may be advantageous for the prevention of injury.