You mid-foot strike while walking? When I wore barefoot shoes, I could mid-foot strike while running but doing so while walking always felt extremely unnatural and I couldn't adopt it.
20 years later and the shriek my girlfriend lets out when she turns around and I’m right there materializing behind her back like a ghost.
It’s amazing. Took about a week of conscious practice in middle school and now that’s just how I walk. Heel first when barefoot or in slippers makes my feet hurt.
and like your anecdote, I've had to be mindful of things like neighbors or coworkers in a hallway, going out of my way to scuff my feet or something while I'm still 10+ft out. people really don't like it when you register as instantaneously in their personal space.
I've never really thought about it, but I also walk like that. When I lived in apartments, my downstairs neighbors probably loved me for that.
I'm not sure if I've gone too far though, I got bursitis last year and my hip can feel a little tight when walking briskly for a while. Something is rolling around all wrong in there.