Forums >General Running>Barefoot Running - The painful truth about trainers
Creator of RunForth | @robraux | shodless.com
Imminent Catastrophe
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Good Bad & The Monkey
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On My Horse
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies with in us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
barefoot running is a seriously mixed bag. Adding it during cooldowns and stuff might be helpful in strengthening some muscles in your foot, but if you think that starting barefoot running at the age of 30, or 20, or even 15 is going to result in forefoot striking, you are sorely mistaken.
And once (if) you adjust to running shoeless, what are you going to do, run exclusively on trails? What happens when you step on a twig that stabs an inch and a half into your foot? The logistics just don't work.
I think this is the sort of thing that just serves as a huge distraction from just putting in good training.
And for the people who say that trainers actually improve the chance of injury, I invite them to attempt to switch to training in flats, but running barefoot is just irresponsible.
I am not Mr. Hardcore barefoot runner here, but I think it does each of us good to challenge our preconceived notions. Part of that has to do with understanding how things came about (e.g. Diamond Rings, Running Sneakers, etc.).
You can't sustain volume or intensity if you make a serious effort to convert to barefoot running, using it sparingly on grass won't do enough to improve your form. If you have spent your whole career using trainers, you can't just one day say "barefoot from here forward" and keep going like nothing has changed, you either need to phase it in, or seriously cut your volume to accomidate it.
barefoot running is a seriously mixed bag. Adding it during cooldowns and stuff might be helpful in strengthening some muscles in your foot, but if you think that starting barefoot running at the age of 30, or 20, or even 15 is going to result in forefoot striking, you are sorely mistaken. Once you train in trainers for any significant amount of time (or, even spend most of your life in regular shoes) no amount of running barefoot is going to be 1. responsible, since the injury risk goes through the roof or 2. seriously beneficial, think about it, if you are able to change your form by going from trainers to barefoot, wouldn't it just change back once you reduce the volume of barefoot running? You can't sustain volume or intensity if you make a serious effort to convert to barefoot running, using it sparingly on grass won't do enough to improve your form. If you have spent your whole career using trainers, you can't just one day say "barefoot from here forward" and keep going like nothing has changed, you either need to phase it in, or seriously cut your volume to accomidate it. I don't see anyone getting faster during that period. And once (if) you adjust to running shoeless, what are you going to do, run exclusively on trails? What happens when you step on a twig that stabs an inch and a half into your foot? The logistics just don't work. If you want to help develop a more neutral/forefoot footstrike, then just focus on landing on your forefoot when doing fast work on the track, and while doing strides. Then when you are racing at those speeds, your body will be adjusted to that kind of form, and you will be able to sustain it for however long is necessary. I think this is the sort of thing that just serves as a huge distraction from just putting in good training. And for the people who say that trainers actually improve the chance of injury, I invite them to attempt to switch to training in flats, but running barefoot is just irresponsible. That is just my two cents.
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rectumdamnnearkilledem
most people would not be able to run in the areas they live without shoes. Most of my miles are on asphalt, and that would be pretty bad in the summer if the sun is out. Trails are good too, but like Father Russia said, you are one sharp rock and stubbed toe away from not being able to run.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
The Crap Whisperer
I cringe thinking of the surfaces I regularly run on...chip sealed rural roads (they lay down tar and then sharp gravel that eventually flattens out as cars drive over it and the sun heats it), snow, ice, broken beer bottles (rural roads = rednecks chucking bottles from their pick-up trucks), dog shit, roadkill, vibrators (no joke). No thanks, I'll keep my shoes.
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You sure you don't live in Kansas?