BAREFOOT (Read 459 times)


CT JEFF

    HI All - Ive started barefoot running. Its been about a month. I have read Born to Run and Barefoot Running Step By Step in the past month.

    I have started a little too fast, first barefoot run was about 2 miles, my longest about 5 miles already. Im around 8-9 barefoot miles per week right now. Mostly going well. Trying to soften my landings and work on my form while I toughen my feet.

     

    Some more veteran runners have attempted it, and given up on it. I dont know where I will be with barefoot in 3 months, but I figured this was a good place to start a discussion.

     

    Some reasons to attempt barefoot running: (1) people have done it for 1000's of years. vs. 30 yrs of running sneakers. (2) injuries from running are going up, despite increased cushioning, support, orthotics, etc. (3) save money on shoes. (4) possibly improve speed

     

    As Ive said, Im trying to take it slowly. The biggest "no-no" Ive done so far, was running on a 88 degree day on blacktop. 0.2 miles into it, I turned around. I had some blisters that day, and Ive had some since, mostly not too painful and resolved within 24-48 hours.

     

    I have joined a new running group. I have gone on my 2 / 2 runs with them, unshod. I want to be supportive of barefoot running, but I also want to be honest. The biggest bother so far, has been the poison ivy I picked up on a barefoot trail run last week. 2 toes have blisters and its annoying. That "trail run" was horribly overgrown, hence the reason I only ran 0.5 miles in the woods that day.

     

    Anyway- Lets talk. Have you tried Barefeet? Are you still doing it? What do you love about it? If you stopped, what do you blame?

    RUN SAFE.     Barefoot 1st: 6/9/13. PR: 5k=22:50 10k=47:46 HM 1:51. FM 4:28 Oct 2015 joined RUN 169!

     

      People started running in sneakers in 1983?

      Runners run


      Feeling the growl again

        All but one of your reasons are flawed, but if you like it more power to you.  I've done a little on grass but I have no interest in running less to say I can run barefoot.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

        NHLA


          I loved running barefoot but I still remember my mother's face when they were sewing my foot back together.

          I never wanted to put her thru that again.

          Sjpcollins


            I think this interview is well worth a read before you go out barefoot running

             

            http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/2013/jul/05/christopher-mcdougall-born-to-run-interview

             

            It would seem Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, doesn't actually run bare foot and wasn't trying to encourage people to do so either.

             

             

             

             

             

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            Feel free to read my blog, about my Dublin Marathon training

             

            http://sjpc14.wordpress.com/

            drrbradford


              I do my morning runs (~3M @ recovery pace) in the socklets which come inside the Vivobarefoot Ultras. I'm starting to enjoy running in them more than even my most lightweight and/or minimal shoes. I have a much more active footstrike and I feel like my form is smoother.  The only problem I have with barefoot is the roughness of the paths I run on. My soles are just too damn sissy. Yesterday I did my post-race warm down totally barefoot as I found some lovely smooth tarmac. I did about 4M @ 6:30/M and it was fun.

               

              I don't claim any universal panacea to running injury, stimulation of some untapped muscular power sources nor anything else. I just like doing it. It's like running without a shirt on: there's a time and a place when it's awesome but it's not always the best option.

                I noticed there is a Barefoot user group the OP might want to check out, if interested in finding more like-minded folks.

                Dave

                SubDood


                  I think this interview is well worth a read before you go out barefoot running

                   

                  http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/2013/jul/05/christopher-mcdougall-born-to-run-interview

                   

                  It would seem Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, doesn't actually run bare foot and wasn't trying to encourage people to do so either.

                   

                  Thanks for this ^

                  I loved Born to Run. It got me to run again after 15-16 years of not running. I have never run completely barefoot, but after reading the book, I bought Vibram FiveFingers and ran in them (very gradually at first) until they were worn down to almost nothing (over about 2 years). I liked Chris McDougall's comments in that article about focusing on form with every step. I wear "minimalist" shoes now (0-4 mm drop), but I believe it is more the change in my form that has allowed me to run relatively injury-free the past 2 years. Maybe the low heel-drop shoes are needed to run with better form, maybe not. The OP, if I read correctly, has ramped up barefoot mileage much more quickly than I would think advisable. I think there is a lot of "un-learning" and adapting that the body needs to go through if you've been running a certain way most of your life.

                  Sjpcollins


                    Yes its a good read, ive not tried it might self, but might do one down, esp now I know it doesn't mean barefoot, barefoot

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

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                    Feel free to read my blog, about my Dublin Marathon training

                     

                    http://sjpc14.wordpress.com/

                      Barefoot Jeff, you need a new avatar. Wink


                      CT JEFF

                        HI ALL - BAREFOOT walking today after a 4.8 mile run and a quick dip in the river. I have some poison ivy still on the tops of my feet, and didnt feel like putting socks back on, or wearing sneakers after the dip - almost missed the swim, glad I didnt.

                         

                        mikeymike - running sneakers were first introduced by NIKE, feel free to wikipedia. But it wasnt until the late 70's to early 80s that a large number of people were purchasing sneakers specifically designed to run in.

                         

                        spaniel - really? check out each of my thoughts and tell me which 3 are incorrect. (1) people ran without custom running sneakers for 1000's of years? (2) running injuries are going up? I could agree that the CAUSE is not the shoes, but global overweight / under exercise or even that doctors now are more interested in treating the injuries. (3) no shoes cost less than shoes? (4) POSSIBLY improve speed? really - which 3 dont you agree with?

                         

                        NHLA - you are a great runner - how ever did you cut your foot open? how bad was it? did you need to get help getting out of whereever you were?

                         

                        drbradford - I agree on not knowing what the benefits truely are, and therefore the only real reason is to do it if you like it. My feet feel like they are getting tougher, but not sure. One thing that sticks in my mind all the time, is my grandfather, who lived to be 97, wrote in a letter home "my feet are getting soft from being in these army boots - i'll have to walk around barefoot for a month to toughen them back up" - He was in WWII and was a great common-sense person. Too few people listen to what was common knowledge 80 years ago. (in my opinion)

                         

                        DAVE P - thanks I'll try to find it

                         

                        sjpcollins- Actually did you read that article? he says he DOES go barefoot - some of the time. - He says he doesnt try to encourage anyone to do anything. So, thats not really putting anything down either - but lastly, I wasnt assuming Chris was saying "RUN BAREFOOT" because I wasnt doing it for him. I agree with a lot of people that foot placement and form are the more important issues. I think there are pros and cons to barefoot running. And in agreement with McDougall, you choose what you want to wear (or not wear) like a golfer chooses their clubs.

                         

                        SUBDOOD - yes - I believe I have ramped up too fast as well, because thats what I said in my 4th sentence. I am trying to keep my barefoot miles around 8-9 for a week or two longer before pushing at all. Today was hot asphalt, my feet feel... rough. Theres no real pain after my 3.5 miles on the roads / sidewalks and grass, but I feel that I roughened them up some today. (walking).

                         

                        sjpcollins - I really meant bare feet, but I think there are great points to be made for minimalist over barefeet. STEP BY STEP thinks that minimalist shoes are a problem in themselves. I am not saying I agree. But today it was too hot to stay on the blacktop 100% of the time. In the winter, I think it will be too cold to run on it. And I dont think thats just me being too wimpy, but then again, Im only 1 month into this.

                         

                        dnephin - I completely agree. So far I have only run around my town barefoot. People have seen me, but nobody has taken a photo that I know of. I have gone 2 x with my running group, but same thing there. I was very new to barefoot when I did my last run on 6/19. I chose to go for speed over barefoot, and I got my first award ever (3rd in the Clydesdales) and a new 5k PR. I am sure I would have gone slower in bare feet. But my next race is a 5k in 5 wks. I think I can do it barefoot. Big question will be, will there be a photo (smaller town race).

                        RUN SAFE.     Barefoot 1st: 6/9/13. PR: 5k=22:50 10k=47:46 HM 1:51. FM 4:28 Oct 2015 joined RUN 169!

                         


                        Resident Historian

                          mikeymike - running sneakers were first introduced by NIKE, feel free to wikipedia. But it wasnt until the late 70's to early 80s that a large number of people were purchasing sneakers specifically designed to run in.

                           

                           

                          Bullshit.  I was running in "sneakers"  (Adidas Rom) specifically designed for running in 1964; they were introduced in the '50's. There were lots of people running in them.   But of course you read it on the internet... history according to Nike.

                          Neil

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                          “Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson


                          Will run for scenery.

                            I did a tiny bit of barefoot running when I was just trying to begin running, maybe 1.5 yrs ago.  I had other, unrelated issues that put a stop to my running for a while, but I think the barefoot phase taught me a lot.

                             

                            Of course I learned not to heel strike - that's pretty automatic!  But another big thing was paying attention to my feet as flexible, deformable structures, not as solid blocks.  On my very first BF run I got a blister on the front tip of R toe #2.  That toe is much longer than #1 or #3, and in shoes I used to walk around with my toes kinda scrunched up.  It took a couple of times running (and walking !) BF before I learned to relax my toes, and actually flex them when I run.  Still today when I "check in" with my running form I flap my toes around some to make sure there's no tension there.  I also wear better fitting shoes !

                            Stupid feet!

                            Stupid elbow!


                            Half Fanatic #846

                              Well - I learned to run barefooted in 2009 out of desperation, not really believing it would work  as a cure for PF (had tried all the other "cures" to no avail).  It took close to a year for me to gradually acclimate, but it worked.  Some of my most memorable barefooted runs since then have been many 10-14 mile easy runs on a smooth asphalt "Rails to Trails" pathway and a few shorter runs on a technical trail.

                               

                              Sure, I still run in shoes (minimalist) fairly often, have to watch where I'm going more closely when barefoot, and I don't run unfamiliar courses or races barefooted because some surfaces are just too rough for my liking or ability.  Well, except for last weekend's 5K on asphalt, trail, and thru a couple of gravel sections - got a stone bruise on the instep from that - but would certainly do it again, because it was a good time.

                               

                              Barefoot running became very enjoyable for me and also solved my running problems nicely.  However, I also believe that this is not for most people, for a variety of reasons.  BTW, my new personal goal is to race more barefooted (including some HMs) starting in Sept. when I turn 67.  And although I'm pretty slow, I'm satisfied with having set the CR for barefoot runners in several local races - Wink

                              "I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk.         "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt".                  I ran half my last race on my left foot!                                  

                              ShotNixon


                              This Space For Rent

                                I always assumed people started running in shoes when they introduced asphalt, pavement, and concrete. No idea it was 1983