Forums >Running 101>Vibram/minimalist newbe
I've been a runner since HS. had a brief retirement when I had my children and now i'm out of retirement attempting to train for my first marathon. I have added some crossfit into my training and of corse fell in love with the paleo diet and barefoot ideas. My first attempt in Vibriams was a 1.5 mile run. Resulted in not being able to walk for 2 weeks. Then I ran a 5k in my old cushioned shoes. I decided to ease into the vibriams so for the next attempt I used them for my crossfit WOD which had me running 4 x 400m. The next day my right foot felt bruised under the toes. No pain when flexed or walking in my heals (for work). Took a few days off and continued to run in my old shoes but worked on being a forefoot striker and not a heal striker. Foot felt fine just before my mud run beginning of may I experienced the same pain. Under my toes felt bruised when i walked and now the top of my foot was tender to the touch. I've been working on my form and pose running. And have been alternating between the vibriams and NB. But I still battle the bruised toe feeling. I can't decided if it's muscle, bone or tendon. Any thoughts?
Running 4x400m is not "easing into" a pair of shoes.
Have you tried running slowly on grass or softer surfaces for, say a quarter or half a mile? It sounds like your feet aren't ready for barefoot/minimalist.
The process is the goal.
Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.
Why is it sideways?
Quit running in footwear that makes your feet hurt.
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My first attempt in Vibriams was a 1.5 mile run. Resulted in not being able to walk for 2 weeks. Then I ran a 5k in my old cushioned shoes. I decided to ease into the vibriams
You might want to reconsider.
This.
If the shoes are causing your feet to hurt...why on earth would you want to wear them?
They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more complicated than that. "If I am still standing at the end of the race, hit me with a Board and knock me down, because that means I didn't run hard enough" If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death. "Don't fear moving slowly forward...fear standing still."
Feeling the growl again
Yes, a solution for a problem you don't seem to have.
Why is it you want to run in the Vibrams? Is there some problem with running in the shoes you are in now?
As MrH said, running 400m repeats is not easing into the shoes. Easy running on a nice grass surface is. If you really want to get used to them, try that. Running fast puts a lot of extra force on places that aren't used to dealing with it.
Barefoot/minimalist running is not some cure-all. I went through my own experimentation phase...long before the barefoot/minimalist craze started...and determined that wearing such shoes was not an everyday solution for me. It just beat me up and inhibited recovery. I found my sweet spot to be doing all fast workouts in flats (which I built up to over a long period of time) and doing all easy runs in lightweight trainers.
Now I do use minimalist shoes for one thing. About 18 months ago I suddenly developed PF in my left foot that was unresponsive to all modes of therapy I tried; at one point I could not run at all. Through trial and error I ended up wearing Merrill Tough Gloves to work every day instead of normal dress shoes and presto, the PF began improving almost immediately and has been "gone" for quite awhile now. (I saw "gone" because I recently wore dress shoes for 5 days at a conference and I could feel it heating up again by the last day. Back to the Tough Gloves).
"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
My first marathon…Crossfit…paleo…barefoot…Vibrams…foot strike…mud run…form…pose
If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is a classic trolling post...especially from a "runner since HS". If it is serious though, unremember everything you've done since coming back from "retirement", and remember everything you did before.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
Half Fanatic #846
One way for you to get your feet in shape for barefoot/minimalist running (and you do have to train them to adapt) is probably best accomplished by walking barefoot/vibrams for a few weeks - jog a quarter mile or half mile s-l-o-w-l-y once in a while and work up from there (but not on the track, no intervals, no hills when starting out). Going too far and too fast when your feet aren't ready can certainly bruise your feet and make them hurt. Some people can "jump into it" with no apparent ill effects, but they are in the minority. Think in terms of months, not days, to adapt. You already know what will happen if you push it too much - put that enthusiasm to good use in your other running (with shoes) and cross-training workouts for now.
Don't worry about "working on" becoming a forefoot striker - going barefoot or wearing minimal shoes will allow almost anyone to forefoot strike naturally without really thinking about it too much.
Good luck! and check out Barefoot Runners under User Groups.
"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!
Just run barefoot. If you're going to quit weezin the juice to eat like a caveman, you might as well go all out. The worst that happens is that you suffer a debilitating injury and the tribe leaves you for dead. Then you can work on your spelling. It's not muscle, bone, or tendon. The problem is much higher.
I think a couple of these posts could have been a bit nicer to a new poster.
...though Gville Kevin's assessment could very well be correct.
I also started experimenting to get rid of PF (which I no longer have) and now race in flats. And I always wear minimalist shoes at work.
But the really big difference between Spaniel and myself is that I think I must have decided to run barefooted because it breaks up the monotony of my running so slowly! Really, if I could run fast, I might be be more inclined to wear shoes.
I found my sweet spot to be doing all fast workouts in flats (which I built up to over a long period of time) Now I do use minimalist shoes for one thing. About 18 months ago I suddenly developed PF in my left foot that was unresponsive to all modes of therapy I tried; at one point I could not run at all. Through trial and error I ended up wearing Merrill Tough Gloves to work every day instead of normal dress shoes and presto, the PF began improving almost immediately and has been "gone" for quite awhile now.
Now I do use minimalist shoes for one thing. About 18 months ago I suddenly developed PF in my left foot that was unresponsive to all modes of therapy I tried; at one point I could not run at all. Through trial and error I ended up wearing Merrill Tough Gloves to work every day instead of normal dress shoes and presto, the PF began improving almost immediately and has been "gone" for quite awhile now.
I’ve been running exclusively in VFF’s for about a year now. Started due to severe PF first in my right foot, tried treatment and then used inserts which alleviated the PF in the right foot, but caused it to develop in my left foot. I was basically looking for something that would allow me to continue to run.
I eased in over a 3 month period, got injured due to trying to do too much, another 4 months and another injury, but now I have full acclimated.
Why not run barefoot? I would love to, but I run on asphalt that ranges from nice and smooth to broken pebbly mess. The pebbly mess stretches way outnumber the nice and smooth. It’s either some protection or no skin on the bottoms of my feet.
2013 Goals.......
not bad for mile 25
Based on my experience, I recommend a six month to a year transition, with true barefoot walking and running. Without the actual sensation of the ground/sidewalk/asphalt beneath your feet, your body & brain don't really know what they're doing. That said, I'm now in VFFs most of the time. I ran 10K daily and a couple of races BF, but the skin toughness is still a limiting factor, particularly when you want to push your speed envelope. Why did I go to all the trouble? Knees. They're wonderfully pain-free now, whereas before I was taking drugs and having trouble going up and down stairs.
hanastyles
You're approaching the minimal/barefoot thing incorrectly (least in my opinion). You need to start VERY gradually, like wear them walking around the yard for a couple of days.......then go for your normal run and after you're done, put them on and run in them but for only a few minutes and I'm talking 5 minutes MAX the first time.......do that for a little while (few days - maybe a week) and then add a couple of minutes to the formula.............
Go VERY gradual and slow at first to make sure its something that will work for you......and make sure that ALL your minimal running for a LONG time is at a very easy slow pace....
These are a TOTAL change and you need to ease into them........I started transitioning to wearing racing flats more often and did it very gradually at first, and now I run every 3rd day in them for up to 3.2 miles and it feel really good.............
You can probably do it but you need to take a much more gradual approach.....
John
Champions are made when no one is watching