Barefoot Runners

1

Newby question (Read 273 times)

    I finally made the leap today and gave the BF thing a try.  I've been reading about it and I think I have a pretty good grasp of most of the issues.  Today I went on a little .25 mile trial run on the asphalt in my neighborhood.  Just took it slow and focused on maintaining a good form (not that I'm sure what that is yet).

     

    I was surprised at how little the sticks/rocks/pavement hurt my feet.  It really was much more comfortable than I thought it would be.  The thing that really surprised me and brings up my question is....the pavement is HOT!  I mean it is VA in July so I shouldn't be too surprised, but I never saw any mention of this concept in all of my reading.  I expected to have to build up a tolerance to the wear and tear, but didn't foresee this situation.

     

    So my question is:

     

    Do you get used to the heat or are there just times when it is too hot to go BF?


    #2867


      So my question is:

       

      Do you get used to the heat or are there just times when it is too hot to go BF?

       

      There's 3 solutions people might offer:

       

      1. Suck it up.

      2. Run on grass/trails.

      3. Wear Vibrams or some similar type of shoe.

       

      As for sucking it up, I recommend building your tolerance slowly.  It won't be as bad once you've gotten used to it and built up some callouses, but on days when the pavement is hot I usually opt for the other 2 solutions, myself. 

       

      Running barefoot on grass has to be one of the most pleasurable sensations there is.  Just watch out for areas where there might be a lot of fleas from dogs - that can lead to some uncomfortable bites on your feet and ankles.  If you do head for a trail, just be real careful of avoiding as many rocks and sticks and roots as you can.  It isn't a difficult skill to pick up, but it is definitely a learned skill.

       

      Vibram Five Fingers are those real thin shoes that look like gloves for your feet.  They aren't exactly the same as running barefoot, but they are still way better than some super cushiony shoe and the biggest advantage they have over being barefoot is that they protect your feet from the hot pavement.  Whenever people ask me about whether they have any support or cushioning (they don't) I just tell them it's like being barefoot except no burned feet and leave it at that.  Unless they are a runner, and then I'll go into more detail, but random passers-by won't really care for that level of detail.

       

      Congrats on getting out for your first barefoot run!  Just remember to take it nice and easy and build up gradually while you work on those oft-ignored muscles in your feet.

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

      Wingz


      Professional Noob

        Solution # 4 that I use here in NC...

         

         

        Run early in the day so the pavement's not so hot!  Tongue

         

        Barefoot running's fun.  Literally cooking your feet?  Not so much.

        Roads were made for journeys...

          Thanks for the replies.  I got out much earlier today and it was much more enjoyable.  Did a little .25 warmup before my regular run, then dropped the shoes with .3 miles to go during my cooldown.  I definitely could feel a little tenderness today from yesterdays little run.  I will have to build up gradually.  The most interesting thing for me was when I strapped on the shoes for my regular run after my BF warmup my first step felt like a big jolt as I fell right back in to heel striking.  I quickly reverted to the BF running form and tried to maintain that as best I could.  It's a real eye-opener doing the two back to back!
            Another .5 miles today.  Still not comfortable on the feet but my calves are killing me!
            Wingz


            Professional Noob

              Starting barefoot's kinda like starting running all over again.  Your joints & muscles, including little ones you probably didn't know you had, need time to get used to the new activity.  That said, there's no need to go out barefoot running every day.  I see from your log you don't habitually run every day.  You don't need to BF run every day to start either.  Your calves, ankles, and feet need some time to adjust as well.  Treat it like you'd advise a new person starting out running - they're going to want to jump into stuff and go too far/too fast/too much.  You too!  Smile

              Roads were made for journeys...


              Certainly Something...

                Vibram's are a good option. Running with a naked foot will give you more feed back and help you develop your form better.  You can get away with more in vibrams than you can without any covering.  Keep it up and make sure you take it slow.  I'm still working on my form after blowing through my callusses.  I ramped up mileage in my vibrams and ended up realizing I was landing in and running in a way that cause more friction than  good form should. This time, I'm being sure to take it slow till I have a good solid base.  

                As for the calves, that's going to happen.  As Ed always says though try and run as relaxed as possible, when you tense up you work your calves a lot more than you need to.

                Oh, and have fun out there!