More Science of Sport discussion on barefoot running (Read 2796 times)

A tiny amount. A typical week would see him running 160 miles, with about 4 - 6 mi barefoot (usually as a cool down jog on grass at a very low intensity). He likes "minimal" shoes - but then so do most elite distance runners be they track, road or trail. You don't see many 2:10 marathoners wearing Brooks Beasts.

Exactly my point.  Lots of elites do some barefoot running.  Hell if you add up the barefoot running that many of them do it might even add up to more miles per week barefoot than many of the loudest barefoot evangelists, but it's a tiny fraction of their total weekly mileage.

Thanks for posting this. 

This correlated with my experience: Learning - skill will improve and mechanics will be adjusted.  But not without risk...

...The eccentric load on the Achilles tendon and calf muscles is enormous. Your feet and ankles are working much harder, doing what is probably their job, what they are designed for, but they haven’t done it for many years, perhaps a lifetime! The end result is that the strain on the muscle and tendon systems is just enormous, and people break down very quickly....

I don't think these ideas limited to barefoot or Vibrams. They relate to any transition to less shoe.

I'm pretty flat-footed and started in really clunky shoes.  That was about three years ago.  Over time, I've moved to more neutral shoes.  Early this year, I did a lot of running in Kinvaras.  Too little, too soon. In hindsight, it overloaded my calves.  Breakdown, calf strain, months off. 

I'm back to the drawing board, and running in all kinds of shoes right now. 

It's a process. Fun.

 

I don't think these ideas limited to barefoot or Vibrams. They relate to any transition to less shoe.

 

I am feeling this too. Just moved down to the Brooks Ghost, the first "neutral" shoe I have ever run in. I really like the way they feel, but I am definitely getting some soreness in my calves.The plan for now is to switch back and forth between the ghosts and slightly clunkier Revennas.

Kinda funny that this guy isn't barefoot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o

What shoe is he wearing? You get a real good look at the 3:05 mark.

Kinda funny that this guy isn't barefoot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o

 

What shoe is he wearing? You get a real good look at the 3:05 mark.

It's also easy to see that he's landing on his forefoot.

Can you imagine hunting an animal for 8 hours and then having to drag it back home?

It's also easy to see that he's landing on his forefoot.

 

Can you imagine hunting an animal for 8 hours and then having to drag it back home?

 Yes, I can imagine hunting an animal for 8 hours.

However, I just end up dragging myself back home.

But for me it's really more about being out in the woods for the day.

Maybe you need the stability????? The two shoes are very similar and almost identical in weight other than the Ravenna has a stability post.