Forums >General Running>BAREFOOT
CT JEFF
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 -
awesome!
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!
Why is it sideways?
Things runners knew about running before the barefoot movement:
1) Common sense is good.
2) Thinking about your form and doing drills makes you better and more injury resistant.
3) Regular runs on soft surfaces in bare feet are good for running form.
4) Shoe companies market.
5) A long time ago people didn't wear shoes, at least like we wear them now.
6) Big clunky shoes are generally a bad idea when running.
7) Running is a natural and relatively equipment-free sport.
8) When trying something new in training, introduce it slowly.
9) Better ground feel -- better foot strike.
I think what gets some runners a little miffed at barefoot enthusiasts is the repackaging of these long-held and understood notions as discovered by barefooters sometime around 2008.
Jeff I was close to home and with friends so I got to Dr Brock pretty fast. He was good.
flashlight and sidewalk
I do some barefoot running and a lot of vff running. For me, foot to ground barefoot running is for working on form and it has been beneficial. I don't contest that with proper preparation you can run pretty much anywhere barefoot. The question then becomes should you?...and that's a personal thing. There are limitations to barefoot running. Poison ivy is a good reason to put on shoes and so is running a race. My recommendation is to use the barefoot running as a tool, but don't let it limit your running. You can have the best of both worlds.
**Ask me about streaking**
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.
Thanks for the tip on Wikipedia.
Adidas, who had been making running shoes since 1925, was the official athletic shoe sponsor for the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. While they may not have called their running shoes sneakers, they were most certainly designed for running. Abebe Bikila was a last minute addition to the Ethiopian team in those games and by the time he got to try on shoes there were none left that fit him well, so he decided to run barefoot and won in a world record time of 2:15:16. It was (and still is) kind of a big deal because they had been running that race since 1896 and all of the previous winners had worn running shoes.
Bekele wore shoes when he reclaimed the world record with a 2:12:11 at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo but for some reason that race is less famous than the 1960 one.
I've always done a little barefoot running (at least grass strides) but was more amused than anything when it became super trendy a few years ago for a lot of the reasons Jeff mentioned. If people like running barefoot, that's great. But it's not some kind of cure-all. I suspect running injuries are going up because more woefully out of shape people are participating in running, not because of anything to do with shoes.
And the concept of barefoot running shoes is very funny.
Runners run
Kalsarikännit
Is anyone else getting a preachy barefoot thread with "2013" in the date field? Anyone want to notify Mr Smileyface that 2009 threads are popping up with the current year?
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
You are being quite generous, referring to them as running shoes. They are sandals and look more like some of my wife's informal dress "shoes" which, by the way, seem to have pushed my running shoes into a corner (with nowhere to run!)
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Good to see another barefoot runner in CT!
#artbydmcbride
I thought barefoot shoes look like rubber feet complete with five wiggly toes!
I thought barefoot meant skin. But I am starting to consider going over to the minimalist side of the fence. Ive had a fair amount of blisters. If I cant change that, I doubt I'll be sticking with bare feet.
not bad for mile 25
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.
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.
"It's not what is on your feet, it's what your feet are doing."
I liked this line best.
Barefoot running was a great way for me to break my over-striding, heel-stomping running pattern.
You're not going to stomp on your heels if you're barefoot.
Running barefoot, especially on hot days, will help you be light on your feet like nothing else
I now wear Vivo "Barefoot", which is nothing like barefoot running but it is a very simple and flexible layer of protection for your feet. Also provides some degree of cushioning, which is useful when running over gravel, etc.
Barefoot running is skin to ground. Barefoot Jeff, barefoot running takes time and patience for your feet and muscles to adapt. Especially finding this new form of running you have discovered. I always say it takes a good full year to fully adapt to barefoot running. I ran for 16 years in shoes without injury, the reason i went to barefoot running is because it brought a new dimension to running for me, it was something exciting, and made running a bit more exciting. When I took my first barefoot run, the next day I donated a two week old pair of Asic Kayanos, that were $120, to Goodwill. Every back up shoe i had I donated, I knew I was going to run barefoot, and didn't want any options of shoes during my transition. People get injured in minimal footwear more than barefoot running. I 100% suggest you run barefoot for at least 4 months before getting minimal shoes, then if you feel minimal is your direction you are ready to go.
There are a lot of interesting comments in this forum. I have never even considered running barefoot outside, but I always run barefoot, when I am inside, (other than a treadmill). I am a martial arts instructor, so I spend a great deal of time barefoot. We run in every class, so I do this daily. Of course they are no great distance, (maybe 5 minutes at a time), and the floor is usually covered in a mat. Occaissionally we will go outside and run laps around the 5 acre grass field behind the school.
I have to agree that this has helped my form, and it is interesting to see the difference between running with and without, (and I admit, I still run differently between the two). Also, off the subject, I always notice that we do the run as a "cool-down" after a hard warm-up routine. Maybe it is just me, but MOST of the kids that come into our school, CAN'T RUN, (or other exercises for that matter.) I can remember when I was 8-10 years old, I got in trouble for riding my bike to the next town "on the highway". It wasn't because I rode to the next time, it was because I followed the highway to get there. I wasn't allowed inside, and I spent every day playing sports or riding my bike. Of course, we also swam, ran, climbed, etc. Most kids today sit inside and play video games all day. I started taking notice of the park near my uncle's house. When I drive through the park, it full of kids, but... They are playing on their smart phones rather than playing. It drives me nuts!!! As runners, I am sure most have us have the same opinion... (Sorry had to vent.)
Hi Jeff
I read the book too and have started on the barefoot / minimalist journey . Like you I am convinced that this is the way to go but not always practical. My first experience was sheer bliss, halfway through my normal trail run I took off my shoes and for the next 10 minutes was like I went "down the rabbit hole" almost overwhelming emotions of how perfectly smooth my form felt and the sensations felt underfoot with changes in hardened mud trail and still moist morning grass. This was a while ago and too close to my target Ironman race to make the transition. I gave it a shot anyway and paid the price, 5 days off training with seized up calves. However, I do realise that I was at fault and post race have found a progressive training program here and alternating my Merrell trail gloves with barefoot. Again, as a pragmatic approach I will use barefoot as my "coach" and build mileage shod.