I ran a 5k, on the road, barefoot 2 yrs ago just for the heck of it without any previous barefoot running (do not recommend, I got blood blisters and where one of my middle toes overlaps another toe a bit(on both feet)..the skin got pinched and for a week after I could feel this pinch with every step, not to mention my calves we strained and sore I couldnt run (literally) for almost a week, but hey I wanted to do it so I did and I got to "enjoy" the consequences thereafter. my time wasnt even that bad..22:15, and it felt pretty good at the time. But I decided if I was to give it another go I would try those Vibrams I was reading about, thing was there was no where to get a pair other than online and I didnt want to risk getting the wrong size and needing to return them and all that, with no local shops around carrying them I eventually forgot about it, until recently, I was at a marathon expo and there was a shop with some for sale, tried on a pair was so excited to finally have some I didnt even take them off! The marathon was the next day and I teased my gf that I was going to wear them for the 26.2, haha that would have been a disaster for sure!
Anyway, after my recovery from the mara(3:09:19) I wore the Vibrams to walk around in quite a bit for a week or two, tried them our for a run/walk..did a few ks slow felt good, there was a 5k race coming up I decided to "wing it" and wear the Vibrams..so easily forgetting the ordeal I expirenced running barefoot for 5k a couple yrs prior, I didnt even bring my running sneakers along cause I figured I would change my mind, so I wore the Vibrams to the race, I have a pb of 17:58 in the 5k(2010), was thinking w the vibrams not set out race pace but try to manage a sub 20:00...well with all the excitment at the start when the gun went off so was I..at 5k race pace..at about the 1.5k mark I could feel my arch in my right foot tighten(not good!), I had to slack off the pace just to ease it..running so much on the forefront with heel barely touching the road..at that pace..wasnt working..it went through my mind I would not be able to continue because of the arch pain..I would look like a fool in front of my friends and everyone else(not that that really matters but to be honest it does)
then I realized if I was going to finish at all I had to run like I normally do..so I did, the arch pain went away almost instantly, I do not heel strike and I have a quick turnover(180 per min) so it was an easy transition(thankfully!) I continued on still ahead of my 2 running buddies who are 18:00 5k runners as well, felt really comfortable with the Vibrams for the rest of the race..finished in a time of 18:10, not far from my PB, could really feel it in calves after but my feet felt fine, no blisters or pinching going on with the Vibrams.Out of about 500 other runners that day I noticed 2 others wearing the Vibrams and no one running barefoot.
Anyway that was about a month ago..gonna try the Vibrams for another run hopefully soon...wouldnt mind being able to compete in the 5k distance with them on a regular basis without straining the calves...mabye try to get in the habit of running in them once a week for a 5k training run.
What are some of your early expirences with running barefoot and/or in Vibrams?
Huaraches Maker
To misquote Barefoot Ken Bob: Barefoot is barefoot.
Vibrams are minimalist shoes. And some aren't even that minimal, really, with more than enough padding at the heel and ball of the foot to reduce sensations dramatically (and the key to having barefoot running affect your form for the better, is feeling sensations).
Good to hear that your form is already good (in testing that I've done with elite runners, you could practically put bricks on their feet and their form doesn't change). I've seen (and heard) people in VFFs heel striking and slamming the ground as if they were still wearing 2" of padding under their feet. PAINFUL to experience.
Similar to you, I had a relatively quick transition. I'm a sprinter so I was never a heel striker to begin with, even when I jogged (which I rarely, if ever did).
Vibrams are not considered running barefoot. I love when I over hear people at races that are wearing vibrams or some other type of minimal get-up, proclaim they are barefoot runners.
If you have a piece of duct tape on your soles, it's not barefoot.
not bad for mile 25
Congrats on your successful races! Can't say I recommend your spur-of-the-moment entry into BF/minimalist running - all the advice out there tells you to take your time. Speaking of Barefoot Ken Bob, here's his website's page on getting started.
I took about a year to make the transition from running shoes to BF/minimalist running. It was time well spent.
Vibrams are not considered running barefoot. I love when I over hear people at races that are wearing vibrams or some other type of minimal get-up, proclaim they are barefoot runners. If you have a piece of duct tape on your soles, it's not barefoot.
Agreed completely. "Barefoot Shoes" are an oxymoron. You're either barefoot, or you're not.
I like to classify them into 3 categories: barefoot, minimalist (zero drop, constructed in the idea that less is more), running sneakers (sometimes zero drop, but mostly not).
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My experiences beginning involve much more injury than yours, since I was an overeager heel striker.
Creator of RunForth | @robraux | shodless.com
Half Fanatic #846
I took about a year to make the transition from running shoes to BF/minimalist running.
Same here - it was about that long before I felt completely comfortable barefooting (I had used a gradual transition). I realized this one day when I met a neighbor as I was returning from a BF run, and walked with him for a mile or so on the road, talking. When I got home I realized I hadn't even consciously looked at the ground or stepped on anything that bothered me any - I was as comfortable BF as he was shod.
"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!
Agreed completely. "Barefoot Shoes" are an oxymoron. You're either barefoot, or you're not. I like to classify them into 3 categories: barefoot, minimalist (zero drop, constructed in the idea that less is more), running sneakers (sometimes zero drop, but mostly not).
Good description!
Bump!
Is there a question?
Well, "Bump" (or censor) is probably the answer to this question:
What entity reappears on this forum every few months for the last two years or so regarding a university "barefoot running study", and has been previously censored for its repetiveness? (Won't that poor gal ever graduate?)
A: UDRunning Lab
Carry on
Off topic, but on topic since havanarnr bumped this. UDRunning Lab post has been censored and the user banned. No need for repeated spamming.