Barefoot Runners

1

Starting Up Again (Read 275 times)

jeffy87


    Hi all,

    My name's Jeff and I'm really interested in trying to run barefoot/minimalist footwear. I've been running recreationally for the past 4 years, my longest run being 6 miles. However, this past January, I came down with IT Band Syndrome and my doc told me to lay off running for 4-6 weeks. The ITB syndrome is pretty much cleared up and I'm ready to get back into running. I'd like to run a 4K charity run in mid-June and I was wondering if the Couch To 5K training plan was too intense for someone not only getting back into running after a 6-week layoff, but for someone to starting to run completely barefoot? The training schedule is linked below:


    Couch to 5K

     

    I guess it's worth mentioning that I was running in the Nike Free 7.0 for a year and a half and was running in the Nike Free 3.0 for a year just prior to my injury. I've also performed a lot of Filipino traditional folk dance for two years (all done barefoot on theater stages, concrete, hard wood dance studio floors, grass, or wherever we were performing) during that time. And I also go barefoot around my apartment and sometimes down the block when I pick up my mail. So I'm somewhat familiar with/conditioned for walking (and dancing) around barefoot.

     

    I've heard many horror stories of initial injury from runner's switching immediately to barefoot and training at the same intensity as they were when running with shoes. The Couch to 5K program seems to be a good easy-does-it starting program and was wondering if you guys thought the same? Is there anything I can do to supplement the training program to better condition my feet and legs for barefoot running?