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Volunteer Barefoot Runners (and writers) Wanted
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Oddly enough it's good to hear a few "negatives" about the change to barefoot style. I guess it shows that we're not all looking through rose tinted glasses!
I think that I've been quite lucky in some respects. Since I started running in VFFs life has dictated that I can only get out 2 or 3 times a week and those runs are between 3 and 4 miles. My runs always include about 6-700ft of climb and descent and loads of stiles and gates. This means that I am usually out for about 35 to 45 minutes.
This seems to have suited my change in running style to "barefoot". I have suffered from a fare bit of calf soreness and some soreness to the soles of my feet.....but, I have to say that, I just love running (almost) barefoot. So far at least!
Hi,
I am just taking first tentative (literally) steps into barefoot running, having heard rumours of it here and there, but then having the decision made for me by 'Born To Run'. I'm a sucker for the counter-intuitive, but also, as a slightly medical person, it makes a lot of sense. I hope my feet will agree.
I am not a high-miler by any means (about 15-20 a week), but for the last two weeks have been training myself to forefoot strike, rather than hoofing around on my Asics-clad heels. My body is of course wanting to slip back into its old habits, particularly after five years of running that way. I have suffered a bit of insertional Achilles tendonopathy in the past, a bit of ITB-related problems and some knee pain, although nothing that I have allowed to become chronic.
My plan is to persevere (I felt that I had it for a moment yesterday, so it is coming), and I have ordered some huaraches from Barefoot Ted's website, rather than going down the more expensive Vibram FF or Vivobarefoot Evos route, at least for now (and so I don't get quite such a kicking from my wife). This last week I have run in my Vivobarefoot shoes - very comfortable, but not a long-term plan. I have also had, unsurprisingly, some calf soreness, but I feel that they are strengthening and this is definitely improving. I am also doing some concentric exercise etc. to condition them.
Will gladly let you know how it goes and how I cope with the huaraches, although I gather the first major hurdle is going to be tying them properly!
Hi Graham
Would be delighted to contribute to your book!
I am another 'Born to Run' convert - I've started to experiment with barefoot running after going to a fascinating talk by Chris McDougall (organised by Terra Plana) earlier this year, and then reading his book.
I bought a pair of Vivo Barefoot shoes, and have mostly been using those, as my runs are on the mean streets of London, where scatterings of broken glass make every barefoot step risky. I've also tried a few truly barefoot jogs around my local park.
I confess it hasn't gone entirely according to plan, though. Although I've loved the sensation of moving to a forefoot strike - and it really feels like the way I'm supposed to run - after years of stomping along on my heels, my body doesn't seem to like the change.
I think my mistake was to attempt too much, too soon. Being used to running around 6 or 7 miles, I figured doing 3 would be fine. It hurt my calf muscles quite a bit, but I decided to ignore that because I was enjoying myself too much. Then I ran a little further the next time, and it hurt quite a lot. The time after that, I had to admit defeat and walk the last part.
I rested for a week, then tried again a couple of times. Big mistake: unexplained bruising appeared on my shin, my foot swelled up, and my leg is tender to the touch. I'm now awaiting a visit to the GP, and I fear some kind of stress fracture.
In spite of this, I still believe barefoot running 'has legs' (sorry!). But I think all runners need to be aware that there are risks in switching. I plan to continue, but next time I'll be doing it very carefully.
Hi there
Started running "barefoot" back in January (cold!) due to recurrent knee problems in trainers. Read up on BF on various sites & tried it for a hundred metres or so in the local park & decided yeah this is good, but I'm gonna cheat & make some huaraches; basically get all the benefits of BF without the sole pain....wrong!
You put anything on your feet - you're not running barefoot. Anything at all disguises the messages the ground is giving to your feet/nerves/brain.It allows you to run far further than you should & with less good form...but you don't realise it until it's too late. Achilles probs, calf strain, blisters etc.
So, learned my lesson the hard way in the first coupla weeks & now been running barefoot for 6 months. Love it. No knee probs at all since last year.
If you're thinking of starting, do yourselves a favour & read Barefoot Ken Bob first:
http://therunningbarefoot.com/?page_id=455
Anna, Apologies, I completely missed your message.
Your unfortunate story is a warning to everyone about the potential risks of running barefoot. I've sent you a pm about my study.
In the meantime, I hope you are well on the way to recovery.
I ran for a few years as a heel stiker & ended up with repeat injuries of all sorts until plantar fasciitus nailed me for 18 months. I then tried POSE using racing flats, probably had the wrong technique and picked up another bout of PF in the other leg. It's now been 2 years waiting for the pain to stay away.
I tried some VFFs but they were not comfy - I guess I just do not have quite the right shape of foot or something...
I ordered some Saucony Kinvara(?) shoes and sent them back as soon as I saw them, did not even try them on, too heelie for my liking.
I then leavered open the wallet a bit more & battled with the moths until I'd stumped up for some Terra Plana Evo II shoes. Now these look like the right sort of thing but just walking about in them they started rubbing my achilles(sp?) tendon.
Arrrgh, I would like to use shoes but now feel it is going to have to be proper barefoot (at least for now).
Having all that time on the bench has allowed me to read up a lot. I think the most important lessons I've read are 1) try some proper barefoot, i.e. not shod at all, 2) take it very very slowly or you will regret it.
I am starting right from scratch & following the advice in the table about 1/3 down this link:
new-barefoot-minimalist-runners-start-here
I've been padding about the house shoeless for a few days & have noticed no problems so far other than yesterday after playing with the kids chucking balls to each other taking turns on a balance board & now have mild ache in top left of left foot near the ankle. I am assuming that this is a minor thing but it probably counts as too much too soon & I should have popped some shoes on. So you see, you need to take really really sloooooooooooooooow.
Hope that helps any other folks trying barefoot (shod or not).
In case anyone is interested I'm on stage 4 of the plan in the Runners World (US) link from my post above. I modifed the plan as some bits were not quite for me but I think the crux of the plan is very good.
I have picked up a few minor "injuries" along the way (the occasional tiny blister etc.) but so far nothing like the nightmare's I use to get when using "proper running" cushiony shoes or otherwise. So far I've not needed to miss out on more than a few runs. I am still taking it very slow so, since the posting above, the most I've ran fully barefoot (i.e. not in "barefoot" shoes) is about 3.5 miles (although that should have been just under 3 so I'm still counting my actual mileage limit as up to about 2.8 miles).
Sure you get funny looks & comments but that's all part of the fun. I plan to see if I can keep going, I just want to be able to run (I don't care if it's barefoot or not, it just has to work properly). I wouldn't rule out some kind of minimalist shoe at some point but just about all the one's I've tried to date just do not cut the mustard at all (for me). You could run in them but they all have at least one flaw or more (that you sometimes do not find right away).
It's not only the distance you have to be careful to build up but the pace too. I have very briefly pushed the pace a tiny bit and I know that on the surfaces I can currently cope with I could crank up the pace a huge amount. When it feels good it really feels good!
I'm 27 and hadn't run since school (except the odd timebeing chased but we won't go into then!!) and decided about 6-7 weeks ago i wanted to get fit. after 2 weeks i found Vibrams through a friend, spent a week on the runners world US forum (why don't we have a BF Forum ourselves???) took my trainers off on the back end of a couple of runs (half miles or so) and was converted. decided to buy some VFFs and haven't looked back. As anew runner i think its helped as i had no real form to start with.
What info are you after for the book and where do i send it??
Thanks RTTB,
Any contribution would be much appreciated, it would be great if you'd consider documenting your progress by writing on my site, details are here.
If that doesn't suit then, you could just send me regular updates and I can publish it, (pm me if so).
Also, for anyone else who is interested in contributing, there are 2 ways: either the above, or if you are a more established barefoot runner, then I have a short questionnaire that can be downloaded in pdf here: barefoot running questionnaire
Obviously, the more experiences (good or bad) that I can record, the better the book will be.
I'm aiming for 300+ profiles, that would produce a very meaningful and valuable volume of data.
I'd happily contribute- as you may have seen on the barefoot thread over on the general board I have started my barefoot journey today (well close to barefoot, I live in London and run outside so as close as I can get are vibram five fingers but they are very close to barefoot).
Clare.
Im a fairly high mileage runner and have recently decided to give this whole barefoot thingy a go after running around barefoot on holiday, playing football with the kids etc. Brought a pair of vivo's cheap from my local running shop and have so far only done 4 runs in them, the longest being 2 miles yesterday. It feels great. It just seems to feel "right" even on tarmac. Having to mix with my usual road and trail shoes cos im currently training for some ultras and need to keep up my mileage.
Im looking foroward to seeing where it leads.
For a larf I decided to do a barefoot run on holiday, straight barefoot, nothing else at all. Beach at Wissant, 2 miles up, 2 miles back, tri shorts only. Golden sand the whole way, no stones (amazing). I usually wear orthotics.
Anyway, yes it was liberating, much faster than with shoes on. After about 2-3 miles it began to smart a bit and I was looking for the water line every couple of minutes to soothe them.. Which sort of worked.
I tried y best to look like Daniel Craig as I got back to my wife but I don't think I managed to fool her.
Aftermath was the important bit. My skin looked like my foot had been in a blender with bits hanging off but no pain. However, the "inside" of my foot was sore for a week or so, particularly along the outer edge and it's only just coming back now. Walking in trainers was fine but any bare floor was uncomfortable. Curiously, no ill effects from not having the orthotics on, ie no ITB symptoms.
What is a Vivo please?
But yeah, love to have another go, but France is a bit far to go for a 4 mile run.