Running Barefoot

Hey man, 'follow the leaders'! Everyone relevant in the competitive running world runs in shoes 99 or more % of the time. These people you refer to do not really run in the way we think about it (trying to go beyond limits, actually training to get better, basically running a lot and running hard) and they suck at it.

"Natural stride" is I believe just another name for "Chi Running" a popular book and there was another book/movement whose name I can't remember that was the same thing. It has been named and sold by a few people but the gist is the same:

Take short strides

Hit forefoot first

Do it barefoot or in Fivefingers

No one has had success on pavement with this approach. I say 'on pavement' because Zola Budd ran on a soft synthetic track as did the Vibram 10k record holder whose name, hopefully, has been forgotten. The day Mary Keitany (or even Ryan Hall) gets into it and runs faster than I can doing it I may take it seriously. Until then, hopefully you will realize this is a preposterous waste of time perpetuated by a few 35 minute 5k runners!

Dixie Gnormose wrote:

No one has had success on pavement with this approach. I say 'on pavement' because Zola Budd ran on a soft synthetic track as did the Vibram 10k record holder whose name, hopefully, has been forgotten. The day Mary Keitany (or even Ryan Hall) gets into it and runs faster than I can doing it I may take it seriously. Until then, hopefully you will realize this is a preposterous waste of time perpetuated by a few 35 minute 5k runners!

I wouldn't say no one has had success on pavement: Abebe Bikila Rome 1960

I like Shoes wrote:

I can't stand these people, they are in great shape overall, but not really for running and the yoga guy is the worst like a cult figure to them.

Anybody else deal with this and have a good explanation I can give her as to why I want to wear shoes but it is not meant as a slap in the face to her?

Is the yoga guy going to run the race? Best him barefoot (if you can). And then say something like, "Next time I go with shoes to work on a PR."

no blisters wrote:

Dixie Gnormose wrote:

No one has had success on pavement with this approach. I say 'on pavement' because Zola Budd ran on a soft synthetic track as did the Vibram 10k record holder whose name, hopefully, has been forgotten. The day Mary Keitany (or even Ryan Hall) gets into it and runs faster than I can doing it I may take it seriously. Until then, hopefully you will realize this is a preposterous waste of time perpetuated by a few 35 minute 5k runners!

I wouldn't say no one has had success on pavement: Abebe Bikila Rome 1960

Fine. In the marathon:

Barefoot: 1

Shoes: a bazillion. To be exact.

Pretty good chance the barefoot guru is going to be a shoe in with your gal but his foot will be bare if you catch my drift.

There's no evidence that shoes prevent the sort of injuries runners seem to believe they might prevent (obviously, they prevent bits of glass or thorns) such as osteoarthritis, runners knee, and so on. On the other hand, there's no reason to believe shoes cause injury either, or are any better/worse than bare feet in that regard.

The things literature finds that correlate with injury are: doing too much, too soon.

So, if you haven't trained extensively barefoot, you're likely to get injured, or at least end up with blisters.

(I ran almost exclusively barefoot for ~5 years, but gave that up since my current routes have too many little rocks and thorns, and I prefer running fast and every day to running barefoot.)

EvidenceMan wrote:

On the other hand, there's no reason to believe shoes cause injury either, or are any better/worse than bare feet in that regard.

The things literature finds that correlate with injury are: doing too much, too soon.

How about patellar chondromalacia, a long-term result of heel striking encouraged by shoes?

Did a 2 mile good tempo this morning without shoes without problem. Girlfriend is relentless that I am not supporting her, so I told her I would jog it with her tomorrow but not race it. Just gonna enjoy doing it with her and try to be open-minded. She just seems aloof and put out no matter what I say or do and I just do not want to argue with her anymore. Thanks for those that tried to help.

Bad Wigins wrote:

EvidenceMan wrote:

On the other hand, there's no reason to believe shoes cause injury either, or are any better/worse than bare feet in that regard.

The things literature finds that correlate with injury are: doing too much, too soon.

How about patellar chondromalacia, a long-term result of heel striking encouraged by shoes?

Myth.

race it, put them in their place shoes or no shoes man up

Spank her with your shoes. She'll love it.

1.5/10

You get 1.5 because some equally unintelligent people have bought your story or at least they are playing along.

Run the race barefoot in a yellow thong. Since you are so awesome, win the race, beating yoga guy and his whole crew. Then, aftewards, lead a steamy yoga session and finish off by wildly dancing to the flutes of Pan. challenge yoga guy to a capoiera match. Then, everybody put on inline skates and rollerblading marathon!

Le Chapeau wrote:

Bad Wigins wrote:

How about patellar chondromalacia, a long-term result of heel striking encouraged by shoes?

Myth.

You fervently wish. Wait 10 to 15 years.

This thread is about 5 years too late. She missed that fad.

She needs to start doing ultras and running the trails. That's the new fad. Also if she's a barefooter she's probably slow, so she'll fit right in.

Tell her not to forget her trucker hat. A must have by ultra folk.

This all went really well. I raced barefoot like she wanted. Yoga tried to stay when I took off and apparently pulled a groin muscle. I finished 3rd overall as not many good runners showed in the rain. After race she and her friends fawning over yoga and she tells me I am too competitive. F'n A I am the bad guy. I ran barefoot to please her and now I am supposed to let people win. No way. Probably regret it all soon but we broke up I think and she is out now never running barefoot for anyone again. Blah blah blah. Don't ever compromise no no no. Uncool incooll. Gonna find a real runner girl next

We are all born to run....

GottaSayIt wrote:

This thread is about 5 years too late. She missed that fad.

She needs to start doing ultras and running the trails. That's the new fad....

No, the latest fad is obstacle mud runs.

Dixie Gnormose wrote:

hopefully you will realize this is a preposterous waste of time perpetuated by a few 35 minute 5k runners!

But most importantly perpetuated by those making money out of the fad by selling books, stupid five finger thingys, etc to idiots who fall for all the BS.