Does anyone have experience running barefoot? I've tried it and it seems to mess with normal footstrike (heel first). Yet, my feet, ankles and calves feel stronger. It also feels great when I have shin pain. Am I trying too hard to be an African or does it make sense for a shoe runner to run barefoot?
jackhoffman wrote:
I've tried it and it seems to mess with normal footstrike (heel first).
Actually, I would suggest the inverse of that statement. If footstrike in shoes is different from footstrike while barefoot, I would conclude that SHOES mess with normal footstrike (ball first).
I think it's great to run barefoot. However, you can get (approximately) the same affect from running in spikes or racing flats- anything that doesn't have a substantially elevated heel. Personally, I like to wear my spikeless waffles on trails or grass. It allows the same ball-first footstrike as running barefoot, but you don't have to worry about stepping on shit.
jackhoffman wrote:
It also feels great when I have shin pain.
If you're having shin pain, it's most likely the result of your shoes. The cushier and thicker the midsole, the more unstable you are on your feet and the more you'll pronate. Running barefoot or in shoes with less midsole results in less pronation and less tender spots. Read this (From Lore of Running):
"It seems that runners alter their gaits and muscle activation patterns (Komi et al., 1987) when running in harder shoes or when running barefoot. Thus, the degree of pronation is reduced when one runs barefoot (Frederick, 1986; L.S. Smith et al., 1986), a reduction due to changes in running patterns....
One way to check whether you may be injury prone is to try the "pinch test." The pinch test is effective because damaged tissues become tender to the touch long before they actually cause pain during or after running. A feeling of tenderness or discomfort when the Achilles tendon is pinched between the thumb and forefinger or when firm pressure is applied along the borders of the shinbone (the tibia) or the kneecap indicates trouble. If allowed to go unchecked, this symptom may lead to a debilitating injury.
Tenderness in any of these areas indicates, among other things, that the foot is being allowed to pronate excessively and that the shoe that a shoes that restricts ankle pronation should be worn."
Know it all is 100% correct.
How could there be anything more normal than your footstrike when unshod? Unless you were born wit Nikes on your feet, in which case I would say well done Mr. Knight.
i love running barefoot but always blister bad after a few miles. i'd like to actually go for barefoot runs. is this something i have to build up to (any recommendations?) or is it just too late for my feet to adapt after wearing shoes my whole life? thanks.
Try walking on rough surfaces for a few minutes two or three times a week, your feet will soon harded up, and you won't have much of a problem with blisters.
I have only been running barefoot for 3 years, but last year I had no problem racing 1500m barefoot even on a hard track, it feel surprisingly normal, but it is faster, by about one second per lap than wearing my 250 gram spikes.
i ran an easy 3 miles once this summer barefoot and it made my calves very stiff for almost 2 weeks
when running barefoot, you are using your calves more than you are used to, this is a good thing because it will make them stronger, but it does take some getting used to.
The same thing with spikes. The problem is, training shoes have too high a heel and we get used to this. Going from one inch heel to no heel is a big difference
Here's a link to an upcoming article in Track Coach on barefoot running...
If you want to start barefoot running, you need to start gradually or you can FUCK up your soleus. I recommend starting out by simply doing a 10-min warmup jog barefoot every day and building up from there.
Thanks for the link. A good read. I try to do my warm-ups and warm-downs barefoot.
i have a question. for jag and all the experts
i have had two stress fractures in one foot this year, haven't run cross country or track. do any of you think it would help me to incorporate a little bit or a lot of barefoot training into my program? or would that be a bad decision.
Look out for broken beer bottles if you run in sand. I got a nasty 3 inch gash in the bottom of my foot for a broken beer bottle. 3 mo before I could run. I never run barefoot now
Some people run in those beach slippers.
They do offer a bit of protection from hazards like broken glass and dogshit, while feeling sort of barefoot.
These are the next best thing to barefoot, I think (cheap now too):