Wed 28 Oct 2009
It has been two months since I started learning to run barefoot. The purpose for learning to run barefoot is to avoid running injuries caused by landing on your heel each stride. Instead, barefoot running forces you into better running form by causing you to land on your forefoot and absorbing the landing impact with your foot and lower leg muscles.
Here is what I’ve learned about running barefoot so far.
- This type of running will avoid injuries because it eliminates the primary cause of running injuries; the heel-landing impact on each stride.
- Barefoot running is anti-intuitive to most people, yet once you do it you understand.
- Barefoot running uses lower-leg muscles, whereas heel-landing running uses upper-leg muscles. It took me almost a month to get my lower leg muscles (calves) in shape. It was like learning to run all over again.
- Many people run long distances in their bare feet, but I have trouble running more than a few miles in bare feet. I still don’t know if I can build endurance in my feet or if I simply need to put some shoes on.
- Even if I end up wearing shoes for most of my running miles, I will run a few miles barefoot each week in order to keep my running form good.
- I will NEVER go back to my old running form, shoes or not!
- EVERY runner should learn barefoot running form, even if they don’t run barefoot!
My longest barefoot distance on sand has been 4 miles, but my longest barefoot distance on pavement is only 2.5 miles. My right foot is bruised right now between the ball of my foot and the outer mid-sole. I think this was from landing and pushing off on the small stones on the beach in Antalya, but I’m not sure.
One thing IS sure; after running this way, I don’t feel sore the next day (except for the bottoms of my feet, of course). Usually it would take me two days to recover from a 5 mile (or longer) run before I would run again. I think I could run everyday using this form as long as my feet could take it.
Right now I’m running about half my miles in cheap water shoes. They protect my feet, but they don’t breath at all because they’re neoprene. It looks like if I want to run any longer distances I’ll need a breathable shoe. Racing flats are my next option to try.
I’ll keep you posted.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Check out the Vibram FiveFingers before you try running flats.
And before you give up on running barefoot for longer distances, Google Charley Robbins, who came in the third in the ’46 Boston Marathon, and ran for 66 years, BAREFOOT.
I just got in from an hour trail run in Vibrams, and my feet feel great, rocks and acorns and all. Like getting a foot massage.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:42 am
How many miles have your Vibram FiveFingers lasted? Do you wear socks with them?
October 29th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Tuck responded by email to my questions above with the following:
“I don’t keep track of my miles, so I can’t tell you how long they last in that regard. I have 4 pairs at the moment: 1 Sprint (purchased in August 2006), 2 KSO (purchased in August), 1 Trek (October). The Sprints I’ve been using in the gym and some running until reading Born to Run in June, since then I’ve been running 3/4 days a week in them (on and off road) and doing some hikes (up to 7 miles in tough conditions).
The Sprints show almost no signs of wear. The only reason I bought the KSOs, in fact, was because the Sprints on my hikes would fill up with sand and stuff, so I would have to stop and empty them out. Kind of annoying. I use these now for the gym exclusively.
I wear socks (Injinjis) for longer runs and if it’s cold. I prefer not to. Usually if I do a longer run I’ll stick a pair of socks in my pocket in case I get an abrasion (which happened once for some strange
reason with the Sprint, after two years of wearing them), so I can stop and put the socks on. On a hike in Maine in the Sprints I went about 10.5 miles over two days without wearing socks, and then put
them on for the last 3.5 miles when I started getting an abrasion.
I had a medical issue with my foot last fall that caused me to stop wearing them, not caused by the Vibrams but I couldn’t wear them. After reading Born to Run, I put my Sprints back on, and did a one mile run on the treadmill in the gym. That felt so nice that I went home and did my regular 3-mile loop. Which was great, except for the last mile when my calves began to hurt. What shocked me was my feet felt great the entire time. I’ve never had any issues with foot pain since June when I started using the Vibrams exclusively for running and hiking. Generally, if you are having pain of some sort, your form is off for some reason. For instance, if the balls of your feet hurt, you’re landing too hard. If you’re making sound running, your form is off, so that’s a good indication.
I’ve not tried running fully bare, for a variety of reasons, but there are a couple of issues with my form that I’ve realized would best be dealt with by going fully bare. I’ll probably start with shorter, slower runs with my wife (who is also running with Vibrams now).
I’ve also gotten a number of people into wearing Vibrams. Everyone has been very happy, including one friend who has had back pain for twenty years since having an accident, and has had both knees operated on. He was unable to run without serious pain. He’s discovered his back pain goes away entirely when he stops wearing shoes with heels, and he can run in the Vibrams without knee pain. It’s been life-altering for him, as he’s been taking pain pills for years, and no longer needs to.
Hope this helps.”
October 29th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
This is truly interesting! I have heard about this and really oughta give it a try! My feet ache endlessly it seems. Probably from chasing our kids around all day, but I have recently been using my heating pad and my Topricin foot cream and it really does help a lot! I appreciate this article as I think many people just sortof start to deal with this unfortunately.