Barefoot running diaries

[BattleDrill3]

The skinny: this IS NOT a Vibram Five Finger thread. This is not a Chi Running/mid-foot running vs "traditional" running thread. This is about being tired of sore knees, tired of looking for VFF Bikila's in my size, remembering being inspired as a young private by a member of RRD at Benning, and eventually, eight years later, just saying, "**** it."

No VFF's, no Nike Free's, just barefoot. Some internet/anecdotal research later, and here we are. Anyone else who's taken this admittedly odd path, feel free to add your observations/horror stories. Feel free to ask questions, but realize this: while I have been training people in physical fitness for years, I AM NOT AN EXPERT in barefoot running. Today, August 30th, 2010, is my first day trying it. THERE WILL BE NO DISCUSSION of opinions about the merits of one method vs. the other, just observations of what I experience.

That said, I felt this warranted a new thread, but moderators, if you disagree, feel free to throw this in somewhere else. I already rashly started a new thread about something before checking around, and I learned my lesson. And thus, the experiment begins.

[BattleDrill3]

I'm a fairly fit 27 year old man, 5'10," 170 lbs. Spending the better part of a decade of jumping out of planes, wearing a ruck, climbing large vertical pieces of earth, and running missions in the predictable places, my knees (specifically my MCL and quadriceps tendons) have begun hurting all the time.

Worth mentioning: I have extremely flat arches. I got away with it in my early twenties, but that has begun to take its toll. For the past six months or so, I've been wearing custom orthotics. MCL pain has decreased, no difference in quadriceps tendons. I began stretching and doing yoga twice a day, which has helped some, but knees still hurt. (Don't knock yoga. As long as you don't wear capris, which some of the fellas do, you'll be fine. Besides, women with the most ridiculously amazing bodies in very little clothing can be found in a yoga studio. If the idea of being spotted in public doing yoga is too much, I'd suggest looking at David Swenson videos.)

After a lot of warming up, I can run, but there's a fair amount of pain after I finish. I've been running with a mid-foot strike while still wearing shoes for about two months now, which has significantly reduced the post-run pain as compared to running with a heel strike. (This could also be my lower legs responding to the orthotics as well.) I'd say I average a fifteen mile-week, running four or five days a week, slowing to a 7:30 per mile pace while getting used to mid-foot running.

Initially, there was a quite lot of what Kyle Defoor talks about (knee/shin/Achilles tendon/calf pain). To counter this, I began stretching my calves in sets of three, thirty seconds at a time, three times a day. It worked quite well. In addition to the usual calf stretches, I stretched with the same frequency the soleus (lower calf). This is one of the most important things to do to prevent Achilles tendonitis and shin splints, two of the more common problems associated with mid-foot running. More info about shin splints here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

A great video by Everest Therapeutics illustrates stretching the soleus perfectly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i8QwoscojU

Shoes began feeling very cumbersome. It felt like they were preventing me from running the way my body wanted run, so as an experiment, I tried to slightly reduce the clumsiness of it all by running without socks. Despite a blister that covered almost the entire instep of my right foot, it felt a much better. The blister ripped off completely during the run, so I let it heal for a day or two, poured a shitload of superglue on it, and decided to start running again. This time, no shoes, no socks.

[tampam4]

I had huge problems with shin splints when I first started getting ready for the Navy. It wouldn't hurt so bad when I was actually running, but as soon as I stopped, I could hardly walk, and I'd be down for a week afterwards, and couldn't run more than a few steps without my shins feeling like they were in a vice.

In fact, it was Mr. Defoor himself here on M4C that suggested my issues were from heel striking. I tried running fairly short distances barefoot to help me figure out what it felt like to strike midfoot, because if you heel strike barefoot on asphalt, you'll die in about 7 steps I ran barefoot for about two weeks, and then switched back to shoes. As of now, no problems with any shin splints, but I do have to consciously think about where my foot is landing most of the time.

[BattleDrill3]

I decided to start off slow, so two miles at an 8:00 minute pace. After some serious stretching and a walk to the road, I stashed the shoes and socks behind a guard rail, and off I went.

My initial impressions: amazing. Un-****ing-believable. This is exactly what I've been looking for. There is no question if your form is good or not...if your heels smash into the ground, you're wrong. You can feel the jarring all the way into your teeth. If not, you're doing something right. It just felt fast, light, and quiet.

Quite quickly, I noticed some tightness at the very bottom of my Achilles tendons. It subsided after a 1/2 mile or so.

For a few minutes, it was absolutely perfect. Running was fun again. Zero pain. Having nothing between my feet and the ground was completely liberating. If you've ever ridden a motorcycle before, recall your first time riding a bike down a road you thought you were familiar with...you just notice more, and you're just more aware of everything around you. Same sensation here. It was dark out, so I ran with a Surefire to really illuminate the road and see what lay ahead.

Fortunately, despite the euphoria, I had the discipline to turn around at one mile as planned. Right about then, the feet started getting a bit tender. I ran over some small rocks (ouchtown, population me), but scraped them off by dragging my feet slightly on the lines on the road. They were significantly smoother than the asphalt, so I decided to run in the middle of the road on the double lines, one for each foot. At the end of the run, to be honest, the foot were hurting a bit, but quite simply, that was the best run I have ever had. Thankfully, I've built up some decent callouses, so I'm not too worried.

If you're living with a significant other, have a pair of sandals or something by the door before you walk in the house; your feet will be dirty as all ****. There will be bitching.

As soon as I stopped running, I stretched my calves, emphasizing the soleus. Over the next twenty minutes or so, the feets began to hurt progressively more, but nothing too bad. Gone in forty five minutes. Zero post-run pain I usually encounter. Calves felt slightly tight for about 1/2 hour.

Conclusions: I will never wear another pair of shoes to run again. That simple. (Well, unless someone of significantly higher rank tells me to.) I actually look forward to running again. If I could do it over, I'd suggest starting out with 1 1/2 miles. If you haven't been running with a mid-foot strike at all, I'd really slow it down...my calves were significantly tighter than they've been in awhile. Like the first time I ran with a mid-foot strike, but stronger.

Other than that, it was absolutely perfect. Like I said, running is fun again. Just can't put it into words.

I'll skip a day, and go with 1 1/2 miles next time, pick up the speed to 7:30.

For more on form, here are three videos. In the first, a woman describes finer points of body position during mid-foot running. (She calls it "Chi running." Don't worry, it's just mid-foot running - some people need trendy-sounding names to call shit.) The second is a man running barefoot on a treadmill. The third is a woman running with shoes on a treadmill. (You've seen this one before if you follow Kyle Defoor's blog.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UYkAB18wgs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbgSEG_Yx2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrOgDCZ4GUo

Be safe.

[Von Rheydt]

There was a South African at Castelnaudry (Foreign Legion) in '85 he used to run barefoot. Every time they got lined up for a run and the pre-run inspection was over the squad would set off, he would sit down, take off his boots and follow on usually coming in ahead of everyone else.

I read about a tribe in South America that effectively runs in bare feet. They ace the long distance utra running events with a style that looks very ploddy. The legs pump up and down more than stretching forward and landing on the heel.

The article I read was written by a Norte Americano guy who went down to learn their style. He said these guys think nothing of running 100 miles in a day and they will run along with a couple of friends and chat as they are going. The thing they have though is that although they do not wear trainers they wear very simple leather sandals. Basically a flat piece of leather for the foot and a couple of straps. Like you see women wearing. This protects the sole from abrasions and punctures but is effectively still bare footed.

Sorry, but I don't think I have the article anymore.

As you were airborne you probably did something similar to what we call the para-shuffle in the UK. Thats when you do a speed march with kit. You do not actually march as the shin pressure would be too much and you don't run for a variety of health reasons. Its sort of between a walk and run like a trot, you tend to land either on the balls of your feet or flatter footed. Once you get the rhythm sorted even with kit on you can go at a steady 5 - 6 mph.*



*UK APFT required 8 miles in 1hr20min with kit and weapon + drinking water. Royal Marines, 9 miles in 1hr30mins.

[Naxet1959]

I was on a 4 mile run in South Dakota and got to thinking it was time to get new shoes. With a little over a mile left, I thought "lets just try this barefoot thing". Off go the shoes but I left the socks on. NICE, except for the small gravel bits here and there. So later when I'm back home, I want to try it again. Off for a 5 miler and its raining lightly. The first 3-4 miles it was good, the 5th was a bit tougher on the concrete. Blacktop just feels awesome and smooth. Back home, my feet are just solid black. It stains the feet big time. Fast forward to June, I have a half marathon and its hot and humid. At mile 10, I can't stand it anymore and take off the shoes and socks, tie them together and hang over my back. Instant relief! Cooler by tons, lighter legs and an awesome foot massage via the blacktop. Everything's good until the last half mile. Its mostly downhill and my heels have made blisters the size of a half dollar. Ouch.. one is filled with blood, the other is clear. For a couple of days it was tough to wear shoes but finally in August, they finally popped.

I will try Vibrams in the spring because I would like some protection but really love the barefoot. I'm the same size as the OP, also with very flat feet. Unfortunately, I'm waaaayy slower runner (9:30-10 minute miler) which means more plodding than running!

[BattleDrill3]

Good to see some people giving this a try.

Tampam: I've also noticed, despite having (I hope) decent mid-foot running form, when I wore shoes I had to consciously think about where my foot would strike. No question about that when barefoot, for sure.

Von Rheydt: I during timed rucks, I used to shuffle/jog. It's absolute MURDER on your knees, however, so I just practiced taking faster walking strides. It seems more tiring, particularly on your hip flexors, but it got easier with time. French Foreign Legion? In '85? Back when it was hard. I was three years old then. My hat goes off to you.

Naxet: Yeah, there has been some damage to the bottoms of my feet as well. (More on that later.) After feeling my feet this morning, I was tempted to go with VFF's. I'll stick it out, however. Don't worry, callouses come surprisingly quickly. In the interim, superglue is your friend! If it feels like "plodding", check out those vids I posted...even when I coasted at the end for a few hundred meters, I stayed on form, and it was still pretty fluid. Good luck!

[Von Rheydt]

Von Rheydt: I during timed rucks, I used to shuffle/jog. It's absolute MURDER on your knees, however, so I just practiced taking faster walking strides. It seems more tiring, particularly on your hip flexors, but it got easier with time. French Foreign Legion? In '85? Back when it was hard. I was three years old then. My hat goes off to you.

I was'nt in La Legion, I was liaising with them - theres always more than a few of you yanks there though.

I will try Vibrams in the spring because I would like some protection but really love the barefoot. I'm the same size as the OP, also with very flat feet. Unfortunately, I'm waaaayy slower runner (9:30-10 minute miler) which means more plodding than running!

Look for some sandle type things like I mentioned. I'll do some googling myself and see what I can find on the south american indian runners.

[militarymoron]

disclaimer: i'm more of a jogger, not a runner. usually 7:30 - 8:30 mile pace for 2-3 miles 3x a week.
i've been a asics gel kayano user for years, but i was interested in barefoot running and first tried the 'minimalist shoe' running with my old nike aqua socks, and it felt good enough to continue. first week or so my calves got sore after the runs, but eventually got used to it. it also took a while to settle into my current mid-foot style. when i started, i was running too much on the forefoot.
i then tried barefoot on asphalt/concrete, but being a tenderfoot, was more focused on the small rocks/pebbles and also blisters than my running style.
so, i bought some VFF bikilas right when they came out and have been using them ever since. i like them. i get a close-to-barefoot experience (as far as running style) without worrying about FOD on my feet. i'm sticking with the bikilas as they're working well for my needs right now.

[Von Rheydt]

Ha, found them - the Indians and their sandals.

The Indians are called TARUHUMARA there is lots on google for them the guy I mentioned wrote a book about them called BORN TO RUN:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarahumara

Their minimalist sandal which you can easily DIY is called a HUARACHE also lots on google about them.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd0...arache-t_sport