Finally trying barefoot for more than half a mile

palouserider

Barefooters
Mar 7, 2011
125
1
16
Since everyone here talks about the benefits of going completely barefoot compared to minimalist and the weather finally got up to 60 degrees I decided to finally try it for more than the half a mile I did before. I did 0.6 miles on one day and then 2 miles the next day, carrying my VFF's in hand just in case. I have to say that to me it felt exactly the same as in minimalist shoes. I was very comfortable running on asphalt, although would have to build up calluses more for rougher surfaces. It did feel funny putting my shoes back on afterwards. I'm considering to do one of my weekly runs barefoot for a while and see if it makes any difference.
 
Hi there,
I don't think you want to build up calluses, they are usually a sign that you are running unevenly and they can be painful. I've managed to get a callus from running on the outer edge of my left foot after running with an injury on my right foot. So, now I'm trying to get rid of the callus. It is more padding that you are looking for rather than hard skin. On rougher surfaces you just have to slow down and run more lightly.

Neil
 
60F? it got to that here the other day and i wanted to run shirtless but i go so slow i would've been too with the wind.
yes, callouses are a bad sign. your feet will get thicker and more supple like soft leather. i didn't get any joy my first bf run. the second, probably my best run ever.
 
:D Ok, maybe not EXAAAACTLY the same. I could obviously feel the asphalt. What I meant is that it was equally comfortable, my balance was the same, turnover the same, same feel in the leg muscles, same relaxation when running etc.
There may be subtle differences in my form that I'm not aware of until I take a video. That's why I decided to try it occasionally. And I did just write a blog recommending that people who have ever run in traditional running shoes, which I hadn't, start out barefoot.
And, I hear you on the calluses. I guess I meant tougher skin, not calluses that are the result of uneven weight distribution.
 
When I was running mostly in my VFFs and only a little barefoot I didn't notice any differences in form either. Once I had been running completely barefoot for a while I could tell the difference on the occasions when I would use the VFFs. One of the most noticable differences is that my cadence will slow a little bit when I use VFFs unless I force myself to pick it up a little.
 
I highly prefer running full BF over VFF. In VFF's my feet get hot and sweaty, just like in regular shoes. Trying to avoid stinky, smelly feet is the reason why I started barefooting last summer in the first place, and the barefooting is what led me to walking and running (barefoot running obviously) as I was inspired by barefooting to try to improve my general health and well-being.
 
I'm only just transitioning, and last week too, I did more than about 1/2 mile barefoot.
I haven't run in minimalist shoes yet, but I have been walking around barefoot, indoors and in our garden. And I must say, that I found running barefoot on the street (even on the nearby road that has a chip-seal surface) was definitely easier than walking barefoot in our garden.
1) The ground is still rather cold here, and since your feet are longer on the ground walking than running, they get colder that way.
2) We have a 'woodland' garden, with lots of small sticks, many, many beech-nut husks on the ground... running on 'smooth' asphalt and concrete was a revelation after having walked in my garden for a few weeks. (But I must say, that walking is already getting easier: the ground is warming up a little, and my soles are toughening...