finally jumped in with both feet

[swanski]

Last Friday I finally kicked off the Vibrams (after 13 months) and went naked from the ankles down. I did about 4 miles with about half on a soccer field and the rest on sidewalk and asphalt. Then last night I did 3 miles all on sidewalk and asphalt. It was really quite good - I kept expecting something bad to happen. Now I just need to get up the nerve to go barefoot on trails. These barefoot runs on pavement were my first non-trail runs in about 8 years. The trails I run on are pretty rough and include plenty of roots, gravel and maybe worst of all - those lethal spikey balls from sweet gum trees. Those can even hurt in Vibrams so I can only imagine what it would feel with barefeet. I think I will get there, but it's gonna take some time.



Adam

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Very cool, Adam.  We've been

Very cool, Adam. We've been hearing of more and more people ditching their VFFs and opting for barefoot running. Warms my fuzzy little heart.

 

[jldeleon]

OMG I totally forgot all

OMG I totally forgot all about the lethal spikey balls!!! I just ditched my Vibrams too. I walked on the trail that I'm going to run on, first. Maybe you should desensitive your feet and stand on the spikey balls on purpose! Ha ha ha.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Spikey ball bucket training. 

Spikey ball bucket training. That'll work!

 

[Abide]

swanski wrote:I kept

I kept expecting something bad to happen.

Like judgment day?

It's pretty amazing you could run those lengths and feel fine. I would expect some minor soreness on your feet at the very least?

 

[JosephTree]

Lyriodendron styraciflua =

Lyriodendron styraciflua = Sweetgum, the source of the spikey seed balls. I'm a tree guy, I can't help it.

I just went the other way. I hadn't run in my Bikilas in a couple months and put them on for my 15K trail race last Sunday. I managed to do the run without discomfort due to foot covers. Discomfort due to long steep hills was another issue. Actually, putting on VFFs for a long run on unfamiliar trails seems like a very reasonable use of the technology.

I wish you joy in discovering the capabilities of your naked feet. In post after post I've read about how amazed folks are at their feets' adaptability.

 

[BillBlack]

Just wondering if one should

Just wondering if one should expect any problems going from vibrams to barefoot in the way going from so called normal shoes to barefoot would.



Bill

 

[migangelo]

Bill,I did. Over did it and

Bill,

I did. Over did it and got Top Of Foot Pain, tofp. I was able to run but not walk comfortably. If you've run in Vff for a while then you've built some strength. When you remove them you get a bigger range of motion that your infrastucture may not be ready for so take it easy. I know it will feel good and you won't know how much is to far until its way too late.



Mike

 

[curraheeeasyc]

Just be sure to bend your

Just be sure to bend your knees ALOT when you go on the trails. That'll let you bend them even more if you step on something too sharp/pointy and keep that pressure from going totally into your foot.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Expect your form to be

Expect your form to be different. Whatever that form is, let it be as natural and unforced as possible. Only try to change it should you experience problems.

 

[swanski]

My experience with switching

My experience with switching to vibrams after 30 years in running shoes has taught me that the best form is the one that just happens by running. Whenever I tried to think about form and force my body do something it just resulted in discomfort or pain. Now I just run and it's all good.

Reminds me of some novice runners I have known who actually wanted advice on when to breathe while running. I just had to laugh. Sometimes they already had a technique -- "I breathe in every two steps"