Toughening.....or technique.....? beginner questions

kalipyjamas

Barefooters
Sep 9, 2013
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Hi guys
Newbie to barefooting - am from the Australian chapter but thought I would post here to get some advice, apologies if I'm in the wrong thread!!!
Quick bio - prior to BF Saucony Kinvara and Altras for HM distance, alays trained 2km barefoot on treadmill every session, live barefoot around home and run trails to keep it mixed up.

Having thrown the shoes away for good I spent the first month running on the fiercest trails I could to try and develop technique - went from aqua shoes, to comlpetely barefoot and really noticed and improvement with dealing with the difficult terrain as I practiced new ways of running. Can manage 40 mins on these trails ( very slowly) but with no muscle or joint pain and maybe just a few light marks on my soles.

HOWEVER cement- different story altogether!! First few runs my calves killed and I realised I was over striding. Increased cadence brought feet under body more and bobs you uncle no more calf pain, which is great. But I'm struggling with the "feeling" of my soles, the skin.....the roads where I live are either gravelly bitumen or smooth cement paths but my soles get really sore....not sure if it is friction from needing to refine my technique even further....or if this is simply just a little part of the transitioning, and that I need TIME to build up thicker fat pads and more resilient soles....

I know you can't critique my style without seeing it, but I am more interested in hearing other peoples experiences in conditioning their soles?? I am chuffed I am not getting calf or joint pain, but the skin thing is annoying!!!! And really want to keep mixing trails with roads, as I am VERY slow in trails and need to build kms back up again...

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for any help :)
Kali
 
Hi Kali, did anyone ever respond to you? I'm a beginner myself (started running bf two years or so ago) and probably not the best source of information but I can tell you what worked for me. I started out barefoot by losing the shoes and just walking. At the office, at home and on the roads around my house I walked without shoes to get my feet a bit stronger before I started running bf. Then I gradually started running in 50 meter increments, increasing week to week to where I can now run 5 miles bf. I started at first running up on the balls of my feet so my calves were sore too. On YouTube I saw a bf instructional video by a woman who stated "never let your heels touch the ground". This was bad info. There's a lot of that out there I discovered. I read Michael Sandlers book and also visited the site of Ken Bob Saxton. It was Ken's website that instructed me to relax, take smaller/quicker strides, land with your feet under your body, allow your heels to gently kiss the ground and lift your feet straight up i.e. don't push off. I think the advice to not over stride or push off was what helped me the most.

I see it's been many months since your original post. How are you doing now?
 
There is a huge difference between trails and asphalt when it comes to bare feet. Especially if it is hot! Take your time transitioning to asphalt, I bring my Vibrams EL-X's and tuck them into the small of my back in case I need them.