My first attempt 12th Feb 2013

So last night I tried my first proper barefoot run without the Vibrams, out on the roads.
I’ve been running barefoot on the treadmill for about 6 months so figured I’d be ready…
The technique was down, I had my soft landing and weight spreading sorted, bent knee, cycling motion,180 cadence…I was ready, psyched and busting to try it.

Lol, it was 2 degrees out (felt like -2 according to MET Office app), wet and windy, the road… super cold and massively stony. Perfect barefoot learning conditions. (I’m told).

I’m reading that book by Ken Bob Saxton, the barefoot runner hippy dude, and he says “the sole of the foot is hyper sensitive, be prepared for a plethora of sensations under foot…”

Note “plethora of sensations” = Pain… PAIN!
I kid you not, I ran gingerly for all of about 30metres down the road, and 30 metres back… on my runmeter app, my run time was 1:41! Really…. 1:41! That’s 1 minute 41 seconds!

Jesus, it was brutal! Ken Bob also says, if it hurts, you’re technique is wrong. My technique must be fubar.
Admittedly it was freezing, my feet were pretty much numb from the off so that may have played a part… (I’m hoping). But, man, I need to get out barefoot more and nail that technique.

It’s meant to be the only way to learn properly, “Pain is your friend!”, when you run on a hard stony road and it doesn’t hurt, your technique is perfect, but man that was brutal! Not at all like that nice warm run along the beach you had on holiday. Uh-uhhh. Nope.
Imagine being on a cold concrete warehouse floor and someone repeatedly smashing your toes with a brick whilst you repeat to yourself “run soft, run soft….” Lol, I’m not even joking!

I went home, slipped on the Vibrams and back out for a pain free, slightly warmer run. Dang. Totally wussed out.
Heading to the country park on Thursday or Friday for another attempt…
(The country park being a slightly more acceptable place to be seen running barefoot. Not looking like you’ve been having an affair, the lady’s husbands come home, and you’ve had to hurriedly pick up all your clothes and run shrieking from the house down the road in your barefeet. Which is kind of the look I got from the one dog walker I passed twice in the space of about 20 seconds, once on the way down, once on the way back…).

Hopefully Thursday will go better…