Hitchhikers, what is your method of getting rid of them.

[Alan S]

I have been training for the Surf City 1/2 marathon which I intend to run 100% barefoot. I mostly run around my neighborhood and I pick up hitchhikers here and there. Most of my hitchhikers are seeds/berries from trees that litter the sidewalk. They stick to some part of my foot and ride along for a few, sometimes painful, strides. I assume this happens to everyone, once in a while. What is your preferred method of telling that little guy to "take a hike". I like to scuff my foot mid stride about the 3rd step if they are persistent jerks.

 

[DNEchris]

I tend to do a hop-step and try and brush them off with my hand. It works 9 times out of 10.

 

[otoole4info]

I look to change surface for a few steps. I'll leave the pavement and hit the grass or dirt area along side the road and usually the hitchhiker will let go. If it doesn't I'll attempt a light scuff or a "stop, brush, back to running" type of move.

 

[Bill B]

All of the above, unless it's dog poop! That's a whole other plan!!

 

[Alan S]

I like to try many approaches to knock them off too. It's always the second step that hurts. First step I see it and can get ready for the feel, but that second step, it's hiding and hurts.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

I'm with Chris on the hop/step and swipe as well. Works like a charm and never break my stride.

 

[hikerdana]

Just started barefoot running and I thought it was cause my feet were still soft, guess it's our pebble in the shoe problem.

 

[KTR]

I've tried most of the above, but I have no problem in stopping for half a second to wipe them out with my hand if I can't get rid of them.

 

[Gordon]

After cutting my hand on a piece of glass half stuck into my foot, I usually take the time when it feels like it could be glass. Goat head thorns are also a good thing to remove carefully.

 

[ClintonVoris]

Y'all are making this way too complex! Too many motions and wasted energy. I just scuff, brush, or shuffle the sole on the ground, as that foot moves forward. Offending pieces removed and I didn't miss a stride.

 

[rb2001]

Y'all are making this way too complex! Too many motions and wasted energy. I just scuff, brush, or shuffle the sole on the ground, as that foot moves forward. Offending pieces removed and I didn't miss a stride.

I agree with @ClintonVoris about brushing the soles of his feet, but less about exclaiming that the rest of you make it too complex.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

[KTR]

In the end, I guess it depends on a lot of factors: what kind of stowaways you are likely to find in the place you run, how wet and how rough the surface you run on is, how thick your soles are, or even how much your feet sweat. Depending on all those things, there may be different suitable ways to get rids of those "hitchhikers".