TMTS or just unlucky? Advice for a beginner please.

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The C25K schedule suited me in the respect that I need very clear goals to aim towards, I like to be told by either a person or a gadget when to stop and start, but appreciate that it was designed with shod runners in mind rather than minimalist or BFers.


Yeah, that's the thing about bf/minimal transitions....in some respects it's really hard to know if your goals are appropriate. You don't know how much damage was done from years of shoes, and how hard it will be for your body to recover.
I wonder if you could make goals for yourself that are clear in ways other than distance/time? Say, maybe frequency? And just run ridiculously tiny distances each time, building up? The advice at this stage to always take a day off is also probably good, since you may not feel some things right away.
In my personal opinion, it may be best for many to avoid merging a bare foot transition goal with fitness goals for the first several months.
That way, you aren't feeling pressured to get more of a workout in while bf before you are ready.

I wonder if you could find another fitness goal to work on, then consider a barefoot transition as more of a lifestyle/long term health goal, instead of a fitness goal?
 
Orton has a good book. start with the strength training. don't be afraid to ditch your shoes. bare feet tell you when you've gone to far and can react to changes in the ground a lot faster. stay off grass and out of fields. run on concrete and hard surfaces. your ankles obviously aren't strong enough for the varied terrain plus the hard surface makes it easier to run and see anything you don't want to step on. good luck and learn to trust yourself.


+1
I didn't chime in with this as I figured lots of others would.
I know many who thought they could start minimal and bypass the barefoot stage and ended up hurt or at least sore and havign to start over bf (me included, though i got sore on my first minimal run of 4 miles! with no transition! duh! don't do that.).
I currently do most of my running minimal (sandals), but I don't think I could have figured out form in minimal shoes. Go bare foot on hard surfaces as much as possible during the first few months. Go special places out of your way if needed to get nice clean hard concrete or pavement. That's the best surface to start on. Soft stuff masks form issues.
 
Slow is good.

I like Lee Saxby's video, where he explains that merely taking off your shoes and running doesn't make one a barefoot runner. It takes practice.

People intuitively know that they won't become a proficient bare knuckle boxer by just smashing their fists into everything. It takes time and practice. Yet tons of people take up running in all forms, without thinking about it.

A coworker has been out for three weeks due to a stress fracture, because she was overexcited about walking, then started doing sprints. Then she wouldn't take time off when instructed by her doctor. (She's a shoddie, but the same applies)
 
Nick - the video link above was good...simple and should be effective. I was out yesterday at a store with lacross balls so I picked one up.

Wanted to mention to the original poster - like everyone I've had one/off issues with tightness, etc., but I had never gone for a deep tissue massage since I started running (use to go as I'm a cyclist and found it helped). Anyway, some of the daily "niggles" I've been having were surprisingly gone the two days (so far) after a massage. I found the massage of the lower legs including feet helped, though I've yet to run and see if the tightness comes back (meaning: it's either that the tightness has been there and wasn't solved, or the tightness comes back because of poor form). I'll let you know.
 
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Hi - I thought maybe those of us that are still at the beginning and trying to avoid TMTS injuries might benefit from a log thread that wasn't mileage oriented, so I started one in the Mileage Reporting area. That way maybe we can share what we do and what works for us.
 
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i think even some of us with a little experience will still fall into TMTS trap. sometimes it's hard to stop when you're having fun.
 
Slow is good.
I like Lee Saxby's video, where he explains that merely taking off your shoes and running doesn't make one a barefoot runner. It takes practice.
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Thanks for that. I 'd seen another of his videos which discussed posture and pre-running drills and that was very useful too.

...in some respects it's really hard to know if your goals are appropriate...
...I wonder if you could make goals for yourself that are clear in ways other than distance/time?...
...In my personal opinion, it may be best for many to avoid merging a bare foot transition goal with fitness goals for the first several months...
...I wonder if you could find another fitness goal to work on, then consider a barefoot transition as more of a lifestyle/long term health goal, instead of a fitness goal?

Thanks, that's helpful; it's tricky knowing what the right thing to do though is isn't it. The Eric Orton book I ordered arrived today so that should help me formulate a plan. Regarding other exercise, well, over the years I've tried all sorts - hiking, running, aerobics at the gym, aerobics at home, weight-training, circuit training, swimming, cycling, dancing, wii fit, yoga - and the only ones that float my boat are running and hiking. I suppose I like doing something where it doesn't feel too much like I'm doing formal exercise if that makes sense (and doesn't need any equipment). Hiking is being out with friends enjoying the countryside, and running appeals to my primitive flight response (I'm not exercising, I'm practicing running away from bad people or zombies ;) ). Everything else I've found a chore and won't stick with it. I can only tolerate strength training because it's helping me become a runner, but I can't say I enjoy it at all (I'm glad when it's over).

Good idea about focusing on different goals, maybe even non-fitness related ones. I'm all for goals, which has meant that I have done pretty much everything I want to do that I can do at the moment...the travel the world goal has to wait unfortunately. I do have another fitness goal and that is to be able to do pull-ups by the end of the year, but it's not exactly working my CV system. Tried aqua aerobics yesterday and it wasn't too bad considering it's not really my thing, so I might use that and swimming as substitute for running for the time being.

i think even some of us with a little experience will still fall into TMTS trap. sometimes it's hard to stop when you're having fun.
If my physio would let me use my wobble board for more than 5 minutes a day I'd be really pleased. 5 minutes is just no where near long enough play-time :(

Hi - I thought maybe those of us that are still at the beginning and trying to avoid TMTS injuries might benefit from a log thread that wasn't mileage oriented, so I started one in the Mileage Reporting area. That way maybe we can share what we do and what works for us.
Excellent! I'll check it out :)
 
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Hi - I thought maybe those of us that are still at the beginning and trying to avoid TMTS injuries might benefit from a log thread that wasn't mileage oriented, so I started one in the Mileage Reporting area. That way maybe we can share what we do and what works for us.


Good idea. However, you shouldn't be intimidated by the title "mileage reporting." To be honest, there are a few of us who use the mileage forum as a "log thread." Me included. I report very little mileage and lots of non sequitors. I'm not alone. You wouldn't be either.