Is anyone else wary of running on grass?

ATL Oso

Barefooters
May 11, 2010
18
2
1
My tender feet have been THE most limiting factor to my progress. (OK...and my shameful lack of consistency!)

I really want to do more straight barefoot running, but I'm only up to a little over a mile on concrete/asphalt.

Of course, "normal" people think I'm wierd for doing that, but honestly, I feel more comfortable on harder surfaces where I can see what's ahead of me!

Grass makes me nervous for what I can't see!

Today I was doing a little run and with a particulary rough patch of gravel ahead, I took the "off road" route through some soft-looking clover and within 10 strides had two feet full of tiny prickers!

Is anyone else running into issues with grass, or is it just this Tenderfoot?

-ATL Oso

(Yes, my screen name is a reference to Born to Run..Lumbering Bear - "you won't win the race! ")
 
I'm with ya. Grass makes me

I'm with ya. Grass makes me real nervous as I like to see what I'm running through.
 
Grass is tricky.  I would

Grass is tricky. I would only run carefree on grass I knew was well maintained, like a golf course.
 
Yup, I much prefer the little

Yup, I much prefer the little rocks on the path that I can see to the big ones that have been known to hide in the grass and then jump up and attack my arch when I least expect it. And if you keep at it, eventually you do get used to the rougher roads and gravel. Promise! :)
 
With you on this one!! Only

With you on this one!! Only run on grass with my vff. Barefoot I stay on the road where I can see whats coming up!
 
Going along with what was

Going along with what was said yes I do agree grass sucks, concrete is a million times better. Just keep going slow and your feet will adapt to the rougher terrain
 
I've done stretches of grass

I've done stretches of grass here and there over the years, but I feel lucky that nothing has come out to bite me.
 
I actually love running on

I actually love running on grass. Usually I do all my sprints, skipping, backwards running and crossovers on grass. Pretty much anything that on pavement will cause too much damage.
 
Running on golf course grass,

Running on golf course grass, paricularly early in the morning when it's cool and dewey, is divine. Mystery grass on swales and such... not so much. Poop, insidious rocks, bottle caps, Gremlins, etc. Doesn't mean I haven't run over the occasional patch of it to cool my soles, though. (newbie here, too)
 
There's a lot of crap in my

There's a lot of crap in my neighbor's lawn (broken bottles, bottle caps...what a bum!) and he doesn't mow too often so it's a minefield.

I will rest my feet on grass when it's very short & I can see, otherwise yeah, grass is suspicious to my eyes. Give me a sidewalk, wood chips, or pine needles any day.
 
I love the sensation of

I love the sensation of running on grass. The thought of that is what first started me to thinking about running barefoot. I do agree that it can be risky if the grass is not short and well cared for. The only two times I have cut my foot while running barefoot was running in the grass at a nearby office park. Unfortunately, I have also found the "tiny prickers". I pretty much stick with pavement now.

BTW, Oso, are you going barefoot as much as possible, so your soles won't be so sensitive?
 
Its like running in the

Its like running in the dark...you have to have some trust...I don't run in the grass much at all.
 
The problem with grass is

The problem with grass is this. If you are not familiar with the area, such as a park or something. You can't see whats in it. Parks are notorious for people breaking beer bottles, and people pick the pieces up and throw them in the grass. Running in the grass in a situation like this, is asking for injury. Not only is glass a worry, but I myself have stepped on a rusty can on mushy grassy ground before and ripped the bottom of my foot open. Even with that happeneing, I am still a barefooter with pride. There's no better or more comfortable way to walk or run or do daily activities than to do them all barefoot! Go barefoot everywhere, you will love yourself for it! But, seriously. The grass can be evil. Know your grass before you get into it barefoot alot. When the ground is wet and mushy, thats when it's the most dangerous, the stuff in the ground that you cannot see will get you. Form is another issue. The ground is uneven and it throws your form off. If you don't have strong ankles, it's a good way to get a sprain running on grass, it's better to run on hard surfaces for form purposes in my opinion? Don't get me wrong, I love the feel of grass under my bare feet, it's a great relaxing feeling while walking. I never run in it though.
 
i got stung twice from

i got stung twice from jogging on grass! in the same park by my house-you'd think i would've learned the first time! i stick to the sidewalk now, tho i'd love to find really nice soft cut grass with no gnarly weeds, no bees, no glass, etc!
 
I've done my share of running

I've done my share of running on grass and have never had any issues. I do find it to feel a bit more abrasive than running on sidewalks though.

Yesterday I was doing a long run around the bay and there was a big dog festival thing taking place and we had to cut through the park to avoid all the dog leashes. It was my first encounter with running over sticker bushes. It was doable but not exactly pleasant. What struck me as funny is that when I run on ashpalt or concrete, if something sticks to my foot I'll shoot over to a grassy area to scuff my feet and shake it loose. In this case, I'd hop onto the concrete real quick to try to scuff the thorns off the feet.
 
answer to the question. Nope.

answer to the question. Nope. :) but I probably don't worry about a lot of stuff I maybe should worry about ;-). I like running on and through grass/feilds...not much in the way of "parks" per se where I live.