Had a great barefoot run on cement tonight

ajw1970

Barefooters
Jun 29, 2011
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I decided to give cement a try tonight... waited till the sun was getting ready to go down to let things cool off and headed out to a nice wide sidewalk system over by a financial park and college campus. As it turned out, the sidewalk ended just shy of 1 mile from where the cement started and so I ended up shorter than I was hoping for but it felt great.

I was putting to practice some tips I learned from our Iowa Chapter meeting this weekend and my speed was up slightly. I wore a cadence monitor on a rubber band around my ankle and clocked in at an average of 164 so I'm still slower than my goal of 180. Back in my shod running days I was down around 140 so I am improving.

I noticed tonight that as I control and slow my breathing my cadence slows too. I have to work at maintaining a high cadence while keeping my breathing controlled. I'm sure this is just conditioning for the most part as I was averaging 84% actual max heart rate. I also noticed tonight that the faster cadence felt lighter on my feet... nice motivation.

I'm planning on running on chip/seal again Wednesday. I'll probably do another invisible shoe run tomorrow. I'm at the point now where my barefoot distance training and my cardio training are coming together. I can't run too much further with invisible shoes without needing to slow down and bring my heart rate down... so my bare feet aren't limiting my training anymore which is great... too bad I let my cardio fall apart this year to focus on weight training.

I'm bound and determined to find a balance someday but for now the pendulum has swung back to running and this time without shoes!

Happy running!

--John
 
Isn't it fun experimenting? 

Isn't it fun experimenting? I love that about barefoot running, all the experimentation. I can try this, I can do that. It keeps the run interesting.
 
Indeed... I started out of

Indeed... I started out of curiosity but now I'm quite enjoying it and find myself itching to run with nothing but pavement beneath my feet. I haven't gone out for a trail run yet but am hoping to get one in soon!
 
I hear running is addicting,

I hear running is addicting, after you've hit a few milestones with it. I truly believe running barefoot is more addictive than running shod though. Before, when I ran in shoes, it felt like a chore. Now, if I miss a run, I feel bummed, sort of a sad feeling. It's true that barefoot running is good for you, because it keeps us wanting to run.
 
Good for you ajw!One thing

Good for you ajw!

One thing to remember thou, try to not run a distance in you sandals that you cannot covered BF even if you're feeling really good. Just sayin'
 
The theory is that by doing

The theory is that by doing so your feet ligaments/tendons get overworked and that could lead to TMTS (too much too soon) or a real injury.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.
 
TJ,I agree with your chore

TJ,

I agree with your chore observation. I actually would get a bit depressed about needing to get out and run. Now it is all I can do to not get out for multiple runs a day so I can have a quick fix of endorphins.

Gracia y paz,



a
 
Ah.... that makes sense... I

Ah.... that makes sense... I did find that the invisible shoes have more of an impact on my feet than five fingers did. I could definately run further in the VFF's than in the invisble shoes for whatever reason and got a bit of the burn in my feet that I'm used to after a truely barefoot run.

I'll take your advice and run with it ;-)

As for running shod/bare... I liked both. I was never a long distance runner though and was new to running entirely last year. I just always knew from what I had read that the form I was shooting for was a barefoot form and so the shoes seemed like a barrier to what I was aiming for.

While I'm building my miles back up now I do find myself longing to go out for a 6 or 8 mile run again like I did last year in shoes... but I shall be patient and will get there. I'm not going to injure myself with TMTS in pursuit of an injury free running form. :)
 
ajw1970- Swept concrete

ajw1970- Swept concrete sidewalks are like clouds for the feet and I've discovered in the last couple months that I can run farther and more often if I don't chew my feet up running exclusively on hot chip/seal or rocky hard-clay trails. It's all personal preference of course, but I want to run back-to-back days and not have to wait for the soles of my feet to cool down or unbruise from running exclusively tough stuff like I did in the beginning.

I was hooked on barefoot running from the outset because of the tingly legs afterward and agree that the milestones burrow in and keep me going when I think I'm hitting a plateau or suffer some weird little training set-back. Like, now I live in a hilly part of town and the form is adjusting again.

The soles of my feet literally itch to run now and I am bummed if I can't get out and give them a good pavement scratch.

Plus, any of y'all notice that there is no farmer's tan line at the ankle now?
 
Congratulations on enjoying

Congratulations on enjoying barefoot running John.

One thing I would suggest is to accept no more advice from Dama until she finds an avatar. People without avatars are shady and should be shunned.
 
Thanks talonraid!Your avatar

Thanks talonraid!

Your avatar policy is harsh! :)

I'm sure you'd make an exception if you knew her though. She's quite friendly and helpful in person. :-D
 
talonraid

talonraid said:
Congratulations on enjoying barefoot running John.

One thing I would suggest is to accept no more advice from Dama until she finds an avatar. People without avatars are shady and should be shunned.



Ha, you're just jelous because I can run longer than you...there!
 
ajw1970 wrote:Thanks

ajw1970 said:
Thanks talonraid!

Your avatar policy is harsh! :)

I'm sure you'd make an exception if you knew her though. She's quite friendly and helpful in person. :-D

That's a nice thing to say thanks ajw but if I were you I'll be very careful of Talon sometimes he can be very MEAN.
 
Dama!  You know I'm never

Dama! You know I'm never mean...unless you happen to be a rude, Pose Coach who doesn't run barefoot but likes to blame every injury a barefoot runner acquires on bad form and being barefoot while talking trash about barefoot running in the barefoot running forum. Did I leave anything out?

Oh, I'm also mean to Navy pilots who run barefoot and are jealous of AF guys.

Dama put your RW avatar on here. I like that one! It's awesome like mine.
 
talonraid wrote:  Did I

talonraid said:
Did I leave anything out?

How about the fact that the person in question things he's God?

And no, you're not mean I just want to give you grief as ussual.

I'll see if can get the avatar in here all the pics are in my husband's computer at home.
 
That's what's great about

That's what's great about this forum. None of the bull, baby, none of the bull.