Transition question

reddragon317

Barefooters
Aug 2, 2011
9
0
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I am relatively new to BF running and am enjoying it a great deal (history of knee problems has prevented running for many years). While I'm transitioning to "naked" feet I am utilizing BF techniques (i.e. forfoot strike, shorter/quicker strides) during my shod runs as allowed me to run again.



I do have a question about the transition. Is it better to run BF several shorter distances each week (i.e. 0.7 miles x 5) or a few longer distances? (i.e. 1 mile x 3)?



Thanks in advance,



Best regards,

Michael
 
Michael,So much has to do

Michael,

So much has to do with an individual's sense of his/her feet that there really isn't a pat answer beyond "less is more" when one is first starting out. The most conservative information that I remember reading said start with about 50 yards completely barefoot three times a week and each week after the first increase by ten percent of the previous week's distance. On the other hand, one will quite regularly hear "Your feet are your coach and will tell you how much is too much."

Personally, given the two options you have provided, I would chose C. fewer shorter distances to start off with the understanding that my feet will coach me to let me know if and when I can increase both distance and frequency. Likely I would increase in that order as well (distance then frequency).

At the end of the day one does not want to do Too Much Too Soon (TMTS) and risk injury. I hope there is something helpful in my jabber-jawing.

Gracia y paz,

a
 
I think shorter distances,

I think shorter distances, but I wouldn't back to back them right away. You'll find one of the big mantra's here is "listen to your body", but personally I found that mine was a bit of a liar. Bone, tendons ect.... just take longer to heal than muscle and sometimes problems don't show up right away. Also be really careful with mixing shod and barefoot runs. I did this (against everyone's advice :-D) and you do have to be pretty careful. Remember your feet will be a bit weakened as it is adjusting and growing stronger with the bf running. This means doing stupid things in shoes will hurt you, just as doing stupid things barefoot will. Running too fast, downhill too hard, ect.... in shoes while transistioning is just as damaging as doing that barefooted before you are ready. Those two things are what I blame for my tendonitis and stress fracture respecitvely. I don't think that mixing barefoot and shod runs is inherently bad, even though many people here disagree with me, but I do think you have to realize your feet are undergoing massive changes and you need to be more careful than you were before you started transistioning.
 
You definitely want to run

You definitely want to run shorter distances to start with, about 1/4 to 1/2 mile at a time, and yes, do take a day off in between. I know this doesn't sound like what you want to hear and would prefer to do more, but we have found that running conservatively will keep you from getting injured. We have also found that our musculoskeletal system adapts to the change in running form at about the same rate our plantar skin does, so being sure to make all of your runs barefoot will keep you from doing too much too soon.