Increasing the mileage on the soles?

Jaybird · May 31, 2012

Managed to do 5K barefoot today :barefoot:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/184130039

This was with just one recovery day, and I must say, my feet
do sting a bit, no blisters, but walking around this afternoon
in my Luna sandals I can still feel it. So this led me to wonder:

Can your soles really take the usual 10% increase/week? When I
was working the Portland Fit schedule the long run was increasing
a mile or even more in a week, just wondering if I can still deal with
that... ya, I know its going to vary, but what have others found?

Sometimes I hit some really rough asphalt and YOW have to be real
careful on lifting straight up, and keepin the landings soft

Shawn M Sprague · May 31, 2012

I would like to hear other opinions on this as well. I have been running BF for a couple month now and been running 2-3 miles 3 times a week. I did my first 5K a few weeks ago no more blisters bleeding etc... this past Sunday I ran 3.3 miles and felt great! Today I went to a local park and went 3.5 I had to stop my feet were very very sore! right on the ball of the foot! no blisters no missing skin just very sore??? really strange because I only felt this in the very beginning of the transition any ideas? Pace was same. Road was normal pavement. My form seemed ok so not sure why I'm so sore from this run and only adding .2 miles to my last run?

Barefooting Bob · May 31, 2012

Well, I can tell you from my experience your soles do become increasingly adapted to it. I am currently partaking in the 120 days of running at least a mile a day (I am doing 2 miles) and I just finished Day 118 (all barefoot). Distances have varied from the minimum up to a 50km trail run. I will say the soles are a little sensitive after a long run but I have been able to keep it up with no major issues. Just have to build up to it.

NickW · May 31, 2012

I think like Bob says, your soles toughen up as you build up your mileage. I've really noticed this since I started walking everywhere barefoot as well as running. Personally, I've never listened to the 10% rule though unless coming off an injury. Usually I listen to my body.

Sid · May 31, 2012

For me, going from smooth concrete sidewalks and relatively new asphalt to rough, old asphalt has taken time.

Though I usually stick close to home, I have on occasion tucked a pair of minimalist shoes in a waist pack when venturing further. Sometimes I use them, sometimes I don't. I figure it's better to put on shoes, rather than risk blisters and down time.

I've found slow and steady and stepping lightly helps!

randicoot · May 31, 2012

All last summer--my first full summer BF--my soles were really sensitized after a run for about a day and a half, even once I got up to 4 mile runs. So I ran every other day to let them recover. This year, they're sensitized not nearly as much for maybe an hour or two, and I'm up to 3 mile runs and running about 5 times a week. Road wetness makes a difference though, they're more sensitized after a wet run.
So be patient, it should get better eventually, it just might take a year or so.

Sid · May 31, 2012

I do what I can to avoid road wetness! Seems like water softens my soles enough to occasionally allow little, tiny, 1/2 millimeter pieces of rocks, glass, or whatever to work themselves into my skin. Not enough to cause any damage, but quite an annoyance. I usually find them after work, when I take off my shoes and can feel a bit of soreness in a specific area, when walking on my tile floors. Then using needle-point tweezers, I'll pluck the tiniest grain that's worked its way deep into my skin after a day of being on my feet.

Yeah, I know, weird. I guess the shoes and socks keep me from feeling it during the day. I'm not exactly a tenderfoot. I'm up to 6 miles on rough, old asphalt, but it's the little stuff that gets to me.

NickW · May 31, 2012

I must be the weird one, I go out of my way to find wet roads... My soles thank me tremendously.

Jaybird · May 31, 2012

Thanks for all the responses, my feet are already feeling pretty ok after
let's see, 9 hours rest. I have applied Hemp Foot Protector a couple times,
oh and the wife even gave me a foot massage... ahhhh

As for just listening to your body Nick, I understand that in principle, but
for instance, when I plan a run I'm usually looking at a route and that
commits me to endure some distance so I need to at least plan in a rough
way how much I'm going to run.... I've actually found that walking once
your feet get sore is not that much better so ...

I'm not yet experienced enough to know what I think of wet vs dry, I did
run thru a couple wet patches on sidewalks this morning and they felt
pretty good so I understand what Nick means

My last long run in shoes was 8 miles, so naturally I'm wanting to get
back to that kind of distance and beyond... just wondering if I can do it
in a month or if it will take more... guess I'll be the one to answer that.

Jaybird

NickW · Jun 1, 2012

We get a lot of rain here Jaybird, which you know, and I've found the concrete doesn't "grip" my soles as much when it's wet and so my soles stay better longer, until I hit about the 2 1/2 hour mark. After the 2 1/2 hour mark then they start turning prune-ish and MAY get a little soft. I can't wait for our winter to be here again, I miss the rainy runs already. I wonder if us Pac NW BFR's have a higher tolerance to wet conditions because we get so much of it and have to run wet if we are going to run bf? You know really Jaybird, I was with you in the walking when it's tender thing didn't help until I started going barefoot everywhere. After about the first two or three weeks my soles seemed to heal faster and I have less pain even though I drastically increased my mileage.

Jaybird · Jun 1, 2012

NickW said:
We get a lot of rain here Jaybird, which you know, and I've found the concrete doesn't "grip" my soles as much when it's wet and so my soles stay better longer, until I hit about the 2 1/2 hour mark. After the 2 1/2 hour mark then they start turning prune-ish and MAY get a little soft. I can't wait for our winter to be here again, I miss the rainy runs already. I wonder if us Pac NW BFR's have a higher tolerance to wet conditions because we get so much of it and have to run wet if we are going to run bf? You know really Jaybird, I was with you in the walking when it's tender thing didn't help until I started going barefoot everywhere. After about the first two or three weeks my soles seemed to heal faster and I have less pain even though I drastically increased my mileage.

I meant that if you decide to run 10K but at 5 miles you decide your soles just can't handle it, just because you stop
running and walk at that point doesn't really eliminate the problem, the transition from running barefoot to walking
barefoot at that point (not later in the day or something) does not really help in the same way that it does shod. This
is why to me having a pretty good notion of what you can handle ahead of time is desirable.

barefootandagile · Jun 1, 2012

Jaybird,

I guess you are opposed to the idea of bringing minimal shoes with you on the run and them putting them on when your soles have become to sensitive for the barefoot running?

Barefooting Bob · Jun 1, 2012

Not sure if it is a pac NW thing or not, I am smack dab in the middle of the country and I love running through puddles and wet courses. My feet also enjoy it, it all comes down to what you are used to running on or in and keeping at it to condition your feet to it.

Barefooting Bob · Jun 1, 2012

There is nothing wrong with being minimalist shoes with you on a run, I still occasionally bring mine along just in case if I am not sure what to expect. Shoes are tools and should be used that way. Damaging your feet over your pride just does not make sense.

pilotrunner · Jun 1, 2012

Even now, with one marathon and two dozen 1/2 marathons under my belt, ramping up mileage creates a bit of tenderness. I just take the next day as a rest day and hit it again on the following day.

Hasn't failed me yet.

Your tenderness sounds par for the course.

I will also add, that although the soles of my feet were a bit tender the day after the marathon, I could have easily ran another the next day.

JMHO. Your results may vary.

NickW · Jun 1, 2012

Jaybird said:
I meant that if you decide to run 10K but at 5 miles you decide your soles just can't handle it, just because you stop
running and walk at that point doesn't really eliminate the problem, the transition from running barefoot to walking
barefoot at that point (not later in the day or something) does not really help in the same way that it does shod. This
is why to me having a pretty good notion of what you can handle ahead of time is desirable.

Yes I can agree with that. I guess I really don't run to terribly far away from my home also that if I need to bail earlier than planned I can. Although, I really try not to plan my runs to much lately. Today I tried to plan (odd for me) to run 8 miles or so and at 4 miles in the humidity was killing me and I had to bail and head home. Only ran 5.48 miles today. I also brought my huaraches with me again because I seem to have reopened a cut on side of foot and yep, at 4.75ish miles it was bothering me so I had to throw them on. Nothing wrong with using footwear as tools either.

paraganek · Jun 1, 2012

NickW said:
I must be the weird one, I go out of my way to find wet roads...

You are not the only one, Nick

Longboard · Jun 1, 2012

Because of my current neck pathology I had only run one mile four different times in the first five months of this year.
This past Wednesday I ran two miles even though it had been five weeks since the last mile.
The soles of my feet felt perfectly normal during, after, and today, but my legs feel the workout ( a GOOD feeling, not a strain or anything) even as I write this.
My assumption is that bare feet on the pavement are not the limiting factor when increasing distance or mileage, but my short distances for a normaly barefoot person may not translate to the serious runner that is not a daily barefoot liver.
Why did I run? I refuse to accept the reality of the seriousness of my condition I guess.
Besides, my seven'th doc said I could!

Barefooting Bob · Jun 1, 2012

paraganek said:
You are not the only one, Nick

Ditto, went out of my way to run through some puddles and mud today on a beautiful sunny day in the 'Peg

Jaybird · Jun 1, 2012

I don't have any principled thing against carrying sandals or whatever, its just
the hassle of carrying anything, I don't even care for a water belt, but I suppose
maybe I'm just being stupid

I appreciate the encouraging responses though, I guess I'll just carry on and
see how it goes, weather permitting I will see how far I can take it tomorrow.

Increasing the mileage on the soles?

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