Awestruck at mall strike

Bare Lee

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
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Saint Paul
#1
Wow, the other night as I was waiting outside Forever 21 with the kids while my wife was choosing clothes to send to Mozambique, I began chasing them around. It was close to closing and almost no one was around. I had put on some relatively thin deck shoes from Target to avoid embarrassing my wife at the Mall, and noticed I was heel-striking as I chased my kids. I corrected to a forefoot landing and it didn't feel that natural with shoes on. So I guess what everyone says about shoes and heel-striking is true, I no longer have to take their word for it.
 
#2
It is interesting isn't it. I used to feel like I had to forefoot everything at one point, but no longer dwell on it. When I play basketball I still heel strike. Heel striking is not always bad actually, especially when playing sports. I was a running heel striker for 18 years without injury, my body can take it when needed. It's good to be versatile.
 
#3
Yah, it's fascinating how much the topic of feet and shoes can be. Who would've thunk it? Now I'm halfway tempted to put on my Nike Free 2.0s, which I only used over a handful of runs during the winter of 2010-11, and see what it's like . . . I've only run consistently twice before in my life, once barefoot and once shod, but before I was aware of 'barefoot running' as a specific category, I never gave it that much thought, and did fine each time.
 
#4
:eek:
 
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#5
Bare Lee said:
Yah, it's fascinating how much the topic of feet and shoes can be. Who would've thunk it? Now I'm halfway tempted to put on my Nike Free 2.0s, which I only used over a handful of runs during the winter of 2010-11, and see what it's like . . . I've only run consistently twice before in my life, once barefoot and once shod, but before I was aware of 'barefoot running' as a specific category, I never gave it that much thought, and did fine each time.
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So be a bit careful with this. I did the same thing with normal shoes. I'd been running about 75% minimal/barefoot and 25% in my nike frees and I put on regular shoes for the first time in like 4 months- yeah totally messed up my peraformis muscle in a matter of like four miles. And for the record, I run barefoot because its fun, not because I had injuries in shoes. I assume the same would be true if going from all minimal/bare and then putting on the nike frees. I think the jump is probably pretty similar. I've actually been tempted to do the same thing now that I haven't run in anything but real minimal shoes in forever. My frees are my gym and aerobic shoes, I'd like to see what running in them would be like now, but I'm afraid of hurting myself like I did the time I put on regular shoes. I think if you want to wear shoes there is almost a transisitioning back into shoes that would have to take place.
 
#6
ajb422 said:
So be a bit careful with this. I did the same thing with normal shoes. I'd been running about 75% minimal/barefoot and 25% in my nike frees and I put on regular shoes for the first time in like 4 months- yeah totally messed up my peraformis muscle in a matter of like four miles. And for the record, I run barefoot because its fun, not because I had injuries in shoes. I assume the same would be true if going from all minimal/bare and then putting on the nike frees. I think the jump is probably pretty similar. I've actually been tempted to do the same thing now that I haven't run in anything but real minimal shoes in forever. My frees are my gym and aerobic shoes, I'd like to see what running in them would be like now, but I'm afraid of hurting myself like I did the time I put on regular shoes. I think if you want to wear shoes there is almost a transisitioning back into shoes that would have to take place.
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Yah, thanks for pointing that out, but like I said, I was only halfway tempted ;) . That's my way of saying I tested it out mentally, found it intriguing, but failed to pass the shod run from my imagination onto whatever part of the brain actually motivates you to do something physical. I'm like you, I run barefoot cuz I likes it. I never had any shoddie injuries, but I only ran shod consistently for about two years, 3x week, 5 miles per run, so I didn't really put in the mileage over time to get all those lovely repetitive stress injuries veteran runners talk about. All my other shod running has been sporadic. And I have no intention of buying any more minimalist shoes. My Moc3s are just fine for those winter days when it's too cold to run barefoot. I know people who do very technical trails have to put on shoes, but for me, I think I'd rather just stick to less technical trails so I can maintain the joyousness of actual existing barefoot-barefoot running. It's such a gas, I dig each and every step.
P.S., I don't know what you're doing in the gym, but you might want to try it all barefoot. I'm pretty much barefoot all the time anyway, but your balance and stability are a lot better barefoot for things like lifts and jumps.
 
#7
Bare Lee said:
Yah, it's fascinating how much the topic of feet and shoes can be. Who would've thunk it? Now I'm halfway tempted to put on my Nike Free 2.0s, which I only used over a handful of runs during the winter of 2010-11, and see what it's like . . . I've only run consistently twice before in my life, once barefoot and once shod, but before I was aware of 'barefoot running' as a specific category, I never gave it that much thought, and did fine each time.
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I am thinking about buying a pair of running shoes with a little bit of a raised heel like the Nike Free's. My PF flared up so bad Monday afternoon after running bf on the treadmill that I could barely walk. After wearing my old hiking shoes yesterday for just a couple hours my PF had calmed down and I was able to walk without pain again. I wouldn't want to try running in these though because they are slightly too narrow and are not very flexible and are pretty heavy and not ventilated well at all. Having a real debate with myself if I will ever be able to be mostly barefoot or if I am going to have to return to shoes...
 
#8
Bare Lee said:
Yah, it's fascinating how much the topic of feet and shoes can be. Who would've thunk it? Now I'm halfway tempted to put on my Nike Free 2.0s, which I only used over a handful of runs during the winter of 2010-11, and see what it's like . . . I've only run consistently twice before in my life, once barefoot and once shod, but before I was aware of 'barefoot running' as a specific category, I never gave it that much thought, and did fine each time.
Click to expand...

Problem is the toe box on those Nike's are so gosh-darn narrow. I shudder when I look at my Nike Shox in near-perfect condition that I wasted $125 on last year, about 2 months before my barefoot "revelation". The ends are so narrow they almost look like pointy-toe shoes.
 
#9
NickW said:
I am thinking about buying a pair of running shoes with a little bit of a raised heel like the Nike Free's. My PF flared up so bad Monday afternoon after running bf on the treadmill that I could barely walk. After wearing my old hiking shoes yesterday for just a couple hours my PF had calmed down and I was able to walk without pain again. I wouldn't want to try running in these though because they are slightly too narrow and are not very flexible and are pretty heavy and not ventilated well at all. Having a real debate with myself if I will ever be able to be mostly barefoot or if I am going to have to return to shoes...
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If you're interested and wear size 10, I'd be happy to send my Nike Frees to you. I ran in them two weeks in Nov 2010, two weeks in Dec 2010, and then the month of January 2011, so they're in pretty good condition.
I think it's fine to wear shoes while you're healing up. If it's true that cushy running shoes act as braces or soft casts, then that would be a logical use for them. Maybe try just one barefoot run per week and the others in shoes, but give the barefoot action a complete rest for a month or two. I got really discouraged while I was waiting for my left shoulder to heal up. It took me a while to figure out the right combination of rest and strengthening it through different weight exercises. I'm just now trusting it enough to push the power cleans, shoulder press, and upright rows a bit. It feels like it's been taking forever to reestablish my previous fitness level, and I still have 6-12 months to go.
 
#10
PatrickGSR94 said:
Problem is the toe box on those Nike's are so gosh-darn narrow. I shudder when I look at my Nike Shox in near-perfect condition that I wasted $125 on last year, about 2 months before my barefoot "revelation". The ends are so narrow they almost look like pointy-toe shoes.
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Yah, I have some Asics Kayanos that I only ran in a couple of times. Now I use them for rowing. A complete waste of money.
 
#11
Barefoot Gentile said:
It is interesting isn't it. I used to feel like I had to forefoot everything at one point, but no longer dwell on it. When I play basketball I still heel strike. Heel striking is not always bad actually, especially when playing sports. I was a running heel striker for 18 years without injury, my body can take it when needed. It's good to be versatile.
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I am going to have to strongly disagree - basketball can be very hard on the knees and heel striking primarily affects the knees and hips. ESPN.com even had an article on how dwayne wade is a heel striker when he runs which possible has contributed to wear and tear on his legs (he is injury prone).
 
#12
mykroberts said:
I am going to have to strongly disagree - basketball can be very hard on the knees and heel striking primarily affects the knees and hips. ESPN.com even had an article on how dwayne wade is a heel striker when he runs which possible has contributed to wear and tear on his legs (he is injury prone).
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probably true, but I'd bet all the cutting, shuffling, and jumping takes a greater toll than his straight-out running.
 
#13
Bare Lee said:
If you're interested and wear size 10, I'd be happy to send my Nike Frees to you. I ran in them two weeks in Nov 2010, two weeks in Dec 2010, and then the month of January 2011, so they're in pretty good condition.
I think it's fine to wear shoes while you're healing up. If it's true that cushy running shoes act as braces or soft casts, then that would be a logical use for them. Maybe try just one barefoot run per week and the others in shoes, but give the barefoot action a complete rest for a month or two. I got really discouraged while I was waiting for my left shoulder to heal up. It took me a while to figure out the right combination of rest and strengthening it through different weight exercises. I'm just now trusting it enough to push the power cleans, shoulder press, and upright rows a bit. It feels like it's been taking forever to reestablish my previous fitness level, and I still have 6-12 months to go.
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Guess I got big feet, tried on some free's and free runs today and am an 11.5 lengthwise, but the nike's are too narrow. I did try on the kinavara 3's and really liked the fit of them better. I also liked the way they ran better than the free's. The free's seemed to "grab" the ground with all the seams. Was a weird feeling. I am going to try some NB shoes when I can get over to the outlet store. NB tends to make wide sizes so I want to see before I buy the kinavara's.
 
#14
pf won't go away by wishing and hoping. buying cushy shoes is a gateway to orthotics. you have to be aggressive with pf. look for those trigger points i showed you. roll with a golf ball and ice water bottle. look for trigger points in your calfs as well.

going bf is a big help but i found when i switched to wearing regular shoes for work it came back with vengeance and is stubbornly sticking around. it's getting much better and i can feel the points are smaller each time i work them out.
 
#15
Mike, I've stretched I've rolled I've massaged and I've tried to find trigger points. Stop the elitist crap, I'm an injured runner who's trying to get healthy, even if that means wearing shoes for a little bit. Going barefoot makes mine worse btw Mike.
 
#16
NickW said:
Mike, I've stretched I've rolled I've massaged and I've tried to find trigger points. Stop the elitist crap, I'm an injured runner who's trying to get healthy, even if that means wearing shoes for a little bit. Going barefoot makes mine worse btw Mike.
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If shoes make you feel better -do it. But don't give up on going barefoot. Try transitioning again in the future, just go about it differently than you did the first time.
 
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#17
Bare Lee said:
P.S., I don't know what you're doing in the gym, but you might want to try it all barefoot. I'm pretty much barefoot all the time anyway, but your balance and stability are a lot better barefoot for things like lifts and jumps.
Click to expand...


When I lift and do jumpy things, or use the stair master or elliptical I do it all in my Zems. Bikes and rowing require shoes. I don't go barefoot anywhere other than the martial arts room where it is actually mandated, I just don't want to be that "weird barefoot person" at the gym. Its a student gym and I teach alot of them so zems are a good inbetween.


PatrickGSR94 said:
Problem is the toe box on those Nike's are so gosh-darn narrow. I shudder when I look at my Nike Shox in near-perfect condition that I wasted $125 on last year, about 2 months before my barefoot "revelation". The ends are so narrow they almost look like pointy-toe shoes.
Click to expand...

This is my problem now. My nike frees I fixed by going out and buying a half sized bigger, and they are slightly wider than the rest of the nike line anyway. The problem is I need new ones and they've redesigned the line and they have a narrower box. I can't do my aerobic tapes bare foot, I do them with like 30 pounds of weights strapped to various areas of my body, including my ankles which require something to hold them on. I do wish there were some "normal" shoes that were much wider, whatever happened to having the wide option in shoes.

Bare Lee said:
If you're interested and wear size 10, I'd be happy to send my Nike Frees to you. I ran in them two weeks in Nov 2010, two weeks in Dec 2010, and then the month of January 2011, so they're in pretty good condition.
I think it's fine to wear shoes while you're healing up. If it's true that cushy running shoes act as braces or soft casts, then that would be a logical use for them. Maybe try just one barefoot run per week and the others in shoes, but give the barefoot action a complete rest for a month or two. I got really discouraged while I was waiting for my left shoulder to heal up. It took me a while to figure out the right combination of rest and strengthening it through different weight exercises. I'm just now trusting it enough to push the power cleans, shoulder press, and upright rows a bit. It feels like it's been taking forever to reestablish my previous fitness level, and I still have 6-12 months to go.
Click to expand...

I'd totally take you up on that if it was my size. Alas, while having huge feet for a girl, they are not quite a ten in what I assume are men's shoes.

I used my regular running shoes through my stress reaction to run like 3 miles or so at a time. Worked fine, I just never pushed passed three after messing up my muscles. I don't think it was that I'd have been injured running shod anyway, I was fine in shoes (except some minor shin splints), it was just very different mechanics and going from 0-6 was a bad idea. Just like someone going out and running 6 miles barefoot who'd either never done that or hadn't done it in a long long time would be.
 
#18
jldeleon said:
If shoes make you feel better -do it. But don't give up on going barefoot. Try transitioning again in the future, just go about it differently than you did the first time.
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I never said a word about giving up on barefoot running. Sometimes Mike has a hard time understanding that being barefoot does not cure all. Sometimes you do need help from tools. Being barefoot helped me learn a much better and gentler form which helped my back pain go away. I love running barefoot, but I also don't want to be in constant pain in my heels where nothing I do really seems to help much. I am going to explore all options available to me to help get rid of this dang PF. Obviously being barefoot hasn't helped as it has not gotten better since it started in Nov-Dec. I have to try something, can't keep doing the same things over and over and over with no results other than a temporary relief.
 
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#19
"I just don't want to be that "weird barefoot person" at the gym."

Yah, some gyms are silly like that. You can pour sweat and saliva over everything, or wear shorts so skimpy your pubes stick out, but don't track in any dirt unless it's with your shoes, or they just don't realize that most foot ailments like athlete's foot aren't inherent, they're caused by shoes.

"I'd totally take you up on that if it was my size."

Cool, if there is anyone else interested, let me know. I'll go down later and confirm the size, they might be 10.5.
 
#20
hmm nick. do i come across as being elitist? not trying to. i should have said don't buy shoes when you already have quite a few. for me buying bigger and cushier shoes made my pf come on and get worse. it dissipated on it's own for a bit but never went away. shoes are tools and they'll give you some relief but using them as default will just make the pf worse. been there, done that. check other forums on pf and it echos with everyone.

it's no fun. i feel your pain there.
 
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