2-Months In - Need Advice Please

[jakeblaser]

I officially started my barefoot transition on 9/14, which means I'm approaching the 2-month mark right around the corner. I have been running every 3rd day and adding a 1/4 mile every 3rd run, or approximately 1/4 mile per week. This will bring my total barefoot mileage to 26.5 by the end of this week and my longest run 2.5 miles.

Am I being too conservative in my transition? I read a lot of common statistics indicating that many / most runners will find they are capable of running comparable distances to their pre-transition (shod) mileage by month 3. When I read this I feel I am on a transition plan that is too conservative and that I am behind the curve. I completed a 1/2 marathon prior to my transition and regularly ran 20-40 mile weeks.

I know the transition time is different for everyone. Most importantly, I am and want to continue to be healthy and injury free. Ultimately, I will want to begin running more frequently, so I'm not sure whether I need to stay on plan or make adjustments now.

Any advice?

 

[Smelph]

first off, better to be too

first off, better to be too conservative than to be too agressive about it. Don't be in a rush.

Don't get distracted by statistics. Statistics can be misleading unless you know exactly where they come from... 33% of all runners know that!

However, when I first started I ran every other day and used time to measure things instead of distance. I began with 3 minutes (about 300 feet or so for me) and raised my time by 1 minute every other day. If I remember right though, there were a few times when I felt good enough that I broke that pattern and added a couple extra minutes and was running my first barefoot 5k after about 2 months. Knowing my own history, I may have even been too agressive about it myself, so personally I think you're in a good place right now.

I'd say keep at it the way you have. It sounds like you are doing just fine and aren't taking any unneccesary risks like I did when I started.

 

[NickW]

Everyone says 1/4 mile a week

Everyone says 1/4 mile a week is the rule or increase by 10% each week, which it appears you are following to a T which I commend you for. That is a very difficult thing to do. Everyone is different and some can progress faster than that and some are slower. Myself, I have found that I was able to progress a little faster than that, but then I also still don't put in major mileage after 7 months like others so maybe that is my saving grace. My max run right now is about 4 miles or just a little over. I have been doing that length of runs occasionaly since about a month into starting barefoot. I run 4-6 days a week, depending on how I feel. I have also had setbacks though because I have had to learn how to listen to my body and how important that is. I am military minded and have had to retrain myself not to ignore pain and not to push through it and to actually listen to that pain or uncomfort and a. either stop running or b. figure out what I'm doing wrong that is causing the problem.

I must say since I've stopped caring about distance and go out without a real plan in place and have started running based on feel, I feel much better, I've gotten healthier, and I am happier with my runs and my mileage has actually increased without me actively trying to reach a goal of mileage every week.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

I was one of those lucky ones

I was one of those lucky ones that transitioned very quickly.

But like the others say, we are all diferent.

Sometimes one needs to test our own limits. For your next run up the distance for at least .5 mi and run your new distance three more times and increase for another .5 mi and once again run the distance two three times and go from there. If everything feels good, then you're doing something right.

Everytime I built up to a new distance I will run it for at least three times and my body got really good at reconigzing how far I was going to go and then I will increase again.

Good luck and hang in there being conservative is better than being injured.

 

[Smelph]

good thinking, Dama!  In

good thinking, Dama! In fact, that reminded me of when I was getting started last fall: I would run the same distance 3-4 times in a row before raising the bar in an effort to make sure I was used to a given distance before adding on.

I'd stolen the idea from the couch to 5k program I had used to get started, in fact! hooray for theivery!

:beer:

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Smelph, I think that is a

Smelph, I think that is a very usefull tool for a new runner to apply, it works wonders.

The body becomes very eficient when subject to the same thing over and over again.

 

[jakeblaser]

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate the good advice. I think I just need to be patient and steadfast in my transition. What I'm doing right now is working well for me and I am healthy and getting stronger without injury. My mind wants to outpace my body, which is not a good thing.

Honestly, I sometimes find myself writing these posts against my better judgement; as if I'm hoping someone will give me an excuse to up the ante when I aleady have the answers. Typical of me to try to trick myself into finding a way to add mileage or run/play more often. Thanks for keeping me on target and giving me some new things to think about.