A dane in Adelaide

[Owood]

Hi BRS

This is me, 21yo male danish student, doing a semester in Adelaide and I decided to lose my shoes from now on. As I am a barefoot newbie, I'd love to meet up, take a run and maybe get a few opinions on my form (the way I land that is) if there is anyone in Adelaide?

I like the idea of running barefeet, so no fivefingers or me, and Adelaide is really clean, and youre not allowed to drink anywhere, so pavement is secure.

As I just started the previous week, I'm not running any distance yet, just running up along the beach (on the pavement). I've actually done it 4/6 days, but its been less than >1k each, and going slow. No problems yet, but when I run, my calves get tired pretty quickly, nd furthermore I find it hard to run fast without landing heel first. I am still trying to figure out the technique.

I used to run intermediate level shodded. Thats running 2-3 times a week, peaking with a danish 13,3K hill run in just 59.48. My friend suggested I should participate in the Adelaide City Bay Fun Run, thats 12k. The time and distance is no problem for me shodded, but I'm wondering whether I'll be ready to run that distance barefeet in 42 days?

Looking forward to learn from and share with you guys

Cheers

 

[dutchie53]

Welcome, glad to have you here. Looking forward to hearing for how you are progressing with your journey as time goes.

 

[Neil_D]

Hello Oskar,
Just read your post after seeing your thread in the Australia forum. I have run in a few races around the city over the years. I have considered the City-Bay but two things made me hesitant, first is the number of runners (too many people for me) and second, the road is quite rough in places, definitely not for a newbie and especially if you have only been doing 1km runs barefoot. Your calves wouldn't have the strength to go the full distance. It takes quite a long time to get enough kilometres into your legs to get that strength. I had numerous calf strains in the early days by doing too much too soon. There are a few free races and runs that you can try if you are still around later in the year. The Christmas Day fanatics fun run is a favorite of mine.
Check out http://www.sarrc.asn.au/ for info on running events
Neil

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome!

 

[Owood]

Thanks guys

@Neil: Aww, I thought that my shodded running experience and 40 days would be enough for a short 12K run. Not with a lot of stretching (yoga+extra on the feet and lower legs) either? Rough as in rougher than tarmac?

Do you have any second opinion on whether I could keep on practicing barefoot and just do the occasional shodded run once a week, then do the 12k shodded, and then skipping shoes forever after that?

 

[Neil_D]

Hello Oskar.
I don't know what weekly distances you were covering with shoes on before transitioning to barefoot running but I do know that the transformation does not take place in such a short period of time. You could do it running at a very slow pace but you may find the adrenalin kick of being surrounded by 10's of thousands of people causes you to run beyond what your muscles are capable of. You will only know when it is too late and your calf suddenly goes into a spasm and you will have a long painful walk back. This very thing happened to me 2 years ago, I was over confident, thought I knew how to barefoot run and went on a long winter run during the evening, My calf went at 6km without warning and I had to walk very slowly back.
As for Anzac Highway where the City-Bay race is run down. There are a few patches that have been relaid with nice bitumen the rest is rough chip seal which is very broken up in places. I would not run barefoot down there, unless I had a clear view of the road ahead. That's my opinion.
Regards

Neil

 

[Phil Hart]

Oskar:

Neil is unpleasantly but completely correct. TMTS (too much too soon) is or was the cause of injuries for many of us here in the early stages of transitioning to BF. Slow and steady is the only way to win or even finish this transition without injury. It was a metatarsal head stress fracture for me - 10 very painful weeks off from running. And he's right on the money with BF being difficult in a crowd. You've got to be able to see the road just ahead of you to safely run BF. Welcome to the crew, and enjoy. I hope you're able to find some friends to run with in Australia; North Carolina is a bit too far for me to drive and meet you. Sorry, but glad to have you with us.

 

[Kim-dk]

1,5 year ago I began with 3 km on tarmac in Merrell trail glove after running 200-250 km a month in normal shoes the previous winter. I slowly increased the distance in the trail glove an ran my first 5 km 2 month later. I continued to run "normal shoes" and finished my first marathon in Saucony Kinvara 6 month later (had to do that the year i turned 40)

This winter i completely switched to minimalist shoes and have completed my first ½ marathon in those.

Since you are in Australia i guess you can buy Barefoot Ken Bob´s book, which would give you a good start.

Har du ikke tålmodigheden til det, så er her er lidt mere teori:

her er en video der viser lidt om det
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zSIDRHUWlVo#!


Merrell opsumere det meget godt her
http://www.merrell.com/UK/en/Barefoot_Bareform

http://posemand.dk/ har nogle fif til hvordan man løber.

 

[Owood]

I wont be running City Bay barefooted it seems, thanks heaps for making that clear Neil.
Well Phil, your excuse is valid enough, nice of you anyway
So what youre saying is, Kim, that I can keep on transitioning slowly(!) to barefoot running, and just for the next 40 days simultaneously practice shodded runs and eventually do the city bay run?

 

[Kim-dk]

Yes - you can do that, but ...

The best way is to stop running in shoes and completely focus on the new form, so the to running forms do not get mixed. Howeverif you are used to running a lot (and can not live without it) and/or have something you "have to do" and do not have the time for make the change it can be done.

 

[Neil_D]

Hi Phil,
I didn't think I was being unpleasant. I just don't like people making mistakes they will regret. I know its hard to pass on your experiences to others but I guess none of us like seeing those stories hitting the press of the people who have been injured by running barefoot and how bad it is.

Regards

Neil

 

[Phil Hart]

My apologies, Neil - the unpleasantness I was referring to was that of the hard truth you were sharing itself, not of your wise and generous sharing of it. Sorry to have miscommunicated. Thanks,