I am so excited to find this on-line community -- I hope this becomes a new "home" for me. If I am new to barefoot running, but have been running and doing Tai Chi for years, and barefoot running feels so natural. Hopefully I can start helping newcomers soon.
I have very high arches and was told to stop running in high school after suffering from stress fractures. I was told I might be able to run a few miles a day after I recovered, but I would never again be able to do the 10-mile training sessions I had worked up to.
I have been running off and on for years, trying to find a way to run that does not put too much stress on my arches and knees. When I could not run, I did Tai Chi. I found it was a good way to recover from foot and knee pain. Tai Chi's mindful movements helped me find ways to move pain free.
I just read "Born to Run" and was initially upset with the book. I wanted some instruction on how to get started! I kept reading it, and felt inspired to go out and try it, but I was waiting for the "how to" section.
As I finished the book, I realized that I already had my instruction. I just needed to figure out a way to do just the best stuff that both my running coach and my Tai Chi instructors had been trying to teach me. I started changing my stride in my running shoes, and was able to run with much less foot and knee tension. It just felt good.
After finishing the book, I decided to just give a barefoot run a try. I saw YouTube videos of Barefoot Ted running in city streets, and I just had to know what barefoot running on asphalt felt like. I could not even imagine! Too weird.
As soon as I took off my shoes and started running on asphalt tracks near my home, my stride changed even more drastically, and I realized -- wow. This is fun. I did 5k barefoot that first day over a variety of terrain. I normally do 7k, and part of me really wanted to do my whole regular run. It felt so nice doing it barefoot. I remembered the "start slow" advice that I had read and cut the last loop off my normal run.
I felt great during the run and after. My arches and knees actually felt better than usual. I felt the workout a little more in my calves, but I was used to feeling that way after doing a lot of Tai Chi. It was just new to feel that way after running!
I did overdo it the next day -- I did 5k of barefoot running, with about half the run on a flat, fine, gravel trail. My soles got really sensitive, so I put on sandals to run another 5k back home. I cannot remember the last time I even tried to do 10k in a day, and it felt great.
My feet were a bit torn up and sensitive after the 10k. I got my first toe blisters that day. The next day, I put my shoes back on to run and laughed. I had blisters, but none in the places where I used to have them. My shoes felt so warm and comfy in these cushioned shoes. I used the same gait that I had barefoot and did a very comfortable 5k.
I just read this wonderful "how to" article in the library. I guess I skipped steps 1-4 and went straight to step 5!
I do not recommend this approach to anyone who is getting started here. I think I got away with it because I have always loved being barefoot and have been practicing Tai Chi barefoot for years on a variety of outdoor surfaces. Plus, my high arches have meant that I never got "good" arch support from regular running shoes. I was probably easing into a barefoot style over the past 10 years. When I read "Born to Run" it helped me put together all these separate things I had been practicing, and it just felt great.
When I am not running I am a project manager, consultant, professional speaker, and corporate trainer. I look forward to sharing stories with everyone here. I love to write and to speak, so hopefully I will be able to share some videos or articles as I learn. If anyone wants help editing or proofreading their barefoot running articles, let me know. I really enjoy helping people find their own "voice" when they write, and can help clean up any technical problems in your writing or speaking.
If you want to know WAY too much about me, read everything at http://www.alexsbrown.com and http://rlprj.com. Most of the stuff there is about project leadership (my professional side), but I believe that running is life and project management is life -- perhaps for me project management is running, too.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to this community. I am looking forward to learning and growing with you all.
I have very high arches and was told to stop running in high school after suffering from stress fractures. I was told I might be able to run a few miles a day after I recovered, but I would never again be able to do the 10-mile training sessions I had worked up to.
I have been running off and on for years, trying to find a way to run that does not put too much stress on my arches and knees. When I could not run, I did Tai Chi. I found it was a good way to recover from foot and knee pain. Tai Chi's mindful movements helped me find ways to move pain free.
I just read "Born to Run" and was initially upset with the book. I wanted some instruction on how to get started! I kept reading it, and felt inspired to go out and try it, but I was waiting for the "how to" section.
As I finished the book, I realized that I already had my instruction. I just needed to figure out a way to do just the best stuff that both my running coach and my Tai Chi instructors had been trying to teach me. I started changing my stride in my running shoes, and was able to run with much less foot and knee tension. It just felt good.
After finishing the book, I decided to just give a barefoot run a try. I saw YouTube videos of Barefoot Ted running in city streets, and I just had to know what barefoot running on asphalt felt like. I could not even imagine! Too weird.
As soon as I took off my shoes and started running on asphalt tracks near my home, my stride changed even more drastically, and I realized -- wow. This is fun. I did 5k barefoot that first day over a variety of terrain. I normally do 7k, and part of me really wanted to do my whole regular run. It felt so nice doing it barefoot. I remembered the "start slow" advice that I had read and cut the last loop off my normal run.
I felt great during the run and after. My arches and knees actually felt better than usual. I felt the workout a little more in my calves, but I was used to feeling that way after doing a lot of Tai Chi. It was just new to feel that way after running!
I did overdo it the next day -- I did 5k of barefoot running, with about half the run on a flat, fine, gravel trail. My soles got really sensitive, so I put on sandals to run another 5k back home. I cannot remember the last time I even tried to do 10k in a day, and it felt great.
My feet were a bit torn up and sensitive after the 10k. I got my first toe blisters that day. The next day, I put my shoes back on to run and laughed. I had blisters, but none in the places where I used to have them. My shoes felt so warm and comfy in these cushioned shoes. I used the same gait that I had barefoot and did a very comfortable 5k.
I just read this wonderful "how to" article in the library. I guess I skipped steps 1-4 and went straight to step 5!
I do not recommend this approach to anyone who is getting started here. I think I got away with it because I have always loved being barefoot and have been practicing Tai Chi barefoot for years on a variety of outdoor surfaces. Plus, my high arches have meant that I never got "good" arch support from regular running shoes. I was probably easing into a barefoot style over the past 10 years. When I read "Born to Run" it helped me put together all these separate things I had been practicing, and it just felt great.
When I am not running I am a project manager, consultant, professional speaker, and corporate trainer. I look forward to sharing stories with everyone here. I love to write and to speak, so hopefully I will be able to share some videos or articles as I learn. If anyone wants help editing or proofreading their barefoot running articles, let me know. I really enjoy helping people find their own "voice" when they write, and can help clean up any technical problems in your writing or speaking.
If you want to know WAY too much about me, read everything at http://www.alexsbrown.com and http://rlprj.com. Most of the stuff there is about project leadership (my professional side), but I believe that running is life and project management is life -- perhaps for me project management is running, too.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to this community. I am looking forward to learning and growing with you all.
