BF Trail Virgin

Zetti

Zetti

Barefooters
Feb 17, 2012
1,031
899
113
#1
So I went on my first real BF trail run (6mi at Duck Lake State Park), and wow is it different than road/bike trail running. I only made it 4.5mi actually BF and then had to slap on my minshoes just to finish because my feet were so tender.
Afterwards went over to the Lake MI side and ran another 1.5 on the beach. What a great weekend.
Back on topic though, the trail was heavily wooded and had tons of sticks, twigs, and pinecones on the trail. It was glorious, but at the same time painful. Looks like I need to get out and do more trail running. I loved it, but it didn’t necessarily love me back. The bottom of my feet look like they got chicken pox with all the little holes punched in my soles. I used to run trails exclusively, but after my move there are very many trails around here.
I don’t know how you guys do a lot of trail running in the mountainous regions, there must be a lot of rock.
 
#2
I wonder the same things, but everyone tells me it gets easier and better the more you do it. Apparently road running does not toughen up your soles quite like the trails do.
 
#3
NickW said:
I wonder the same things, but everyone tells me it gets easier and better the more you do it. Apparently road running does not toughen up your soles quite like the trails do.
Click to expand...
Just when I thought my feet were getting tougher...:(
 
#4
I thought the same thing a while back because I stopped getting blisters and I was able to step on branches and break them without missing a beat. I got to go trail running with migangelo a while back and I cried and whined the first mile and the last mile about all the rocks. He just cruised right along with no problem. I rarely get to run real trails though because I run with my son in his stroller so I have to mostly stick to paved trails and roads and sidewalks.
 
#5
Don't be ashamed to put the tool/shoes on if it gets to be not-fun. That's what they're for. You are doing great to get out and start the discovery process.

Trails rock!! in my opinion. I watch movies with exotic locales now and find myself thinking "Oooo! I'd like to run there!"
 
#6
I think it depends on the trail. I've been on trails that are rough but perfectly do-able barefoot and I've run on trails that you don't even try without some kind of footwear. The trick is going prepared if you aren't familiar with the trail. Here's some of my observations as a road runner on some Michigan trails:

Crushed limestone (fine): uncomfortable but do-able (Kal-Haven Trail, Kalamazoo)
Crushed limestone (coarse): too painful for me, but I'm sure some tough bastard can do it (north central trail, Gaylord)
Southwest Michigan forests: generally do-able, but you need to watch for roots and this stuff called "needles and thread" which will tear the heck out of your feet and ankles (Al Sabo preserve, Kalamazoo)
Northern Michigan hardwoods: if you're careful these are fun (shingle mill pathway, Vanderbilt)
Northern Michigan cedar swamp: great in warm weather if you can avoid root-webs, don't even try it in the winter. The deer tear up the mud, it freezes and it's like walking on knives. (shingle mill pathway, Vanderbilt)
UP trails (parks): watch out for roots and these are a blast (presque isle park, Marquette)
UP trails (hiking trails): don't even try it. Too many roots and stones (sugarloaf mountain and dead river falls, Marquette)

Note that I think there are plenty of UP hiking trails that would be fine, especially on the Lake Michigan side, but the Superior side can get treacherous if you're not prepared.
 
#8
I LOVE running trails. I remember the first time I did that. It's a totally different kind of joy, isn't it?

Steph, make your goal finishing and don't worry about your performance or speed, and you'll do fine. Worry about performance later if you want to, after you have more experience running trails.
 
#10
Then you should be okay. Nothing to be nervous about. Walk when you need to. There's no shame there. Good luck!
 
#11
Try checking out your states department of natural resources. Michigan has a trail finder on the DNRs website. Doesn't exactly give you great info, but it shows you where they are and roughly what to expect.

Also you can check out sites like AllTrails.com which has a kind of crowdsorced database of trails. Your state may also have something similar to a magazine we have here in Michigan called "west Michigan trails magazine" which should have some good info.

The biggest advice I have for your trail half is to come prepared with some back shoes and keep your eyes on the trail. I took my eyes off the trail for a second one day and BAM! I nearly broke a toe on a root. Take care out there!
 
#12
Smelph said:
I took my eyes off the trail for a second one day and BAM! I nearly broke a toe on a root. Take care out there!
Click to expand...
:eek: hahahahhahaha....nothing like a bit of encouragement!
 
#13
Going out tomorrow to scout an area along my regular run for trails. The river valley where I run is crisscrossed with single track. I have ignored the trails for years not anymore. Doing my first 50k trail ultra this fall.
 
#15
BG I am looking for those smooth dirt single track, Some times hard to find. Fortunatly there are thick top soils on the prairies. The 50k i am doing in the fall will be in the mountains and require protection
 
#16
I haven't run barefoot in a while but for what I actually started trail running before I did street running (the opposite of what most people do, ironically) and I ran into a similar problem in that I thought that my feet were plenty toughened up and able to run on street ... instead I suffered through a "re-conditioning" period which was somewhat surprising.

the bottom line is that trails surfaces are un-even, irregular, unpredictable but also yield a lot more than asphalt or concrete.

So a trail surface will beat the hell out of your feet and soles especially but will (surprisingly) not really punish your ankles or the bones in your foot (unless of course you step on a root or a really sharp rock ... ).

On the road (I noticed), it was the opposite. Really easy on the soles but due to the fact that the surface is harder and somewhat flat it takes a lot out of your calf and tendons than a trail surface wouldn't do.

That was my personal experience ... each one of us is different, so take what I said with a grain of salt. It might not apply to you.

:)
 
#17
Good information in this thread. My upcoming half is 55% single track and 45% fireroad in the Oakland, CA hills. So I have no idea if their single track is anything like the single track of the trail near my house. I am going to try to take a trip out to the course beforehand and see what the surface is actually like.
 
#19
Ya, my best races last year were on trails. I ran them in VFFs because I didn't know the courses at all. After running them I'd say they were impossible to run BF due to the rocks and crushed stone stretches. Racing them would be nearly inconcievable. People thought I was nuts to try them in my Bikilas, but I had no problems to speak of.
Have fun!
 
#20
Its nice to see that I'm not the only one who was supprised by the difference between road and trail running.
I have a trail 5k in 3 weeks and am contemplating wearing some sort of foot covering in order to have fun and not be miserable the whole time =)
 
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