Broken toe, but it doesn't matter

[nisto]

Hello world,



this is Prague. Actually, I'm Norwegian, but I live in Prague (yes, Czech rep), and I've been running barefoot for a couple of months. Actually (again), 3 weeks I ran a couple of minutes every morning, before the kids woke up, then stopped for a couple of weeks because of growing totfp (top of the foot pain, right?), and then I ran one 3 km in the forest/park, and it felt wonderful. Three days later I ran even longer, but then I kicked a root, rather violently, poor root, you might say, but unlike me it appeared unhurt. I broke my big toe and needed stitches and now I'm hobbling to kindergarten and back while all the other parents say 1) what happened? 2) well, you asked for it, running barefoot like that.



And still I can't wait to get back to the very same track, back to BF running, back to that feeling of flying which I never even felt the slightest twinge of while running in shoes.

Often being the victim of some kind of hubris (sounds better than "not knowing my limits"), my plans now are Prague Marathon in May, and after that a trail ultra somewhere. Preferable one completely without roots.

So this is me.

 

[Barefoot Joe]

Woo..I can really relate to

Woo..I can really relate to you right now. I broke, fractured, and tore open my left pinkie toe 2 weeks ago. I was playing soccer on turf and kicked the hard ground at the end of a nice session.

And I was getting so good too. I just remember having a cloudy head that day and ended up losing my focus for a split second..too much thinking I guess. That combinded with in-grown weakened pinkie toes, and hard turf. Oh how I love those soft grass fields..so much more fun to play on.

So I hope you get well soon, and back to doing what nature intended you to do.

 

[Phil Hart]

Nisto:Welcome!  I'm glad to

Nisto:

Welcome! I'm glad to hear that no roots were injured in this process, but I'm very sorry to hear that your toe was. Running barefoot does require very close concentration and attention to the ground right in front of you. Heal up, go slowly, and enjoy. Our saying in the Army was always, "Stay alert, stay alive!"

Phil

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome, Nistro!  We have a

Welcome, Nistro! We have a Czech & Slovak Republic Chapter, so be sure to join here: http://www.barefootrunners.org/node/5173 You would be the 5th member there, so it's a little inactive at the moment, but hopefully, it will grow soon. Post some in the chapter to see if you get any responses. Maybe someone would be near you, so you can run together.

 

[Phil Hart]

Oh, and Nisto - I lived in

Oh, and Nisto - I lived in Stuttgart, Germany for 2.5 years, and Europeans tend to be more opinionatedly, matter-of-factly direct about how stupid they think you are for doing anything different. Consistent politeness and living an otherwise mostly sane life helped me out.

 

[nisto]

1 Watch the ground. look

1 Watch the ground. look where you're going, I know -- that is my biggest challenge at the moment. My body told me to stop, but I didn't listen, I wanted to impress my wife with how far and fast I could run barefoot (I was wearing a GPS and planning to show her afterwards/sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/Roving/party.png), and bonk, toe broken. But I'm learning.



2 Well, I *am* European, so for me the European way (if indeed there is one, Norwegians are not Italians are not Bosnians) is the norm. You might be right, but I wouldn't know. And yes, be polite; whether it is possible to lead a sane life as the merely quasi-working husband of a diplomat... perhaps. I think barefooting helps./sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/Roving/steve.png

 

[Phil Hart]

My "European" stereotype here

My "European" stereotype here is mostly Germanic, as that's what I lived with primarily. My friends in Europe sometimes thought I was stupid, but they were still tolerant and friendly to me while I continued to do what I thought best (over their criticism) and remained polite and tolerant of them as well. It worked well for me, resulting in many lifelong friends in Europe (from Germany, France, Britain, Finland, India, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, and Austria).

At least most diplomats in my experience have lived fairly pleasant but quietly insane lives. Good luck, and I hope the BFR keeps helping.

 

[paraganek]

Welcome Nisto,I am from the

Welcome Nisto,

I am from the Czech republic but for the past 11 years have been living in the States.

I would be curious to know how common running barefoot is over there these days.

Are you meeting/seeing any other barefoot runners ?

My brother lives in Prague and he did the Prague Marathon this year. He is a shoddie but I am slowly working on him

Good luck and get well soon.



Daniel

 

[nisto]

I'm the first and only one I

I'm the first and only one I know or have seen, though I'm slowly convincing two of my son's teachers at kindergarten (shows you what kind of social life I have...). Many look twice at my feet, some three or four times, some comment to their partner or whatever, a few kids point at me and run (shod) to tell their parents. As far as I can tell, I am rather alone in this -- but tell your brother that I hope to run barefoot a couple of times a week in Hvezda from July, possibly with one of the teachers, possibly with my possibly occasionally barefoot wife, perhaps he might want to join us .

 

[Jutudey]

Heisann!I am another

Heisann!

I am another Norwegian in Prague who is testing out barefoot running! That is, I haven't started proper barefoot running yet - I am running in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers I just bought.

I have just started with some careful running on the treadmill at my gym. I started with 5 minutes and I am now adding a minute or two every time I go. It is going surprisingly well and it feels great, but I am suspecting that I am either still heel-striking a bit (the VFFs still have a bit of heel cushioning) or landing to hard on my midfoot (from trying to avoid heel striking) judging from the noise . After some Internet research, I have therefore decided to try to go completely barefoot on the treadmill the next couple of times and then some careful running in the grass in the park (slaloming around all the dogpoop that the Prague parks are full of |( )

My motivation for running barefoot is to combat a case of plantar fasciitis (heel spur, hælspore) which males it very painful for me to walk after a run with normal jogging shoes.

 

[JosephTree]

Hi Nisto,I just posted a

Hi Nisto,

I just posted a note about my first spontaneous attempt at flying in the midst of a run. I was luckier in that my launch point was my big toe, and it was sore but not broken. I was still picking gravel out of my palms last night, but that was the worst of it. I even feel good enough for a run this morning after, and that's unusual - I'm usually a wimp about giving myself long recoveries after my runs.

What a good thing to find another Praha BF runner in Jutudey! Good for you both.

Jutudey, I recommend that you challenge your feet a little more. You don't need to go out for a BF 5k first thing, but it's better for you in the long run to give your feet a start at feeling rough and even almost painful textures. Maybe you could go for a BF walk and find some pavemant or trail to start the process. I love my Vibrams (Bikilas), and they have their place. They do protect more than I think you will need to get your feet moving toward "independence." Just watch out for those nasty roots!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Jutudey, I don't think the

Jutudey, I don't think the treadmill is a good place to relearn how to run with proper form at all. The movement of the belt under your feet could be confusing, and I can see how you would lose concentration. You should find a concrete or asphalt path and try running 1/4 of a mile barefoot to get a feel of what to expect. Then increase in small increments from there, normally between 1/4 of a mile to 1/2 a mile at a time.

VFFs, huaraches, and even in a pair of socks, I heel strike. The only way I cannot heel strike is to run barefoot.

I'm excited for you on this new journey you are about to take. Shed the treadmill, shed the VFFs, and you'll be just fine. Keep us posted on your progess.

P.S. Nisto & Jutudey, get about two more people in your region to join the BRS, and perhaps we can start a BRS chapter there for you!

 

[Jutudey]

Hi guys,  Thanks for the

Hi guys,



Thanks for the feedback and advice. After i posted yesterday i went to the gym and did a 6 min run on the treadmill completely barefoot, and it was an eyeopener. I noticed immedeately that i was running in a different way than i was doing during my VFF runs. I totally confirmed my suspicion of heel striking with the VFFs. I felt great and i was very exited and decided to put the VFFs away for some time and have increasinly longer runs at the gym to get used to it and then switch to VFFs and outdoor running.

Then I read your posts and got confused again...

I have to admit that when i started looking into VFFs and "barefoot" running, i never really thought that i would be going all the way to totally barefoot, it seemed too painfull to step on pebbles and other small pointy objects. This was the reason i bought the VFFs. Your posts got me thinking, especially Barefoot TJ's comment "The only way I cannot heel strike is to run barefoot."...

I am definately willing to put the VFFs away (already done!), but i am not completely willing to shed the treadmill yet. It feels to me like a safe place to get the feet ready for the new way of using muscles in the foot and calves, and i really felt that it allowed me to concentrate on how i was landing, rather than looking out for roots and pebbles.

I will try to go for a test run in the park today. I have found a 600 loop that i will try, but i think i will also use the treadmill in paralell.

 

[barefootmarc]

Glad you are here Nisto.

Glad you are here Nisto. Happy healing and as an Englishman (in theory European) who now lives in the USA I was considered crazy by my rowing friends of 30 years for running barefoot. However I am just about the only one of us who is still running any distance since they almost all have been injured. Take care.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Jutudey, excellent.  You're

Jutudey, excellent. You're getting there. I find that transitioning to this new way of running is more of a transformation. At first, we think and feel one way, then later we find we've gone down a completely different road. My BFR experience has always been an experiment. I still find myself trying this new thing or that new way, and I imagine I always will. The point is to keep your mind open, but in the end, find what works for you.

Yes, incorporating hard surfaces along with your treadmill running is a lot better than running on just the treadmill alone. After all, you have to face the real world one day anyway, right?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Oh, Jut, and how did your

Oh, Jut, and how did your test run go today?

 

[Jutudey]

HiI did an 800 meters run

Hi

I did an 800 meters run yesterday on the asphalt roads in the park.

2 immedeate conclusions:

1. This is not nearly as scary and painful as I thought it would be

2. I was definately heel striking with the VFFs



It felt really great, but it was not without any pain/discomfort.
On two occasions i stepped in a pebble with my bad heel and it was cry-out-loud painful. On both occasions it was a case of poor form step when crossing a part with very rough surfaceIn the evening i felt a couple of very sore spots on my feet. I assume this is to be expected and will dissapear once my feet get used to the rough surface. It is already fineMy plantar fascitiis hurt a lot more than normal this morning. I tried to strech quite a lot when i came home after the run. Not sure how to interpret this, but i guess it will get a bit worse before it can get better. I am considering getting the P-Step strecher that i saw TJ recommend in a previous post elsewere on this site. I might also get a night splint, although it seems very uncomfortable to sleep with.
Anyway, I have taken the first steps, and now will try to find a good mix of outdoor and indoor barefoot running over the next couple of weeks. I will give my feet a rest today, tho, even if i am iching to get back into the park for a longer lap.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Everything you've experienced

Everything you've experienced is very normal and what we all experience. The more you do it, the easier it gets and the stronger your feet will get. Keep us posted and good luck!

 

[nisto]

Another barefoot runner in

Another barefoot runner in Prague! Jutudey, this is fate. Or destiny, I always confuse those two.



I am in Croatia at the moment, after a wedding in Essen and a two-day visit two Legoland (the entire family walking barefoot most of the time until it got too hot), but I'll be back in Prague in a week's time or so. Jutudey, hvor løper du?



As for me, ran a fartlek on rough asphalt today, ran like the wind, the toe is ok, and i discovered that running fast on rough asphalt gives you sore spots too. Not used to running fast and pushing off on rough surface. Toughening my soles. Will run the same place in a couple of days.

 

[Jutudey]

Guys, Just back from

Guys,

Just back from treatment....

I have had some weeks with a mix of holiday and work on the road, and has only had some minor training/running sessions. I have gradually been running longer and longer without shoes. Sometimes with Vibrams and sometimes totally barefoot, sometimes on treadmill (as a part of my session at the gym) and sometimes outside. I even experienced getting blisters on the bottom of my feet. That was definately a "first".

Most of the times when i have been running barefoot, i have had incredibly sore and stiff calves for up to 4 days after, in spite of heavy streaching. Last week i went to the gym to do some other workout, only to find that all my favorite macines were taken. I got a bit annoyed, so i just dropped my bag in the reception, put on my Vibrams and set out running. I have to admit that I had not warmed up properly. After about 500m i stopped at my usual place for the first set of stretching. Due to previous sessions leading to very stiff and sore calves, i tried to stretch pretty hard. When i started running again it was really painful, so i had to limp home.

A visit to the doc the next day resulted in a diagnosis of Achilles Tendinitis, a prescription for ultrasound treatment, and a few weeks ban on running.

Minor setback. I am still not giving up. Just need to be more careful w the stretching in the future. Expect to be back on the horse in a few weeks time.