Feeling abit of New Years Eve Crazyness to break into barefoot!

furious_angels80

furious_angels80

Barefooters
Dec 19, 2010
16
0
1
#1
Dunno why but I feel just going for a very very short run tomorrow morning to get into barefoot running with it being the new year ect, only problem is the area I live in is just basic concreate and tarmac which i dont think is the best start, plus its about 1-5 degrees, but no ice at last!

Do i risk it barefoot or keep to vibrams? and if i do risk it how far should i go? 200m? 500m? or half a mile? my past running experiance is mainly 5k and 10k runs.
 
#2
Well, first, the harder

Well, first, the harder surfaces are the best to start out on to learn how to run with proper barefoot running form. Concrete and asphalt are perfect surfaces for this. The reason is when the surface is everchanging due to the softness or unevenness, you are unable to focus on each stride. When the surface is consistent throughout, you develop a rythymn and are better able to work on your form. I like to say, you can't learn a lesson when the answer changes with each footfall.

Other than that, don't risk frostbite, and be sure to carry your VFFs with you. Try to warm your feet up with the car's heater before stepping out into the cold, keep your core warm (bundle up with lots of layers), wear a knitted cap and cover your ears. We are finding that as we keep our bodies warm our feet stay warmer than they would if we didn't. Only run for 1/4 to 1/2 mile at a time and then reaccess how you feel, whether or not you should put your VFFs on.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
 
#3
Will do Im going first thing

Will do :)

Im going first thing in the morning, just hope it aint too dark to see any thing that could hurt me, ill prob stick to the road just to be on the safe side :)
 
#4
Do you have any head lights? 

Do you have any head lights? Around my waist, I wear one going forward (white light) and one going backward (red light). Then I have a couple of blinking lights. People can see me, and I can see them...and where I'm going.
 
#5
It might be, but then your

It might be, but then your feet might get a little wet from sweating...if you sweat as quickly as I do. Then if your feet are wet from sweat, they will not only be colder but also stuff will stick to them easier, and you will feel it more. See my post above this one about the lights, since I think you were posting while I was posting.
 
#6
btw would it be worth warming

btw would it be worth warming up in my shods first just to get the blood pumping say a 5mins jog?

As for the light i dont :-(, but the street is quite well lit with loads of street lights....if you really want to look where im running with the magic of google street view you can see my road :D, look for larne road, lincoln :)
 
#7
Yeah, you could probably warm

Yeah, you could probably warm up in the VFF's, as long as you were actually warming up your feet and they weren't just getting colder. I've had mixed results trying to warm up with shoes on and then taking them off, but I still haven't learned to run very well in my huaraches, so I probably just take them off to early. And sometimes its just too cold for your feet to handle, no matter how much you warm up. 1/4 to 1/2 would be plenty, especially at that temperature.

I'm kinda starting to think that winter might be a good time to start running barefoot, just because the cold temperature prevents you from over-doing it. I ran in snow for the first time the other day, and I could only go like 200 yards before my feet started to get numb and I turned around. Really annoying if you can already run barefoot and want to go further, but it might be an extra signal that its time to stop for those who haven't learned how to listen very well.
 
#8
That might not always be true

That might not always be true for everyone though, Danjo. SayPay shared the other day that he went for a good usual length run barefoot in the snow, said his feet felt "great" all throughout, but when he got back to his car, his feet were covered in blisters (one picture looked like the start of frostbite). Yikes!
 
#9
Well i did it!!! But i must

Well i did it!!! :D

But i must of only managed about 1/4 mile, my feet started to go abit numb and i felt every single tiny grain of gravel! took my Vibrams with me and did a steady pace back.

Now my feet feel like ive had a cheese grater rubbed all over them, i take that his is all normal?
 
#10
Normal ?  Yup.  It's all part

Normal ? Yup. It's all part of the training ! Take it slow, and be patient with progression. Most of all listen to your feet.
 
#11
 I'm not sure I'd say a

I'm not sure I'd say a cheese grater feeling is normal? Maybe rough sandpaper but a cheesegrater seems a bit extreme even for a first time out.
 
#12
You'll get used to it.  Just

You'll get used to it. Just keep at it in short amounts, especially through the winter cold.
 
#13
I think cheese grater was

I think cheese grater was abit harsh, but yeah rough sandpaper and coldness when i got to the point i ha to put my vibrams on, I think i might keep to my vibrams for the winter and build up my barefoot in the spring/sumer when the pavement is abit warmer.....but the temptation to do it again intruiges me :)

My missus called me a freak and asked if i was drunk from celebrations last night...no dear i wasnt :D
 
#14
I think you're getting off

I think you're getting off way too easily here. When I did this phase of training I was completely alone and operating in the dark. I remember the sandpaper / cheesegrater days very well. I had to take it on faith that that wouldn't be a permanent condition.

You're doing fine! Enjoy each step and you'll come along splendidly. BTW, your wife's probably right anyway - you're just a sober freak.
 
#15
He's just naturally high.

He's just naturally high.
 
#16
My feet have felt that cheese

My feet have felt that cheese grater feeling before. Yup. I have to say cheese grater and not sand paper. But, I'm a bit of a sucker for pain. I find that wearing a nice thick pair of cushy wool socks after my runs helps to deal with the cheese grater feeling afterward. The worst of the pain will usually be gone by the next day. Good luck!
 
#17
sounds like a good way to

sounds like a good way to describe how my feet feel after a long run over a lot of gravel. the soles "sing" all day so i have to wear water socks or cushy thongs while walking around. i did a bf run in the dark last night after running with vff. feet got cold but i have to blame that on the cold water i ran through.



good luck and keep it up. you got to push yourself to build tolerance. after that it becomes fun pushing yourself!



mike
 
#18
The day after the run, my

The day after the run, my feet felt fine, a few hot baths and no problems...

This morning i went out with my vibrams and decided on the way back i would do 1/4 mile barefoot, even though i was only doing a mile in my vibrams my feet got soooo cold quick, i had wrapped up warm good and proper with jumper/gloves/hat ect, i didnt even want to try barefoot it was that cold :-(....i think im defo gonna have to wait for it to warm up or i fear running with cold feet i might do some damage and not feel it with the cold numbness.

on the plus side i really enjoyed running in my vibrams, and my calfs are thrashing even though it was a short 1mile run :)
 
#19
The lovely bit about barefoot

The lovely bit about barefoot running is when the cheese grater feeling turns into the pumice stone feeling...it gets to a point where your feet feel like they've just gone through refreshing exfoliation on rough terrain. Soft, smooth, happy feets that look like they've been smacked with gymnast chalk.

Unfortunately...thanks to winter, I'm back to cheese grater until I can really work the pads in the spring.
 
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