Congrats on the 5K. When is the first bare 5k?
I'm sure I'll make another post about more pain when I run my first "bare 5k"
First 5k
- Thread starter Colin
- Start date
I'm sure I'll make another post about more pain when I run my first "bare 5k"
Well with the help of the good folks here hopefully that wont be the case. I did my first bare 5k a month ago and it was probably one of my least painful 5ks.
The reason I got into bfr was to hopefully do away with the pains I was having. Yes, some new pains showed up, but all minor and just from the acclimation. Nothing like the shin splints and things I was getting shod!
The reason I got into bfr was to hopefully do away with the pains I was having. Yes, some new pains showed up, but all minor and just from the acclimation. Nothing like the shin splints and things I was getting shod!
NickW
Guest
If you're in excruciating pain it's time to listen to your body (break or take off the footwear). I know it's hard to do, I have a hard time listening too. I'm on my second day of no running and it's killing me, but I've hurt myself enough times (every couple months or so) by not listening that I know I have to take this time off and re-evaluate next week and see how I'm doing. Good luck and hope it gets better soon!
Well with the help of the good folks here hopefully that wont be the case. I did my first bare 5k a month ago and it was probably one of my least painful 5ks.
The reason I got into bfr was to hopefully do away with the pains I was having. Yes, some new pains showed up, but all minor and just from the acclimation. Nothing like the shin splints and things I was getting shod!
Oh I couldn't agree more! I started BF running because the aches and pains I felt running shod was unbearable and made me hate running. This TOFP is the only pain I've been feeling since I've corrected my form, before this I was starting to feel shin splints but found that I was over extending my stride. I know that following the great advice on here will have me pain free in no time.
Thanks Nick...I'm going to ease up and listen to what my body is telling me and ignore my pride, not the most easy thing for guys to do right? lol
NickW
Guest
LOL, ya we should have a club of the dimwits that refuse to listen to what our body is telling us.
The problem is our brain has its own notion about things, and it tends to talk louder than the
poor body... saying things like 'Oh come ON you whimp, you can't even run another mile, you're
such a BABY...."
The problem is our brain has its own notion about things, and it tends to talk louder than the
poor body... saying things like 'Oh come ON you whimp, you can't even run another mile, you're
such a BABY...."
That is the hardest lesson to learn cuz no matter how mellow we are on the outside, deep down we're still macho pricks. Lately I've been trying to push the pace and have even begun daydreaming about entering some local 5K race, but I'm worried it will awaken the competitive drive and make me push the running too much, and get injured. Lord protect me from myself.
ice, ice, Baby ... and massage. Every chance you get, use your thumbs to firmly massage the tops of the feet. All along the metatarsals, up and down. You can also stretch the tops of the feet when you place a hand on top of the toes and push downward, folding the toes under the foot ... works well. And use either a tennis ball or (better) a spiky massage ball on the floor to roll out the soles of the feet.
When you run, do your best to avoid "dorsiflexing" ie pulling the toes upward before the landing, or at any time while the feet are airborne. Before you run, go through the motions of giving each foot a shot of anesthetic, really bend down and use your thumb and first two fingers like a kid would do, pretending to give yourself a shot. And then leave the feet limp.
Lose the shoes altogether, srsly.
And if the pain becomes really sharp and you can localise it to a pretty specific spot, or if there's any swelling/discoloration - stop running, and get an x-ray. TOFP is funny stuff, can be a harmless rite of passage, can also be a stress fracture ...
When you run, do your best to avoid "dorsiflexing" ie pulling the toes upward before the landing, or at any time while the feet are airborne. Before you run, go through the motions of giving each foot a shot of anesthetic, really bend down and use your thumb and first two fingers like a kid would do, pretending to give yourself a shot. And then leave the feet limp.
Lose the shoes altogether, srsly.
And if the pain becomes really sharp and you can localise it to a pretty specific spot, or if there's any swelling/discoloration - stop running, and get an x-ray. TOFP is funny stuff, can be a harmless rite of passage, can also be a stress fracture ...
I've noticed what when I run outside versus on a treadmill I pull my toes upward before landing almost every step, if that contributes to this lovely pain I'll have to focus more on not doing that. The pain has been localized to a certain spot but there is no discoloration and hardly any swelling....
The pain is getting less and less, I tried to walk last night and that went well I even tried to jog a little and it was obviously too soon for that. I'm hoping with more icing of it and massaging it, it'll be gone soon.
I didn't run my 5k to fast compared to my training times, I think it may have been pushing myself to that distance in a short time frame. Lesson learned lol.
I think the pulling of the toes up is a leftover effect from running and living in shoes. It's also probably a kind of reflex action, the foot tensing up before it hits that hard ground, anticipating pain - but a stressed, tense foot can't twist and bend and form itself to the surface effectively. It can't load energy efficiently. It's cramped and uncomfortable, and prone to injury.
Best to just get out of the way and allow the feet to do their job, they do it best when left to themselves to decide.
Best to just get out of the way and allow the feet to do their job, they do it best when left to themselves to decide.
I havta disagree with the tatooed one - that extra, needless tension in the top of the foot most certainly probably possibly does contribute to fatigue. The only reason we do it is because it's actually necessary when heel-striking ie when running in "traditional" running shoes (with built-up heels that force a heel-strike) and old habits die hard. Muscle memory is deep memory.
after twice stubbing my toes i learned it was necessary to lift them before landing. i've run up to 15k with no problems and no fatigue. i believe most bf instructors recommend it. it has saved me from stubbing my toes numerous times. you can hear the loud thud as the ball of my foot kicks the root or rock that was meant for my toes.
the tofp is more from tmts.
the tofp is more from tmts.
well, speaking for my self, my toes move where they need to, in just the right proportion at the right time ... they get out of the way of the ground, but the top of my foot stays relaxed. I'm not advocating intentionally dangling the foot in the air right up to the point of touch-down, causing you to land on the tips of the toes. Ihope that's not what it sounded like. I'm saying avoid unnecessary tension in the top of the foot and allow the feet to do their work uninhibited.
