Hello All,
I'm new to the site and new to barefoot running. Last year I started running for weight loss and found that I loved it. I ran into problems with my shins and feet early on and decided to spend my recovery time studying... I came across the Pose method of running and researched that as much as possible without a coach. I ended up getting the VFF's and worked my way up in those as I trained myself to land midfoot while trying to avoid even placing my heal on the ground.
It had never occurred to me to literally run barefoot. This year, I started running again and even with a great deal of strength training in the gym over the last 5 months, my calves were aching and so I was disapointed to find that. Just a couple weeks ago I was given the book Born to Run and read that over Father's Day weekend. Awesome book! I realized that my self taught attempt at the Pose method had taught me to avoid striking with my heel but wasn't helping me relax and run gently. My calves were constantly under tension as I was doing all that I could to keep my heels in the air.
I just finished Barefoot Ken Bob's Step by Step book and got in my first rough surface barefoot training session in earlier this week. Wasn't full on fresh crushed gravel but it was a hard packed dirt trail with fine gravel which certainly wasn't pleasant. I walked around the park on that trail and then turned around and walked back.
Today I went back to that park but walked there barefoot from my hotel on a brick paved street. I mostly walked the path again this time but did a short burst of slow running and found that it seemed to hurt less than walking on it. I'm assuming this is due to more knee bend and quicker lifting of the feet... but anyway... I then continued walking along the city sidewalks and put in a full 1/2 hour barefoot on various surfaces. I did about a total of 1 block doing a slow run.
I tried walking the trail again on the way back to my hotel but it hurt a lot more after so much time on my bare feet and so I stayed on the sidewalks all the way back.
I did intentionally continue stepping on a few objects that I thought might hurt. One was a rusty piece of bent wire and I'm sure I must've stepped on some glass at least once on that trail... there was lots of it. I was suprised that the wire didn't hurt at all. The only unbearable pain came from small rocks sticking to my feet from time to time and then the same spot was getting hit with each step... a quick brush off resolved those issues with only a slight hitch to step.
I'm quite excited about the feedback I'm getting and how I can make adjustments to my cadence and form to examine the effect on my ability to step lightly without scuffing and while maintaining a relaxed feel to my calves. Can't wait to get in some more barefooting this weekend!
Happy running!
--John
I'm new to the site and new to barefoot running. Last year I started running for weight loss and found that I loved it. I ran into problems with my shins and feet early on and decided to spend my recovery time studying... I came across the Pose method of running and researched that as much as possible without a coach. I ended up getting the VFF's and worked my way up in those as I trained myself to land midfoot while trying to avoid even placing my heal on the ground.
It had never occurred to me to literally run barefoot. This year, I started running again and even with a great deal of strength training in the gym over the last 5 months, my calves were aching and so I was disapointed to find that. Just a couple weeks ago I was given the book Born to Run and read that over Father's Day weekend. Awesome book! I realized that my self taught attempt at the Pose method had taught me to avoid striking with my heel but wasn't helping me relax and run gently. My calves were constantly under tension as I was doing all that I could to keep my heels in the air.
I just finished Barefoot Ken Bob's Step by Step book and got in my first rough surface barefoot training session in earlier this week. Wasn't full on fresh crushed gravel but it was a hard packed dirt trail with fine gravel which certainly wasn't pleasant. I walked around the park on that trail and then turned around and walked back.
Today I went back to that park but walked there barefoot from my hotel on a brick paved street. I mostly walked the path again this time but did a short burst of slow running and found that it seemed to hurt less than walking on it. I'm assuming this is due to more knee bend and quicker lifting of the feet... but anyway... I then continued walking along the city sidewalks and put in a full 1/2 hour barefoot on various surfaces. I did about a total of 1 block doing a slow run.
I tried walking the trail again on the way back to my hotel but it hurt a lot more after so much time on my bare feet and so I stayed on the sidewalks all the way back.
I did intentionally continue stepping on a few objects that I thought might hurt. One was a rusty piece of bent wire and I'm sure I must've stepped on some glass at least once on that trail... there was lots of it. I was suprised that the wire didn't hurt at all. The only unbearable pain came from small rocks sticking to my feet from time to time and then the same spot was getting hit with each step... a quick brush off resolved those issues with only a slight hitch to step.
I'm quite excited about the feedback I'm getting and how I can make adjustments to my cadence and form to examine the effect on my ability to step lightly without scuffing and while maintaining a relaxed feel to my calves. Can't wait to get in some more barefooting this weekend!
Happy running!
--John
