Hello barefoot runners!

Abide

Barefooters
May 13, 2010
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My name is Abide and I am a barefoot runner. I have been bfr (barefoot running) for almost a year now and absolutely love it. Other than the occasional bout of TOFP (top of foot pain - induced by the evil KSO - keep stuff out?), it has been a wonderful experience. Looking forward to getting to know you all!


Oh yeah and feel free to call me Buzz, my real nickname, or Abide, because as always the "dude abides" :)





Hello All! This forum's creation was Abide's wonderful idea, and as such, he will be the BRS's first (but not only) new member mentor. Good with you, Buzz?
 
Bump for Abide...

Bump for Abide...
 
Big Zumba welcome to those

Big Zumba welcome to those new to the forums! I'm Katie aka Zumba aka Z aka Mamakat aka Kate, Kat or Kathryn...call me whatever, just don't call me chicken ;)

I've been bfr for 7mos now, was out for a bit early this summer with an overuse stress fracture, transitioned a little too quickly into a half marathon. So word from the wise, listen closely to your body and back off when it starts irritating you. Slow and steady is the key to successful transitioning.

Welcome Aboard Mateys! (apparently we're pirates now?)
 
Yaaaar!  Pyrates indeed! 

Yaaaar! Pyrates indeed! Many thanks Katie for sharin' your experience. Us pyrates have a way of walking too close to the plank, savvy?

Tip my grog to you as well Buzz!
 
Arrr, tis mighty easy to walk

Arrr, tis mighty easy to walk the plank barfoot Josh ;)
 
bAAAAARRRRRRRfoot!  Love it.

bAAAAARRRRRRRfoot! Love it.
 
Do you teach Zumba or just

Do you teach Zumba or just love it? Do you do it or teach it in BF? I teach in VFF but currently have a nasty case of metatarsalgia from ?overuse.
 
Greetings Buzz. I'm excited

Greetings Buzz. I'm excited to find this group. I am staring my bfr adventure... gunna do some 13.1'rs and 26.2'rs al natural.. or maybe with minimal shoes...
 
Welcome, Todd!

Welcome, Todd!
 
Welcome to you both,

Welcome to you both, Zumbababy and Todd. Glad to have you here. Ask lots of questions, and proceed slowly and steadily. There are an awful lot of deeply experienced folks here who are willing to share what they have learned before you to help you avoid the many possible pitfalls in front of you, including the dreaded TMTS (too much too soon) quagmire that can trap you for months.
 
I am new to this site.  I

I am new to this site. I have been running barefoot (or in my socks) for almost a year now - off and on. I would run my short runs mixing in barefoot with my Brooks Addictions - 1 mile barefoot, the rest shod. In May I started adding more barefoot mileage. By the end of June, I ended up with Bursitis in my L.Knee. A week off from running and a new pair of VFF Bikilas and I can now run pain free. The odd part is that I can no longer run in shoes. My knees bother me too much wearing them. Since then I have added mileage and fought off cuboid syndrome in my R.foot. On the 16th of August, I ran a 25k trail race in my VFF's and then two weeks later a 21k. No knee pain and no foot pain.

At this point, I guess it's safe to say that I will need to be minimalist or barefoot in order to continue my running pain free. My goal for next year is a 21k completely barefoot. I will have to work up to that as we are now heading in to the winter months here in Michigan. Boo

I look forward to learning any tips, tricks, or thoughts you have to share!



Misty
 
Welcome MIsty,Michigan is

Welcome MIsty,

Michigan is rapidly becoming the center of the barefoot running universe. Be sure to join the MI chapter of the BRS, and remember, both Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton and Jason Robillard hail from The Great Lakes State.
 
Is that your claim to fame,

Is that your claim to fame, Board? Michigan is the home of the great Ken Bob and Jason? Ha! :cool:

Welcome, Misty. You are a true testiment to the fact that elevated heels are not good for us.
 
Well if we're eventually

Well if we're eventually going to lose the title of The Motor City for our largest metropolitan area, I guess "The Barefoot State" would be a welcome new moniker.

As long as Tennesee does'nt mind..........
 
Now why go and pick on

Now why go and pick on Tennessee? Kentucky is more fitting. ;-)
 
I am new here as well.  Been

I am new here as well. Been barefoot most of my life, just not a runner. My girlfriend was a runner, gymnast, etc. when she was younger, but had a lot of issues nagging her. We met doing Krav Maga and she had to stop going because of ankle, knee, and hip issues. I found Vibram Five Fingers in 2006, and have been a wearer ever since for when shoes were needed. I introduced her to the VFF line in 2009 and all of her issues went away seemingly overnight. Since then she has decided to run again, and I got dragged into following her. Everyone asks about training and my response is that I train hard enough to run faster and further than my girlfriend. Now we have entered a Road Race series here in Memphis and I am actually starting to enjoy running. I am switching between VFFs and BFR currently and have a pair of Wakova Feather sandals on the way. I guess what I need to look into the most is how long I need to take to transition to barefoot as we have two 10 mile runs and two half-marathons in the next two months. The furthest I have all out run barefoot is a 5K, and my LSD is up to 8 miles. I definitely do not want to get sidelined with TMTS syndrome, so am I overtraining? I have never had any pains, and I only have blisters from BFR on 105 degree streets from about two weeks ago. I am at this moment running in VFFs (different flavors) with Injinji socks until my blisters heal. Oh, and I also just made a pair of Plasti-Dip socks out of an old pair of Injinjis and they rock. I think I am rambling on a little bit here. The last thing to add is I am thinking of going to see the local ChiRunning coach here in Memphis at the end of September, and I am wondering if anyone else uses this method.
 
Microsoft Certified Systems

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer! Nice. I was pursuing the Novell tract, then diverted to MS, but that was a lifetime ago.

I think you're doing way too much and expecting to complete way too much way too soon. With 8 miles under your belt, you may be able to tackle the 10-milers, but two more half marathons? I dunno. Barefoot too? It's tricky. You might be able to get away with the two half marathons in VFFs. When are these races exactly?