Hello there! I have been running barefoot for exactly 4 days and I am totally hooked. What I lack in experience, I make up for in enthusiasm!! I came to BF running because I have always suffered from injuries in one for or another and just refuse to give up. Anything is better than periformis syndrome, IT band issues, back pain, etc...so I will take a little bit of achilles/foot soreness, no problem! The second I went from a walk to a jog on my treadmill, I felt this huge grin spreading across my face and honestly, the feeling has stayed with me. Here's hoping it lasts, because I feel great! I live in the state of Rhode Island and have never seen another soul running barefoot, so I look forward to meeting like-minded individuals!
Hello from Rhode Island!
- Thread starter Birdy
- Start date
Welcome to the crew, Birdy.
Welcome to the crew, Birdy. I'm also fairly new to BFR after 25 years of shod heel-striking and the accompanying injuries.
Just listen to your body's feedback, and go slowly. While BFR (and walking) feels great, it is essentially a new exercise to you and will require some time to adapt your foot and leg muscles/bones/connecting tissues to an entirely different set of stressors than they are used to.
The best advice I've gotten is to start with 1/2 mile every other day truly barefoot on concrete (either walking or really slowly running) to let your feet begin to build up, then add no more than about 1/10th of a mile per week until you get up to a mile or so, which should give you a 60-day or so break-in period to adapt and refine your form.
Failure to heed these instructions which were shared with me (and which I promptly ignored) may result in painful stress fractures (which I'm on the tail end of 8 weeks recovering from).
Enjoy, but don't try to do too much too soon (TMTS) or you WILL hurt yourself.
This is a great online forum to ask questions and get opinions from a wide variety of thoroughly experienced BFRers, so I would suggest you use it extensively. Just make sure you listen to the answers you will get, and don't ignore them like I did.
Welcome to the crew, Birdy. I'm also fairly new to BFR after 25 years of shod heel-striking and the accompanying injuries.
Just listen to your body's feedback, and go slowly. While BFR (and walking) feels great, it is essentially a new exercise to you and will require some time to adapt your foot and leg muscles/bones/connecting tissues to an entirely different set of stressors than they are used to.
The best advice I've gotten is to start with 1/2 mile every other day truly barefoot on concrete (either walking or really slowly running) to let your feet begin to build up, then add no more than about 1/10th of a mile per week until you get up to a mile or so, which should give you a 60-day or so break-in period to adapt and refine your form.
Failure to heed these instructions which were shared with me (and which I promptly ignored) may result in painful stress fractures (which I'm on the tail end of 8 weeks recovering from).
Enjoy, but don't try to do too much too soon (TMTS) or you WILL hurt yourself.
This is a great online forum to ask questions and get opinions from a wide variety of thoroughly experienced BFRers, so I would suggest you use it extensively. Just make sure you listen to the answers you will get, and don't ignore them like I did.
Thank you! Advice is always
Thank you! Advice is always welcome! I am taking things very, very slowly and going with the advice that you should run every new distance at least 3 times before increasing. So far, so good! Just too cold and snowy to be outside right now...I know I am a wuss, but I am sure that the rest of the New Englanders out there understand!
Thank you! Advice is always welcome! I am taking things very, very slowly and going with the advice that you should run every new distance at least 3 times before increasing. So far, so good! Just too cold and snowy to be outside right now...I know I am a wuss, but I am sure that the rest of the New Englanders out there understand!
Welcome, Birdy!I'm not far
Welcome, Birdy!
I'm not far from Rhode Island - I live in Worcester, MA. Lately, I've been running in huaraches with toe socks - I'm comfy barefoot down to about freezing, but I need some warmth when it dips below. I have a pair of Teva Protons (current model Sling King) that I like when it gets very slushy and snowy.
I have not heard of another barefoot runner in Rhode Island, although I've been running there in my bare feet! This past fall, I ran a lot on the Midstate Trail in the Douglas State Forest, and I'd keep going across the border into RI. Often, I'd be in my huaraches, but sometimes I'd have them off.
Welcome, Birdy!
I'm not far from Rhode Island - I live in Worcester, MA. Lately, I've been running in huaraches with toe socks - I'm comfy barefoot down to about freezing, but I need some warmth when it dips below. I have a pair of Teva Protons (current model Sling King) that I like when it gets very slushy and snowy.
I have not heard of another barefoot runner in Rhode Island, although I've been running there in my bare feet! This past fall, I ran a lot on the Midstate Trail in the Douglas State Forest, and I'd keep going across the border into RI. Often, I'd be in my huaraches, but sometimes I'd have them off.
Hey Silly! I have never
Hey Silly! I have never seen anyone around here doing the BFR thang...but that's going to change if I have anything to say about it! I am prepared to be the one and only for a while....even if it is just indoors on my treadmill for the moment. I can't wait to get outside on the bike paths around here!
Hey Silly! I have never seen anyone around here doing the BFR thang...but that's going to change if I have anything to say about it! I am prepared to be the one and only for a while....even if it is just indoors on my treadmill for the moment. I can't wait to get outside on the bike paths around here!
