Hi, all!
I've never been a runner (running has never felt good to me) but recently joined a clinical research study looking at exercise habits in non-exercisers. After a ChiRunning introductory course on Saturday, we're on our own to start a gradual exercise program. Yesterday was my first run -- 1 minute running, 3 minutes walking, x 5. I've got a plan to gradually increase the amount of running, but that's not really the focus of my question.
Because I'm an information person myself, I kept reading more about ChiRunning, then midfoot running, then barefoot running and the science/anatomy behind them. There's a lot of logic behind barefoot and, while I'm not quite brave enough to run without any sort of protection, I am thinking about running in minimalist shoes.
My running shoes, which I bought, hm, probably 4 or 5 years ago and have seldom used, are motion control WITH inserts. They have a lot of wear on the outside of the sole (i.e., oversupinating!) probably because I didn't know what i was doing. I videoed myself running along a hallway in my house, barefoot, and I mildly overpronate, left foot worse than right, when barefoot. I have no foot problems, and I'm 5'10"/130lbs/30 years old, so not a lot of baseline issues. I do feel that, based on what I've read online and what the soles of my shoes show, I shouldn't be running in such high-rise, thick-soled, motion control shoes, and will buy a new pair of shoes soon.
I can't seem to find information on starting running -- i.e., I've never even run a mile and will be run/walking for many weeks as I build up my cardiovascular fitness -- with minimalist shoes. Everyone warns you about switching suddenly from regular shoes to minimalist/barefoot if you're already a runner, but I'm (emphatically) not. Can I just start off in minimalist shoes?
Any thoughts/hints/suggestions? Or any threads that are relevant? I've tried all the tricks I can think of but haven't been able to find advice on the board for a brand-new-to-running runner.
Thanks in advance!
I've never been a runner (running has never felt good to me) but recently joined a clinical research study looking at exercise habits in non-exercisers. After a ChiRunning introductory course on Saturday, we're on our own to start a gradual exercise program. Yesterday was my first run -- 1 minute running, 3 minutes walking, x 5. I've got a plan to gradually increase the amount of running, but that's not really the focus of my question.
Because I'm an information person myself, I kept reading more about ChiRunning, then midfoot running, then barefoot running and the science/anatomy behind them. There's a lot of logic behind barefoot and, while I'm not quite brave enough to run without any sort of protection, I am thinking about running in minimalist shoes.
My running shoes, which I bought, hm, probably 4 or 5 years ago and have seldom used, are motion control WITH inserts. They have a lot of wear on the outside of the sole (i.e., oversupinating!) probably because I didn't know what i was doing. I videoed myself running along a hallway in my house, barefoot, and I mildly overpronate, left foot worse than right, when barefoot. I have no foot problems, and I'm 5'10"/130lbs/30 years old, so not a lot of baseline issues. I do feel that, based on what I've read online and what the soles of my shoes show, I shouldn't be running in such high-rise, thick-soled, motion control shoes, and will buy a new pair of shoes soon.
I can't seem to find information on starting running -- i.e., I've never even run a mile and will be run/walking for many weeks as I build up my cardiovascular fitness -- with minimalist shoes. Everyone warns you about switching suddenly from regular shoes to minimalist/barefoot if you're already a runner, but I'm (emphatically) not. Can I just start off in minimalist shoes?
Any thoughts/hints/suggestions? Or any threads that are relevant? I've tried all the tricks I can think of but haven't been able to find advice on the board for a brand-new-to-running runner.
Thanks in advance!