New to it, needing some guidance...

chrisNJnewguy

Barefooters
May 28, 2011
5
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#1
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Hi barefoot runners!



After reading "Born to Run" I was inspired to try out the barefoot running for myself. I weigh about 185 lbs and am in otherwise good shape. I started doing this on the treadmil at the gym (I actually wore socks), and kept my distance down to about a mile at 4.5-5 mph. Although my calves hurt initially, the pain wore down by the end of the week, and I read on the forums that your heels actually "kiss" the ground ever so slightly. I did another mile on Friday and everything felt great.

On Saturday, I decided to take it outside, and ran on one of those red oval highschool running tracks made with that synthetic rubber (totally barefoot). I read that it was important to choose a hard surface so that your body will auto-correct itself based on the pain you would experience if you had improper form before moving onto grassy trails. I think I got this off of Barefoot Ted's website.

Although I only did 5 laps around this track, by the end of it I was pretty much limping down to my car, and by the next day a fluid bubble had formed on my foot (sorry if this is gross). Is this a normal experience for people when they are first starting out? My foot is better 2 days after the fact. Should I avoid the red track altogether and just try it again on asphault or concrete? I was thinking that maybe the basketball court at the track would be a good alternative if I want to avoid hurting my feet on gravel on the roads. Or should I just stick to the treadmils?



Thanks and any advice you can throw my way would be greatly appreciated! Happy Memorial day

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#2
Hi,I'm pretty much in the

Hi,

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I read Born to Run. Decided to run barefoot. took it outside and now have to worst bubbly blisters on my feet. If you find a solution be sure to let me know. I've just been treating them and going at it again in hopes it might stop eventually. I'm also considering in investing in some Luna Sandals. Be glad to see if anyone has any solutions.
 
#4
If you're getting blisters,

If you're getting blisters, then you're pushing off. You want to place/land your foot, then lift, then place, then lift. Don't push off. Pushing off will create heat and friction, which will lead to blisters. Most people (from what I know) blister for just a short time in the beginning while they are learning how to run properly. Just like the calf discomfort dissipates, so will the blistering.

The reason you were able to get away with this on the treadmill is because your socks gave you just enough "protection" to not let you know you were doing something wrong. Try running barefoot on the treadmill to see if you also get blisters there. Some people get blisters on the treadmill from pushing off (while barefoot); others get blisters on the treadmill because the conveyor belt generates a lot of heat as it turns, so the treadmill is not necessarily a good place to judge form.

The rubberized track you are talking about is quite a challenge for your first time outdoors. I would reserve that type of surface for later, after you have more experience and have learned how to run gently, softly.

Try concrete or asphalt. If you have any asphalt paths around, there's not that much debris on them that should deter you. An occasional poke is nothing compared to the injuries you could otherwise sustain in shoes.

Welcome, Chris & Jordan!
 
#5
I do some of my workouts on

I do some of my workouts on that same kind of red, rubberized running track and as TJ noted, I think you'll want to save that for a little bit later in your transition for two reasons:

1. the surface is very abrasive compared to decent asphalt or concrete and will grind your soles down much faster (which means your transition will have to start with much shorter runs while you wait for your initially sensitive feet to rebuild the skin).

2. it's not really a 'hard' surface -- the track has just a little bit of give. that means you're only getting half the feedback you need to refine your barefoot form because you're not getting good pressure/impact signals from the squishy surface.

That outdoor basketball court might work, but only if it's not topped with some kind of "grippy" sandpapery surface (see #1 above). If you can find a quarter-mile of quiet, residential asphalt street or paved park trail, that might be your best bet. You can usually see any chunks of gravel on the road that would be big enough to hurt and step around them. The really small ones will still sting a little bit in the beginning of the transition, but in a couple of weeks, you will stomp on them with impunity. :)
 
#6
I agree with the others. When

I agree with the others. When your blister heels try smooth asphalt or concrete sidewalk. Bend your knees and relax your lower legs, it's the magic solution to all problems.

You may want to try a fews yards of rough gravel, just to get a sense of how extreme your posture could be. Bend your knees more than your think reasonable, increase your cadence by lifting your foot even before it touches the ground. You will be amazed at what you can do on gravel.

I found the treadmill too soft and bouncy and way too hot.
 
#7
HI! Just wanted to give a

HI!



Just wanted to give a big thank-you to Smelph, TJ, Swoggis, and Sloutre for your comments, ideas, and suggestions. I most certainly still have a ways to go with improving on my form and I'll take your advice into consideration. I'll try the asphault path at the park this week.
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Thanx!
 
#8
I remember running on a

I remember running on a tartan track in New Zealand around 14 months ago. At the time I'd been running barefoot for around 5 months and my form wasn't that good and I found the track very abrasive. I would bet if I ran on the same track now I would have no problem whatsoever.

So, basically, it's a case of too much too soon. You should be doing drills and short 50m runs in between. Running 5 laps of a track is asking for an injury. There is no shortcut to barefoot running, it takes time and dedication just like any other sport. Just because it is 'natural' doesn't mean anyone can just throw off their shoes and do it. If we had grew up without shoes then we would have the correct muscle balance to be able to run, but unfortunately in civilised society we have forgotton how to move naturally.

I always recommend people buy the Pose Method of Running book, that is what helped me make the transition, the mechanics are all explained in there.

Good luck



Neil
 
#9
The companion trick to

The companion trick to "lifting and placing your feet" is to lean slightly forward from your ankle level. Practice leaning slightly against a wall while using your hands to hold you up. Rather than launching yourself forward with your calves and the balls of your feet, in BFR the lean provides your forward momentum so you can move without having to propel yourself forward with all the friction that produces on your feet. A little experimentation should get you comfortable with how much to lean. If you fall over, you've leaned too far forward.

If you simply lift and place your feet without leaning forward, you'll be running in place. The only alternative is to push off with your calves and forefeet, which will produce the blisters you've described. Hope this helps. It was an "a-ha!" moment when someone shared it with me and I finally got it.

Step 2 - slightly lift your toes and bend your knees to account for the forward lean and prevent catching or stubbing your toes.

Phil
 
#10
Think Groucho Marx at 180

Think Groucho Marx at 180 steps per minute. That will shorten your stride and force you to bend your knees, which will relax your calves/Achilles enough so your heels TOUCH the ground on each step. Then, just peddle them doggies without pushing off and you're golden.
 
#11
Let us know how it goes.  And

Let us know how it goes. And if you count cadence (180-200) be sure to count on the up and not the down. When you count on the down, you subconsciously think of pounding your feet into the ground instead of lifting them and running gently.
 
#12
Ok!  I think I'm going to

Ok! I think I'm going to print out this page becuase it's a lot of good information. Has anyone ever experienced "pins and needles" while running barefoot? I had to stop this week and massage my foot when that sharp pain came on in the middle of my foot.
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#13
Where at exactly in the

Where at exactly in the middle of the foot did you feel this? Was it in both feet or just one? Was it painful?
 
#14
just in the arch, probably

just in the arch, probably from the foot flexing. It was just a transient sensation that went away as soon as i stopped. I think i just ought to stretch out my foot some more next time.
 
#15
Well, at least it hasn't

Well, at least it hasn't happened again. Don't stretch cold. Walk some before running.
 
#16
Every now and then I'll land

Every now and then I'll land on a piece of debris with the edge of my big toe and my whole foot feels like it got Tazed, bro. I stopped the first time it happend and was like, whoa, don't Taze me, bro. But it had gone away, just like that. It happens every now and then on the run, and I can even force it by rubbing it with my fingers... there are some funky nerves in there.

Also, sometimes in the first quarter mile of a run I'll have some awesome stabbing pains in my Morton's Toes, but it goes away after I relax and find my groove.

For reference, I'm 2.5 months into barefoot running, taking it easy (I think), and my feet are frequently in some state of ache, pain, twinge, tweak, bruise, or sensitive callus. Nothing injurious, just a nearly-constant reminder that we're "under construction."
 
#17
Welcome to THE site!  ;o)I'm

Welcome to THE site! ;o)

I'm only about 3mo into barefooting...here is what I should have done and things that worked for me!:

Barefoot Ken Bob's book recomends the sharpest nastiest gravel road you can find for your first runs. Start out by standing there and letting your feet relax and give. Relax, relax, relax. This was the best bit of info TJ gave me also...just relax and listen to your feet. Once you get standing, go to walking and spreading out your weight over your feet. Once you run on it, you're going to sit way low in your stance(he calls it bending your knees), you're going to move gingerly and quick steps trying not to push off or unsettle the rocks.

When you are ready to run on smother stuff, learn the 1-2-3 landing. Toes slightly curled up, ball of the foot hits first and then toes and heal or heal and toes...doesn't matter. Just make sure you are low enough in your stance to allow your arch to fully flatten out and no gripping with your toes. They touch, the come off. If you feel your heal slide back, keep sitting lower in your stance till it stops. This only works if you are relaxed, in the correct stance and everything is loose, head to naked toes! Let your feet flop, relax and listen to them.

The other thing that helped me get better is to think of running on a wet tile floor, or smooth ice. Anything that will make you slip, is wrong and will cost you skin. This means you can't push off or scuff in for a landing and cut your normal stride in 1/3s. 180 steps per min is ideal.

Finally...Relax, relax, relax and listen to your feet!! This is supposed to be fun!

-Jonny
 
#18
Hey thanks for your post

Hey thanks for your post Johnny. One of my biggest concerns was exactly how the foot lands, and the proper sequence for putting the rest of my foot down after the ball hits the ground. I was also curious about keeping your toes curled or not curled, but i decided on my own to not curl them.
 
#19
Glad to help!  I had to

Glad to help! I had to blister some skin trying to force the landing(we don't "strike" in barefoot style) before some board members wised me up. Listening to my feet and relaxing brought me to my "A-Ha" moment that took my barefoot experience from a training method to improve my VFF running to addicted to BFR.(Obsessed, my VFF shod wife says! haha) I don't even think of it as running anymore...more like reading the streets with my feet! Rain grooves and bricks are my fav so far...they seem to have the most to teach me right now. I wanna find some different gravel roads to try though. I don't think I'm quite 'there' yet...figured the sharp pointy stuff could help.

Have fun! Let us know how it's going. Lots of brain power and experience on here. I haven't stumped em yet!

-Jonny
 
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