Newbie from Illinois

[Perry Weatherford]

Found this site while researching some information on Barefoot running. I tried it last year without doing any research and just ran... Not smart. I'm just starting out and just focussing on form but man it just feels great. Not worried about distance (for now), just want to get a good feel for it. I'm a type I diabetic, and have a pair of Vibram Five-Finger for kayaking, so I need to wear them for some foot protection. Wanted to sign up to keep up the motivation to keep running and to lose about 10 pounds.

The pace and the rhythm just feel so natural, and if you really think about, just makes so much more sense than the heel/ toe way I've always run.

Are there any Barefoot Runner Society bumperstickers around? That would be pretty cool.

Peace, Perry

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I gotta get to getting us some stickers. Maybe next year early, I hope. Welcome!

 

[PB Junkie]

Welcome, Perry!

 

[barefootn]

Welcome Perry!

 

[Phil Hart]

Welcome aboard, Perry. Glad to have you with us. Just be careful with the VFFs up front, as they can make you feel capable of doing more than you safely can. I'm unfortunately the poster boy for that statement (stress-fractured 3rd left metatarsal head - down for 10 weeks). Slow and steady builds the best minimalist runner. Enjoy!

 

[Perry Weatherford]

Phil, I think you are right about the Vibrams, I think I pushed a bit too hard and found myself hitting the 5K mark - it just felt so good...now my right foot is giving me some pain. I've cut back to about a mile every other day and keeping the pace pretty slow. Feels like a really tight muscle wrapped around my heel - never felt anything like it before. It feels much better when I stretch it out - even before I get out of bed in the morning. I'm hopeful this will work it's self out if I back off, and build some foot strength. The left foot feels fine.

 

[Phil Hart]

Glad you could learn and spare yourself some trouble via my stupidity, Perry. That makes it worth something. The other key I found is to totally relax your feet - they'll fall as they should and your muscles will engage as needed. It does take some time to get used to doing that, particulary as you build the trust in them to let them work on their own. Slow and steady is a great plan - sounds like you've got a wise regimen in place. You'll find all of this easier and more natural truly BF, but do be careful with the diabetes complication. If you can swing barefoot safely, you'll come to love it.

 

[inakilt]

I have only been barefoot running for a short time. Fortunately I got some sage advice early on telling me to start out barefoot before trying minimalist. This was counter to what I was expecting, thinking I could ease into barefoot by going from shoes to minimalist and so on. What I found was that starting out barefoot caused me to to concentrate on form and to be conscious of my limitations, then if need be, I could get into minimalist. For the last several months all of my running (both treadmill and outside) has been barefoot. I have been slowly building up my speed and endurance which has culminated, so far, in an impromptu 10k this past Saturday which I did in 49 minutes. Not bad for a 56yr old (who needs to lose another 16lbs) who is really just getting into bfr. If I can do it anyone can.

 

[Phil Hart]

I have only been barefoot running for a short time. Fortunately I got some sage advice early on telling me to start out barefoot before trying minimalist. This was counter to what I was expecting, thinking I could ease into barefoot by going from shoes to minimalist and so on. What I found was that starting out barefoot caused me to to concentrate on form and to be conscious of my limitations, then if need be, I could get into minimalist. For the last several months all of my running (both treadmill and outside) has been barefoot. I have been slowly building up my speed and endurance which has culminated, so far, in an impromptu 10k this past Saturday which I did in 49 minutes. Not bad for a 56yr old (who needs to lose another 16lbs) who is really just getting into bfr. If I can do it anyone can.

Concise and 100% accurate, Ina. Well said.

 

[Perry Weatherford]

Thanks for the replies and the tips. I decided to go totally barefoot tonight on the treadmill. It actually felt pretty good. Can't believe I'm on a forum posting proudly that I ran 3/4's of a mile! Honestly not sure if I'll ever do that outside with the diabetes, but I get the thinking behind doing it this way to really get a feel for the technique. The weather here is pretty freakish right now, it's supposed to pop up to the 50's by Thursday, but drop back down again by the weekend, I'm really tempted to take my Vibrams outside!! Congratulations on the 10K, hoping this 54 year old can make a 5K with a friend by spring and more by the summer.

 

[happysongbird]

Good to have you around. I would recommend you look into some other softer shoes, like the Moc3s or other things by Softstar Shoes, depending on the weather. I understand about the diabetes, but from my experience with them, you are more at risk for sores from them and due to lack of ground feel because of them, than if you are wearing something like the Moc3.