Questions...

[Barefoot TJ]

We always advocate learning

We always advocate learning your barefoot running form first, then only don footwear when needed. We also realize that learning your proper barefoot running form in the winter is difficult due to numb feet not receiving the proper signals from the ground. It's better to run safely than it is to risk injuring yourself. In extreme case, when the ground is just to cold otherwise, why not just run in a pair of socks? You can get a bunch at the dollar store. I was able to get about 5 five mile runs out of each pair. Also, you can try warming your feet up before you head out for a run in your socks, then after a mile or two, take your socks off and see if you can tolerate the cold without your feet going numb. This works for some people. It might work for you too. Then on warmer days, at the warmest part of the day, and when spring comes you will be able to run barefoot much more safely.

 

[Mike]

Ill see how my feet feel

Ill see how my feet feel tomorrow or the next day, and give it a try.

 

[barefoot kean]

i find the more you go

i find the more you go barefoot outside the faster your feet will transition. Also, when you are BF outside try and walk over the painful stuff. ie gravel or roots or something like that, cause when you get to running on normal surfaces the walking on the crappy stuff will dwarf everything else by comparison. Therefore a faster transition. Finally, be ready for a TON of weird looks (as barefoot runners i guess we should thrive on them, but to be honest they're kinda wearing me down), but in the end game its totally worth it.

 

[Mike]

Lol, my favorite is when I

Lol, my favorite is when I pass a shod runner from behind, and see the noticeable jump from them being startled because they couldn't hear me coming.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Or how about hearing a shod

Or how about hearing a shod runner coming up behind you (cause everyone is always faster than me), and your yelling at them, "I can hear you coming!" Ha, I tickle me everytime.

 

[Mike]

I doubt you are as slow as

I doubt you are as slow as you think... What is your pace on a long run?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I actually can't remember. 

I actually can't remember. My best 5K pace was 9:49. My medium distances are like 10:00 - 10:30, and my long runs are anywhere from that to 11:30. Yes, I know. I should go bury my head in my shell now.

 

[Mike]

Nah, lol. That's better than

Nah, lol. That's better than most people. When I was a "shoddie" I was down to 7:30s on my weekly 10 miler, but my comfortable race day pace was around 9:8. The hardest thing for me to swallow about going barefoot was I was the fact that im going to have to settle for a 20+ minute time when I run my 5k on New Years Eve. I was down to 16:24 minutes total, and was hoping to be down to high 14 low 15 by December (was hoping to place, if not win). But the shin splints were getting too unbearable (which are 100% gone now btw :bigsmile. So im just going to have to restrain my competitive nature, and settle for a slower (but injury free) pace. And I think, thanks to you guys I will probably be prouder finishing barefoot with a 30 minute time, than I would be winning the race in foot coffins. I always tell my friends; its not about being fast, its about having fun. And now for the first time im actually following my own advice. And finding it quite enjoyable. :lol:

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Well, Mike, it's

Well, Mike, it's very possible that you would not have been able to run that pace in December anyway, since your shin splints were so bad. ;-)

Don't give up on working on your speed either. Lots and lots of us are finding that they can run as fast if not faster barefoot. It just takes time to build that speed back up. I knocked 15 minutes exactly off my half marathon time in the span of 10 months (from month 1 to month 10). You most definitely can too.