Rebuilding...

JosephTree

Barefooters
Sep 7, 2010
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Near Valley Forge, PA
This afternoon I ran my second fully BF run of the spring. My first, last Thursday, was just a bit over a mile on pavement. Today was 2 miles and a bit. I was interested to notice that while my feet held up fine, my calves and shins were feeling strained. I've never felt this discomfort before. I've been running in VFF's since last November and thought that they'd not be that much different from skin to the ground as far as musculature stresses were concerned. I was wrong.

Today I was carrying my Bikilas and felt like I could run miles once I put them on. In fact, I ran about 4 more miles, quite comfortably, and even accelerated through the last mile and a half, as I tend to do these days.

My question, then, is how much difference do you think the very minimal VFF Bikilas (not "most minimal" which I would think to be something like cut-to-fit Luna sandals, or some such) actually change one's stride and legs' physiology?
 
Enough to make a difference - requiring some amount of re-adaptation when barefooting becomes the norm again. It's part of the reason that I always run a few miles per month barefoot - even in the depths of (what we call)winter here in NYC.
 
A lot. When I would go back to my VFF Classics or Bikilas after running barefoot for a while, I had to really concentrate to maintain my form. With the VFFs on and reduced feedback from the pavement, it became way too easy to zone out and start landing harder and stretching out a bit more toward heelstriking. Bikilas have a fair amount of 'cushion' in the insole and in the thickness of the tread underneath, so I'm not surprised you felt a bit more pounding in your lower legs once you removed that layer.
 
My gait always changed when I put something on my feet, socks the least, but even they still changed my gait.
 
A lot. When I would go back to my VFF Classics or Bikilas after running barefoot for a while, I had to really concentrate to maintain my form. With the VFFs on and reduced feedback from the pavement, it became way too easy to zone out and start landing harder and stretching out a bit more toward heelstriking.

I experienced exactly this phenomenon the last time I ran in my Bikila's (about 3 months ago on a treadmill). While running I could tell there was a difference, but didn't realize how much until after the run when I could feel the soreness from the harder landings.

I haven't run in them since and now they just act as ballast in my gym bag....
 
Personally it's a huge difference between being bare and having anything on your feet, no matter how minimal it might be. I can manage fairly well now staying barefoot throughout winter, but there are times where I need to resort to footwear. I do wear VFF's and it never feels right. It's a natural adjustment with the body. I actually feel slight muscle soreness after a run in footwear, I'm probably not relaxing much or landing slightly different. When I have footwear on, I seem to be consciously thinking about form, running barefoot my mind is clear and just flowing.