Any suggestions on how to keep your soles tough through the winter? Live in Rhode Island and like to be 100% barefoot but not keen on extreme cold.
winter running
- Thread starter Barefoot Bess
- Start date
Hi Bessmehring, For me last
Hi Bessmehring, For me last year I ran barefoot down to 25 degree weather.
What worked for me was to bundle up in layers and good running pantsshirts, hat and gloves but kept my feet bare. They warmed up within 5-7 min and stayed warm. But I did not run once the snow hit the ground.
This year I plan to use Luna Sandals or Vibram Bikilas when the ground is coveded in icesnow.
Hi Bessmehring, For me last year I ran barefoot down to 25 degree weather.
What worked for me was to bundle up in layers and good running pantsshirts, hat and gloves but kept my feet bare. They warmed up within 5-7 min and stayed warm. But I did not run once the snow hit the ground.
This year I plan to use Luna Sandals or Vibram Bikilas when the ground is coveded in icesnow.
Run as far as you can go in
Run as far as you can go in the cold, and continue to expose your feet outside during the winter. I would love to run barefoot through the winter, I try every year but mother nature always remains supreme. My winter footwear are VFF's, but I make sure I run barefoot once a week not matter what it looks outside. It can be 1/2 mile, or less, in snow or whatever, but it keeps my soles honest.
Check this out by Barefoot Rick who is a professional winter barefoot runner.
http://barefootrunner.org/winter/wbfr_article_110610.htm
Run as far as you can go in the cold, and continue to expose your feet outside during the winter. I would love to run barefoot through the winter, I try every year but mother nature always remains supreme. My winter footwear are VFF's, but I make sure I run barefoot once a week not matter what it looks outside. It can be 1/2 mile, or less, in snow or whatever, but it keeps my soles honest.
Check this out by Barefoot Rick who is a professional winter barefoot runner.
http://barefootrunner.org/winter/wbfr_article_110610.htm
NickW
Guest
Gentile, that was a great
Gentile, that was a great article by Rick that you posted. I don't know that I could ever barefoot run in snow or down into the single digits. I liked also that he mentions salt and how caustic it can be to our skin (feet). We don't get much snow here in Or, but we do get ice and people use a lot of salt or other ice melter so I will have to watch for that if I get to where I can run when it's that cold. This morning will be my coldest barefoot run and it's only 44 degrees out.
Oh, on a sidenote about winter barefooting, I spent a year in Afghanistan about 6 years ago and I saw kids and adults going barefoot through the worst of conditions, so I know it is possible. We had a foot and a half of snow and the temp was down into the sigle digits or colder and these kids/adults acted like it was nothing. They never complained about being cold, it was really amazing and gave me a whole new perspective.
Gentile, that was a great article by Rick that you posted. I don't know that I could ever barefoot run in snow or down into the single digits. I liked also that he mentions salt and how caustic it can be to our skin (feet). We don't get much snow here in Or, but we do get ice and people use a lot of salt or other ice melter so I will have to watch for that if I get to where I can run when it's that cold. This morning will be my coldest barefoot run and it's only 44 degrees out.
Oh, on a sidenote about winter barefooting, I spent a year in Afghanistan about 6 years ago and I saw kids and adults going barefoot through the worst of conditions, so I know it is possible. We had a foot and a half of snow and the temp was down into the sigle digits or colder and these kids/adults acted like it was nothing. They never complained about being cold, it was really amazing and gave me a whole new perspective.
@Nick, yes the salt is
@Nick, yes the salt is deadly on the skin, so that is very important to be aware of. Interesting story about Afghanistan, I guess it just goes to show us that are bodies can adapt to different conditions if exposed enough.
@Nick, yes the salt is deadly on the skin, so that is very important to be aware of. Interesting story about Afghanistan, I guess it just goes to show us that are bodies can adapt to different conditions if exposed enough.
NickW
Guest
It really is amazing what the
It really is amazing what the human body can do Gentile. They also walked barefoot all over rocks that were hard for us soldiers to walk on in our desert boots without rolling the ankles. They made it look so easy. I can handle some gravel, sticks, pinecones, but rocks like that I don't think I will ever be able to handle. Oh, and run today was great despite being 44 degrees. I actually felt warmer today than earlier in the week, but I think thats because the ground was relatively dry. It only started misting near the end of my run. It's amazing how water can make you feel so much colder.
It really is amazing what the human body can do Gentile. They also walked barefoot all over rocks that were hard for us soldiers to walk on in our desert boots without rolling the ankles. They made it look so easy. I can handle some gravel, sticks, pinecones, but rocks like that I don't think I will ever be able to handle. Oh, and run today was great despite being 44 degrees. I actually felt warmer today than earlier in the week, but I think thats because the ground was relatively dry. It only started misting near the end of my run. It's amazing how water can make you feel so much colder.
My plan for this winter
My plan for this winter (Minnesota) is to run outside barefoot when it's dry and fairly nice for MN winter standards....(but it's a dry cold). If it gets real cold, and nasty like it probably will be, I'll hit the treadmill. I've found a treadmill will toughen up your soles. Treadmill belts can be pretty rough. I also plan to get a big horse feed bucket and put some gravel in it and do some running in place in conjunction with the treadmill if I can't be out on the road.
One thing for me, is that I use to nordic ski race, and wound up having some frostbite on my toes. I've found that because of that, my feet seem to be more susceptible to the cold. I think that's a pretty common thing, once you have a cold injury, you are more susceptible to another one.
My plan for this winter (Minnesota) is to run outside barefoot when it's dry and fairly nice for MN winter standards....(but it's a dry cold). If it gets real cold, and nasty like it probably will be, I'll hit the treadmill. I've found a treadmill will toughen up your soles. Treadmill belts can be pretty rough. I also plan to get a big horse feed bucket and put some gravel in it and do some running in place in conjunction with the treadmill if I can't be out on the road.
One thing for me, is that I use to nordic ski race, and wound up having some frostbite on my toes. I've found that because of that, my feet seem to be more susceptible to the cold. I think that's a pretty common thing, once you have a cold injury, you are more susceptible to another one.
NickW
Guest
Paragnek, watching you run in
Paragnek, watching you run in your video gives me hope that I may get to that someday.
Shaun Mac, I worry about the frost nip I had on my toes from years back. This is my first winter of barefoot running coming up and earlier this week in the high 40's with lots of water on the ground I had a bit of the tingly pins and needles feeling. It went away after a little bit but still makes me nervous. Hopefully, because it really doesn't normally get that cold here I won't have much for problems with it.
Paragnek, watching you run in your video gives me hope that I may get to that someday.
Shaun Mac, I worry about the frost nip I had on my toes from years back. This is my first winter of barefoot running coming up and earlier this week in the high 40's with lots of water on the ground I had a bit of the tingly pins and needles feeling. It went away after a little bit but still makes me nervous. Hopefully, because it really doesn't normally get that cold here I won't have much for problems with it.
I second the gravel bucket
I second the gravel bucket idea. Last winter I became addicted to my VFF's and it was hell breaking my craving for them. Well, it wasn't actucally that bad, but it was 2 or 3 weeks of feeling weaker and slower than I remembered until the feet caught up.
Salt isn't just caustic. It lowers the freezing temp of the water it's disolved in and you can get quick freeze frostbite from an innocent looking puddle.
I really felt extra virtuous from having comlpeted my first running winter last year. I'd say it's well worth the effort.
I second the gravel bucket idea. Last winter I became addicted to my VFF's and it was hell breaking my craving for them. Well, it wasn't actucally that bad, but it was 2 or 3 weeks of feeling weaker and slower than I remembered until the feet caught up.
Salt isn't just caustic. It lowers the freezing temp of the water it's disolved in and you can get quick freeze frostbite from an innocent looking puddle.
I really felt extra virtuous from having comlpeted my first running winter last year. I'd say it's well worth the effort.
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