# Barefoot Running



## Lee81 (Apr 3, 2010)

Has anyone ever gone on a barefoot run? Supposedly it helps if you have pain in your knee(s), hip(s), leg(s), joint(s), etc. I've been trying it out for the past two weeks and I'm loving it. Running has always been sort of a chore to me but going barefoot brings a whole new element to it. 

My run will start off barefoot but my feet aren't ready for full time "barefooting." To help me with my transition to barefoot running, I put on a pair of Vibram Five Fingers (VFF) mid-run. These things are interesting to say the least; they're like running barefoot but with protection, albeit very thin protection! Just for a little context, I went for a run in them today and I felt every rock, pebble, twig, crack, etc. that I stepped on.

If interested, I'd recommend going on a nice flat sidewalk to get your bearings. When you feel you've had enough, switch back to the sneaks and you'll feel the difference (obviously). I think it's safe to say you'll never want to put your sneakers on ever again!


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## baron (Apr 3, 2010)

When I was young many moon's ago I would go running barefoot a lot. It never bothered me due to walking barefoot all the time. We had no sidewalks so I ran on the streets. I seen a special on the news last year of a man who runs barefoot all the time even in the winter. He says its wonderful and his injuries he used to experience are gone now. I never tried running in snow barefoot before but did walk barefoot in snow.


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## LawrenceU (Apr 3, 2010)

I had a Kenyan buddy in college who was an amazing distance runner. He never wore shoes running until he came to college. His times dropped at first, but then they soared.


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## Mushroom (Apr 4, 2010)

I ran, walked, biked, and lived barefoot as a kid in Thailand. The only time I put shoes on was to go to school,and I hated it. I wouldn't wear socks, though, because they'd give me blisters! Weird. But I had such thick callouses that I could put a stick-pin into the ball of my foot nearly to the head before I'd feel it. It was nasty. It was a filthy place, and I'm sure I contracted all sorts of unnecessary parasites and diseases by doing so.


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## JohnGill (Apr 5, 2010)

I'm thinking about doing that for my next AF pt test; or at least use the shoes; it's on an indoor flat track


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## Tim (Apr 5, 2010)

I currently live in South Africa and South Africans have a 'culture of bare feet' - walking down the street, in the stores, etc. I am sure that this goes a long way to strengthening feet.


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## SemperEruditio (Apr 5, 2010)

I started running using Vibram 5-Finger shoes




and can say that it has made a difference in my running. I am no runner but being a big guy I am able to run and not feel it for the next 2 weeks. It forces you to run differently and not the jarring heel-to-toe form that shoe companies have made the norm. I use the P.O.S.E form of running which takes some getting used but if you're running barefoot you're essentially using the "POSE method." Pose Running, Pose Cycling, Pose Swimming and other sport techniques taught through the Pose Method®


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## DeborahtheJudge (Apr 5, 2010)

I'll run a mile three times a week barefoot. It really strengthens your legs. I'm considering getting V5F as my graduation gift. I have hip and knee problems, hopefully running barefoot more will help. Wearing flats is already kind of like walking around barefoot.


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## Tim (Apr 5, 2010)

We used to do a lot of barefoot running when I was on the cross country team of my first university. We had a big Astroturf field that we used for this. Golf courses are also great for barefoot running if you can get on them - they don't usually have much litter or sharp objects. Or the beach. In Cape Town, you can run barefoot for at least 45 minutes up the beach, and then another 45 minutes down again!

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:16 PM ----------

But be careful not do overdo it. Last year, I was running 1000m intervals on the grass track with the university club. I took off my shoes for the last two intervals and really smoked the runs, but paid for it with some sort of collapse in my left foot. I had not been doing regular barefoot running up to that point, and then I subjected my feet to extreme pounding because the intervals were so fast. A crucial mistake. But I am smarter now.


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## Lee81 (Apr 6, 2010)

I'm loving every minute of going barefoot. Feet are little tender and my calves are killing me right now but that will pass. 

I see you have a lot of VFFs; they're a bit expensive but if you can do it, they're definitely worth it. I'm loving my KSOs and would like to, when everything gets stronger, to get a pair of the KSO Treks. The only reason I feel it now is because I'm still trying to find my bearings. So my calves are sore and the blisters make walking fun! The POSE Tech site you provided was pretty interesting; I didn't read everything but a lot of that seems to be what your body naturally does when barefoot.


SemperEruditio said:


> I started running using Vibram 5-Finger shoes and can say that it has made a difference in my running. I am no runner but being a big guy I am able to run and not feel it for the next 2 weeks.



The key is going slow at first and being able to build yourself up. A lot of people look at me in amazement when I'm barefoot. It's great! 


Tim said:


> We used to do a lot of barefoot running when I was on the cross country team of my first university. We had a big Astroturf field that we used for this. Golf courses are also great for barefoot running if you can get on them - they don't usually have much litter or sharp objects. Or the beach. In Cape Town, you can run barefoot for at least 45 minutes up the beach, and then another 45 minutes down again! But be careful not do overdo it. Last year, I was running 1000m intervals on the grass track with the university club. I took off my shoes for the last two intervals and really smoked the runs, but paid for it with some sort of collapse in my left foot. I had not been doing regular barefoot running up to that point, and then I subjected my feet to extreme pounding because the intervals were so fast. A crucial mistake. But I am smarter now.


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## SemperEruditio (Apr 6, 2010)

Lee81 said:


> I'm loving every minute of going barefoot. Feet are little tender and my calves are killing me right now but that will pass.
> 
> I see you have a lot of VFFs; they're a bit expensive but if you can do it, they're definitely worth it.
> 
> ...


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## Tim (Apr 6, 2010)

I was hanging out and watching a 5km running time trial the other day. It was amazing to see the difference between the many people with regular shoes and the one guy running in socks. His style was so different. His foot-strike was more towards the toes.


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## Notthemama1984 (Apr 6, 2010)

I own a pair of Five Fingers and they have done wonders for my run. I will say that you have to take it slow. Shins splints occur basically when the calves and feet stop absorbing the impact when running. So when you are running barefoot/FF when you start to feel the calves and feet getting fried, stop right there. You may not be winded or had a good cardio workout but if you continue you will cause injury.


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## R Harris (Apr 6, 2010)

Jack Woodrup, proprietor of the verticaljumping.com website, advocates doing almost everything barefoot - even weight training (e.g. squats) and intense plyometric training. He says your gains in strength, speed, and jumping accelerate quickly when you train barefoot.


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## Tim (Apr 7, 2010)

Interesting. But most gyms will not allow one to train barefoot.


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## LawrenceU (Apr 7, 2010)

Tim said:


> I was hanging out and watching a 5km running time trial the other day. It was amazing to see the difference between the many people with regular shoes and the one guy running in socks. His style was so different. His foot-strike was more towards the toes.


 
A proper foot-strike should be mid foot, ie more toward the toes. Many people over stride and heel strike in their stride. This is especially true with cushioned running shoes. The body was not designed to absorb shock from the heels up. Just try running barefoot with a heel strike or jumping from something and landing on your heels if you don't believe men. When I was recovering from my ankle injuries it took me almost nine months to retrain my legs to a proper foot strike due to the fact that the injuries led to a greater amount of pronation in my foot strike. For some reason those who over pronate tend to have more of a heel strike, sometimes more of a pile driving heel strike.


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## Lee81 (Apr 7, 2010)

At work we have a lunch time run club running on Mo/We/Fr. It's great because it's for inexperienced runners and they keep a slow and steady pace. It has allowed me to slowly get into barefoot running shape. On Monday I decided to do the last lap at a faster pace (9-10 on a treadmill). Result? My calves were screaming the rest of the day! Tuesday was more of the same; today I decided against running to give my body time to heal. Slowly but surely I'm getting there. 



Chaplainintraining said:


> I own a pair of Five Fingers and they have done wonders for my run. I will say that you have to take it slow. Shins splints occur basically when the calves and feet stop absorbing the impact when running. So when you are running barefoot/FF when you start to feel the calves and feet getting fried, stop right there. You may not be winded or had a good cardio workout but if you continue you will cause injury.



The limited research I have read concurs with what you're saying. I can see it too because I'm an over pronator and the outside of my shoes gets worn out quicker than the inside. 


LawrenceU said:


> A proper foot-strike should be mid foot, ie more toward the toes. Many people over stride and heel strike in their stride. This is especially true with cushioned running shoes. The body was not designed to absorb shock from the heels up. Just try running barefoot with a heel strike or jumping from something and landing on your heels if you don't believe men. When I was recovering from my ankle injuries it took me almost nine months to retrain my legs to a proper foot strike due to the fact that the injuries led to a greater amount of pronation in my foot strike. For some reason those who over pronate tend to have more of a heel strike, sometimes more of a pile driving heel strike.


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## Andrew Gordon (Apr 7, 2010)

I work at an outdoor store called Blue Ridge Mountain Sports. Blue Ridge Mountain Sports : Gear, clothing & footwear for climbing, hiking, running, kayaking, camping & travel. We sell Vibram Five Fingers and they are awesome! We get a huge amount of people coming in to try them on for running, hiking, biking, walking, swimming, and anything and everything. 

If anyone has any questions about them let me know!


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## TexanRose (Apr 8, 2010)

I used to be an on again-off again runner due to foot and knee pain. I was also a heel striker. At one point I thought maybe the foot pain was due to worn-out shoes, so I started researching running shoes and came across the idea of barefoot running. Let me say that barefoot running saved my feet! Running barefoot, just short trial runs down the street and back, really changed my form; I now experience soooo much less impact on my bones and joints--though my calves and quads have to work a lot harder! That's okay though!

I don't actually run barefoot most of the time though--I'm already running in a long skirt (long story) and I feel like running barefoot AND in a long skirt would be just a little too weird! I wear NB 790s which are fairly minimal. 

I don't think I would like the VFFs because I hate having things between my toes. Do y'all know of any running shoes that would be similar but without going between the toes?

p.s. the other thing that really changed my running was watching my boys run (ages 5 and 3). They are natural runners and run for sheer delight...and whenever they take off, I find that they have left their shoes behind. They are also natural midfoot strikers.


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## Claudiu (Apr 8, 2010)

It's nice to see all the runners here on PB! 

How many of you guys do those super long-distance runs, like the Tarahumara people? I'm talking 50+ miles. I just recently got interested in barefoot running and long-distance running. I was suprised when I found out people run such long distances, makes the Marathon look like a joke when someone can run a distance 3 times more than that.


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## kvanlaan (Apr 8, 2010)

My eldest son, when he first came to Canada, would wear only one shoe when playing soccer. He felt he had better ball control in kicking with his bare foot.


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## DeborahtheJudge (Apr 9, 2010)

> On Monday I decided to do the last lap at a faster pace (9-10 on a treadmill). Result? My calves were screaming the rest of the day! Tuesday was more of the same; today I decided against running to give my body time to heal. Slowly but surely I'm getting there.



Wait, you run barefoot on a treadmill?? Ouch!


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## Lee81 (Apr 12, 2010)

Reading that post over did sound like I run on a treadmill barefoot, but alas, I do not. I was saying that I picked up the pace that I was running and likened it to the speed on a treadmill to give a little context, so to speak. Running barefoot on a treadmill would get a bit toasty. 



DeborahtheJudge said:


> > On Monday I decided to do the last lap at a faster pace (9-10 on a treadmill). Result? My calves were screaming the rest of the day! Tuesday was more of the same; today I decided against running to give my body time to heal. Slowly but surely I'm getting there.
> 
> 
> 
> Wait, you run barefoot on a treadmill?? Ouch!


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## TexanRose (Apr 21, 2010)

Due to various shoe frustrations, I've been adding more barefoot running to my routine. However, there are some situations where barefoot running is not possible (for instance, on sharp gravel) and for those situations, I have discovered a much cheaper alternative to the Vibram Five Fingers: water shoes (or aqua socks, or whatever you call them). They are very thin, lightweight and flexible, so when I run in them, I am able to maintain the same form that I would use while running barefoot. And they only cost $5 at the local sporting goods store! 

Barefoot/minimal shoe running is great--my feet and ankles are getting substantially stronger! Of course, my calves are killing me, but that will pass as they get stronger, and I have zero foot/ankle/knee pain.


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## Tim (Apr 21, 2010)

Yes, water shoes would seem to be a good alternative. I suppose they would protect the foot well from sharp rocks, etc. The other minimalist shoe, of course is the Nike Free. Which is not free!


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## TexanRose (Apr 21, 2010)

Tim said:


> Yes, water shoes would seem to be a good alternative. I suppose they would protect the foot well from sharp rocks, etc. The other minimalist shoe, of course is the Nike Free. Which is not free!


 
Yes, though the Nike Free still has the raised heel typical of most running shoes. And I heard that the grooved sole will trap gravel; since I usually run on gravel, I was afraid that would be an annoyance. Plus, as you said, they aren't free.


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## Tim (Apr 21, 2010)

Barefoot running = good way to save money!


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## tommyb (Apr 21, 2010)

Due to disk issues in my neck I train exclusively by swimming and love it. And I definately endorse barefoot swimming!


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## ericfromcowtown (Apr 21, 2010)

Just bought a pair of Vibram KSO "shoes" and shall give it a try. Feels like it will take some getting used to.


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## TexanRose (May 3, 2010)

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but...

I went for a run around Rice University on Saturday (downtown Houston), a popular running spot. I saw 4-5 people wearing Vibram Five Fingers, one guy running barefoot--and 2-3 guys running in water shoes! I'm glad to see that I'm not the only nut who runs in water shoes! Also glad to see that this barefoot/minimalist running thing is catching on, at least in Houston.


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## ericfromcowtown (May 3, 2010)

ericfromcowtown said:


> Just bought a pair of Vibram KSO "shoes" and shall give it a try. Feels like it will take some getting used to.


 
I've gone running 3 times in my 5-fingers so far. After the first run, I felt as if I had never run before in my life. My calves were so sore that I could barely walk afterwards. it's slowly getting better, but I'm not a believer yet.


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## Claudiu (May 4, 2010)

ericfromcowtown said:


> ericfromcowtown said:
> 
> 
> > Just bought a pair of Vibram KSO "shoes" and shall give it a try. Feels like it will take some getting used to.
> ...


 
I think you gotta lift up the knees more, so the calves don't have to work as much. My calves used to hurt all the time until I lifted my knees more. Might help, idk.


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## SolaScriptura (May 4, 2010)

So that I'm crystal clear: Basically, if the idea behind barefoot running is correct, virtually every civilization in known human history has had it wrong, and mankind's continual quest for better footwear has been misguided, while a few barefoot going groups of savages who have contributed next to nothing to human cultural advancement have been onto something all along?


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## TexanRose (May 4, 2010)

SolaScriptura said:


> So that I'm clear: basically, virtually every civilization in known human history has had it wrong, and mankind's continual quest for better footwear has been misguided, while a few barefoot going groups of savages who have contributed next to nothing to human cultural advancement have been onto something all along?


 
Wow! No, barefoot running advocates are not saying that all shoes are bad. They are just saying that the big, clunky, built-up running shoes of the last 25-30 years are not generally conducive to good running form. If you watch a marathon, you'll see that a lot of the elite runners have already figured this out, as many of them run in "racing flats" which are quite minimal. And if you look at photos from racing events pre-1980 or so, you'll see that runners wore lightweight, flexible canvas shoes, as opposed to the modern day running shoe which typically has an inch plus of foam and rubber on the bottom. 

If you google "running barefoot" you'll see that the majority of runners who have tried downsizing or eliminating their shoes have found it to be quite helpful. Try it before you knock it.


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## hermanchauw (May 12, 2010)

Nice thread.


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