Call me Princess Pea!

Sid

Sid

Barefooters
Jan 1, 2011
2,794
3,421
113
Florida
#1
I thought that perhaps, once I reached a point where I could run comfortably on concrete, that my feet would be strong enough, that I wouldn't find shoes as bothersome. However, it seems that wearing shoes is even more bothersome, now! :D I wear the Vivo Dharma for work. They are relatively unobtrusive. During the day, I often slip off the shoes underneath my desk. Even so, at the end of the day, it feels so much better to take off my shoes and walk around. There's just something about having my feet free and in direct contact with the ground with my bodyweight on them.

Has anyone else experienced this?
 
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#3
It think that there are several factors:
- not enough flexibility
- not a flat surface
- not enough room

I think that if I could find shoes that could address these problems, then my feet would be a lot happier. :)
I might look into ordering a pair of Runamocs in a wide width ...
 
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#6
I'm right there with ya Sid. Heat is a problem no matter if I'm wearing sandals (my soles sweat really bad against rubber!) or any closed shoe. And they got hot quicker than ever now that I am used to being barefoot a lot. I mean an hour or two in the office and I feel like they are burning, and I don't recall ever being that bad before the whole barefoot thing. Even with regular thick shoes or boots, I don't think I ever took them off at the office even on nightshifts. Additionally, I still get cramps in my arches occasionally wearing min shoes. My gait for sure is different with them. I love just about everything about my VB Ra's but they suffer from that too - especially at an event were I'm sitting a lot but get up to walk around a lot too, like a wedding reception, or something I am photographing. I still haven't quite figured out whats going on but I believe with min shoes I am pointing my feet straighter (as apposed to a very slight V) and also I tend over-supinate I guess it would be called... I think I land more on the outside edge of my foot as if I'm 'reaching' more not being able to sense the ground as well. Whatever it is, going bare always helps right away.
 
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#10
Tristan-OH said:
I'm right there with ya Sid. Heat is a problem no matter if I'm wearing sandals (my soles sweat really bad against rubber!) or any closed shoe. And they got hot quicker than ever now that I am used to being barefoot a lot. I mean an hour or two in the office and I feel like they are burning, and I don't recall ever being that bad before the whole barefoot thing. Even with regular thick shoes or boots, I don't think I ever took them off at the office even on nightshifts. Additionally, I still get cramps in my arches occasionally wearing min shoes. My gait for sure is different with them. I love just about everything about my VB Ra's but they suffer from that too - especially at an event were I'm sitting a lot but get up to walk around a lot too, like a wedding reception, or something I am photographing. I still haven't quite figured out whats going on but I believe with min shoes I am pointing my feet straighter (as apposed to a very slight V) and also I tend over-supinate I guess it would be called... I think I land more on the outside edge of my foot as if I'm 'reaching' more not being able to sense the ground as well. Whatever it is, going bare always helps right away.
Click to expand...


+1 on gait and on heat (oh I just HATE sweaty feet in shoes! ick!)
 
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#11
Tristan-OH said:
I think I land more on the outside edge of my foot as if I'm 'reaching' more not being able to sense the ground as well. Whatever it is, going bare always helps right away.
Click to expand...
I am running the same way.
Touching the ground with the outside edge of the foot first is normal and indicates a proper running gait. It is only a brief touch and immediately after the whole foot distributes the load.
It is completely natural.

10366147_645468198862922_4642607408390591378_n.jpg

http://runforefoot.com/toe-running-causes-lower-leg-injury-forefoot-running/

"It looks as if the runner is landing on the outside of the foot, but in fact, this is how the human foot naturally strikes the ground when running barefoot. Hunmans seem to be hardwired to land under, in the order of the 5th – 4th – 3rd metatarsals, then the rest of the foot flattens to the ground."
 
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#12
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#13
paraganek said:
I am running the same way.
Touching the ground with the outside edge of the foot first is normal and indicates a proper running gait. It is only a brief touch and immediately after the whole foot distributes the load.
It is completely natural.
Click to expand...

Oh yes I agree, I just think I'm over-doing it, or else due to the lack of feeling the touching of the ground I'm not leveling off after the initial impact. I do normally touch with the outside first, but for example the first time I put VFF's on when it started getting cold a couple years ago I really hurt the edge of my foot at the 'contact zone' after one run. It caused me a lot of pain and to take a couple weeks off and not compete in a race it was so bad. Definitely wasn't natural, and I think it was actually bruised. I don't have that problem so much anymore, but still get the cramps in my arches a lot when I wear min shoes.
 
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#14
Tristan-OH said:
years ago I really hurt the edge of my foot at the 'contact zone' after one run. It caused me a lot of pain and to take a couple weeks off and not compete in a race it was so bad.
Click to expand...
I had something similar where I was putting too much weight under the 5th met, developed a callus, which then pressed on a superficial nerve. Not fun.

This is the problem with giving advice on landing a certain way, lifting the knees, using gravity, etc. While this advice may very well help a few people, it may be completely wrong for others. Some people who think too hard about forefoot running, end up trying to run on their toes!

There is a reason why there are coaches and gait labs. They can look at a persons gait, give advice, and see if it has been corrected. This iterative approach is very important.

When I learned how to swim, the instructor would observe and identify areas in need of improvement. She would have me try various drills to see how they impacted my technique. Some suggestions worked, some didn't. Slowly, we figured out what worked for me.

Thinking about landing on the outer caused me to put too much weight on that area. Now when I run, I think about landing in the center of my forefoot pad, and conceptualizing it in this way works for me. However, I may very well be landing lightly on the outer edge! :D This process will likely be different for everyone.
 
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