Greetings from Scotland!

WildPlace

Barefooters
Apr 21, 2014
49
140
33
Scotland
Hi everyone

I'm just recently getting back into running. I walked the Camino de Santiago through France and Spain late last year (500 miles, 6 weeks) and since then i'd been having some niggling ongoing problems with heel pain so was looking into footwear options for running.

Barefoot running kept coming up in my searches and it all makes so much sense! I realised that since childhood i've been most at home wandering around barefoot and gave up wearing heels many years ago in favour of the comfortable flat option.

I'm lucky to live on the beautiful west coast of Scotland and have a long stretch of sandy beach that i can run on. Bliss!

I realised that whether walking or running I was landing heavily on my heels - with a change in technique from the barefoot running my niggly heel pain has now virtually disappeared.
 
Love this. No more heel pain for you. Congrats on the 500 miles! Welcome!
 
Welcome .... Fantastic achievment so far well done, as many people, me being one will tell you take it easy a little often to build up your foot strength and learn your best technique, I went for a combination of minamilist running shoes Altra & Sockwa and my bare feet. Also now wearing thanks to this forum a pair of Leam's fantastic for every day use.
Where on the west coast are you? my brother lives in Largs, Im from Edinburgh originally but been here in Newcastle for a long time.

Frank
 
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Thanks for the welcome Frank

I'm in the beautiful Outer Hebrides :)

Barefoot is my preferred option and i'm trying to expand my totally barefoot running but i also have VFF, Luna Venados and Xero Amuri Venture.
 
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I'm in the beautiful Outer Hebrides :)

Barefoot is my preferred option and i'm trying to expand my totally barefoot running but i also have VFF, Luna Venados and Xero Amuri Venture.

That certainly is a beautiful part of the world! I've ridden the length of the Long Isle several times and always enjoyed it (never got to Berneray) - whatever the weather! The tarred roads were mostly chip-seal but the dirt roads and beaches would be great for barefoot.

Enjoy the "simmer dim"!
 
That certainly is a beautiful part of the world! I've ridden the length of the Long Isle several times and always enjoyed it (never got to Berneray) - whatever the weather! The tarred roads were mostly chip-seal but the dirt roads and beaches would be great for barefoot.

Enjoy the "simmer dim"!


Glad to know that you enjoyed your visits here! Yes the sandy beaches stretch for miles down the west side here and the machair (dune grassland) is good for barefoot - you just have to watch out for the randomly placed cow and sheep poo :yuck: and check for ticks once home (the ones here can carry Lyme Disease).

The simmer dim is my most favourite time of year, we barely get an hour of darkness come mid-June - you can walk/run out at midnight and still see really well :)
 
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Hi Yvonne, and welcome!

You make it sound just wonderful. I guess the spring and summer almost make the winters bearable. Perhaps single malts even out the balance.

I'll let you know when I can pop over for a visit to verify your encomiums.
 
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Hi Yvonne, and welcome!
You make it sound just wonderful. I guess the spring and summer almost make the winters bearable. Perhaps single malts even out the balance.
I'll let you know when I can pop over for a visit to verify your encomiums.

Yes, winter can be challenging to put it mildly - I have to resist the temptation to head down to southern Spain for winter...
But, a single malt sitting next to a roaring fire is definitely to be recommended :)
 
I've never known a peat fire to roar - doesn't half help the flavour of a fine Islay malt though ;)

Haha, no, a peat fire only roars when the chimmney is on fire!

Islay malts, well I don't really do peaty whisky - however the unpeated Islay malt Bruichladdich Rocks is one of my absolute favourites. The Tobermory 10 year old from Mull is also very good. :)
 
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Welcome, WP! Great story, much like many of ours who have already found this place. Glad to have you with us! We're heading to Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland in July for a couple of weeks walking and train-riding travel.

Hi Phil,

Which part of Wales are you visiting? If you're in South Wales any weekend, give me a shout and we'll maybe hook up and I can show you the best running spots :)

Iechyd Da!

Paul
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