Noob with a question about concrete

Supersco82

Barefooters
Jul 7, 2014
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I'm returning to running after not running for several years. I used to run all the time (in the Air Force), but when I was about 23 I suddenly developed severe foot/leg pain. I'm now 31, and after years of trying tons of different shoes, orthotics, physical therapy....I finally discovered minimalist shoes (Altra's mainly -- I tried VFF's when they first came out but I have long toes that do not fit in them). I've seen a reduction in pain, but I feel I need to get back into exercise and start using my feet/legs the way evolution intended.

So a week and a half ago I decided to start the barefoot journey. I'm taking it slowly. I've been walking every other day for about a mile and plan on doing this for several more weeks. I've done two light jogs of 200 yards or less. The problem is I live in the city and there's not a lot of grass around.

My question is, how dangerous is it to run on concrete? Walking on it is ok, but on those super short jogs I could tell immediately that running barefoot on concrete was not a good idea. Asphalt is a little more comfortable but there's too much debris on the roads. Where do you guys run if you live in the city and don't have time to drive far away to get some grass or dirt under your feet???
 
I run barefoot in New York City all the time (~60 miles a week) - mostly on concrete. It's fine once your technique has evolved. Try keeping your knees and ankles relaxed and loose with lots of bend in them and then see how you feel.
You are starting out with a very sensible approach - take your time and enjoy the journey!
 
I live in the burbs, and I run exclusively on concrete sidewalks, now. I started out with asphalt road, then trails, and now concrete.
I had problems with bunions which made my feet weak (thanks to some poor fitting shoes in my 20's). So, this process has taken me about 4 years on and off.

I think that barefoot running is a skill that must be learned over time. Just like someone isn't going to be awesome at tennis, golf, swimming, or karate in just a few weeks. There's neuromuscular development or muscle memory that takes time.
 
I run on all kinds of surfaces, but mostly asphalt, with concrete coming in a distant second. I can definitely tell a difference about how I feel on concrete after 4 years of running almost exclusively barefoot. When I started, I tried to follow the basic advice more experienced bare foot runners were giving about including a fair amount of rough surfaces to help work on form. I think it helped a lot. But like Sid said, some of it is just giving the necessary body parts time to get strong. Now, I actually prefer running on asphalt or sidewalks, as opposed to grass (except for my own backyard), because grass hides things, like holes, bees, and sharp stuff. Besides which, if you are going to start running more than a mile, it is going to be hard to find that much grass to run on!
 
I think concrete is actually a great surface to start with, because it is stable, and it helps you to build your feet muscles.

Don't focus too much on grass for now, it may actually hurt you more than help you during the early stages.
 
I don't think that there's any wrong running on grass. The natural cushioning is nice sometimes. However, running on grass won't prepare one to run on pavement.

I don't have any trails within walking distance either, and I had to drive a bit to get to trails. However, I did that for only a few months until I got tired of driving and went back to starting over with concrete.

If you're up for a drive, then maybe try these?
http://www.okc.gov/Trails/hiking_biking.html

Even if you do run on trails, it might not be a bad idea to do a bit of work on concrete at the beginning of each run for practice, then head for the trail to get your miles in.
 
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Unless I'm sprinting, I tend to heel-strike on grass. Hard surfaces are the best. Compacted dirt is heaven, but urban sidewalks and asphalt paths are just fine. Just take it slow and you will adapt. Like Chris says, try to relax and let your soles dictate what to do.

Walking is a great way to build up your plantar calluses with less abrasion than running involves.

I think basic strength training, especially squats and deadlifts, is also a necessary foundation for any kind of athletic performance. My form and foot landing really improved once I got stronger overall.

All the best!
 
90-99% of my running is asphalt, only a couple times have I been on a concrete path but had no problems with it at all, seemed to be wonderfully smooth surface to run on even if a slight bit stiffer than asphalt (not that asphalt is very cushioned lol).

I'll second Dan's post on getting a good book or two. Jason's book is what I used to start barefoot.

Starting slow is a good idea, especially if your struggling with it a little. Could you elaborate a little on what your specific issues where when you said "I could tell immediately that running barefoot on concrete was not a good idea". I very slowly progressed, but my initial issues were just in the tenderness and sensitivity of my soles to the texture and abrasion (and my road is very rough asphalt, might even bit chip seal not 100% sure). I think I'd rather have started on concrete! But doing lots of walking at first is good... I tried a daily walk or so for a couple weeks barefoot before in starting to jog, and then I'd jog only a hundred or two yards every other day and then every week increment the distance by another telephone pole or so. For the first month I tried to maintain walking on the days I didn't run... keeping some constant barefoot to ground in everyday to help toughen the skin.
 
Walking is a great way to build up your plantar calluses with less abrasion than running involves.
I'm going to disagree with building up plantar calluses. I walk/run barefoot nearly exclusively on concrete now, and my skin is still soft and flexible.

I do agree with walking. Something to keep in mind is that going barefoot places a greater need to have healthy feet. If one cannot walk barefoot comfortably, then running is going to be challenging.

I actually had a lot of issues on concrete, until I addressed my forefoot problems. I found this information to be helpful.
http://www.thebarefootrunners.org/index.php?posts/150370
 
I'm returning to running after not running for several years. I used to run all the time (in the Air Force), but when I was about 23 I suddenly developed severe foot/leg pain. I'm now 31, and after years of trying tons of different shoes, orthotics, physical therapy....I finally discovered minimalist shoes (Altra's mainly -- I tried VFF's when they first came out but I have long toes that do not fit in them). I've seen a reduction in pain, but I feel I need to get back into exercise and start using my feet/legs the way evolution intended.

So a week and a half ago I decided to start the barefoot journey. I'm taking it slowly. I've been walking every other day for about a mile and plan on doing this for several more weeks. I've done two light jogs of 200 yards or less. The problem is I live in the city and there's not a lot of grass around.

My question is, how dangerous is it to run on concrete? Walking on it is ok, but on those super short jogs I could tell immediately that running barefoot on concrete was not a good idea. Asphalt is a little more comfortable but there's too much debris on the roads. Where do you guys run if you live in the city and don't have time to drive far away to get some grass or dirt under your feet???


Hello Supe,

When you run those 200 yards, are you landing on your heel or on your fore/mid foot?

You will not be able to run the same way barefoot as you do with shoes on, which is kinda the point, change your running stride, cadence (180 bpm), shorten your stride length, land softly on forefoot and just let the heel lightly kiss the ground, run gently and 'lightly' without hard foot landings, etc...you have to change the "way" you run without shoes...be patient about it...one of the main reasons to run barefoot is because you CANNOT run the wrong way comfortably when barefoot ;-)

If its not comfortable on concrete, or even gravel, run in a way that it becomes comfortable, let your body guide you :)
 
I'm going to disagree with your definition of callus.;)
Don't get me wrong, I think that skin development is important, but skill development even more so, for a beginner. One doesn't necessarily need thick skin, if one treads lightly. Besides skin development is only superficial. :D Muscles, bones, and connective tissue development is also important.

Just as the skin on a weightlifter's hands thicken with time, so will the skin on a barefooter's feet. The weightlifter doesn't necessarily pay too much attention to developing calluses, and neither should a barefooter. Calluses will develop on their own, if the terrain promotes it.

If skin thickening does occur, it should probably be over the entire surface of the forefoot pad in an even layer, similar to the heel. Otherwise spot development of calluses might indicate forefoot problems or technique issues.

So, any word from the OP?
 
Don't get me wrong, I think that skin development is important, but skill development even more so, for a beginner. One doesn't necessarily need thick skin, if one treads lightly. Besides skin development is only superficial. :D Muscles, bones, and connective tissue development is also important.

Just as the skin on a weightlifter's hands thicken with time, so will the skin on a barefooter's feet. The weightlifter doesn't necessarily pay too much attention to developing calluses, and neither should a barefooter. Calluses will develop on their own, if the terrain promotes it.

If skin thickening does occur, it should probably be over the entire surface of the forefoot pad in an even layer, similar to the heel. Otherwise spot development of calluses might indicate forefoot problems or technique issues.

So, any word from the OP?
I'm going to agree with your description of callusing.:woot:

My plantar calluses, besides my heel, are also supple and smooth. Hard spot calluses or blisters, like you say, probably indicate landing or form issues. I've been getting heel fissures, running or no running, for some thirty years, so I think it's a separate issue.

I was just suggesting walking as a good, less abrading way to build up calluses slowly. I've never had a problem with blisters, and I think this is why--I've always walked barefoot a fair amount.
 
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Time is your friend. The body is incredibly adaptive given enough time to adjust. Your approach to go slowly is correct, as so many others have already stated. I think you will get more benefit from more shorter runs than from fewer longer runs.

It's a whole body thing, or at least a whole leg thing. More than just the soles of your feet need to get used to the experience of running without shoes. Your calves, knees, thighs and hips will all need to adjust to the new motions and stresses you will encounter. Within the foot, the arch and toes must strengthen.

My preference is for asphalt over concrete. While the surface of concrete may be smooth and comfortable, the individual slabs can heave and separate and make for a difficult run for me. Streets have larger slabs and don't present as much difficulty as sidewalks do. While I enjoy running on many other softer surfaces, I'll have to agree with others that the joy can be offset by hidden dangers such as sticks, rocks, holes, or the difficulty of dealing with uneven surfaces.
 
Semantics, I know, but callous is a poor choice for a word describing the body's protective, noninterfering thickening of skin. When used in emotional context it suggests becoming insensitive as protection from hardship. Calloused feet are protected without becoming insensitive.
 
Its interesting this callous thing...as a relative noob (Barefooting for a bit over 3 months), I had expected in the beginning that as my feet 'toughened' I would get a hard leather-like callous like ya get on your heel from wearing shoes.

But it never happened...The tips of my big toe has a bit of that type of callous, but the rest of my foot the skin is still supple and sensitive, albeit somewhat thicker.









Hey Bare Lee,

I have to disagree with you a bit when you said that 'faster' means more abrasion.

For me thats not the case, and I do two to three sprint/speed workouts a week...and do at least a couple sprints every day to keep loose...on a variety of surfaces.

I actually get less abrasion 'at speed' than I do at slower paces...cause I just lean and pick the feet up as fast as I can...When in full stride so to speak, I hardly feel my feet hitting the ground at all, and the overall running experience feels more like a total body 'lift off' rather than a bunch of landings and 'push off'.

The sensation is wonderful actually, which is why I sprint for a bit in every run.

For me, more speed = Less Abrasion AND Jarring = More Lift off and Gliding = Less Quad and Hamstring activation = More lower Abs, Glutes, and Hip Flexer activation.

Basically, when running fast, it seems like the core stays more taught while the extremities become really loose the further distal ya go from the core...terminating in the feet and hands which are Very loose at speed. This 'lifting' from the taught core with loose shoulders, knees, elbows, and feet, seems to naturally eliminate both abrasions and jarring forces for me.

Now if I could only get the cardiovascular development to 'Lift and Glide' indefinitely', I'd be one amazingly happy camper! :)
 
Semantics, I know, but callous is a poor choice for a word describing the body's protective, noninterfering thickening of skin. When used in emotional context it suggests becoming insensitive as protection from hardship. Calloused feet are protected without becoming insensitive.
Yes, it's unfortunate that some people don't understand the definition of "callus." But that's true of many things. What to do? Some people think "capitalism" = market economy.

One of the great things about barefoot running is it gets one to question received wisdom and established preconceptions and take a more scientific view of matters. The body is very adaptable, callusing is but one adaptation, doesn't matter if the stimulus is good/natural (e.g., varied surfaces), or bad/artificial (e.g., tight shoes).

In the past, a few BRS members have objected strongly to the use of 'callus' to describe the thickening of the plantar skin. So do we posit a separate physiology for the feet?

Its interesting this callous thing...as a relative noob (Barefooting for a bit over 3 months), I had expected in the beginning that as my feet 'toughened' I would get a hard leather-like callous like ya get on your heel from wearing shoes.

But it never happened...The tips of my big toe has a bit of that type of callous, but the rest of my foot the skin is still supple and sensitive, albeit somewhat thicker.
Ya, a lot of shoddies find it counterintuitive, which is why they object to using the word "callus." But for barefooters, it's expected. Also, for string players like guitarists, calluses aren't viewed as 'bad.' Or weightlifters, like Sid said. I like lifting weights barehanded, for the proprioception, but I also like having the calluses--useful for other tasks.

I have to disagree with you a bit when you said that 'faster' means more abrasion.
You should talk to Kozz, our resident sprinter.