First naked run!

Hulahooper

Barefooters
Jul 18, 2014
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So I've been doing barefoot "stuff" for a long time. But never made transition to running. I use vibram 5 fingers and a transitional trainer.

I have a complicated hip/back issue that was under control until shin splints came along at the end of may. I have run and done lots of resting. GP fobbed me off and wouldn't help me. As I was walking home in the vibrams still getting pain, I whipped them off and was surprised that I didn't have any pain. So after volunteering at park run this morn, I decided, screw it, off for a run. Little 2km totally barefoot. No pain whatsoever! :-D only pain I have right now is no different to what I've had every other day.

What does this mean???! :-D
 
I don't think people should go to minimalist shoes first...because until you have really good skin to ground form, you will still likely have some bad mechanics from years of shod walking and running.

Minimalist shoes 'help' with better mechanics, but nothing totally fixes the problems with your gate like skin to ground running.


The extra sensitivity makes a big difference, even between minimalist shoes versus skin to ground.


A good totally minimalist shoe is okay, but only in my humble opinion, when you have ran for at least 6 to 12 months, or a good 1000 miles totally skin to ground, and developed good form that way.

After that a minimalist shoe can be worn, because you will have good skin to ground mechanics set into your neuro-muscular memory.

Once you have really good form, if you wear a shoe with a wide enough toe box, thats super flexible, and has zero drop, its probably okay....but the thing is, once you get really use to skin to ground running, its so much more enjoyable than shod running that you probably won't want to wear even a minimalist shoe.


Running in any type of shoe until you really learn to run FULLY barefoot will likely contribute to more or ongoing injuries.
 
Thanks for the replies. :)

That's similar to what I read on barefoot ken's website. I have to admit, I love being barefoot. Always have. And running barefoot today made feel floaty and happy. :-D

I have a slight niggle on the top of my foot/ankle line which I didn't have before. But no extra shin pain to any other day.

Could this mean I'm allowed to run again???
 
Thanks for the replies. :)

That's similar to what I read on barefoot ken's website. I have to admit, I love being barefoot. Always have. And running barefoot today made feel floaty and happy. :-D

I have a slight niggle on the top of my foot/ankle line which I didn't have before. But no extra shin pain to any other day.

Could this mean I'm allowed to run again???
I've been a casual barefoot for most of my adult life. This can cause a little overconfidence, however, when it comes to barefoot running, since we start with well-developed plantar calluses already.

The niggle could be inflamed foot tendons caused by tight lower leg muscles, aka, TOFP or top-of-the-foot-pain. Try rolling/massaging/stretching your shin and calf muscles. Also stretch out your feet by pulling your toes up and down, and/or by rolling under your arches with a foot roller of some kind.

And yes, I think you're good to go. Congrats!
 
Thanks for the helpful tips.

I am so happy right now I could cry! They kept telling me I'd have to switch to another sport and not run again. But.. I'm afraid to be excited in case it isn't sorted if you get what I mean.

How often do you think I should run now until I can get back to my 3 or 4 runs a week?
 
Thanks for the helpful tips.

I am so happy right now I could cry! They kept telling me I'd have to switch to another sport and not run again. But.. I'm afraid to be excited in case it isn't sorted if you get what I mean.

How often do you think I should run now until I can get back to my 3 or 4 runs a week?
My pleasure. I've been helped by too many people to mention. It's nice to return the favor obliquely.

I'm no expert, but I am good at getting in and out of shape. I would say run 3 or 4 times a week right now, but minimally, just a kilometer each time out for a few weeks, to make sure nothing bad is building up. Then start adding distance. Maybe use the 10% rule and add 10% each week? This might be overly cautious, but given your history with shin splints, better safe than sorry. You'll get to your former distances eventually. You could even do them now, by walking the difference until you've built up to running them fully.

My general approach to running is that it's better to do less more frequently, than a lot once in a while.
 
As I was walking home in the vibrams still getting pain, I whipped them off and was surprised that I didn't have any pain

It's great to hear when someone 'gets barefoot.' Great news Hula. I remember my first time. Take it slow. Listen to what your feet tell you. Have fun!
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Running in any type of shoe until you really learn to run FULLY barefoot will likely contribute to more or ongoing injuries.

Sorry, but I don't agree Steve. As long as people understand that they have to change their running form, minimalist shoes are good. Of course, barefoot is better, but there are many people, me and I'm guessing Hula included, who would never have gone from foot coffins straight to barefoot without minimalist shoes
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Thanks.

I need to be careful but have also been signed up for glow in the park on 11th Oct. (5km but they're now getting a barefooter lol.) I would like to make the distance at least. :-/ (although I could've easily kept going today but be if sensible I thought it best to stop at 2)

Is that the one in Bath Hula? Sounds like fun. Maybe I could get a few barefooters together to run and we could come along and support you? What do you think?
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Maybe. I'm doing it with a friend who doesn't barefoot and hasn't run a race for a while so my focus will be on her mainly. If that makes sense.

I totally think we should get bf people doing it and it'd be cool to meet people. :)

(Eta. Yes it's the bath one)
 
Good post Hula.

I’ve only been doing this for about 5 weeks or so now (so very much still a newbie). I’ve just been doing short runs each week, but totally barefoot.

I bought a pair of vivos last week in readiness for the Winter months (just in case I can’t handle the temperatures you understand…). Having tried them out just walking around, I would agree that they are an enormous improvement on my usual trainers in terms of comfort and the ability to feel the true profile of the ground under my feet, etc...

However, when I take them off the increase in feedback of information from my feet to my brain is incredible. It immediately feels more natural (and I think easier too). Also no knee pain whatsoever -which was my previous 'restricting condition'. So the vivos are good, but nothing like as good as BF for me.

If I had been doing it for longer then I would have loved to sign up for the Bath glow in the park, but I am progressing my distance slowly and would probably struggle with 5k BF at the moment. –So good luck on 11th October & go for it!
 
Yes definitely felt easier for me too.

I'm having some pain today. :-/ Different pain. I'm wondering if it's my body saying, wait a minute we haven't done that for a while!!!

Thanks for the good luck. Worrying a bit about it now. Will take vibrams with me but hoping to barefoot it. *crosses fingers for no pain before*