running barefoot on pavement

So... I've been running with Luna sandals for a while, but it's so nice in Florida for much of the year that I want to go barefoot. But the pavement wears down the soles of my feet after about 2 miles and my feet get sore.
How do you "toughen" up your soles to the point where you can walk or run barefoot for several miles on pavement? I assume you just get outside more and walk around barefoot?
But at the end of the day, would putting lotion on your feet after a shower help or hurt this process?
How long did it take you before your feet were tough enough to run 26 miles on pavement?
 
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It took me about 1 year before I could run a marathon again. It took another year before I was beating my previous times.
 
I love the year round running weather in Florida. I walk and run strictly unshod on concrete sidewalk.

I have learned that with proper form and biomechanics, that I don't need to have thick soles. This is not to say that it did not take time to feel comfortable going barefoot on rough sidewalks. It actually took me several years of going barefoot on sidewalks. Part of this was due to having to rehab some bunions. Totally worth it.

Some might say lift the feet.
Plant, propel, and pickup is what I do.

I like this video.
 
Yes, I would agree that lotion and other products won't make one a more skilled barefooter. Certainly, a hot soak, cold soak, lotion, whatever, might may one feel better.

Tough feet doesn't make one a more skilled barefooter either. Experience and practicing without injury does.

Dr. Mark is an excellent runner. Very few of us will be able to run like him. He won the Air Fore Marathon twice. However, his video conveys some very important concepts.

Although, it may seem to be a big limiter for beginners, skin is the first thing that develops, and the least important.
 
Thanx for the input. I assumed there wasn't a "trick" to it.. Just spend lots of time barefoot. I'm pretty happy with my skill/form as a runner, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue. To hear some people say that it could take as long as a year or more is about what I was expecting, so that's fine.
 
Just stop running in Huaraches and start running barefoot.

When I started running barefoot it took me a fee weeks to build up to double digit mileage, but that was transitioning from conventional running shoes to true barefoot, so I took it nice and slow during the build up.

I got to where my feet werent the limiting factor on pavement. 25 mile runs were a zero issue.

Then I had to take a year or 2 off from running, so I thought that coming back would take awhile. Luckily my body remembered how to run, so I went from 0 miles to running 30 miles on my 30th birthday with only like 45 days of training. My feet never gave me any problems because my form was good.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I agree that huaraches have their place and use, I think that they are preventing the essential feedback required to perfect your form, which is made evident when your having issues running barefoot on pavement.

So, while its not too hot to do so, run completely barefoot!
 
Cool. It sounds like it's just going to take a while. I've been in the huaraches for about 3 or 4 years now. I don't have any pain when running barefoot and I don't notice any change in my form... It's just that the skin literally is sanded off by running on pavement. Not badly. Like I said, it doesn't really hurt, but I can tell a couple layers are gone after only a couple miles, so it makes sense that it just takes a long time to "build up" the leathery toughness to make it for longer distances