2009-10 Barefoot Winter Running Stats

[Barefoot Rick]

Posted this in a couple of other places but I thought some might find this useful and inspiring. This has made me think I need to put some winter barefoot running instructions (pre-warming, safeguards, etc.) on my website.



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Finally got around to publishing some stats from our COLD, COLD, winter last year. Here are a few highlights:

Highlights:

Ran barefoot every day outside from December 21, 2009 through March 20, 2010 (89 Running Days)

• 48 of these days I ran in snow and/or ice
• Ran 2 days in sub-10 degree F weather (not counting windchill)
• Ran 15 days in sub-20 degree F weather (not counting windchill)
• For all 89 days, my average run was 7.2 miles a day at an average of 33.6 degrees F

http://barefootrunner.org/winter/09winter.htm

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Always very inspiring,

Always very inspiring, Rick. Thanks for checking in. I'm sure come winter time, we will need your advice when it comes to running in the freezing cold.

 

[Matt]

 I feel good when I can run

I feel good when I can run in dry 28 degree weather or 40 with patches of snow, but snow and ice with below freezing is very impressive.

Rick, thanks for showing us what is possible.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Inspiring, and very

Inspiring, and very impressive Barefoot Rick. I started running barefoot last September 10' and while searching through youtube videos i happened to come across a video of a interview you did for some news station, you were running barefoot through snow while giving the interview. It was awesome.


With soon a year under my belt of barefoot running, my goal is to run barefoot through the winter. I made it until December last year and had to resort to my KSO's. Running barefoot for 5 straight months now, I have no desire for any footwear anymore, I can't even fathom putting on my KSO's.

I am going to really test my limits this winter and see how far I can go barefoot. I tried snow last year, I got about 100 yards before turning back home. This year might different.



God bless.

 

[saypay45]

The sub-10 degree runs are

The sub-10 degree runs are especially impressive. Most winter days in MN would fall into that category. I'm wondering if frostbite is a concern though. It seems to me that if other parts of my body need to be covered to avoid frostbite at those temps, my feet need to be as well. Especially the toes.

Any tips Rick?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

It seemed once Rick got over

It seemed once Rick got over the frost bite on one occasion early on, he was good to go from then out, right, Rick?

Maybe he'll share those pretty pictures here with us. ;-) WARNING: Not for the faint of heart.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

These

These pics?



http://barefootrunner.org/winter/05winter.htm

 

[saypay45]

Yikes!  Those do not look

Yikes! Those do not look like happy toes! Seems as though it gets easier as your feet become accustom to the cold.

I look forward to his tips on how to do this. I really am not looking forward to the winter...

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Eeeeek!  Yes, those

Eeeeek! Yes, those pictures! I especially LOVE the one with the flesh all torn away. What is that thing under there...a toe?

 

[miker]

Barefoot TJ wrote:Eeeeek! 

Eeeeek! Yes, those pictures! I especially LOVE the one with the flesh all torn away. What is that thing under there...a toe?

TJ, I think it's more like "What is that thing under there...what's left of a toe?

Man, that looks painful! I'm thinkin' I'll keep me feetsies covered w/something this winter. I figure even the cave people put some fur on their feet. And who am I to knock tradition.

 

[Blind Boy]

Ok, that settles it. I won't

Ok, that settles it. I won't even attempt barefooting this winter. If your feet looked like that in those temps I don't even want to think about what the temps around here would do to my toes. 10 F is a warm day in these parts.

 

[Barefooting Bob]

I was thinking about running

I was thinking about running all winter barefoot up here in the Great White North (Winnipeg, Canada), but seeing that picture of the one toe that was just hanging on, I think I will go with my Vibram Flow's on really cold days. I am kind of attached to my toes, and want them to stay attached to me.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Amazingly, I don't know how,

Amazingly, I don't know how, but Rick kept his toes. How he runs in negative temps through snow blows my mind. It must be devine intervention.

 

[barefoot kean]

if i can run half as much in

if i can run half as much in the cold ill be happy

 

[beachlife360]

 Don't have to worry about

Don't have to worry about cold temps here in phoenix Winter is the best time to run barefoot here!

 

[Danjo]

Yeah, BB, probably best to

Yeah, BB, probably best to keep something on your feet, or just not go out at all. People had already invented shoes before they moved up as far north as you are. I think thats a pretty good way to judge it. If inigenous people had to invent shoes before they moved somewhere, then you should probably put something on your feet as well. Its not necessarily impossible to run there barefoot, but I think you'd even get the barefooters looking at you crazy if you tried.

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 I'm so excited to try all of

I'm so excited to try all of this (minus the frostbite ....Here in Mid. PA, it occasionally gets to the teens and single digits, but doesn't stay there all week (and really, only gets that cold a couple of times during the season).....usually 20-30 degrees....and if it's snowing, it's usually a little warmer...most of the winter, it will be 20-40....already working on climate transitions, keeping my feet uncovered, especially when I sleep at night, and have not once started our wood stove (how we stay warm ;-) BRING IT ON.....



But, if I was in northern Canada....yeah, I'd probably have a pair of wool socks handy, like Cody Lundin