Going Barefoot…almost! My barefoot experience and is it right for you? Part II

[pilotrunner]

I don't know what a 9 minute pace is for you but I slowed down about 1.5- 2.0 minutes per mile when starting. So besides lowering the mileage as suggested, I felt the need to lower the pace. So if you normally run an 8 minute pace, 9 might be a good place to start.

No offense rbondi, but I totally disagree with your thoughts on this topic.

Pace is the last thing a new barefoot runner should be watching.

Concentrating on form, cadence and posture (yes, technically form, but kind of different) shoud be the priority.

Pace will come with time after learning how to run properly (barefoot, of course)... NATURALLY

 

[Barefoot Dama]

No offense rbondi, but I totally disagree with your thoughts on this topic.

Pace is the last thing a new barefoot runner should be watching.

Concentrating on form, cadence and posture (yes, technically form, but kind of different) shoud be the priority.

Pace will come with time after learning how to run properly (barefoot, of course)... NATURALLY

Pilot, I think rbondi actually is suggesting to run slow-which is good, right?

 

[NickW]

Pilot, I think rbondi actually is suggesting to run slow-which is good, right?

That's the way I read it too Dama. I think rbondi may have arbitrarily assigned a number to it (based on what worked for him) which maybe is more what Pilot disagreed with.

 

[migangelo]

i believe the Dr has given up on going bf before he even did it so it won't matter. i hope he does read this and see he has the answer to his questions not only here but he knows it as well.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

i believe the Dr has given up on going bf before he even did it so it won't matter. i hope he does read this and see he has the answer to his questions not only here but he knows it as well.

I don't think the Doc likes our criticism, particularly mine Mike(I think I am running the risk of being kicked out of the forum for picking up on the Doc). But I don't like when the conversation goes one way only. This forum is about mutual interaction isn't?

That's the way I read it too Dama. I think rbondi may have arbitrarily assigned a number to it (based on what worked for him) which maybe is more what Pilot disagreed with.

Maybe that's the case and pilot needs to clear our confusion

 

[pilotrunner]

Pace, at any measure when learning, is not worth even commenting upon.

Until a new person learns the proper mechanics, pace should not even enter the conversation.

That's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Pace, at any measure when learning, is not worth even commenting upon.

Until a new person learns the proper mechanics, pace should not even enter the conversation.

That's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

That is precisely how it should be-proper mechanics first.

 

[Bare Lee]

That is precisely how it should be-proper mechanics first.

For me, proper mechanics are a lot easier to get a feel for at higher paces. I think it's quite useful to run faster once in a while, and then try to translate that feeling to lower paces. I used to feel very plodding at 10mm pace, but now it feels smooth. And I attribute that, at least in part, to running at 9 mm and 8 mm paces more often. So, conceivably, it could be useful for absolute beginners to run a short distance at a faster pace once in a while as they build up distance, pads, etc.

I don't think the Doc likes our criticism

I wonder if he was just trying to draw traffic to his site.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

For me, proper mechanics are a lot easier to get a feel for at higher paces. I think it's quite useful to run faster once in a while, and then try to translate that feeling to lower paces. I used to feel very plodding at 10mm pace, but now it feels smooth. And I attribute that, at least in part, to running at 9 mm and 8 mm paces more often. So, conceivably, it could be useful for absolute beginners to run a short distance at a faster pace once in a while as they build up distance, pads, etc.

I wonder if he was just trying to draw traffic to his site.

You surely can pick up the pace now Lee because you have being in the BFR cult for awhile now and your feet bone structure has adapted but our friend the Doc has just started but not BF mind you but in VFF this IS NOT bfr and on top of that on the MILL two bad, bad combinations I might add.
You know how running in pure nakid feet outside feels-heavenly! of course I don't need to tell you that because you know all about it.
Of course that was/is his main purpose and to sell us his book. Like I said before orthotics are not going to fool mother nature-good running mechanics do and you can only learn proper running technique by running truly barefoot as in skin to ground(STG) and not in those so call barefoot shoes
If I disapear from the forum you know why

 

[Bare Lee]

You surely can pick up the pace now Lee because you have being in the BFR cult for awhile now and your feet bone structure has adapted but our friend the Doc has just started but not BF mind you but in VFF this IS NOT bfr and on top of that on the MILL two bad, bad combinations I might add.
You know how running in pure nakid feet outside feels-heavenly! of course I don't need to tell you that because you know all about it.
Of course that was/is his main purpose and to sell us his book. Like I said before orthotics are not going to fool mother nature-good running mechanics do and you can only learn proper running technique by running truly barefoot as in skin to ground(STG) and not in those so call barefoot shoes
If I disapear from the forum you know why

Ha! You disappear enough as it is. How would we know it wasn't just you blowing us off again? But I'll pay for a lawyer with the currency of 'likes' to defend you. We must have a few good lawyers on this site.

BTW, when I say short distances at faster paces for beginners, I'm talking as little as 50-100 feet, and nothing like sprinting. I don't think anyone's feet are going to break doing that.

BFR cult? Yah, I joined more than 20 years ago! I didn't realize I was barefoot running though. I thought I was running barefoot as part of my karate training . . . You're all newbies to me

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Ha! You disappear enough as it is. How would we know it wasn't just you blowing us off again? But I'll pay for a lawyer with the currency of 'likes' to defend you. We must have a few good lawyers on this site.

BTW, when I say short distances at faster paces for beginners, I'm talking as little as 50-100 feet, and nothing like sprinting. I don't think anyone's feet are going to break doing that.

BFR cult? Yah, I joined more than 20 years ago! I didn't realize I was barefoot running though. I thought I was running barefoot as part of my karate training . . . You're all newbies to me

Hahaha, you must have GAZILLIONS of likes
Maybe 50-100 feet is not much for some but for others it kind of is.
I like caballo's blanco quote don't think I can quote it exactly so I am not gonna but goes something like this
First light. then smooth, then fast(can somebody fix it please?) or something to that effect.
Not so fast Mr! I grew up in the BF cult and since I am older than you that makes you a newbie to me
Talking od disappearing I am going to be working out on the floors for the next two weeks but I am going to try to report at least once a day. Ok here is the deal I promise to check in at least once a day but not in the weekend and if I fail to do that then you'll know. Is that better?

 

[Bare Lee]

Hahaha, you must have GAZILLIONS of likes
Maybe 50-100 feet is not much for some but for others it kind of is.
I like caballo's blanco quote don't think I can quote it exactly so I am not gonna but goes something like this
First light. then smooth, then fast(can somebody fix it please?) or something to that effect.
Not so fast Mr! I grew up in the BF cult and since I am older than you that makes you a newbie to me
Talking od disappearing I am going to be working out on the floors for the next two weeks but I am going to try to report at least once a day. Ok here is the deal I promise to check in at least once a day but not in the weekend and if I fail to do that then you'll know. Is that better?

For me it's fast, then smooth, and now I'm working on light. At 220, running light is proving a bit tricky, but the weight's starting to come off again, or at least it's being redistributed to muscle mass.
Today I'm doing a lot of video editing and conversion to audio files, so there's lots of waiting around time as things process, so it's good you haven't disappeared just yet. Although I'm supposed to be taking care of annoying paperwork while I wait . . . opps, time to go and add some compression! Hasta soon BFR queen bee.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Dr. William is good peeps, guys! Go back and read his advice in the other threads, he has contributed lots here at the BRS, and you will see he has good intentions. Of course, we don't all agree about the recommendation for orthotics for everyone...all the time, but we hope to break him of his bad habits...and in the process, we may learn a thing or two ourselves. Let's be open-minded here. We are barefoot runners, after all.

 

[NickW]

Dr. William is good peeps, guys! Go back and read his advice in the other threads, he has contributed lots here at the BRS, and you will see he has good intentions. Of course, we don't all agree about the recommendation for orthotics for everyone...all the time, but we hope to break him of his bad habits...and in the process, we may learn a thing or two ourselves. Let's be open-minded here. We are barefoot runners, after all.

The only thing that bothers me TJ, is that he seems to be giving up on barefoot running without even trying it. I hate to see that because bfr has helped me tremendously in a lot of ways.

 

[migangelo]

we are open minded. the doc has the answer. i read it in his blog. he knows it. he's letting fear hold him back.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

The only thing that bothers me TJ, is that he seems to be giving up on barefoot running without even trying it. I hate to see that because bfr has helped me tremendously in a lot of ways.

We haven't given up on him yet though, right?

 

[NickW]

nope.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

we are open minded. the doc has the answer. i read it in his blog. he knows it. he's letting fear hold him back.

He's only known one thing all his life, I suppose, about having to wear footwear and having to have orthotics, and it's ingrained into his profession. It's going to take a while to break him. But that doesn't mean we should dismiss a lot of what he says and his advice. I know I have learned from him. And I know those who asked for advice in the Ask the Docs forum were helped with his advice.

 

[rbondi]

That's the way I read it too Dama. I think rbondi may have arbitrarily assigned a number to it (based on what worked for him) which maybe is more what Pilot disagreed with.

The pace number came from the op. Without a reference point for what that means, I don't know if that is his normal pace or that is slower than normal. My comment was that I, with a capital I(my quirky way of expressing that it applies to me only and not in general), felt the need to slow down. How much upper case I needed to slow down is not arbitrary but actual from experience.

 

[rbondi]

Pace, at any measure when learning, is not worth even commenting upon.

Until a new person learns the proper mechanics, pace should not even enter the conversation.

That's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

You never took piano lessons did you?