What do you wish someone had told you when you started out?

[JosephTree]

My recommended emphases would

My recommended emphases would be (as often emphasized above):

- BF first.

- Easy, relaxed and FUN!

- realize that this is supposed to be really new and different (and that's good!)

-gravel and somewhat challenging surfaces are good; taking to a trail earlier than you might think is very good.

Oh, and one other thing that nobody else has mentioned:

Don't be surprized at how often you'll find yourself working "...and I'm a BAREFOOT runner" into converstions.

 

[nature runner]

  Basically, I just learn by

Basically, I just learn by mistakes and I don't worry about what could have happened, or all the what ifs'. It's done and it's time to move on and progress forward. I like to try and remember my mistakes as not to make them again, and I always keep my eyes open at BRS listening and reading about other peoples problems as not to make the same mistake. But, just like anything else, everyone will make mistakes from time to time it's just human nature!

 

[Matt]

And I think it's almost

And I think it's almost impossible to actually learn from other people's mistakes. Everyone has stressed the importance of going slow and being patient. But does anyone really listen to that? I know I had trouble being patient.

 

[rdwhitaker]

I wish I had started running

I wish I had started running barefoot when I was 16!

 

[Matt]

I wish someone had told me

I wish someone had told me that the first year would be easy, but years 2 and 3 would pose all sorts of unexpected challenges.

 

[nature runner]

I really don't think it's

I really don't think it's impossible to learn from others mistakes. It all depends on how open minded you are to learning. If you only think your way is best and you are not willing to listen to those that have gone before you, then yes it would be impossible for you to learn from others mistakes. True you have to listen to your body and it may tell you things that work that don't work for others. But, ultimately I am patient and listen to more experienced runners.

 

[Matt]

nature runner wrote:I really

I really don't think it's impossible to learn from others mistakes. It all depends on how open minded you are to learning. If you only think your way is best and you are not willing to listen to those that have gone before you, then yes it would be impossible for you to learn from others mistakes. True you have to listen to your body and it may tell you things that work that don't work for others. But, ultimately I am patient and listen to more experienced runners.

Well, not impossible, but very rare.

 

[pbarker]

If the advice is coming from

If the advice is coming from people who have no experience BFRing then plug your ears and run away.

If it comes from someone that has way more experence then me, like the veterans around here then listen and learn.

 

[paraganek]

Matt wrote:I wish someone had

I wish someone had told me that the first year would be easy, but years 2 and 3 would pose all sorts of unexpected challenges.

Matt, could you be more specific please ? Just want to know what to expect and brace for in the next year.

 

[Fito]

Here's a newbie question for

Here's a newbie question for you - how long till the bottom of my feet toughen up? I've just started BFing (walking with very short stints of running) this week (totally naked - my feet that is!!) and the balls of my foot and toes are tender, which I expected.

Huge thanks to everyone on this site - lot's of great advice and I'm going slow.

 

[sloutre]

Welcome Mike,I would say

Welcome Mike,

I would say that you will notice a difference in a couple of weeks.
That said, don't expect to get though feet and be able to run any distance on any surface. A lot of the transition has to do with learning to run in a way that doesn't hurt your feet: being light, fast cadence, bending the knees, not pushing off, etc.

By observing where your feet hurt you will be able to determine how you should change your form.

Also, at the beginning I found that running was easier on my feet than BF walking, and running fast was even more pleasant.



I've been running barefoot for several month now and I can run over 10 km without blisters but gravel and some road surfaces are still painful.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Like Sloutre said, it's not

Like Sloutre said, it's not so much a matter of conditioning your plantar skin as it is running with a healthy form, one that does not include pushing off. With that said, your plantar skin and musculoskeletal system should be pretty adapted by 4 to 6 months of running barefoot; of course, it all depends on how much time, effort, and distance you give it.

 

[Barefoot Mary]

Matt wrote:nature runner

I really don't think it's impossible to learn from others mistakes. It all depends on how open minded you are to learning....

Well, not impossible, but very rare.

Unless one of your siblings messes up. Then you watch, listen, & learn and QUICK! :lol:



(...I'm not sure anyone will get the joke unless their the youngest kids, like me. Hah.)

 

[ajb422]

Barefoot Mary wrote:Matt

I really don't think it's impossible to learn from others mistakes. It all depends on how open minded you are to learning....

Well, not impossible, but very rare.

Unless one of your siblings messes up. Then you watch, listen, & learn and QUICK! :lol...I'm not sure anyone will get the joke unless their the youngest kids, like me. Hah.)

lol I don't know I think I learned from my younger sister's mistakes. She managed to make alot of them before me even if she is way younger.

 

[Fito]

Thanks for the great advice,

Thanks for the great advice, Guys. It's so really cool being in touch with the feet - feeling what is tender and trying to work out why - is it normal or could I improve my technique - generally, option B. I discovered on my last run last week how important the cadence is - very unusual pattering along at that pace, as my entire life I've been a slap foot plodder.

Anyway, I'll keep running and reading.

 

[SaraLord]

Advice:  It's okay to 1)

Advice: It's okay to 1) think you'll run that marathon in 6 months if that's what gets you out running BF regularly in the beginning. But you only really start to learn when you understand that the goal isn't just that marathon, but changing your perspective of what running is.

Be realistic and give your body time to truly adjust to the change. Going without foot coffins isn't only a process of learning to run without something (those nasty shoes) but a journey of really feeling the ground beneath your naked feet.

We aren't running without shoes (the negative), we are running with our feet (the positive).

Sorry to wax philosophic, but for me this isn't just about a mileage goal or a medal. Likely very few of us are confirmists or we wouldn't have entertained BFR.

 

[dunetraveller]

I think I learned everything

I think I learned everything there was to learn about bf running here... at least what I could absorb as a complete noob who hadn't done it yet. I just wish I had a time machine to go back to my misspent younger years and tell myself all about bf running and as the saying goes... just do it.

 

[Neil_D]

Hi there,The best bit of

Hi there,

The best bit of advice I would give a new runner is not to concentrate on the foot landing but more on pulling it off the ground as soon as you can after you land. Get those hamstrings trained!

I used to chant over and over in my head "hot coals" as if I was standing on hot coals and had to get off as quickly as possible.

Neil

 

[migangelo]

Neil, i just read bf

Neil,



i just read bf Kenbob's site yesterday for tips. he says to lift your foot before it touches down. this way you have a softer landing. i tried it and wow. it takes a lot of concentration, right now, but it did work. i'm hoping it will help with my bum ankle.



like most advice given it's usually ignored until it's too late. that's the fate for most of us. i heard to go slow but did i? no.



mike



just run and have fun, when it's no longer fun, stop and go another day.

 

[Humboldt-explorer]

I wish someone had told me

I wish someone had told me not to waste time on treadmills.

I've been running BF outdoors. Went into treadmill yesterday due to weather. I realized the treadmill experience is terrible. The computer did not seem to be accurate. My feet did not like being on the treadmill. The asphalt is much better.