Winter barefoot running!

[Bill B]

Been trying the barefoot thing a coupe of times this winter, as long as its not too cold! Only for about a mile. My issue other than cold feet is the loss of traction on hard packed snow! There is not bare pavement yet, and I find it to be pretty treacherous! Anyone else?

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Can be a problem. I'm one of the winter runners that does not venture out much in the snow, I prefer dry surfaces. When I do short segments in the snow, I drop the pace and make the steps really short. It is possible to grip a little with your toes. If your weight is slightly forward it is easier to recover from a slip. If your weight is back, you are at risk of landing on your backside or worse. Most of the wrist fractures and shoulder injuries that I treated as a ski patroller were from backwards falls (different sport, but same concept).

 

[DNEchris]

My issue other than cold feet is the loss of traction on hard packed snow!

It's a great help for perfecting technique! If you want to keep your feet a little warmer try running up a slight incline that is icy or slushy in shoes with no lugs.
To augment what Willie says - short, quick, light steps will help you lots.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome, Bill. Check out Barefoot Rick Roeber's article about Winter Running on the home page.

 

[konor]

I have been running on hard packed snow for a couple of times, up to 10 km. There is certainly less grip especially when running fast, which I have to admit, I seldom do. On the other hand there are certain advantages. It allows me to run on tacks with less enjoyable ground, like gravel. The surface is more even and less bumpy. But the best thing is that it attracts less dirt to my soles, which makes them easier to clean afterwards and of course you get an immediate visual feedback when losing blood. (I did follow a blood trail today, but it wasn't mine.)

My two blisters from two weeks ago, turned white after a couple of days and I could run on the next weekend, which was in dry conditions. Today I ran on hard packed snow in close to zero degree Celsius temperatures, which made it more pleasant than the -9 °C two weeks before. I had put my old mobile phone in the left shoe, the right one was still carrying my keys. It took some courage, but I finally asked someone to take a picture of me. I also did some pictures of the beautiful scenery. It is a really crappy low resolution camera but at least the mobile fits in the folded Feelmax like shoes.

Here I am in front of the larger, longish lake. (perimeter 5.5 km)

The connection to the smaller lake.


View down to the smaller lake. (perimeter ~3 km)

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Looks like a beautiful run. You ever notice how when you are out running in the snow, everything seems so still, so quiet, like the Earth has gone to sleep under a white blanket? And here you are prancing around above it, tickling it, enticing it to wake up.

 

[JosephTree]

I can only do the BF thing in snow for a mile or so, but I do fall back on my Vibrams quite happily. I was in about 120 mm of crisp new snow this morning at -5C (5" at 23F) and had a delightful run despite the steady breeze.

My feet tend to be cold for the first mile or so, and then they come round nice and warm for the rest of the run unless I go through a deep slush puddle. At that point I usually think about heading home.

Was nicht kills me makes mich starker! ...and a good case of syphilis was just the thing to prove that maxim.

 

[Robbi]

I was just in Seattle and London in 0-4 deg C weather. I could get about 1km before my feet went almost completely numb if it was wet - in the dry after 5km or so in Vibrams I could manage another 5km.

Guess I need a few more capillaries down there .

 

[JosephTree]

Robbi, don't your feet think it's still summer?

 

[Bill B]

I have been running on hard packed snow for a couple of times, up to 10 km. There is certainly less grip especially when running fast, which I have to admit, I seldom do. On the other hand there are certain advantages. It allows me to run on tacks with less enjoyable ground, like gravel. The surface is more even and less bumpy. But the best thing is that it attracts less dirt to my soles, which makes them easier to clean afterwards and of course you get an immediate visual feedback when losing blood. (I did follow a blood trail today, but it wasn't mine.)

My two blisters from two weeks ago, turned white after a couple of days and I could run on the next weekend, which was in dry conditions. Today I ran on hard packed snow in close to zero degree Celsius temperatures, which made it more pleasant than the -9 °C two weeks before. I had put my old mobile phone in the left shoe, the right one was still carrying my keys. It took some courage, but I finally asked someone to take a picture of me. I also did some pictures of the beautiful scenery. It is a really crappy low resolution camera but at least the mobile fits in the folded Feelmax like shoes.

Here I am in front of the larger, longish lake. (perimeter 5.5 km)
View attachment 1569
The connection to the smaller lake.
View attachment 1570

View down to the smaller lake. (perimeter ~3 km)
View attachment 1571

Great pics! Great accomplishment! Next year, I am going to try real hard to start acclimatizing myself to bare feet in the winter. Tried a couple of times, to no avail. I was injured during most of the fall, so I could not run.

 

[Robbi]

Robbi, don't your feet think it's still summer?

I guess they do!