Barefoot Running: The shizzle or the shizz?

[ERCougar]

If I wanted to try this, I'd have to get a pair of those shoes pictured in the first post. I've always been a shoe-wearing person and the soles of my feet are very soft. I'd cut them to ribbons if I tried to run outside in bare feet.

I'd be really careful about trying this if I were you. This is not for beginning runners.

[kccougar]

I'd be really careful about trying this if I were you. This is not for beginning runners.

No worries. I'm a cheapskate and I've already got a good pair of running shoes.

[falafel]

I'd be really careful about trying this if I were you. This is not for beginning runners.

Hey man, its in our DNA!

[Rosebud]

I'd be really careful about trying this if I were you. This is not for beginning runners.

Sheesh!!! You make it sound like trying something new is dangerous. Why the fear? He's obviously already doing a good job of paying attention to the feedback his body gives him when he runs...... that alone makes me think it's safe for him to give it a shot. And isn't this about making his running technique more anatomically correct? Perhaps there is more danger in not trying it out.

Or... maybe he needs a permission slip from a doc in the ER before he puts on socks and runs around a high school track....

[falafel]

whoa.

[Surfah]

whoa.

That was a Keanu whoa.

[Rosebud]

Yeah... whoa... I got more than one PM on the subject of my somewhat intimidating writing style. I also apologized to ER. I promise to be good and avoid slamming anyone else for a while. ER took the brunt of some of my pent-up anger against the medical system. It was hardly fair. The ER docs are the good guys.

Don't be afraid of me... I'll be nice... .

[SteelBlue]

I hadn't really thought about this forefoot stuff until reading this thread and I hadn't run since early Saturday. I read about it in a book I mentioned earlier that bluegoose showed me and then last night was my first run since reading all of this stuff. I had no plans to change anything before my marathon and in fact hadn't been thinking about this stuff until about a mile into my run when I realized I am a mid/forefoot striker already. I don't strike my heels at all and roll midfoot to forefoot. If you had asked me prior to last night how I run I would have said I'm a heel striker. I've just never really analyzed me foot strike before. Now, if only I was elite. Or even fast.

So, in my case, this running style certainly hasn't made me injury proof. Perhaps I'd have been injured worse or more often with a heel strike style but I have to say it's been no silver bullet against the common running injuries.

[cowboy]

I hadn't really thought about this forefoot stuff until reading this thread and I hadn't run since early Saturday. I read about it in a book I mentioned earlier that bluegoose showed me and then last night was my first run since reading all of this stuff. I had no plans to change anything before my marathon and in fact hadn't been thinking about this stuff until about a mile into my run when I realized I am a mid/forefoot striker already. I don't strike my heels at all and roll midfoot to forefoot. If you had asked me prior to last night how I run I would have said I'm a heel striker. I've just never really analyzed me foot strike before. Now, if only I was elite. Or even fast.

So, in my case, this running style certainly hasn't made me injury proof. Perhaps I'd have been injured worse or more often with a heel strike style but I have to say it's been no silver bullet against the common running injuries.

The interesting thing about this thread is that I have been TRYING to be a heel striker. I thought that was the way I was supposed to run. But I notice that on long runs after walking through a water stop, or when running a recovery run on sore muscles, or when recovering from an injury, I resort to mid-foot striking and my foot hitting the ground directly under my hips because it doesn't hurt as much to run that way. Now I know why.

[Mrs. Funk]

Since I can remember, I've run on the balls of my feet. I don't know much about body mechanics, but I also walked on my toes until I was about 13. I had such tight calf muscles and weak ankles that I sprained both ankles about four times in the course of a year. I went to physical therapy, where my PT spent months getting me to walk heel-toe and loosening up my calves. Subsequent to this, my running stride has never felt right and I end up with aching knees after more than 10 minutes.

Thoughts? I would run more if it didn't hurt so much.

[Rosebud]

This is a total all-about-me, idea-generating brainstorm post.... nothing more. Hope some of it might be applicable or at least of interest....

I put on two pairs of socks today and managed to run on jagged sidewalks without any injuries. It was a good exercise, but the hard cement/pavement made me miss the spring in my running shoes. I'm for sure not investing in the five-finger things. Being shoeless made it feel natural striking in the middle/front of my foot at any speed. I'd think that running like that for a couple miles a week would help anyone develop a forefoot strike.

My dance training makes me of the opinion that it is critical to get the heel all the way down every strike in order to both take advantage of the maximum foot leverage anatomically available and to better utilize the bend of the knees. I had to think about my technique a bit but it didn't seem to be a problem. The new way of moving would become habit with a little practice (and more sore gastrocs).

Not having shoes also made it possible for me to experiment with different amounts of foot articulation at take off. The more I rolled though my feet and pushed off with my toes, the longer each stride was. I'm totally just thinking out loud here, but it seems to me that a runner who utilizes the thrust capabilities of the feet would add speed just because stride length would increase. Maybe once they decide if limbs came before tools came before encephalization, the researchers at Harvard should study some dancers who understand how to push off with their feet.... wonder how their conclusions would change .

[cowboy]

I'm interested in what you think about the running-prey-down hypothesis. I first heard this on the radio during an interview with the author of Born To Run (a book about a native tribe in Mexico with more natural runners than any other population, and who run in sandals).

Just thought I'd report that I've been reading/listening to "Born to Run" for the last week or so, and it is fascinating. I even took a few laps barefoot on the treadmill based on the form described in the book. It definitely works different muscles in the calf and foot.

[RobinFinderson]

Just thought I'd report that I've been reading/listening to "Born to Run" for the last week or so, and it is fascinating. I even took a few laps barefoot on the treadmill based on the form described in the book. It definitely works different muscles in the calf and foot.

Faith picked up the Vibram Five Fingers when we were in St. George, and has been using them for increasing distances on our runs. She started off at two miles, but did a six miler with me a couple of nights ago. She is really loving the shoes and the feel of 'barefoot' running.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Thanks for bumping this cowboy. I had completely forgotten to post about this. I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers at REI. I ran around the block in them, not great. However they are awesome on the boat!

[Mr Incredible]

Thanks for bumping this cowboy. I had completely forgotten to post about this. I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers at REI. I ran around the block in them, not great. However they are awesome on the boat!

Do you wear those with the banana hammock?