Does anyone have experience running barefoot? I've tried it
and it seems to mess with normal footstrike (heel first).
Yet, my feet, ankles and calves feel stronger. It also
feels great when I have shin pain. Am I trying too hard to
be an African or does it make sense for a shoe runner to
run barefoot?
Actually, I would suggest the inverse of that statement. If
footstrike in shoes is different from footstrike while
barefoot, I would conclude that SHOES mess with normal
footstrike (ball first).
I think it's great to run barefoot. However, you can get
(approximately) the same affect from running in spikes or
racing flats- anything that doesn't have a substantially
elevated heel. Personally, I like to wear my spikeless
waffles on trails or grass. It allows the same ball-first
footstrike as running barefoot, but you don't have to worry
about stepping on [censored].
If you're having shin pain, it's most likely the result of
your shoes. The cushier and thicker the midsole, the more
unstable you are on your feet and the more you'll pronate.
Running barefoot or in shoes with less midsole results in
less pronation and less tender spots. Read this (From Lore
of Running):
"It seems that runners alter their gaits and muscle
activation patterns (Komi et al., 1987) when running in
harder shoes or when running barefoot. Thus, the degree of
pronation is reduced when one runs barefoot (Frederick,
1986; L.S. Smith et al., 1986), a reduction due to changes
in running patterns....
One way to check whether you may be injury prone is to try
the "pinch test." The pinch test is effective because
damaged tissues become tender to the touch long before they
actually cause pain during or after running. A feeling of
tenderness or discomfort when the Achilles tendon is pinched
between the thumb and forefinger or when firm pressure is
applied along the borders of the shinbone (the tibia) or the
kneecap indicates trouble. If allowed to go unchecked, this
symptom may lead to a debilitating injury.
Tenderness in any of these areas indicates, among other
things, that the foot is being allowed to pronate
excessively and that the shoe that a shoes that restricts
ankle pronation should be worn."
Know it all is 100% correct.
How could there be anything more normal than your footstrike
when unshod? Unless you were born wit Nikes on your feet, in
which case I would say well done Mr. Knight.
i love running barefoot but always blister bad after a few
miles. i'd like to actually go for barefoot runs. is this
something i have to build up to (any recommendations?) or is
it just too late for my feet to adapt after wearing shoes my
whole life? thanks.
Try walking on rough surfaces for a few minutes two or three
times a week, your feet will soon harded up, and you won't
have much of a problem with blisters.
I have only been running barefoot for 3 years, but last year
I had no problem racing 1500m barefoot even on a hard track,
it feel surprisingly normal, but it is faster, by about one
second per lap than wearing my 250 gram spikes.
i ran an easy 3 miles once this summer barefoot and it made
my calves very stiff for almost 2 weeks
when running barefoot, you are using your calves more than
you are used to, this is a good thing because it will make
them stronger, but it does take some getting used to. The
same thing with spikes. The problem is, training shoes have
too high a heel and we get used to this. Going from one inch
heel to no heel is a big difference
Here's a link to an upcoming article in Track Coach on
barefoot running...