I want to start running minimum/barefoot

For the longest time my knees and legs hurt too much to do any significant amount of running. I hated it. Then a friend loaned me a pair of Vibrams for a 5k mud run I'd signed up for on a whim. They were wonderful! I've since gotten my own pair and started running at least 2 to 3 times a week. I'm up to three pairs of Vibrams- two five fingers and a speed pair. Love, love, love them.

And since I now don't have the pain, I'm loving running too.

I wear those shoes that have lights that light up every time you take a step, when I get running fast feels like i'm at a rave

Oh, and here is a cool barefoot fact:


Did you know kids are born with flat feet? They have more bones in their feet than adults do too. The bones fuse together as the kids grow, so that over time the feet become arched. The muscles that develop as kids learn to walk help to pull the foot into the arched shape as the bones fuse together. That's why most modern pediatricians recommend kids wear soft soled shoes until they learn to walk. That's also why about 10% of the population (including me) have more bones in our feet than the rest of society. Apparently some of our feet don't get completely fused together before we stop growing. Most people with extra foot bones have no clue they have extras.

Ever watch a toddler develop thier arch? They walk around here and there for weeks only on the ball of their feet. The toddler equivalent of barefoot running. It appears to be a cruial step between learning to walk and learning to run (not the speedwalking that most figure out pretty quick, but real running with bouncing).

Walking/running on the ball of your feet is quite literally the cure for flat feet. Not some overly expensive shoes with lots of support that an overly expensive trip to the doctor told you to get.

Bump for later. I'm very interested in this as well. Thanks for the post.

I would LOVE to do a Zombie run! Where is it?

I forgot, I'm also going to do a Biggest Loser sponsored 15k on Nov 3rd. That should be a lot of fun! I'm hoping to see some of the coaches from the BL show there.

http://runforyourlives.com/

I'm doing the Austin one.

So I spent an interesting hour talking at my local store. These guys are all marathon runners, and the store is very well respected. They just stopped selling Vibrams a couple weeks ago. In their words, too many customers were hurting themselves because they didn't properly train to wear them. They did have a good selectionof minimalist shoes but unfortunately not any in my size (9w). I tried a few different ones that were close like some of the retooled Sauconeys and ended up buying a pair of those. Still a 8mm drop, but they were lighter and felt better than my old pair. Had a good discussion also on stride length and cadence to help with my knee issue, which I appreciated. Soooo... I didn't end up going minimalist If you do and it works for you thats awesome and someday I may still give it a go. For me right now, it wasn't the right time.

Hey, you compare the drop in many other "running" shoes, 8mm isn't that bad really, you are on your way there.

And actually, even easier to practice the required method right now. Just land flat footed and turnover close to 90/180.

Here are some comparisons to see that 8mm isn't that bad.

http://www.runblogger.com/2012/09/recommended-zero-drop-barefoot-style.html

Seems to me a pair of Chuck Taylors is pretty darned minimalist right there and you won't have ape feet.

This is an amazing thread! I hate wearing shoes and used to love running (for fun) without shoes. Never thought there was any merit to it, but now my eyes are open. Right now I'm babying ankle pain from my walk/run yesterday.

I hate wearing sneakers my foot always feels compressed. I'm one of those people who can never find good shoes and most everything causes me blisters. Thats why I hold onto shoes until they are literally on the last thread because I hate breaking in new shoes its painful.

You shouldn't need to break in a pair of shoes. Shoe companies will tell you that shoes are good for X miles and then need replaced because the cushioning wears out, but really they just need to replace your shoes so that they can sell more shoes. You don't need the extra cushioning. Before the 1970s, most runners for sprinting and even ultra marathons ran in very thin soled leather or canvas shoes.

How does one get started in minimum/barefoot running. I live in a desert which means there are alot of sharp rocks and thorns. However, there are areas that are pretty sandy. Could I run in this kind of terrain?

There are some videos on youtube to get you started if you want a how- to. But generally, just find a place or time (indoor or out) when you can go barefoot. There is no need to wear shoes in your home for example, so start ditching your shoes there first. As for the sandy dessert, that might work, but you'll need to watch for obstacles and go when the sand is cool. Experiment to find what works for you.

Being that I'm so large would you not recommend this kind of running? Does my weight put me at too great of risk for injury? Is there special training that you need? What if you have a high instep does this kind of running put a lot of stress on pulling that ligament?

Go slow and work up. Start with walking and then increase your distance. Increase distance before you try to increase your speed. Think "gentle" steps. Theoretically, because you are using your ligaments as springs, barefoot should be easier on your joints (which could be a concern as heavier weight is bad for joints). You could try walking barefoot in a pool.

What are minimalist shoes? How come everything I read now says get a good shoe with the proper support and padding? So many questions but my interest is piqued.

Minimalist shoes have very little heel and very little cushioning.

"Proper support" and "padding" is just untested gimmick-ry to get you to by the shoes. They may have been "tested" in the lab at the shoe maker, but not in a true scientific sense. There is no proof that those gimmicks are good for your feet and some evidence to even show that it make be bad for you feet.

I like this explanation for a good start about why barefoot running is possibly better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrnj-7YKZE