Barefoot running

Bump b/c I wanna know this too!

Check out this well-written and researched article.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/11/04/barefoot-running-the-great-debate/

I would like to try the Nike Free shoe myself.

I recently discovered barefoot running & have been researching it for a little while now. I tried running barefoot for the first time last night and LOVED it.

I was expecting another long night of icing my poor knee (I recently developed a case of patellar tendinitis a few weeks ago & it's been killing me doing everything -- running, biking, walking up stairs, etc. Miserable.). So, I was pretty excited about the automatic drastic increase in speed but the very best part was that my patellar tendonitis hurt me less DURING my run and AFTER I ran than it did BEFORE I ran (which was after 6 days of rest from high-impact exercise)!! :noway: Running barefoot immediately forces you to correct your technique from knee-killing heel pounding to running more on the pads of your feet with constantly bent knees with short steps (= far less impact). Your pace immediately increases -- I was running about 180bpm, and yes, it was hard on my lungs but it's something I'm really excited about building further.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I think (I reserve the right to change my mind in the future ) barefoot running has completely changed my life. :laugh: I have limped through annoying little injury after little injury since I started running last November. I've spent nearly $200 on running shoes in just 6 months.
Now I'm waiting for my Vibram Fivefingers to arrive in the mail. I know it's not *really* barefoot, but it's not safe to run barefoot where I live -- too much stuff on the ground that can slice & dice feet. I'm also concerned about potentially poisonous substances on the ground so this is why I decided to purchase the Vibrams.

I've done quite a bit of research in making my decision and I'm not sure it's something that should be taken on full-force without doing your own research. I started by reading Gordon Pirie's book "Running Fast and Injury Free" which can be found free online in many places, including here: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/documents/Running_Fast_and_Injury_Free.pdf I'm in the process of reading through a couple of other books (which I wish not to recommend until after I've finished them just in case they aren't recommendable ).

And be prepared for some ridicule. :ohwell: My mom, a registered nurse, thinks I'm 100% batsh** insane (though, I think she already thought that anyway). It's so funny she's so worried about the impact barefoot running will have on my health (all of her concerns are based in ignorance, mind you) yet she never expressed any concern for my health at all when I weighed OVER 270 POUNDS. :grumble:

I used to run back in my teen years (cross country and track), but had to pull away because of chronic foot problems. Since then, I have always gone to other athletics to stay fit.

I got a pair of VFFs a few months ago and for the last few months, have been running in them (or barefoot) both inside and out. I haven't had a foot problem since. Yesterday, I did a 3 mile off-road run in the hills, something I never would have thought doing even a year ago.

For me, the only downside is that I need another pair! I exercise 7 days a week and since I don't wear socks with them, they need to be washed frequently and need to dry outside in the sun.

My VFFs arrived Thursday. I've done two 2 mile runs in them so far & did about an hour's worth of circuit training in them today. They're already more comfortable than the were at first and I'm completely sold on them. My patellar tendinitis was getting worse and worse with every run AND NOW IT'S COMPLETELY GONE! :noway: :bigsmile: I had been in chronic pain with it for 3 weeks.
The only pain I've had is my foot pads getting warm during my runs but I know my feet will adjust to the new running form in time.

Edit: Oh, and I've gone from running 4.0-4.5mph to 6.5-7mph. I never could've run 7mph pounding my heels into the ground without a whole lot of pain (I have really short legs). Awesome.

I also want to echo that it's important to transition slowly to barefoot/forefoot running. You need time for your calves and achilles to stretch and strengthen. I know it's frustrating for those that were previously running longer distances to cut way back.

There are a bunch of different minimalist shoes out there to try (even Brooks has one now), but I think the shoes you finally select are less important than changing your running form.

The best way for me to think about correct Barefoot form is to imagine log rolling, but the whole planet is the log. You grab it with your foot and roll it back underneath you as if it were floating on water and then grab with the next foot to spin it some more.
If you heel-strike the log rolls the wrong way and you end up in the lake.