Barefoot running........anyone?

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holotheory
holotheory Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
so...long story short i used to trailrun alot and mountain bike but it was killing my left knee. did some sluething, asked some questions...barefoot running friends, that is where it is at! it is the bee's knees..for me at least.

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  • douglw
    douglw Posts: 25
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    I've heard good things about this book, but I have not read it yet. You might be interested based on your post.

    Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

    http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294022663&sr=8-1
  • CarolHudson11
    CarolHudson11 Posts: 372
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    I've heard that, too. Unfortunately, I live in a college town. Translation: lost of broken beer bottles, dog poo, and stuff. Unfortunately, I can't run barefoot here.
  • KcFitCoach
    KcFitCoach Posts: 135 Member
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    I know a lot of people do it. But, literally everyone in 2010 who tried to get me to run barefoot or 'minimal' (namely the Vibrams) ended up with stress fractures in their feet. Hmm...I wonder if by the fact we've been in shoes so long we'd have to **really*** ease into barefoot running without injury. The two most recent examples I've known both thought they eased into it and ended up with broken/fractured bones.

    I pronate, especially on my right side, and Brooks GTS series runners are the only shoes I've ever tried that I don't get shin splints or knee pain with...so I'm afraid to even try this barefoot thing...as intriguing as it seems.

    Edited to add: Of course, I ended up with a stress fracture in my fibula last summer...so WTH do I know??? HA HA HA
  • SandraMay1982
    SandraMay1982 Posts: 328
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    Dunlop Volleys. - Or just a flat shoe. next best thing to barefoot apparently.

    Nike make a Nike Free shoe now. Since they caught on that not everyone needs 2 inches of padding around their feet. and not everyone wants that padding.
  • CarterGrt
    CarterGrt Posts: 289 Member
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    I think it is an interesting new approach, but I think the jury is still out on whether this is the solution to running injuries. Some early anecdotal evidence would seem to suggest a higher rate of injury with barefoot running. I think it has the appeal of simplicity and of being natural, but I don't run in a "natural" environment. I run on city streets, concrete, other very unforgiving surfaces. The idea of running barefoot through a lush green meadow is nice, but slightly less so for running down a concrete street with gravel. The idea of coming down on a piece of gravel makes me wince just thinking about it.

    I will be interested to see more research (both clinical and anecdotal) as this continues to emerge.

    --Carter
  • triben
    triben Posts: 64 Member
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    I have had a history of running injuries in the past in my knees. I have always wanted to run far but could not get past 5 miles without having to ice my knees after a run and take NSAIDS before and after a run. I read born to run and it was a great book. It made a lot of good arguments and made we want to go out and run 50 miles. I never went truly barefoot but did use the Vibram five fingers. I liked them a lot. I never had a problem with my feet maybe because of the years of barefoot work doing martial arts but my calfs were killing me and I could not progress past 10 to 15 minutes of running. I then went to the newton running shoes. it made more sense for me because while doing triathlons I was not going to take the time to put vibrams on. I was able to progress much faster in the newtons and get up to ten miles before life got in the way of my training. I am starting up and again. as a side note after training in the newtons I later put the vibrams back on and ran 4 miles. feet were ok except a little blister and calves were sore the next day.

    it is true that the jury is still out on this form of running. I have a degree in kinesiology and the idea behind it makes sense. the most important thing is not to justut the shoesmon and then run but to alter your running form. YouTube running form or get the DVD "evolution running" it took me months to get ton the point of "minimalist running. I don't ice or take NSAIDS anymore. each person is different and so it is a personal choice. is you run now and don't have pain then why switch. In studies it suggests that you will only gain 3% on efficiency which would only be important for people cutting times in races.

    good luck give it a try but don't heal strike in minimalist shoes. do your research.

    Born to Run is a good even if you don't believe the hype
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    I don't believe in "fad" fitness trends that haven't proven themselves but I did transition to barefoot running based upon the advice of my podiatrist. I don't think it's a decision that can be taken lightly. Everyone that provide useful information for barefoot running will tell you GO SLOWLY. If there have been stress fractures, it's because they did it too fast. Slowly, meant to me that I ran very short distances for a long time. My first run out in my Terra Plana Vivobarefoot shoes - I figured "Heck, I'm running 40 miles per week, long runs around 15 miles, I will do 3 miles in these shoes" - I learned quickly, slow meant 1/2 mile at a time break in.

    The book Running Barefoot provides not only running, but exercise and drills towards barefoot running. Runbare.com is the author of the books website.

    I'm a barefoot person all round though, I hate shoes, I hate the weight of shoes. I started running in March and hated the running shoes, and went to NikeTown and said "Can't I run in a shoe that doesn't have to be bulky" - they got me into the NIke Free, which is what I started running in. I had no clue about minimalist shoes or a barefoot trend, I just wanted what felt natural to me. But I also had been working out for a year prior, always barefoot on the treadmill or the elliptical.

    I do exercises to stretch my feet and strengthen them. I now only run in my TerraPlana's . I live in the desert where goat heads or puncture vines are everywhere. Vibram can't tell me if they will puncture them or not, hence why I use the TerraPlana shoe.

    My 11 yo just started running with me, I started him off in the Nike Free as well.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I picked up a pair of vibrams after reading as much on line info as I could. It just all seemed to make sense to me. I had worked my way up to 3.5 miles before cold weather forced me back to regular shoes. I will run a couple miles here & there on the treadmill to not completely lose what I built up, but I prefer outside better.

    I was a track runner fro a long time, mostly sprints so much of my practice was in spikes with little to no support. So I think that helped shape my stride to take to barefoot running a little easier. BUt even then you still hae to work up slow.
  • holotheory
    holotheory Posts: 7
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    to everybody who responded............Awesome!! thanks for all the info and personal testimony! i will buy the book "born to run" and check it out... my transition into "minimalist" running was slow but it is definitely part of me now....for me it is great, as a kid i spent all of my time out in the woods, barefoot, exploring and what not....the vibram allow me to take that to an all new level. and i have come down on some serious rocks and they do hurt...but it has made me a more aware person...:sad:

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