To Barefoot or not to Barefoot - that is the question

yikes..i wouldnt want to run outside without shoes..there are rocks, glass and sharp metal.

i dont know..to me it all seems like hype.. its the natural way, its not..blah blah...whatever.

we've been wearing shoes for how many millenia now? seems to me our bodies are adapted to wearing shoes, not barefoot.

I agree with everyone else, running barefoot will damage your feet and I am sure it does something to your back also.

I went to the sports store and they had me step on a foot plate and it tells you how you stand and where your weight is distributed in your feet. Then they give you the shoes that suit you best. Not sure if they have those stores where you are but they are worth checking out.

I'm a newbie runner too, but have come to love it ever since switching to minimalist shoes (Merrell trail gloves), but am working toward going full barefoot myself. Whenever i tried to take up running before I always gave it up early in the process due to massive knee and hip pain - those problems are TOTALLY nonexistent for me in the minimalist shoes - they've made me focus on my form so much more and eliminated the hard heel-strikes which were sending jarring jolts up through my knees & hips. Of course the flipside is that during the first couple weeks in the flat shoes, my achilles tendons and my calves were constantly on fire while I adapted and strengthened those muscles.
My efforts to switch to full barefoot were somewhat set back last week when I developed some bad blisters after a short barefoot walk in which I didn't focus on my technique as much - which I guess points out how critical it is if you're going barefoot to have proper form... I definitely feel like it's the right move for me.. hard to say if it's right for YOU, but I'm a fan & would suggest trying it at least. Definitely do some reading though - barefootjosh.com has some great links to other barefoot running sites, and http://therunningbarefoot.com/ has some good technique tips in the "begin here" section - but be forewarned these sites are VERY pro-barefoot, definitely NOT unbiased assessments of the pros and cons of it...

Glass/gravel etc are discussed on that 2nd link I posted above - ( http://therunningbarefoot.com/begin-here ) & he's got me convinced that those hazards are a lot less significant than most would have you believe. If you remain aware of your circumstances and the surface upon which you're running, I think you'll be fine - obviously with the caveat that you have start out slow/short.

I just started jogging a couple of years ago. I recently bought the Merrell Trail Gloves, too, and love them! Of course, I bought them right before a 5K and a 10K so I didn't have enough time to ease into them to where I'd feel comfortable wearing them for the runs. I love that I don't feel like I have weights strapped onto my feet. I feel, I don't know, "free" in my Merrells. It's definitely a different way of running. I've watched endless videos on proper form and such and between the videos and personal experience, I see absolutely nothing wrong with barefoot/minimalist running.

Some interesting opinions here, many not very fact based.

My advice, is do some more research on it at some of the better barefoot sites. What I have found is that most people to bad mouth "barefooting" are those who have never tried it.

The biggest pitfall to avoid is doing too much too soon. You have to ease into in, some people take to it more than others. I also feel that what you "learn" during your barefoot runs can be applied when you wear regular for your runs.
It is certainly not an either-or situation, especially if you already have any cardio base established. Your lungs will be far ahead of your legs.

Can you afford to buy a good pair of running shoes, and a pair of the vibrams (or similar)?

If you have a specialty running store in your area, they will likely be able to set you up with a pair of shoes that fit your needs the best (our local running store has a treadmill with a camera on the feet so they can slow-motion look at how your running strike is, if you pronate, supinate etc and then put you in the correct support of shoes)

then also get the gloves and try those and see which suit you better... I'm not a barefoot run expert by any means, but I don't think it has to be all-or-nothing, does it? can you switch barefoot(nearly) with shoed running days?

I run a 8.75mi run each january that ends the last 2 miles or so on the beach after crossing a small stream. Everyone wears their shoes until the stream, takes them off and carries them across, then dumps them in a bucket for someone to drive to the finish and runs the rest of the race barefoot. Yes, it's on sand, but I run on the packed/wet sand and never have a problem with anything hurting afterward.

I also did a 3.5K race (strange distance) through a park barefoot last fall, just for the heck of it. it was on grass and over a packed-dirt trail covered with leaves. it was exhillerating to run barefoot (Except for the30foot span of gravel parking lot I had to cross about a 100 yards before the finish.. youch!)

I also own a pair of "racing flats". basically tennis shoes but very light weight, not a lot of support, and made just for when I run races. I really enjoy running in them because of how light they are, I feel like I can go faster and farther because I dont' have weights strapped to my feet... so for that reason, you may also like the vibrams approach.

good luck with whatever you choose..the most important thing is to get out there and do it!

I run in vibram 5 fingers and have since November. I love them! If you want to try these shoes go really slowly. It really does take time for your feet and your body to get used to them. It works different muscles than other shoes. My calves and inner thighs really felt it at first and my feet when i would first get out of bed. Start off just wearing them around the house and then just a mile at a time til you get used to them.
Before vibrams i had so many problems with shoes rubbing and toes getting scrunched together (i have bunions) and laces coming undone. I run in these exclusively even in the winter. they do make toe socks for them. the only time i ever wear regular shoes is when its really icy and i want to wear spikes.
I just ran my first half marathon this month wearing these shoes so they can go the distance.

The shoes are a great conversation piece too. The only thing i don't like about them is once you have one pair you'll want more in other colors

I've only heard great things from the people I know who wear the Vibrams. The only negatives/injuries I hear about are from people who go too far too fast right out of the gate with them.
But with a history of achilles trouble, you probably should talk to a sports medicine doc or physical therapist for guidance on how to start transitioning over. You don't want to mess with that.
You might also look to see if there are any running clinics in your town that teach proper form - particularly for the barefoot/Vibram.

Good luck!!!

So I've just started running... well, jogging. I don't love it. Heck, I barely like it - but what can I say - it's great cardio. I need to pick up new running shoes for the treadmill, some outdoor running and a couple of 5k races. I'm debating on the barefoot idea and am confused on shoes. And by barefoot I mean the Vibram-type gloves or the like shoes.
Does anyone have any thoughts, preferences or words of advise?
Sandi

Sandi,

I weighed over 352 lbs, hadn't walked in over 3 years when I first heard of VFFs. I thought that they were only for folks who loved running and were skinny. I was seeing a Z-Health coach who fixed my foot walking/running form imbalances so that I no longer get plantar fasciitis or achilles injuries. I was lifting Kettlebells barefoot and learning to walk from scratch. I kept seeing YouTube videos with people wearing the VFFs who were training with KBs. I was wary because of my size and although I had shed over 50 lbs, I still feared injury.

I read up on minimalist running and the science behind my personal medical challenges. Then I made a leap of faith. Right into those funny foot gloves. That was 16 months, two pairs of VFFs and over 40 lbs ago. Been *pain and injury free* since the shift. I still rehabilitate my body with Z-Health. I still train with now slightly larger KBs. I tried to use my brand new but abandoned high quality running shoes when I was waiting on a new pair of VFFs to arrive and even though I only wore them to mall walk, I had blisters, pain in my hips/knees/back/etc. Not again.

I now own 2 pair: men's KSO Treks and Women's Jaya LRs. Fit is very important. Breaking your feet in to healthy ergonomic motions, maybe for the first time in your life, takes time. IMO, so-oooo worth it!!!