Running: You are doing it wrong.

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I've been working on running for just under a year. I've lost some weight, so I'm down to 252 and I'm running a 27 minute 5k. I started running with Couch to 5 K and minimalist shoes right from the get go. I use Puma Street K shoes that I picked up for $38 at the puma outlet. I also read a lot about POSE running, and watched a boatload of youtube videos.

Starting with the couch to 5K probably helped me get used to the running style as well, but even though I'm heavy, I haven't had any joint problems whatsoever. Sore calves every once in a while.

The nature of barefoot shoes means your small foot muscles have to work much harder in them, which means you have to build up distance slowly in them. You can't set out doing the same distances you do in normal road shoes, or you'll get ankle pain. I damaged my ankle quite badly doing exactly that this time last year. But once you build up the strength in those little muscles, I find barefoot shoes better for foot and knee pain.

It's actually mostly not a muscle issue. It's your bones that need to get stronger, and this takes much longer. I made that mistake, and ended up with a metatarsal fracture. I had been trying to follow the advice that said build up slowly, but apparently I should have gone slower. It's frustrating because your muscles do get strong much faster than your bones, and you really want to do more.
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The nature of barefoot shoes means your small foot muscles have to work much harder in them, which means you have to build up distance slowly in them. You can't set out doing the same distances you do in normal road shoes, or you'll get ankle pain. I damaged my ankle quite badly doing exactly that this time last year. But once you build up the strength in those little muscles, I find barefoot shoes better for foot and knee pain.

It's actually mostly not a muscle issue. It's your bones that need to get stronger, and this takes much longer. I made that mistake, and ended up with a metatarsal fracture. I had been trying to follow the advice that said build up slowly, but apparently I should have gone slower. It's frustrating because your muscles do get strong much faster than your bones, and you really want to do more.

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I fractured my heel running in barefoot shoes last summer (too much too soon), and it actually IS your muscles -- the problem is, once your muscles get fatigued (like from increasing your distance on a long run), the force of your landing is taken up by your BONES. And your bones are not meant to take that kind of impact without support.

So it is true that making your foot / leg muscles stronger will help prevent injuries in these shoes. But depending on your foot (if you have high arches, etc.), long runs may be pushing it either way. My high arches will always mean more impact on my foot in general, b/c my arches are not making contact with the ground to absorb some of the shocks.

According to the ortho who treated me, the medical journals are reporting more and more injuries from long distances in barefoot shoes -- even among uber-athletes who have been running races for eons. Don't get me wrong -- I love my Vibrams. But I have to admit, after my gigantic heel fracture and 2 months off working out on it, I'm scared to try any more than a mile or two in them again.

According to the ortho who treated me, the medical journals are reporting more and more injuries from long distances in barefoot shoes -- even among uber-athletes who have been running races for eons. Don't get me wrong -- I love my Vibrams. But I have to admit, after my gigantic heel fracture and 2 months off working out on it, I'm scared to try any more than a mile or two in them again.

This is why I'm not completely sold on the vibrams or barefoot on pavement for high volumes. I think part of it is the vibrams don't give you enough feedback like barefoot running, and the fact that prehistoric humans did not run on pavement. That's why I chose a good middle ground of wearing lightweight racing shoes instead of thick-soled trainers. But I've done a small amount of barefoot running to improve form though.

I am a new runner (started the C25K program September, Finished in November, been running 3 times a week under 15 miles since) and I have just started having ankle/calf issues. I am wondering if it has something to do with my shoes...

I currently wear Asic Gel Nimbus 12's. When I first started running, I bought a minimalist shoe to start off with (Reebok Reflex's) and when I started running, I got inflamed knees because there was no shock absorbtion (mind you, I was 200 lbs at the time and a BRAND new runner). My doctor told me to get fitted for something with more cushion and shock absorbtion. I am a mid foot striker.

I see a podiatrist this Wednesday. Anyone else having these issues?

According to the ortho who treated me, the medical journals are reporting more and more injuries from long distances in barefoot shoes -- even among uber-athletes who have been running races for eons. Don't get me wrong -- I love my Vibrams. But I have to admit, after my gigantic heel fracture and 2 months off working out on it, I'm scared to try any more than a mile or two in them again.

I got a metatarsal stress fracture from too much too soon in Vibrams last year. However, after that healed I built back up more intelligently. It is possible to run high mileage on pavement in Vibrams if you let your feet and legs adapt at their own rate during the build up. I have run 71 miles in Vibrams this week so far and am on track to reach 100 ( for the first time) by the end of the week. So far there is no sign of impending injury. I do pay very close attention to running form and try very hard to step lightly.

I think running high volume in Vibrams while doable for many, requires too much due diligence for me to even bother with it myself or recommend it to others. Plus a lesser reason I don't wear them is because they would make me too self-conscious. I just don't like the way they look.

Thanks for the post!

I am a newb to running, only started Jan 1, 2012!

I had heard about heel first running and barefoot running. Still trying to figure it all out!

I will read this book.

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I can't wait to try this; I'm planning on starting C25K as soon as the weather gets a little nicer.

According to the ortho who treated me, the medical journals are reporting more and more injuries from long distances in barefoot shoes -- even among uber-athletes who have been running races for eons. Don't get me wrong -- I love my Vibrams. But I have to admit, after my gigantic heel fracture and 2 months off working out on it, I'm scared to try any more than a mile or two in them again.

I got a metatarsal stress fracture from too much too soon in Vibrams last year. However, after that healed I built back up more intelligently. It is possible to run high mileage on pavement in Vibrams if you let your feet and legs adapt at their own rate during the build up. I have run 71 miles in Vibrams this week so far and am on track to reach 100 ( for the first time) by the end of the week. So far there is no sign of impending injury. I do pay very close attention to running form and try very hard to step lightly.

Good to know -- I may get brave enough to try to work up to a good distance again...we'll see.
Out of curiosity, how did you pace your build-up? And do you have high arches / pronation?

I have normal arches and normal pronation. The feet are supposed to pronate some during a normal foot strike.

I built back up using a combination of the Vibrams and a pair of inov8 155 minimalists (about 50% each) My foot still hurt then and after five weeks off my initial mileage was kind of low. The numbers below were what I ran before starting a marathon taper in late Oct.
17.49
22.89
19.2
36.51
33.94
34.67
54.31
44.37
46.47
62.56
55.04
60.38
80.89

Since the marathon I have increased my mileage to a weekly average of around 70 and have come to run mostly in the Vibrams because the inov8s are nearly worn out.

"I am wondering how this relates to someone who jogs in place. I notice that my natural gait for this is to land on the ball of my foot and I barely lift my foot off the floor. I am pretty out of shape, and working on building some endurence"

Anyone?