Running- some unconventional wisdom

I keep seeing posts regarding running. In those posts I often see something else, correlating running with pain. And I just saw one saying you "need" supportive shoes more or less. This is very untrue.

Running barefoot helps correct form. It forces a more efficient form and strengthens your feet. So many muscles are not utilized when running shod. I'm not trying to convince anyone to run 100% BF all the time or go out and run 5 miles BF, because you probably will get hurt. If done properly and under a training schedule, you will run with better form and much LESS chance of injury.(shin splints, ITBS, knee pain, etc.) Stepping on foreign objects is actually quite rare, despite popular opinion.

If you run shod, pain free, then by all means keep it up. If you've had running related injuries or are just curious then give barefoot running a try.

I believe this is the 3rd time: I highly recommend the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Also, here is a good link to a good bit of info.

This is a current trend in the industry.  A lot of shoe manufacturers are going with a minimalist appraoch.  The less shoe the better.  Recent studies have pointed out that statistically the number of injuries suffered by runners has not changed at all with the advent of high tech running shoes.  Clark Howard, a (used to be) local save money evangelist, pointed out on one of his shows that cheap running shoes were statistically just as good as expensive ones.

Running barefoot forces you to quickly find the best running gait for your feet, cause if you don't do it right, it hurts like hell :-)  I'm interested enough in this to buy me some of those running sandals.  But like you said, I don't think my poor feet could handle the stress all the time!

I know several people who are currently training for ultra marathons barefoot/ VFF. My friend, Jason, is doing almost 80MPW barefoot/ VFF. However, me and any other barefoot runner will recommend you start out completely barefoot. Any protection will hide flaws in your form. Like I implied above, if you try BF, you have to ease into it. Almost like starting over, for barefoot/VFF runs at least. Oh, and the thing with shoe manufactures making "minimal" shoes, they promote running like barefoot, but offer a shoe??? If there is ANY built up heel in a shoe, that makes it easy to heel strike when running, which is bad.

Wesmckean, you are a member on Runners World, right? You should check out the Barefoot forum. Lots of useful info. We even designed a training plan for those interested.

BTW- I don't mean to come off as evangelical to anyone. Just trying to offer some info on an uncommon thing. It has worked for many injured runners, myself included. If I wear "stability" shoes, it hurts to run. If I wear minimal footwear, it doesn't...

It's nice to actually discuss something on the forum instead of spouting one's "position".  Refreshing!  No worries...

Did you see the interview with author of the book "Born to Run" on Comedy Central?  It was a good interview.  It's on Youtube somewhere....

Sounds really good... I just don't know where to run lol people at the trails will think I'm crazy and I'll probably end up cutting my feet with rocks and at the gym... well I'm sure someone will say something if I'm running barefoot =S

I know someone with those sandals!! He loves 'em!

I am so interested in this!  I have to say, I really love my saucony triumph 6's, but this trend seems to be huge right now and kinda cool.  What do you do if you live in a city?  I suppose pedicures are a no-no?

This is all very interesting to me. 

I'm totally flat-footed.  I've had pain in my left "non-arch" for ~ 1 1/2 yrs, but  I've continued running.  Some days it hurts, others it's fine.

I have to wear shoes/slippers with a bit of a heel all the time otherwise I'm in pain.  I wonder if I've shortened the arch muscle by doing this and wouldn't have been better off barefoot so the muscle could lengthen itself naturally.  Hmmmmm?  Any opinions/ideas on this?

I'm just wondering how I'd avoid the broken glass, syringes, dog poo, and other assorted detritus that I encounter running in the city?

Sticking with my Ascis!!!

Ax

Original Post by demerara:

I'm just wondering how I'd avoid the broken glass, syringes, dog poo, and other assorted detritus that I encounter running in the city?

Sticking with my Ascis!!!

Ax

That is exactly what I was thinking.  Any experienced BF runners have advice or wisdom about that for us?

My shoes have crushed my toes. They're deformed, bloody, and gross. My nails are all growing in funny positions. I'd run barefoot if I wasn't so dangerously flatfoot and have osteopenia. (<--- I just made a funny typo on that...) Seriously - minimalist = good. I hurt my ankle from lacing up too much back in February; and now my deformed Shrek toes...

wesmckean, Yes I saw the interview. It was pretty good. Short and sweet.

A lot of barefoot runners run trails all the time. Your feet get tougher as time goes by. You can also wear minimal shoes like VFFs, Feelmax,..

Most people's feet start to look more healthy from barefoot running. You have to take more care of them anyhow, nothing serious though.

Runyourlife, a few flat footed runners that I know, had their arch actually shorten(get stronger) after barefooting for a few months. So they are no longer flat footed.

Does anyone really step on glass, syringes, poo, etc on purpose in shoes? No, so why do it barefoot. Just watch your step.

For anyone really curious and wanting more than the limited knowledge and experience I can offer check out Runner's World Barefoot Forum. Lots of nice and knowledgeable folks there. They are also a lot better at giving advice than I am. Plenty of questions have been asked and addressed in the threads there, but feel free to start a new one.

LOL...you guys got it all wrong!!!!  I found an impartial, unbiased study on www.nikeisgreat.com that says that good $100 and up running shoes help to reduce injuries by .00023%....okay...just kidding...lol.

I read something a while back that something similar might apply to strength training/weightlifting as well and the recommendation was to buy some reasonably priced weight lifting shoes that had no cushion sole - minimalist I would say.  I wonder if I could wear those same shoes and run in them too, after my sets.  I only do about 20 minutes of HIIT at the moment. 

Anyone ever bought weightlifting shoes?  Anyone ever run in them?  I gotta look into this!!

Original Post by johnnypenso:

Anyone ever bought weightlifting shoes?  Anyone ever run in them?  I gotta look into this!!

 Most of the weightlifting shoes I've seen have a raised heal, which probably isn't great for running.

There's a shoe just for weight lifting!? I had no idea, lol.

What about plantar fasciitus?  Will running barefoot aggravate it, or eventually heal it if I take it slow.

Original Post by rosieblue:

What about plantar fasciitus?  Will running barefoot aggravate it, or eventually heal it if I take it slow.

 Good question - my husband asked the same thing when I told him about the barefoot running.  Sometimes his PF is so bad he wears his running shoes in the house (to cushion his heel).

Original Post by runyourlife:

Original Post by rosieblue:

What about plantar fasciitus?  Will running barefoot aggravate it, or eventually heal it if I take it slow.

 Good question - my husband asked the same thing when I told him about the barefoot running.  Sometimes his PF is so bad he wears his running shoes in the house (to cushion his heel).

Yea, I've heard PF really sucks. Seems once you get it, your stuck with it. However, I know of several barefoot runners who have/had PF and run pain free barefoot.

Will it heal it? I don't think so. When said barefoot runners try running in shoes again, they say the PF flares up, but never when running barefoot. Check out the forum I linked above, they can give you more insight than I can.

I actually tried it today (on the treadmill).  Did 1/2 lap and felt great.  My foot didn't hurt when I was only wearing socks and though it's stiff now, it isn't any worse than usual.  I'm going to keep it up, though very slowly.

bmx, thanks for all the info - going to look into it for sure.

rosie - good to hear going barefoot didn't make it worse. It'll be interesting to see what happens if my husband tries it - hmmmmm....

Yep, starting out very slow is key. You are using muscles that haven't been used very much for years. Anyone who tries barefoot running needs to be extremely conservative with their mileage starting out.

Here is a plan some people put together to help prevent newbies from getting hurt.