Barefoot running?

Anyone tried this? Any thoughts on the Nike Free & the Vibram 5 Fingers? (yes I know it sounds like a sex toy..)

This was quite interesting in the times this morning. Mad, but interesting.
barefoot running in the lake district

Funnily enough thats the article that got me thinking about it – have you read "Born To Run"?

on the beach yes, on the tarmac outside my house no.

Not yet but a few people have recommended it.
To be honest I'm a pretty late convert to running, and have classically overdone it and knackered my achilles. Shame as I was starting to quite enjoy it.

There is a trend towards this at the moment, unsure why. Surfer will be along in a moment to sing the virtues and tell me there is no such trend ;-

I know, it's everywhere at the moment. latest fashion bomb. I sliced the sole of my foot a treat on broken glass when I was a kid running about with no shoes on.

Not so much a fashion bomb as its actually bio-mechanically more efficient..

Born to Run is a great read!
I've been running barefoot or with minimal shoes since Christmas (having spend the previous 3 months limping from a running injury) and it's been pretty amazing for me. I think I feel how born again Christians do with there zeal and happiness, tinged with sadness for the unconverted 🙂

The Nike free isn't really a minimal shoe, just Nikes Marketing department's idea.
Currently Vibram Fivefingers, the Feelmax range or Terra Plana are the most common options.

I know, it's everywhere at the moment. latest fashion bomb. I sliced the sole of my foot a treat on broken glass when I was a kid running about with no shoes on.

I've cut my hands on broken glass several times 🙂

Not so much a fashion bomb as its actually bio-mechanically more efficient..

I run 40-50k a week, most of my times for my hilly 10k hover at about 42-44 minutes, I don't need more efficiency in my running, I'd just like to run without someone telling me that a) I'm some sort of sell out for wearing shoes (dog shit between the toes never really appeals) and that b) after 15 years or so of injury free running that I'm doing it all wrong…

Thanks

Gee somebodys having a bad day..No need to be so uptight, why not go for a run & make yourself feel better?

no-one is seriously suggesting that anyone starts running without shoes – that's just silly (we live in a world full of dog poo, sharp rocks and broken glass).

but there is a lot to be said for running with a 'barefoot technique'

ie, not landing heel first. but instead landing on your forefoot.

this video shows it quite well

lots of people (i'm one of them) find that running with a heel strike causes a few problems. and so i have started running in very simple shoes which force me to run 'forefoot'. it is hard work on my calf muscles, but doesn't irritate my long-term foot injury.

the nike 'free' aren't really shoes for forefoot running; they've got loads of heel cushioning. what they do have is a very flexible sole.

It is literally the emperor’s new clothes of running 😆

ahwiles Ive changed my running style to a forefoot first strike & it is definitely more comfortable than heel first ..

I think I feel how born again Christians do with there zeal and happiness, tinged with sadness for the unconverted

That sums up how so many bare-footers come across.
I love running and reading about running but always steer clear of the topic especially on here as there is so much evangelical exaggeration and iffy fact pushing it takes the point away of a discussion and turns it into an unessesssary argument.

Everyone runs differently on different surfaces in different ways. The best thing to do is run accordingly to the conditions and your body. I find there is never one way to run, not even on a simple 10k jog.

I do own some barefoot shoes and they are very comfy, so are my montrail and salomons.

I did a good amount of miles (walking and running) barefoot a couple of years ago, i can't say it made much difference to anything except the dirtiness of my feet. Also i suppose the ability to walk shoeless on the gravelliest of roads without flinching was quite cool.

Ban Roper! We'll have none of his tolerance and understanding round here!

no-one is seriously suggesting that anyone starts running without shoes

http://www.norwich.gov.uk/webapps/news/news.asp?cid=6177

🙂

Stone hIm!

I use the vibram 5 finger shoes for short runs and a shoe thin soled shoe for longer runs. It is definately better for me than running in what is now seen as proper running shoes. If I'm some place that barefoot running can be done then off come the shoes and away I go, the sense of freedom is great. Have even been over Blencathra in the 5 finger shoes.
It looks to me like the interest in going barefoot/forefoot running is a reaction against the modern running shoe and the perception that these shoes are the cause of many injuries. I'm fairly sure that this is partly the reason from personal experiance.
There are a lot of books about barefoot/natural running but I would recommend reading Percy Cerutty's books.
As for the barefoot running course on the Duddon estuary, it's not a weekend that I would want to repeat and would not recommend it.

I'm glad I clicked on this. I'm having serious troubles at the moment with shin splints. I was always told that these were caused by 'toe slappers' and that you could hear people coming behind you who would get injuries because you'ed hear 'slap slap slap'

…now the bare foot runners seem to think that I can solve my problems by slap slap slapping?!?!?! Well surely thats just like running in really uncushioned fell shoes the whole time. Boy that makes me slap. Or are we only talking offroad here>

You know what? I do it mostly wrong. I don't stretch I don't warm down, my trainers are 5 year old Nike moto with thousands of kms on them, I don't do fancy off road stuff or wild running. I pound the pavement. As it happens I'm mostly a mid to forefoot runner anyway but I'd like not to have half baked wishy washy trends thrown at me either. Run however you want whenever you want in a way that makes you happy.

NickC in 'i'm a barefoot runner too confession shocker'

ahwiles ???

NickC says he runs in trainers, there's no confession to running barefoot in either of his posts.

Joe: i've just tried it, you get the 'foot-slap' from heel-strike running.

the front of the foot is whipped against the ground following the heel impact.

it's worse in fell shoes because the heel landing is even harsher.
.
.
Keva: NickC says he's a forefoot runner, which is what all this is really about.

("As it happens I'm mostly a mid to forefoot runner anyway")

Don't care. Nothing can distract me from the massive huff I'm in. I'd go down to the bottom of the garden to eat worms but Im confused as whether I need to go barefoot or balancing on my tip toes or bounding gazelle like…

do you need a hug?

Bounding would be much more stylish.

Flouncing will be the next big thing.

Flouncing. Now that I can do. I'll do a video tonight for urban street flounce.

Only with yer handbag though otherwise its not proper flouncing..

Seriously though running in yer knacked trainers is probably a good thing – its a bit like running barefoot cos all the padding has worn down..oops.. 😉

Nick as long as your not getting hurt its whatever works for you.

i walked about everywhere in Oz barefoot. was there for a year and couldn't be bothered with washing/changing socks all the time. i saw a few ozzie mates walking around barefoot so i did, too. i had what i called monkey pads on the sole of my feet. really tough, leathery skin. i used to walk about town and out in the bush barefoot. t'was great.

joe – member

I'm glad I clicked on this. I'm having serious troubles at the moment with shin splints. I was always told that these were caused by 'toe slappers' and that you could hear people coming behind you who would get injuries because you'ed hear 'slap slap slap'
…now the bare foot runners seem to think that I can solve my problems by slap slap slapping?!?!?! Well surely thats just like running in really uncushioned fell shoes the whole time. Boy that makes me slap. Or are we only talking offroad here>

Joe – Try leaning forward from your ankles, but keep you back straight and concentrate in landing on the ball/mid foot and you will never be troubled by shinsplints again 😉

Joe – Try leaning forward from your ankles, but keep you back straight and concentrate in landing on the ball/mid foot and you will never be troubled by shinsplints again

That but also make sure you are not bouncing up and down as you run.

Joe read "Born To Run" as well – there are some pretty good explanations of the technique in the book & its a good story!

Not sure that the technique needs a book. Just find somewhere you can run a little in bare feet. Notice how your feet naturally land on the forefoot. You can't heel strike for any length of time in bare feet its like someone hitting you on the heel with a hammer. Now buy a pair of cheap trainers and replicate that bare foot action on the road. No need for fancy "feet gloves"- have you seen the price of them!

Joe I used to have problems with sore shins. Went away when I stopped heel striking and started landing on the ball of my foot.

Its not rocket science for sure but hey its still a good book & worth reading if you want to know more about it..

it's the runners equivalent of singlespeeding! nichetastic 😆

Well, this is enlightening. I do the odd bit of running and found myself naturally being a forefoot runner. But no one else did it like that so I changed my technique to land on the heel. I thought I was doing it wrong. Naturally cool I guess. I'll go back to technique one and start promoting it to anyone and everyone.

Just normal NB trainers btw, nowt special.