Runner's Forum: Barefoot Running Movement Discussion

All,

I read a very intriguing article a while back in Men's Health, and as I recently began to get into shape again, I was reminded of the article. It's entitled, "The Men Who Live Forever."

For some reason, it won't let me link, so I'll just have to put out the address here:  http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=motivation&conitem=3b4b1ca01e91c010VgnVCM10000013281eac____#

The article is about these guys down in Mexico that drink too much tequila and smoke too many ciagrettes, but b/c of what they eat and how they run, they can cover astronomical distances on their runs and regularly do so.

The article touches on many different issues, but I would like to discuss the article's emphasis on barefoot running. It harps on: form (shoulders & hips above the feet), landing & running on the balls of your feet, and  using shoes that aren't over-padded/cushioned.

• What do you think?
• Are you a proponent?
• Is it a total croc?
• Are you now solely sponsored by Nike Free ?

Let's talk it out,
wmt

 

 

Ok, hopefully everything is fixed up now. I apologize for the delays and confusion.

My personal reaction? After reading the article and thinking about it, the philosophy sounds totally legit. If the whole thing were inspired/sponsored by Nike or someone, then I'd be a bit more suspicious, but it makes a load of sense.

I've been trying the running form, but it's too early in the process to really have any serious results. I'm also considering the purchase of a pair of Nike Free's (I need new kicks for my road runs anyways, so it doesn't hurt to try.) We'll see how it goes.

 wmt

For anyone struggling with the link,tinyurl'd it:

http://tinyurl.com/63wqjc

 

It sounds pretty cool, I'm certainly willing to give it a try. When I first took up running I pretty thoroughly screwed up my knees my wearing unpadded shoes, but then again my technique was abysmal. My current shoes are past their best so I might just invest in a new pair of Free shoes.

Hope to see updates in this thread.

J.

KDogg, Thanks for the input! Good stuff. Good stuff. So do you suggest that this could be a good idea to be taken with proper supervision and "baby steps Bob, take baby steps,"? Or would you rather them just not have written anything b/c it could do more harm than good. The gentlemen writing the article was being trained w/a regimen and by the right guy, but let's face the facts, most of us don't have those kinds of resources. What do you think?

Check out Barefootrunning.com. They have loads of information on the subject.

My thinking on it is this - we were born w/o shoes and lived for millenia w/o them. And we ran a lot. So that's the natural state of things.

A lot of biomechanical problems are caused by the wearing of shoes since we were little kids. Our feet were not allowed to develop naturally and that's why many people need these super engineered shoes to run. And then their feet rely on these shoes rather than their own intrinsic strength.

 I think that some people can with time, patience, persistance and knowlege break the shoe habit safely. I'm sure that it is a very individual journey with lots of ways of doing it, only if you want to of course.

I spend most of my time barefoot, so do my kids. I also run in Nike Frees most of the time and have done some barefoot running. I'm just a little squirrely of stepping on glass in the streets and such. I'd love to transition to running only barefoot...it would certainly save $$$s!

I'm new to the forum, but I'll throw my two cents out there:

I've been trying on and off for the last several years to take up running. I bicycle commute five days a week, but I wanted to add in a little extra workout every day to keep me in shape and--more importantly--keep my hyperactive mutt calm and manageable. Every time I tried, I'd do great for a few weeks, then pull up injured with knee pain (that's pretty much been a constant for me with any running since high school) and shin splints. I never managed to run more than a mile at a stretch.

I started reading up on running, and eventually read about barefoot running. Willing to give it a go, I picked up a pair of VFF Sprints at the end of June. I've been running every other day or so (sometimes daily) since then, completely injury-free. Yes, there was an adjustment period. My calves ached the first week or so, and the balls of my feet took a pounding as my stride readusted... but running became a lot easier. I can run two miles AFTER a ten-mile bicycle commute and feel refreshed, not winded and aching. I think my stride has gotten longer, and I'm not heel-striking anymore.  I am finding that when I'm stressed, I want to head out and clear my head. 

 In short, I'm having fun running now.  It's coming easier than it ever did before. And I'm not getting hurt doing it. For the skeptics out there, all I can say is just give it a go and see how you feel. It definitely brought out my natural stride and made running easier and more enjoyable.

I have been barefoot running for a few months now. I wear VFF on longer runs or trails. I don't think it's a 'croc'. It's how we are supposed to run; it's the way we evolved. Born to Run is a good book. Although McDougall might embellish or sensationalize some aspects of the Tarahumara, he also provides some convincing evidence for the benefits of barefoot/ultra-distance running. You really can't be a heel-striker in either of these categories. Running injuries and the invention of the running shoe go hand-in-hand from what I've read. People could run perfectly fine before fancy, expensive running shoes. Their feet and legs told them what they were doing wrong. It's definitely not a mainstream idea (yet), but I think the minimalist approach is a good way to find your proper running form. If you decide to put the shoes back on, at least you'll probably suffer less injuries from what you learn.

Here's a site with more info:

http://runningbarefoot.org

The observation that today's shoes prohibit the normal growth and development of the feet in today's kids may have merit but I'm old enough to have worn Chucks and other totally flat shoes as a child. While I walk barefoot most of the year and wear sandles in the summer, I can't stand shoes and don't put them on till it snows,  I can't run without good support shoes or orthotics.  The damage is done and I also weigh 240's so I hav some heavy steps.