Barefoot Running

[benjohn]

Earlier, I went out "barefoot" running in a shiny new pair of Vibrams Five Fingers. It was fantastic – one of the most enjoyable runs I can remember, so I thought I'd post here and share the experience.

I'm still trying to analyse why I liked it so much! I'll put down some thoughts, but before then, a few links with background: Wikipedia has a good entry on barefoot running with enough links to get going if you are interested. I was running in a pair of these (so, really, I was doing "minimal" running rather than proper barefoot).

I heard about barefoot about two years ago on some blog. While reading, I tried sprinting up and down the hall both barefoot and with trainers. I instantly noticed an enormous difference (give it a go, see if you do too).

The reason I decided to try barefoot now was that a few runs back I had some knee pain. I've bought in to the barefoot thesis: it makes a lot of sense that out bodies will work best running in the way they're evolved to run, and my personal testing two years back had convinced me that running in shoes moved me very far away from my "natural" evolved style.

I've done a tiny bit of due diligence on going barefoot (I should definitely read up more). They reckon that you should take it easy when you start with barefoot, so I looked for an iPhone App that would help me work through a few short intervals and found this great one called… oh, you know that bit already?! Okay – I dialled in week two on Get Running and off I went!

Before I started, there were a couple of things I was concerned about:

I thought it might hurt a bit.

It didn't.

I think the VFFs are perhaps still quite padded really, but it really didn't hurt at all, ever.

What ever surface I ran on was a delicious and wonderful learning experience You can feel everything through the shoes and that alone is somehow beguiling and delightful. I was left giggling like a baby at times, in fact

Stones and gravel are great: you know it should hurt: running barefoot on to a small sharp rock, but it doesn't. I found myself thinking "take that, stone! Ha! I'm invincible!"

On mud, while the shoes definitely slip about, I felt far more sure footed than I ever have in regular shoes. I noticed I was happy making aggressively sharp turns I'd usually keep gingerly wide on. If you've ever had a bike with breaks tuned up really sweetly so that you can easily skid about, it's a bit like that – I just can't stop myself messing about.

Rocks, tree roots and pot holes become a playground – something fun to interact with. I had to hold myself back from launching at park benches and running along them, or trying to run up and jump off tree trunks. Perhaps next time… (I think the biggest danger in these shoes is I'll forget I'm 35 and only remember half way through trying to run up a tree trunk & summersault that I've no idea how to actually do that).

I thought my feet would be cold.

They weren't. Not even a little bit.

It's warmed up a lot here, but it's still only about 10ºC. During the run I noticed that my feet were toasty warm, which was extremely unexpected. I don't have an explanation at all, but there was definitely no coldness. Great!

What else did I notice in the run?

I found it really hard to stop myself actually running and sprinting, rather than jogging at my usual pedestrian pace. This might be because I'm used to running continuously, or in relatively long intervals, but the whole experience was so fun, it was hard not to break out in to a dash.

I felt a little bit conspicuous at one point. Like – that guy in Arrested Development who rides on a Segway. But the only time I noticed it felt funny and good, so that was okay.

How about now.

Well, my knee feels a little bit achey. Oops. The pain I had before (that made me try this out) was a really nasty sharp pain. This is just a dull pain that feels more like "oooh, I'm not used to that, can I have a bath please?" instead of "Hell no, you can stop that right now!". I think I'll read up a bit more on the web and see if I can find some advice on running style before my next try. I'm definitely going to keep trying this though, because it's too enjoyable

Bottom Line

I'm not sure if this is for everyone, and I'm not quite ready to get evangelical yet and rename "Get Running" to "Get Bare" or something, but I definitely had a blast, and I'll keep doing this exclusively when I run for now. If you want a no investment way to try barefoot, wait until it's warm in your neck of the woods, then go out for a bit of running on some soft but fairly short grass that you can be pretty sure isn't hiding broken glass, etc.

If you've got any questions or thoughts, jot down a comment and I'll do my best to respond.

Happy running,
Benjohn

[Neutrino]

I just finished reading "Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" , it's a book with a lot about bare foot running, you should defiantly check that out it's an amazing book, it got me wanting to try it and I will one day but for now I'll concentrate on finishing the app.

[benjohn]

I've heard about that book, and I think I should read it. Thanks for the tip – it sounds like a good read.

I'm always a little bit worried to go with my instincts on something like this: "clearly we should run like we're evolved to run" my instinct says, and another bit that's been suckered a few too many times is saying, "maybe you need to find some good evidence before you go with that hunch". But it's fun so far, other than a few aches that just seems like new-exercise-ache, it's been painless, so I'm going to keep with it

Thanks,
Benjohn

[Bons]

BenJohn I would like to try those too, do you wear sock in them or do you wear them barefoot.

[benjohn]

You can get socks with toes that will fit in them, but I've not bothered. When they get smelly, I chuck them in the washing machine as recommended by Vibrams Apparently you can happy do this and it won't damage them.

Had a really great run yesterday in the rain after a hot day. Very enjoyable!

[Bons]

Thanks for the reply. Do they keep your feet dry when it's raining? I love to go cross country but where I live the soil is wet most of the time.

Bummer I can't try them on nowhere near, I'll have to order them online and take a chance that they will fit.

*grin* I wouldn't want to be seen wearing them I guess, they look silly

[benjohn]

They are entirely water permeable. On balance, I quite like that because when I run in to wet grass I notice. I can certainly see others wouldn't though!

I wear them all the time now (not just when running), and I've forgotten how silly they look. Every now and then I notice someone's fixated on my feet, but I'm not too bothered

I'd definitely try to find a way to try them on before you buy if you can. The fittings and sizings seem to be a bit funny, and I definitely appreciated the guidance of an honest seeming retailer who had time to let me try a few styles, explain their quirks and tell me how best to manoeuvre them on to my foot.

[Bons]

I don't mind my feet getting wet, I walk barefoot at home most off the time, that's why I am attracted to the thought behind these shoes. But barefoot, your feet would dry quickly again when out of the rain or wet grass, in this case the shoe will keep your feet wet... On the other hand, my current running shoes will get soaked too when running in wet grass or whilst raining.

Found a shop within a 1.5 hour drive distance, mailed them to be sure my preferred shoes are in stock in multiple sizes. If so I'll go there to try them on, seems to me that this would be the perfect time, getting used to both running and running this way at the same time whilst using the app to keep me from over doing like I am prone to do.

[Valerie]

Love your review on barefoot running. I just got a pair of Merrell Barefoot shoes and I love them! They are the most comfortable running shoe I've ever had. Like you, I find it hard to hold myself back from running... particularly since I am only on day three of Get Running and am supposed to walk.

Here's a link to my shoes... they don't have individual toes so I don't get as many looks.
http://www.merrell.com/US/en/Barefoot

[pinkandpink]

Oh my gosh! This makes me want the Vibrams even MORE. I have been fascinated with them. Not to mention one of my role models loves them too! Rachel Coleman who created Signing Time (a program here in the United States that teachers young children American Sign Language) is a runner! Athleta sponsored her last year!

Anyway...here's where she talks about the Vibrams. I love when she has the pic of the footprints they leave.

http://www.rachelcoleman.com/category/fitness/

Anyway, I asked for proper running shoes for my birthday but I am really just thinking about getting the vibrams!