Barefoot Running Lessons (So Far)

Barefoot Lessons

My experimentation with barefoot running has been a revealing learning experience.  It is a slow process, which has motivated me to study running form and stride efficiency.  Conversion to barefoot running is appealing because you cannot transition faster than your body is ready.  In short, the muscles in the feet and arches have been unused for years, and to all of a sudden switch them on will cause damage.  Because of this, you must go slow.  

This fact is probably why there will be a bolus of injuries reported due to "gotta have it now, internet speed" attitudes who run 5 miles shod go attempt the same run barefoot.  I think the class of injuries will be different.  A lot of folks used to heel running will probably overuse calf muscles and plantar tendons as they erroneously cushion the blow by toe running.  I experienced this myself.

I personally experienced heel pain in my right foot as I first attempted barefoot.  It came after doing some hill intervals, which uphill forces you to toe run.  I thought the pain was from downhill running, so I naturally tried to prevent heel contact with the ground.  This caused more heel pain (plantar fascitis), and a vicious cycle started that finally broke when I read Jason Robillard's comment on this unintended outcome of toe running (versus midfoot).

Here is a summary of what I've learned after 6 months:

1. If you're feet can't take the distance, then neither can your body

2. Feedback for correct striding is most effective coming directly from barefoot sensing the ground

3. Running barefoot does not create hard callouses -- the bottoms of the feet become like soft leather

4. If you toe run, you'll have heel pain

So far I've slowly built up to where I can go 3 miles on various paved surfaces, and I can now make 3 runs per week.  My feet are tough, but not grossly calloused as one might think.  My arches are flexible, not rigid, and I'm much more comfortable running with a stride that emphasizes "lifting" versus "landing".

5. Most important, I'm having the most fun running that I can remember.

I'm Roy Obadiah and these are my rants.