Country barefoot hike -fingertips going hard.

I went for a barefoot hike to a neighboring town yesterday, on a fine warm day. The road is a quiet two-lane blacktop with eroded asphalt, so that the chippings stick up out of it. At first it was a bit uncomfortable, but after half a mile the palms of my hands and fingertips swelled up, which is the sign that my soles have responded to the surface and I can start marching quickly. Six miles in 90 mins, about as good as I would do it in walking boots.
This is my second barefoot hike of the year. No blisters or any discomfort during the walk, but I caught the bus back and when I walked home my feet were not happy! The soles had lost their pumped iron. Next day there is a little tenderness under the toes, and the ball of my left foot had the skin abraded (which is a perennial problem on long barefoot walks). The tenderness was, of course, because the foot skids back on the surface a little there when it's picked up while walking (hence the noise that a barefoot person makes when walking naturally on a hard surface). I know some folks walk "pussy foot" with toes first to try and protect this area, but I think that's an unnatural cop-out and it certainly makes for a slower walking pace.
My longest barefoot walk so far is 13 miles, all over asphalt, concrete and gravel.
The fingertips swelling up show that our ancestors went around on four legs, millions of years ago. Or do the creationists have another explanation for it?

 

makes some sense, yet it is the first time i hear about this issue and i've marched long enough that my feet were pleading me to revert to a four-leg drive to give'em relief and i never noticed fingertips swelling. someone else did?

 

Next time I go barefoot hiking I'll check the hands for changes. Thats an interesting idea about ancestor evolution. I've been hearing about people hiking the Appalations barefoot. I could dig that!

I cant get the spell check to work!?!

 

I once did a half marathon barefoot (13 miles) over various terrains..my feet were aching by the end, they felt like hamburger.

 

I managed a 13 mile all terrain hike on Saturday, as part of the walking for health programme (i was one of the "shepherds") and escaped with only a little soreness.
Got fed up with people asking "are your feet ok?"
I've been barefoot hiking for decades now, so my feet are well developed, as i like to call it, and since i weigh just 136 pounds, my ground pressure is less than most peoples, so it's probably easier for me.

 

Sure! Almost always on my long walks my fingers will swell. It has nothing to do with walking barefoot (though I always am) but with the blood going to your hands and fingers. Moving your hands, or grabbing your back pack on height of your shoulders, will help

 

Speaking of barefoot hiking, the UK barefoot hikers are back in action on Friday May 22nd for a day out in London, should be at least 5 of us.
I'll let you know how it went.

 

If you over-do it, your feet will rebel and their natural protection will take over. Blisters will protect the swollen areas. You have to take it slow and take shorter hikes, gradually building up to longer distances and more difficult surfaces. Those like bfjohn who have been hiking for a long time have built up natural protections such as callouses and tough skin.

I can walk on hot pavement, gravel, sidewalk gratings, rocks and other harsh surfaces because I've been doing it for years. I have developed the natural defenses the body provides. Start S-L-O-W-L-Y.....
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Friday's London hike went really well. There was nine of us if i remember rightly, and we started from Victoria railway station.
From there we took a double tube train ride to Camden, where we walked through the rough and grubby market before heading along the lock to Regents park, and a nice long pub lunch, after which we had a long walk back to Victoria, where we had yet another drink!
I'm not sure exactly how far we walked, but it felt like seven or eight miles.

 

Hi John. Wondered if it were you.

Ben

 

Yeah, Ben, i'm the only barefooter in Hull, though it's not unusual to see "part timers" going bf in the local country parks.
I was working on the reserve this morning when i saw someone walking bf along the waterfront and not carrying shoes, which attracted my attention. He carried on onto the rough stuff without flinching, so perhaps i'm not the only one after all. Can but hope...