Anyone on the forum go barefoot running? There seems to be a lot of positive talk about this at the moment in the media. Barefoot running was one of the reasons that I started to go barefoot generally in the first place...to toughen up my feet. I didn't realise at the time it would turn into a lifestyle thing and be so enjoyable to not wear anything on my feet. For me it really puts the fun factor back into running and really gives your foot / calf muscles a seriously good workout.
You wanna put the fun back in running? All I gotta do is run on a small country road with an 80 degree drop on one side into a rocky creek and a 85 degree angle up with pokey briars on the other side. The catch is they found coal in dem dar hills and huge coal trucks that take up about 2/3 of the road are constantly going back and forth. I could run around in circles at the park passing the 300lb woman that waddles 1 lap to to my 5 with that annoying ass yipping whatever she payed too much for. FUCK IT. I always see a wild turkey, snake, or possibly a black bear on the dangerous route. I wear shoes of course, but if you want excitement...
Last September I started running with minimalistic footwear. And I will give barefoot running a try next week.
I'm a member of the Barefoot Runners' Society, www.thebarefootrunners.org I was never a runner before I started BF'ing. Going BF inspired me to start running as a way to get in better shape. I've lost over 10 lbs. since I started and have gone from only being able to run about 45 seconds to now running over 5 minutes at a time.
Patrick thanks for the link for the barefootrunners' society site - its really good - I just signed up too. Really got the bug for it at the moment.
Did a barefoot run yesterday on a smooth concrete cycle path, it felt great. Unfortunately after 3km the skin of one of my toes came off which was quite painfull with every next step. Luckily I carried my Bedrock Sandals with me which are also great for running. But I definitely prefer barefoot running now.
Went for a 9km run this morning, my first 100% barefoot run. I did not bring my huaraches, my only backup were two bandaids. And I did not need them. I ran on grass and smooth concrete and asphalt. I tiptoed very carefully on a small piece of fakir asphalt.
My young boy goes football training on Saturday mornings. So while he is doing his training, I go barefoot running round the pitches. It is so comfortable on grass and when it is wet, it gets a bit muddy, it wonderful jumping in muddy puddles (sorry, nick that from Peppa Pig!).
Question for the more experienced barefoot runners: Is it true that once you start running barefoot and really adept to it, there is no way back?
Just like to mentioned, it been pretty cold in London the last few days with dusts of snow. Yesterday on Monday morning on the way to work in the Waterloo area, there was this guy with a rucksack on his back jogging barefoot. I was amazed and thrilled at the same time to see this as you don't see this in Central London. He ran passed me, stopped a moment to pick something out of his soles which was a blackened greyish colour and then ran on towards Waterloo station. Must be fantastic and free for him to do that.
An update from my last post here in April - I can now run (barefoot) for 30 minutes at a time, though it's slow and I only cover 2 miles in that 30 minutes. I also have run barefoot down into the mid-30's F using some of my winter cycling gear (thermal tights, arm and ear warmers, etc). I have also lost 25 pounds since late 2011, due to running, cycling (have to wear shoes for that!), and also eating better. I cut way, WAY back on sugary soft drinks. Abstained from them for 8 solid months, and now might have one once a week, or less.
I have been running barefoot for almost 3 years now and I will never run with a pair of shoes again. I tried minimalist running shoes and they just don't work for me. I was looking at knee surgery and future hip replacement wearing shoes doing only 3 to 4 miles. Running barefoot, the pain is gone in my joints and I can easily do 9 to 13 miles and I am very )).
People of the United States take a DIM view of others' happiness. What YOU are doing MUST SOMEHOW be wrong.....
