Barefoot Running

[tulip]

I noticed the first sweetgum balls on the ground today. Now THAT would hurt!

Such hazards of barefoot running. I'm still on barefoot walk-run combo in the park when I walk my dog. I'm not up to barefoot walking or running to the park, though. I'm in an urban area, so there are no trails. I'm not going with VFFs because they are too expensive. My feet, however, are free, so I'm going with my plain old feet.

[GLC1968]

tulip - many barefoot running 'experts' recommend totally bare feet over things like VFF's anyway. With bare feet, you get much better feedback about what you are doing right or wrong in terms of distance, duration or form...so it's easier to avoid injury. It's much harder to overdo it becasue your feet will hurt too much almost immediately.

I am running on urban sidewalks, MUP's and a few cobblestone-like pathways. I have not run in grass (too hard to see obstacles) or on dirt yet. My first dirt run will be this evening, so that should be interesting.

[tulip]

tulip - many barefoot running 'experts' recommend totally bare feet over things like VFF's anyway. With bare feet, you get much better feedback about what you are doing right or wrong in terms of distance, duration or form...so it's easier to avoid injury. It's much harder to overdo it becasue your feet will hurt too much almost immediately.

I am running on urban sidewalks, MUP's and a few cobblestone-like pathways. I have not run in grass (too hard to see obstacles) or on dirt yet. My first dirt run will be this evening, so that should be interesting.

It's nice to know that you are venturing onto asphalt; you give me confidence that I will be able to do it someday, perhaps before it gets too cold this winter. The streets around here are clean, but HARD! I like running on grass and dirt because I hear/feel a satisfying thump of the earth, like it's responding to me. Sounds strange but it's true. Enjoy your dirt run this evening.

[GLC1968]

Running barefoot on dirt trails though the forest is the most fun a person can have standing up! OMG - what a blast!

I generally don't like to run (but I like to be fit) but I really, really had to force myself to turn back so that I didn't overdo it. It was amazing!!

I enjoyed it so much that I am seriously contemplating buying a $50 annual pass to this park this late in the summer so that I can run on the trails as much as I want (without having to pay for parking each time). It was THAT fun!

[Jolt]

GLC, what are your trails like? Are they fairly smooth dirt, or are they loaded with rocks and roots? I sometimes run trails barefoot and it is fun until I start getting tired and having a harder time with the rocks/roots that are unavoidable here in New England. If I can get really good at doing these trails barefoot I will be in pretty good shape!

[GLC1968]

Jolt - It was mostly hard packed dirt as we haven't seen a drop of rain in a month now. It was highly rutted from MTB in the spring (when it was muddy), but not hard to navigate. I ran this same trail last week in my VivoBarefoot shoes, but I was tripping over them. It was so much easier totally barefoot!

I do remember the NE trails...this one was definitely smoother. Some roots, but there were no rocks bigger than a golf ball (and easily avoidable).

[tulip]

Today I walked to the park (with shoes), and then took them off and did some jogging, some playing with my dog, and lots more walking. The grass feels so good, and it rained yesterday so the ground is springy and not hard. I decided to walk home barefoot, on the street/sidewalk. It was great! I walk slower in bare feet, but I like it. I feel really in the moment because I have to watch where I'm going and be mindful of the ground and my body.

6 hours later, my feet are still buzzing in a good way. That's the only way I can describe it. They feel alive. Luckily, I can go barefoot while working.

This is alot of fun once I got over my trepidation of going barefoot.