Barefoot Running

[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.

[GLC1968]

Not to get too far 'out there', but there is some real science to the importance of being physically in touch with the planet. The earth has a resonant frequency (very low ~8 Hz) that apparently peaks around 8am and 5pm. This electromagnetic signal is critical to our circadian rhythm. It's called the Schumann Resonance and the space station has a resonator installed to duplicate it because without it, humans don't function properly (sleep disruption, unrest, depression, etc).

I would imagine that living in a concrete jungle surrounded by all manner of RF waves (from WiFi, cell phones, TV's etc) would greatly interfere with our bodies ability to pick up on the Schumann Resonance and might contribute to all kinds of disfunctions.

Anyway, it sounds hokey, but I feel peaceful when I get the chance to walk our property barefoot in the evening. I attribute it to getting in touch with the resonant frequency of the earth.

[GLC1968]

Finally had a chance to make my huaraches and try them out on a run (from invisibleshoe.com). I bought them to wear as just sandals since I can't currently find any that are wide enough for my foot, but figured I'd try at least one run in them.

I put them on and headed out at about 4:30 yesterday afternoon. They were GREAT! Felt like barefoot but protected. I did get surprized by a rock or two because the soles really are very, very thin, but once I realized this, I just avoided stepping on rocks. Definitely super light, super flexible and nice and cool. I think I like them better than my $150 running shoes! There was broken glass on the side of the road and they protected me from it just fine, too.

Since I've been planning to run my tri on Wednesday barefoot, I wanted to get in one more truly barefoot run. So when I got to the sidewalk (about a mile from my house), I kicked off the huaraches and ran barefoot. (the hurraches are much easier to carry than my regular shoes, too) I got about 100y down the sidewalk before I realized that the bottom of my feet were really in pain! I put the shoes back on and it helped. I turned around, walked for a bit, and then ran home. Total run was about 2 miles with only about 100y barefoot. That 100y destroyed me though. A cement sidewalk that sits in the sun all day is HOT. I have blisters on the bottom of my feet now!!

Not only will I not be doing the tri tomorrow, but I'm worried about my weekend. I'm supposed to be leaving for a hiking trip on Friday.

I'm stupid.