The Next Step - Vibram FiveFingers?

I'm by no means a purist about barefoot running. I don't have any strong feelings for or against the Vibram FiveFingers, but want to do a little exploring first. I like the fact that my body is strong enough to actually run barefoot and can adapt to the changing surfaces. But I went on a run yesterday morning in the rain and I could see how the FiveFingers would come in handy -- no blisters because of the friction between your feet and the water. Right now, I don't run barefoot two consecutive days because my feet are still sensitive after the first day of being barefoot. If I had FiveFingers, I could probably run everyday, switching off between barefoot and "semi-barefoot."

Here's what people around the Interweb are saying about FiveFingers:

"My second barefoot run, on asphalt, went more poorly: I tore up the tip of my fourth toe on the rough surface and spent the rest of my (shod) run bleeding into my sock. That was enough to make the attraction of Vibram’s foot gloves clear: They give you much of the feeling of running barefoot, and give the same workout to your arches, Achilles tendons and calves — except you don’t have to worry about injuries from rough terrain."
- "To Run Better, Start by Ditching Your Nikes" by Dylan Tweney for Wired.com

"I swore I’d never wear them. We called them the Five Fingers of Suck a few years ago and I was sure they were crazy. Friends, I’m here to tell you I was wrong. And I’m sorry."
- "Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic" by John Biggs for CrunchGear.com

"I arrive home to find the Vibram FiveFinger shoes awaiting me. They look like green rubber gloves, with individual toes and none of the padding or protection found on regular running shoes. I wrestle them on--getting each toe into its little rubber home tests the limits of my podiatric dexterity--and run with my daughters around the block...I hadn't really been aware that I had toes, but there they are, all 10 little darlings, in corpse-colored hot pockets. I vacillate between splaying them out to grab the ground and lifting them up to spare their delicate sensibilities...These odd-looking shoes are worthwhile training tools as long as I don't run too far in them. I walk through my hotel lobby, past people who studiously avoid staring--something I've grown accustomed to while wearing the FiveFingers."
- "Footloose" by Peter Sagal for Runners World


This website, Birthday Shoes, is all about the FiveFingers. There are reviews, a blog, and forum for FiveFinger wearers (users?).

My uncle recently got a pair of FiveFingers and has been trying them out. He has gone on a couple of three-mile runs with them. While he has never gone totally bare, he does say things feel good in them and that there is a free-ness to wearing the gorilla-feet-looking shoes. Maybe later this summer I'll cruise into an REI and try on a pair and see what I think. I'll keep you all posted. Maybe you'll see me running around in funky looking toe-holders soon!

Random ramblings of a (kinda) barefoot runner

I've been MIA lately because of a couple of work trips, so here's just a couple of random thoughts since my last post:

• Sprinklers that make sidewalks wet suck. Then my feet get wet. And then they get sensitive.
• I was able to go out on a barefoot run in New Jersey and it was so cool to be able to explore a city like the old days when I was running a lot. But I think someone did yell, "Put some shoes on."
• On the flipside, a woman here in Redondo Beach told me, "You go girl!"
• When I got back from one of my trips, I went out for an afternoon jog and I didn't realize how warm the pavement gets compared to the mornings when I usually run. I got some crazy blisters and didn't run for about 4 days. I need to keep that in mind for the future.
• After a week of not hitting the pavement, I gave myself a weird blood-blister-looking thing on my first run. I think my calluses got soft and were really sensitive.
• I did some walking in my running shoes with orthotics and I was sore the next day. My body is already shifting and getting used to the more flat-footed way of life.
  
• I've noticed that it almost hurts more to walk barefoot than it does to run barefoot. It's hard to walk on your toes while barefoot and you automatically want to land on your heels.
  

A New Book!

I'm so excited! I got a book in the mail -- "Barefoot Running: How To Run Light And Free By Getting In Touch With The Earth." The book is written by Michael Sandler, the barefoot runner I interviewed. Get this -- the intro says, "One day the Denver Post came out to photograph me chasing down cyclists, uphill barefoot and it dawned on Jessica that I had an important story to share." I specifically remember that photo shoot. Michael indeed was chasing the cyclists and oftentimes, passing them.

So, needless to say, I am really stoked to dive into the book. I will keep you posted on what I learn and the thoughts I have about the book.

Heels vs. Forefront

Lesson No. 1 About Barefoot Running: Get On Your Toes

The main difference between running in shoes and running without them is that in a shoe, we are heel-strikers. This collision between the heel and the ground sends a shockwave through the body that can often lead to injuries. When landing on the forefront of the foot while barefoot running, the motion is springy and "less of the body comes to a dead stop at the moment of impact, so there is less force involved in the collision."

At the same time, when you run more on your toes, your Achilles tendon and calf muscles have to work over-time to control your heel and not let it slap down on the ground. This load on these muscles is one of the reasons people say to start slowly when barefoot running.

I noticed the other day that I am definitely a heel striker, even when walking. I am trying hard to not land as hard as I do on my heel, but it is a really hard habit to break. It feels very un-natural to shift to a forefront strike and I think I do a better job of it when running barefoot because it is so obviously painful to heel strike without shoes on.

A Brand New Barefoot Experience

Still getting my...feet...under me with this whole barefoot running thing. When I woke up this morning, the sky was overcast but I didn't realize that it had rained until I stepped out the door. Water + feet = very sensitive toes. But I figured I would give it a shot because if I'm going to be committed to this, I've got to be able to run in all types of conditions.

I'd have to say that the only curveball the water on the ground threw me was the fact that little pieces of gunk (pebbles, grass, sand, etc.) got stuck to my feet a whole lot easier. While most of the stuff fell off my feet within a couple of barefoot steps, I did notice that there were some pesky pieces that wouldn't fall off, which caused me to stop and brush them off. These pieces mainly were on parts of my feet that had contact with the ground that when I landed on them, they were uncomfortable. I guess this is a small price you have to pay for not wearing shoes.

I think I am making steady progress. The only thing that is experiencing a little bit of pain is my right ankle, which feels a little "tweaked" and strained because it doesn't have an orthotic to hold the arch in place, and therefore the ankle in place. I pulled out the trusty bag of frozen peas (the easiest and best way to ice any part of your body) and hopefully by not doing too much too quickly, my body will begin to adapt to this new movement.

The Self Consciousness of a Barefoot Runner

I had planned last night to go barefoot running this morning, but as I was pulling out my running clothes, I grabbed my favorite pair of socks (pink with piggies on them) without realizing. I guess old habits die hard.

I started out by walking a couple of blocks to get my feet acclimated to the ground but I was definitely giddy to start running. But just as I was going to begin a slow jog, I saw a person getting into a car on the same side of the street that I was on. Suddenly, I became self conscious. How weird am I going to look while running...barefoot? It's one thing to walk barefoot -- I live by the beach and feel like I can get away with that. It's another thing to actually be moving at a semi-quick pace down the street sans shoes. So, I let the guy get in his car and not until after he had driven away did I start running.

I walked/jogged for about 30 minutes (ok, most of it was walking). But being able to actually do some running and understanding the form that I need to have when running barefoot was really cool. I could hear Barefoot Ken Bob's sayings in my head as I cruised along with the ocean to my right ("Let your calves relax so your whole foot touches the ground"). Everything seemed to feel pretty good by the time I got home. I had a little tenderness on the balls of my feet (again) but not as bad as the first day.

I feel like I am doing things right and moving at a pace that is good for my body to get used to a different type of running. I will probably do a similar "workout" on Friday and get into more of a routine and hopefully be able to start running more. Fingers crossed.

My first attempt

I went to Griffith Park today for Bareftoot Ken Bob's barefoot clinic. There were about 15 or so people and yes, we were all barefoot. We talked the general basics about barefoot running (bend your knees, don't act like a pogo stick, relax, relax, relax), which was really great for me. There were a couple of experienced barefoot runners there - being able to see them run and watch their stride was very helpful.

For me, the most important and eye-opening part of the whole experience was hearing Ken Bob talk about how to lift your feet off the ground when running barefoot. Shod runners push off the balls of the back foot. Barefoot runners should lift their foot and not push out. In the same vein, your whole foot should touch the ground. It doesn't have to stay there very long (according to Ken Bob, a barefoot runner should have a cadence of 180 steps/minute), but it should land flat.

As we made a couple of barefoot loops around the parking lot, I realized that I was running with a totally different form. My knees were bent, my hips were leaning forward (making my whole torso lined up) and my feet were lifting off the ground. It didn't feel odd or foreign, but I'm sure it will take some getting used to.

When I got home, the heels and balls of my feet were a little tender, but other than that, they were good! I'm going to ice them tonight and then lay low tomorrow. I'm already getting an urge to go out and try it again, but I need to give my body some rest. I want to start slowly so as not to overdue it.