Welcome Kelly, and best of luck in your training. I like to run barefoot on grass, and try to incorporate barefoot training almost every week. I also got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers last year that I like to trail run in, but I haven't gotten to the point of running barefoot on pavement yet. I've had too many foreign objects pulled or cut out of my feet to be that brave...

Hope you have a good year training for Vineman!

[img]http://lh5.ggpht.com/jump4joy19/Ryjy55DlySI/AAAAAAAABFE/tsWkKfcILgA/s288...

Welcome to trifuel!!
I haven't seen too many barefoot runners doing events, but if it is working for you, go for it.
Best of luck.

IronMom, I was looking at the Vibram Five Fingers to try out.
Which ones would you recommend for general running?

Galoot, On-On!! I picked up Hashing when I was in Okinawa with the USMC.
We started the Jersey Gypsy H3.

[quote=beads1985]IronMom, I was looking at the Vibram Five Fingers to try out.
Which ones would you recommend for general running?

[/quote]

I bought the Fivefingers Sprint. I thought the one without the strap (Classic) might slip around too much, but now that I've worn them I'm betting that they wouldn't, they're pretty snug. I like the Classic ones that I got though. My only complaint is that they put the scritchy side of the velcro facing your foot, instead of the fuzzy side. This means you have to mate the velcro up perfectly, or you'll end up with a little raw spot. I don't know why manufacturers (cycling gloves, among others too) do this! It seems like a no-brainer to me. But other than that I really like them, the downside being that once it gets cold of course you can't exactly wear socks with them to keep your feet warm.

I especially like them because I do a lot of trail running, and the trails around here are all very splintery bark. I don't think you could seriously run barefoot on those trails without looking like a porcupine afterwards. So it lets me enjoy the bark trails "barefoot".

Welcome Kelly! The Vineman full is a great race :) We'll be there again in 2009 (husband doing the full, and myself the Barb's race half). Best of luck in your training.

Welcome Kelly,
I'm a clyde as well, and really enjoy barefoot training. I'm not sure if this is common, but my feet have a hard time rejecting foreign objects. After multiple trips to the doctor to cut out peices of glass from my sole (scalpel and scissors cutting, for some reason it would go deep and heal over), I opted for shoes when training - unless I know the surface and its free of debris.

If you want the benefits of shoes without the incumbrances, I would definitely recommend the Nike Free shoes. I've used the 5.0 and 7.0 and they are great - the 7.0 is great for daily training. For race day, or if you really want to break down your calves, I'd opt for the 3.0s. I think they used to be 3.5, 5.0, and 7.5 so if you see those numbers they're the same, and they might have even had a 1.5 on the first release.

Hey Barefooters!

I apologize - this may be a highjack, but I've been dealing with some foot pain and would really appreciate your thoughts.

I too was becoming a regular of plantar fasciitis. Finding Nike Free's to be inadequate, I started running barefoot mostly in grass and found it exhilerating. I eventuallly purchased a pair of Newton's and now run in those all the time - well, I probably only run 20 miles a week, if that.

I'm pretty sure that I have not had a resurgence of plantar fasciitis, but i do have some all around foot pain - more in my arch than in my heel. In particular, I'll get it after working around the farm all day or maybe running in some old trail shoes with the dogs - don't want to get the Newton's dirty. For awhile it was both feet, now mostly my left. Some mornings it is so painful I can barely walk - but, again, I think different from a plantar fasciitis pain.

My chiropractor, who adjusts my feet, thinks i've got a lot of latic acid build up in my feet. And, that seems to go with my theory that i am still building foot strength since starting in my Newton about 10 months ago.

So, what do you think? Am I in a transition zone, building foot strength? Or, do I need to go to a podietrist and see if i've got some larger issue?

see a podiatrist...if you can barely walk, it's not "lactic acid buildup" (btw, he should say "I don't know" before attributing a significant condition to "lactic acid buildup"...that's just BS)

I think you're crazy to run barefoot, but then it's your feet....

Matt Cazalas
Technical Writer
Network Cables

Welcome to Trifuel.

Curious about a couple of barefoot running theories.
1. I understand the natural running premise, but is barefoot running recommended for a particular foot shape? High arch, flatter foot, etc.
2. I have seen my local CC team doing barefoot strides on the Nexturf football field to end their workouts. Would this be to strengthen the ankles and toughen up the feet?

Thanks.

I'm curious about signing up for IM WI. I plan on volunteering next year so that I can get in the following year...2010

olivestri

unless you've not told us the whole story, this is what I read into your post:

you've been running in the newtons for 10 months. either you've acclimated at this point, and it's not the shoes; or they are just not right for you.

if you have mornings when it's too painful to walk, that is a sign of either recently doing something extreme [like suddenly doing a long race without prep] or that you are injured.

your feet are not merely tired from 20 miles a week for 10 months. it's not lactic acid buildup. go see a doc.

also consider that it may not be your training that's hurting your feet. what are you wearing during the rest of the day when you're on your feet?

[olivestri & galoot - i have nothing against barefoot running and I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, but it's alarming to me to hear folks talk about significant pain and not invest in an appropriate professional medical opinion.]

i hope you start feeling better soon

Olivestri:

I'm no medical professional, but that doesn't sound like lactic acid buildup to me. Actually, what you describe sounds a lot like plantar fasciitis - maybe it's in a slightly different spot this time? Personally, I'd look into it further. At the very least, stop running in bad shoes, and maybe get some inserts for your around-the-farm shoes or boots. Most running shops have devices that help stretch and massage your feet, those might help too. If it persists, I'd personally seek out more help, that doesn't sound normal, or fun!

[quote=gfd]Welcome to Trifuel.

Curious about a couple of barefoot running theories.
1. I understand the natural running premise, but is barefoot running recommended for a particular foot shape? High arch, flatter foot, etc.[/quote]

I don't know the answer to that, but I know that I have very high arches and it works fine for me.

[quote=gfd]2. I have seen my local CC team doing barefoot strides on the Nexturf football field to end their workouts. Would this be to strengthen the ankles and toughen up the feet?[/quote]

Probably, among other things. Barefoot running strengthens a lot of the supporting muscles in the feet and ankles, and enforces a more natural running form that's better for the rest of the body.

Slightly off of the topic, but I was at a party last year where everyone was barefoot (it's very common in our town for people to have "no shoes" policies in their house) and a man who is a shoe designer was looking at everyone's feet. He was pointing out various issues from hammer toes and shortened achilles on women who walked in heels all their lives to bunions and other issues from shoe-wearing. He got to my feet and said "aaaah! Someone who has walked barefoot for most of their life". Since we were all barefoot, the only way to know that was by looking at my feet. I indeed have gone barefoot most of my life (to my parents horror, as a kid). It's not always good (had a few foreign objects removed from my feet) but overall it's the best thing for your feet, hips, back, posture, etc. to be barefoot as much as possible.

I personally think running barefoot at least some of the time is extremely beneficial for these same reasons. For one thing, you simply can't heel-strike when running barefoot, and that takes away a ton of jarring impact on the rest of your body.

I have high arches too and have never needed orthotics, despite a similar recommendation and trial, so I hear you on the medical opinion. They're not all perfect. But they're a good place to start to deal with acute issues. After that, we personally have to do some trial and error to figure out what's right for us individually.

[quote=ironmom]

Probably, among other things. Barefoot running strengthens a lot of the supporting muscles in the feet and ankles, and enforces a more natural running form that's better for the rest of the body.
[/quote]

I've also heard it is good for strengthening your calves, specifically. I do a lot of training in nike frees just for this reason, and after longer runs I can really feel it there.

double post