Running

barefoot running- a load of the latest marketing bollocks or genuine freedom?-
discuss.
(other than the beach places I run would shred your feet in minutes so I aint buying it)

Genuine freedom.

For those that haven't read it http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/ is a good read and I broadly speaking buy into the rational behind the philosophy. I don't have time to go into my experience now but for what its worth, I have a generally sporty background (mainly rowing) and have done bits and bobs of running for ages, always in professionally fitted "conventional" running shoes. In the last 3 years I started training for Marathon distance running and spent the first year and a half wracked with injuries (stress fractures and buggered ITB). Since switching to a mid/forefoot strike, and incorporating barefoot running (vibram 5 fingers) into my training I have been both injury free and faster.

It definitely seems to work for me. More over, the philosophy of "less is more" and not trying to engineer a solution to a problem strikes a chord with me.

+1 Genuine Freedom.

p.s. disclaimer that the research contained in that link was funded by Vibrams... however the results of the research sounded legitimate to me, IIRC the stats looked ok and the interpretation seemed plausible. Plus I'm assuming that having come out of Harvard and got the front page of Nature that cleverer minds than mine have run it through the mill too.

p.p.s. "barefoot runnimg" doesn't necessarily mean running with no shoes on. The term has also become synonymous with running in minimal footwear such as VIbram 5 fingers or vivo barefoot. Due to the lack of padding (in particular around the heel) minimal footwear necessitate a similar gait to running without shoes. To a lesser extent, some people have begun to group fore/mid foot striking in with barefoot running too. Anyway, no need to worry about the soles of your feet getting dirty.

one of the lads had a pair of them the other day actually,
he loved them, and in summer I dig barefoot as much as possible.
if I come a cross a pair might try them out.
your personal experience of long distance running is interesting.

Tried to keep an eye on gait today, I think I tend to come down more on my forefoot than my heel.

I'm not sure though if this is true- i.e. I do not know how much impact on the heel is normal.

More over, the philosophy of "less is more" and not trying to engineer a solution to a problem strikes a chord with me.

Ditto. In that i haven't spent oodles of cash on foot gloves when normal trainers have suited me fine to date...

Tried to keep an eye on gait today, I think I tend to come down more on my forefoot than my heel.

I'm not sure though if this is true- i.e. I do not know how much impact on the heel is normal.

I guess according to the barefoot philosophy, the way to tell this would be to visit a nice patch of grass and try actually running barefoot. You will find that if you are heel striking too much you will very quickly bruise your heel. Most people seem to convert very quickly to a forefoot gait when actually running barefoot. The caveat is that if you are used to traditional shod running, many of the muscles used in barefoot running may be under developed - too much too soon is the commonest cause of injuries associated with barefoot.

Ditto. In that i haven't spent oodles of cash on foot gloves when normal trainers have suited me fine to date...

This, I think, makes you very fortunate however tells us nothing about whether or not barefoot/forefoot running is or isn't a good thing. Your existing running shoes may be heavily built up and padded or they may be minimally padded racing flats. You may be a natural fore/midfoot striker, or you might be an habitual heel striker. You may be naturally blessed with a strong resistance to running injuries, you might have done everything in your power to otherwise mitigate potential injuries, or you might just have been very lucky. Your normal trainers may have be fine for the occasional weekend jog round the park or you might be training 100miles a week.

For me, I ran in "conventional" buit up trainers with no trouble as part of my training for rowing and latterly Sprint and olympic distance triathlons. It wasn't until I started training and racing long distance triathlons that I started getting injured. I have no categorical proof that my shoes caused my injures and there are many potential confounding factors. But, my injuries are consistent with this hypothesis. Since I changed to a forefoot strike and incorporated barefoot running into my training I have been injury free. While this does not prove cause and effect I do believe that the two are related. This also doesn't mean that I won't get injured in the future but, at least for me, barefoot running seems to work.

I'm glad barefoot is working for you, and there's some cause /effect there. Stepping up in distance can lead to injury as you've experienced, without changing your shoes if you'd concentrated on doing what you've done (improving form, building strength / stablilty) in switching to a different foot strike you'd likely have solved the problems anyway. Hard to prove though...

My experience, and why I won't go barefoot...

First Marathon 2003 - legs in bits, ITB trouble made it around sub 4 lots discomfort. Lesson learned = stretch more, listen to niggles.

2004 -> 2005 = hip injury, caused because core strength/stablilty not there, go away and work on solving it + start swimming etc. Followed by a couple of steady seasons establishing in Tri.

2007 -> 2009 - near uninterupted training year and a half (only memorable injury was where I jarred my foot on a rocky path during a race, so not training related). Marathon PB brought down close to 3 hrs, sub 29 for 5 miles, low 36 for 10k.

edit 2010 - didn't race, couldn't commit to regular training /edit

All on low mileage. In the Marathon prep for April 09 I ran Jan 45, Feb 75, Mar 112, Apr 113 (including the race). My monthly ave over the 16 months data I've got to hand is 60 miles, so roughly 15 per week on average.

Long runs are in Asics GT21 series, shorter / races in DS Trainer or similar. Some XC and trail running too.

So, based on my experience, I don't feel I need to run in Barefoot technology (or to do high mileage - another recent trend) to enjoy the sport or keep injuries away.

That's not to stop others from doing so though, nor me from saying it's not the only option...

All interesting stuff and evidence of how different approaches work for different people - if it ain't broke don't fix it!

You can be sure to see me and my barefeet hopping onto every passing bandwagon along with about every other triathlete... Carbon TT bling, GPS watches, swim paddles and fins and long training miles! :)

(not that I have anything informative to say, but) We can save the training miles debate for a months time when I'll be back from Sabah. Not sure how much opportunity for training there'll be in the mangroves but I'm taking my Vibrams and my old Saucony trainers just in case. (I'm taking the Saucony's over my newtons because they are more versatile - my newtons are good for running only and depending on where I'll be working trainers may be better than heavy boots in the swamps).

fuck me drunk Andy I didnt know you could rinse marathons out like that :-) Big Up!

shame ya didnt bring shoes last week...

btw I entered an aquathlon today 1k 10k- its started, told you it would

What's an aquathlon? Sounds swimmy. I'm intrigued.

Did my first plod round the block of the upcoming tri training tonight. Tried to concentrate on a forefoot, or at least not slamming my heel down gait. Felt pretty good actually. Even worked in a few little bursts of... Running slightly faster than very slowly. Get me.

Yep, k in the pool like a slinky then get out and run a 10k,

I used to run in Kennington park, happy days,

I popped into Cotswold Outdoor today having checked the Vibram website and seen that CO stock them.

My intention was to pick up a pair of five finger trainers to see what they were like.

Then I saw the price- £95 for the cheaper ones, £130 for the more "off-road" versions.

They were in the sandal section, and to be honest I was expecting £30ish.

I was not prepared to pay "proper" money for what might be a try once then shelve forever pair of shoes.

^ price is defo an issue, some folks are making alot of money out of this trend.

Thing is you have to stick with them and be prepared to let your body adapt to running in them etc. The results for those they've worked for are plain to read about (all over t'interwebz) i haven't looked for opposing reviews, job for another quiet day i guess...

Jason - i'm glad i didn't bring them, nowhere near that sort of run shape at the mo, plus i got to go bouldering instead which was great...

Pool or open water swim? Wish they did swim/bike only stuff, i'd be down for some of that as would Jess be. Lemme know how the aquathlon goes :)

My running technique is completely uneven. My stride is all over powered to the right - check out my trainers, i'm left foot heel striking all the time because it can't keep up with the right.

My left leg is always tired and can never recover in time, any ideas what I can do to fix this?

I've now put this stride imbalance down to a 'mis-firing' left glute
The only problem is im not sure how glutes are meant to 'fire' in the first place.

anyone know?

Go see a physio they will give you exercises to activate the glutes, or just look it up in the interwebs,

given your nature to explain the obviously im probably going to regret this...

why are you called sainsburys?

It's an awesome story!

Hard work tonight, harder than it has been for a while.

Commute:

[ame]http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64188065[/ame]

Then run to the gym, workout and run back:

[ame]http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64188070[/ame]

Outward leg of the run was 3 minutes longer than it was on Monday.

Ran to work this morning along the canal. A fair few bikes and runners coming the other way but the only person to return my cheery good morning greetings was a rather puffed-out looking Boris Johnson. I wouldn't have marked him down as a runner, but fair play to him for having a go.

Shins hurt, sitting here with feet on the coffee table getting the odd shooting pain.

My run early was not much fun- I called it off half way through (approx 5K) and got the train back, which is a first as I have always completed the run before.

Anyway- I am guessing I have just overdone it so will leave the running for 3 days or so- are there some stretches that I can do (or similar) that will prevent this happening again?

Specifically my shin/muscles around my shin hurt as I push off the ball of my foot during my running stride, if that dreadful sentence makes sense?

That does not sound good.

So I'm denying that that is the problem- what could it be other than that?

Sorry to say im pretty sure its that...rest and get some new shoes?

It's all in the book, Neil.

Shoes are pretty new.

Glad I've found this thread, tonights reading sorted.

Stupidly just signed up to do Leeds half marathon in May.

I haven't run for about 2 years and am very overweight. This is going to be a challenge (: