I'm curious about this barefoot running thing. But not curious enough to set out on the street running barefoot. Holy moly, what if I step on something sharp? Want to end your training schedule? Step on a nail. Well, stepping on a nail with shoes on would be bad too....but you get my point.
Or gross, we run by the bars of Aggieville on Saturday mornings - I don't even want to tell you about the barf we saw last weekend. I know, TMI. Nasty.
BUT. During my workout today I started thinking about it. I already basically have shoes on even when I'm barefoot (I wear nothing but flip flops all summer and walk barefoot ALOT), so my feet are not baby bottom soft.
Today I did the elliptical for about 20 minutes to loosen up my knee and hit the track. (inside running today - people it's Kansas, at noon, in July.) I planned to run 3 but I just wasn't with it today. Probably because my breakfast consisted of grapes and I forgot my mid morning snack. Bad eating = bad running.
About 1 1/2 into the run, my knee was hurting quite a bit. I was alone on the track, so what the hey, I decided to take off my shoes and see what all the hubbub is about. It was weird. But kinda cool. I noticed my stride got shorter and my feet landed much lighter. The best thing was - instantly my knee pain was gone. What the heck. Seriously. It was gone. I don't think it's the answer to 'my knee's all better now', but I ran the last 1/2 mile with no pain after it was hurting enough before I took off my shoes that I wanted to stop.
I would have gone farther but a guy came and told me I had to wear shoes on the track. Fun spoiler.
Anyone know anything about barefoot running? Have a good day friends, I'm off to google it! I see Vibrams in my future....do they come in pink?! Why yes, they DO!
Vibram Five Fingers
Oh man you must check out barefootangieB's blog. I'll send you the link.
ReplyDeleteHere she is.....
ReplyDeletehttp://barefoot-angieb.blogspot.com/
enjoy. she IS amazing!!
I'm a much newer runner than you are, but I believe that barefoot running is the right way to go. I started running in running shoes and had to stop after a few weeks because I hurt my knee. During the 3 weeks that I was injured, I heard about barefoot running and decided to give it a try. I now run with no pain, my feet feel lighter and my distances are increasing easier. I haven't gotten a pair of Vibrams yet, so I run in a cheap pair of water wading shoes I bought from WalMart. They actually work perfectly, and I am never going back to running shoes again. I really thought that running was all about pain, and now I realize it doesn't have to be that way.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that us seasoned runners (those older than dirt :) ) find the whole minimalist movement just a passing "fad" but even me, who loves my shoes, must admit that there is some truth to it. But I know I could never run a marathon barefoot so therefore I feel it important to train as I race. But my god, I LOVE how pink and pretty those Vibrams are!!!! Sweeeet!
ReplyDelete