Opening Line
This is Part Two of a multiple part series on Running Barefoot.
An important fact I do not want to leave out is that I am not necessarily a stranger to being barefoot. I often walk around barefoot, including strolling down the street to pick up the mail. Furthermore, there was some barefoot running in my past. Sure, we all ran around barefoot as kids, but this was during my days in the Navy. One barracks I stayed in had a dusty track out back and from time to time I would run a mile or so barefoot.
Unfortunately, that was well over twenty years ago. And that begs the question, "why?" Desperate measures perhaps. It's very hard to stay motivated to any specific exercise regimen when all I want to do is run. I love to run. The act is more important than the overall time. However, having been sidelined for nearly a year and a half because of my knee, my patience is running thin and honestly, I am reaching a point where I am willing to try something that may border on, well, stupid.
Christopher McDougall's Born to Run gave me the inspiration (to be stupid that is). To wit, the claims of 40-something runners, who often fought injuries until they integrated a barefoot component into their running - whether it be completely immersing themselves into the barefoot culture or merely incorporating it into their training routine - gave me the impetus to consider trying it as well. Of course, there was plenty of research, which many of you got to experience in Part One.
Freedom
I chose a nearby soccer field for my first two runs. It is relatively grassy, but not in perfect shape. It is also mostly level, but again, not perfectly so. I began walking for about 30 yards (thinking I would let my feet acclimate) and then I was off.
There are several noticeable things right off the bat. First, I am automatically striking mid-sole. Second, my strides are shorter. And third, I am running upright. Based on my research this was not totally unexpected, but it was interesting that my focus was not on how my feet felt as they hit the ground. They felt fine. In fact, I felt free. Wet grass between your toes must have a certain allure.
My main concern was how my knee would react. I would like to say I was 100% free of pain. But that is not the case. I did have an ache, but this was much less pronounced than when I do other forms of "prescribed" exercise. Studies show a mid-sole strike distributes the impact more to the ankle and less to the knee than a heel strike. And this is defintely true, because, well, I felt it. Also, the more I ran, the happier the knee, heck, all of me, seemed to feel.
Is it wrong to feel like a kid again? I think not. In addition to the freedom it illicits, running barefoot makes me feel lighter. Furthermore, I feel faster, although I know I am not. Running barefoot feels like a cool breeze on a hot summer day.
The Ouch Factor
Running barefoot does have it's downside. Rocks. Or more specifically, pebbles. I think one reason more people have not bought into this is the fear of pain. The foot is one of the more sensitive parts of our bodies and do we really want to inflict pain on ourselves? Uh, no (OK, some of you freakazoids out there may be into that sort of thing, but that's your deal). That being said, pain is relatively fleeting. It lingers much longer in the mind than it does in the foot. Within two or three strides the foot has moved on. And of course, continued training will only toughen up your feet.
Another issue is the calves. As promised, my calves were feeling the burn after a mile or so. This is typical of beginning barefoot runners, including people such as myself who have calves of steel. In time, the calves will build up and you will be a better runner for it. (Calves of titanium, maybe?)
I also need to mention there was some foot pain between the balls of my feet near the front after my first run. This was more cosmetic than it was deep and I have to presume it was more about my feet not being fully acclimated than anything else. There was no pain after my second run, which was also further in distance.
Balance
One thing I noticed is that my balance needs work. Interestingly enough, it was not a big issue. The foot is conforming to what nature throws at it during each stride. It is also sending signals throughout your body, enabling your body to naturally react to the terrain. This is not the case when running in shoes. Shoes cannot react to the changing terrain the way your foot can and because of the cushioning in shoes, those all important signals never get to your feet. Indeed, there were several tiny muscles that were awakened and they were sore afterward. But overall, my body did a great job of maintaining balance.
The second time out my wife, Jaclyn, tagged along and she ran several laps in shoes and then opted to try barefootin' it. She noted that her barefoot laps were much better. With shoes, running on grass was more clunky and it hurt. That's because the body never has a chance to react properly.
Synopsis
For me, this is a good deal, assuming my doctor continues to allow me rehab like this. I have a good location nearby in which to train. I can run short distances, which will help build key running muscles and ligaments. And I (hopefully) get to start/continue doing something I have missed for far too long.
I must also acknowledge that shoes have their place. I'll buy that feet are built to run over a variety of terrain, but I can't fully believe that we should be running on concrete or blacktop (or rocky slopes)without some sort of protection. I mean let's face it, as thin as they may have been, our ancestors still wore thin strips of leather or other materials to protect their feet.
To that end, I plan on trying the Vibram Five Fingers. Perhaps something like this may allow me to run on man-made surfaces sooner rather than later. Of course, that means a review is forthcoming. Because you guys are worth it!
Finally, running barefoot may not be for everyone. There's not just a physical component to it, but a mental one as well. As I have said before, I urge you to seek additional information if you are interested in integrating some barefoot running into your training. Here are a few web-sites that may help with your information gathering.
Barefoot Running - Injury Reduction
Should You Be Running Barefoot? - Runners World
Listening to: The Sounds of the Cube Farm
Posted near the Pentagon
