BAREFOOT RUNNING
This is for athletes who have questions about how to TRANSITION to barefoot running. It’s perfect for those who want a CONSERVATIVE approach designed from the start to LIMIT INJURIES. Running in bare feet or minimalist footwear feels very different to the body and should not be taken lightly. There are no shortcuts. My entry was even more conservative than most authorities recommend. I’ve been around the block, having altered my running style a couple times in the past, and knew what to expect.
You should, in my opinion, be doing this for FUN and not expecting to race in Vibrams. And you should be ready to take TWELVE (12) MONTHS or so to make the initial transition. It can be valuable for some people, a few may be able to go long distances, and for others it will be completely unworkable. Take any aches and pains seriously from the start and treat them aggressively. Do NOT run injured. Per Elite Run Coach Bobby McGee: People with high over-pronation levels and hyper-mobile subtalar joint individuals are not good candidates for barefoot running.
The “BREAK-IN” period, where I went from fairly constant (but mild) aches and pains after runs, caused by the new style, to 20min broken runs (1-2min segments) with short rest and no symptoms afterward, took about six (6) months. During this time I was stretching, rolling, icing, and generally on top of every issue that arose.
The next phase, or “BUILD” period included one run weekly in Vibrams, but a second run in a “low heel rise” minimalist shoe (Brooks Pure Cadence) that I built to thirty (30) minutes. I also upped the Vibram run segments to 3-6min (still 20-25min total run time) and sometimes substituted a true barefoot treadmill run. This phase took another four (4) months.
By month twelve (12) I was doing longer runs in the Brooks of 7-9 miles, training for an Olympic distance triathlon. I completed that race the following month in the Brooks Pures.
Note: USAT has a great webinar by Bobby McGee on B/M running. I highly recommend it.
Here’s my take, and how I did it:
MONTH 1
- 1mo walking around the house daily in Vibrams
- 2x 30-60min runs weekly in my Brooks Racer STs
MONTH 2
- 1mo walking around the neighborhood in Vibrams, 3-4 days/week
- 2x 30-60min runs weekly in my Brooks Racer STs
- 6wks in I started rolling my feet daily with golf and tennis balls followed by icing, as my fascia was bothering me – this was just from walking – and my feet felt great after each treatment
MONTH 3
- 1mo of 2x/week runs of 10x 30sec jog/30sec walk (5min total jog time), with 10min walking warm-up
- 1x 30-60min run weekly in my Brooks Racer STs
Notes:
- I always walk 10min before every run – I’ve done this for years and highly recommend it.
- I stretched my legs/hips extensively after all runs.
- After a couple weeks of short Vibram runs, I could feel “crunchies” in my fascia. My fascia never hurt terribly, and were smooth and pliable and pain-free after rolling and icing.
- I was teaching a lot on pool decks in bare feet and I had to change what I was doing. I picked up some Crocs and that helped a lot.
- At this point, when I mentioned what I was experiencing, everyone immediately said, “Oh, it’s Plantar Fasciitis.” Don’t believe everything people say. If you think something is really wrong and don’t know what to do, see your doctor.
MONTH 4
- 3wks of 15x 30/30. Early in this increase my calves began to hurt. I started rolling my calves and wrapping them afterward. Two weeks after this I picked up a TP Quadballer and that made for better calf work.
Note:
- I realized early on that I’m not one of the runners in “Born To Run” that jump to two hours barefoot with no issue. In Month 5 I began to wonder if I was just really not meant to run B/M. I stuck with it because I don’t quit or get frustrated easily. Check your ego at the door.
MONTH 5
- 3wks of 10x 1min jog/1min walk.
- In the third week I got a severe calf cramp, tried to run through it, and was out for a week of rolling and icing. I won’t make that mistake again.
- I went back to running 30/30s.
MONTH 6
- My fascia issues were behind me and I no longer had to roll and ice.
- My calves still hurt and I was a bit down about it. I tried stretching after a long walking warm-up but they still cramped no matter what I did. No, it wasn’t lack of sodium.
- I don’t like exercising with any aids at all, but I tried wrapping my calves and running – low and behold it worked well and I had no pain. After a couple weeks of running in wraps, my calves seemed to be better. I even did a short beach run with no issues.
Notes:
- It was on the beach that I realized how much stronger my feet had become. I could grip the sand. My foot didn’t break down under the varying pressure. It was easy.
- I began a plyometric routine at this point, starting with easy sets of 3-4 jumps.
MONTH 7
- The calf issues were behind me.
- 1mo of 2x/week runs of 15x1min run/30sec walk in the Vibrams
- 1x 30-60min runs weekly in my Brooks Racer STs.
Note:
- I felt really good in my Racer ST runs at this point.
MONTH 8
- Bought a pair of Brooks Pure Cadence and did one run weekly in them and the old Racer STs. In the first run I noticed they felt just like running in Vibrams but with padding. I ran 20min straight and felt the fatigue in my calves. I’m continuing to stretch and roll my legs after my runs.
- Upped my runs in the Pures to 30min for the last half of the month. They felt good and I was starting to do training runs for an April tri.
Note:
- Plyometrics are a lot of fun and I’m seeing benefits in how good my legs feel AFTER runs. I have a lot more spring in my step when I finish and into the next day.
MONTH 9
- Upped my Vibram runs to 20x 1min run/45sec walk, as well as a couple 12x 2min run/1min walk on a track.
MONTH 10
- First completely barefoot run on a treadmill – loved it!
- After this I was doing one treadmill run each week. Some days I’d do 3min jog/3min walk and others I would add a minute each run up to 6min. I always varied the incline between 1-5%.
Notes:
- I ditched the Racer STs and did all runs in Vibrams, barefoot on the treadmill, or in Pures.
- More props to plyometric work. My knees feel 25yrs old again instead of tired. For the first time in many years my leg strength is ahead of my endurance.
- However, since my SBR training was picking up and the plyometric workouts really took it out of me, I put plyometrics on hold until after the tri.
MONTH 11
- I still do 10-20min of stretching after every run.
- I like hills now. With much stronger lower legs, they’re easy to climb.
Note:
- I feel a big change from having done plyometrics for six months and barefoot running for a year: I never roll my ankles. If I land on the edge of something my foot stays level and my ankle straight. It feels like “core strength” in my feet – strength that holds a position when stressed unexpectedly from odd angles.
MONTH 12
- I started doing longer runs in the Pures, building from 6mi to 9mi. Felt great.
- I continued doing treadmill runs to get a wide variety of inclines, up to the very steep.
- My brick workouts are going well. Even off hard bikes I can still pick up the pace for several miles at the end of my long runs.
MONTH 13
- I raced my Olympic tri and felt good off the bike. I ran in the Pures.
- I ran the day after the race and my legs felt surprisingly good.
Note:
- A couple weeks later, I began feeling fatigue in my knees after runs and realized I needed to put plyometrics back in my routine.