I started writing this blog entry a couple of weeks ago before my go to running guru Bobby McGee opined on the subject. I decided to post it anyway with tung in cheek and wondering what he will say with my latest experiment. For sure you should read Bobby's two blog entires before you follow any of my ideas at bobbysez.blogspot.com/ Here goes.
I got a present of Born to Run from a good friend and athlete who I coached for his first IM, Dan Rips in November. It was slow reading for me at the start as it seemed to be all about some totally crazed runners with some wacky ideas. Not just about running barefoot but life in general. e.g. getting blind fall down drunk (and attempting to crack open their heads) and then running 20+ miles the next day. But as I got into the book about barefoot running developed, along with a great running story, I could not put the book down. From all accounts I was not alone in getting caught up in the story and ideas.
Net result is I have been experimenting with barefoot running, cautiously for about 2 months. Before going further let me say I have no expectation or plans to race or even do any trail running without shoes. I do hope and believe that with a limited and very cautious inclusion of barefoot training in my plans my running will improve.
A little background. In a way this is a continuation of a progression that started as I got into competitive sports as an adult. I started running for my health (and fun) in my early 40's on a regular basis when Ingrid and I spent a year cruising on our boat (East Coast and Bahamas). Had some fun runs in very interesting places. When we returned to a "normal" life I did my first races since HS and shortly after developed a bad case of Achilles tendonitis. On went the most supportive shoes of the day and in went a leather orthodic (the combination must have weighed 15 oz or more). It took me several years to get to the point were I was not re aggravating the injury. I got new less agressive orthodics and then started racing without them. Finally I experimented with lighter less supportive shoes when I got serious about triathlons in the mid 90's. By 2000 I was running marathons in shoes almost as minimal as racing flats (ASICS Gel Magic). I have not had any serious overuse injuries since then with one close call. Two years ago I tried a pair of Newton's which almost ended in big trouble after using them in a sprint duathlon, they have been gathering dust in a closet since.
So eight weeks ago I did my first workout with about 1/2 mile barefoot sandwiched in the middle of a longer run in shoes. I am now running a bit over a mile without shoes, again in the middle of a workout after a long, 30 min + warm up including muscle activation and dynamic warm up exercises (courtesy of Mr McGee).
In the first workout it was clear that much more than the 1/2 mile would have put some extra cash in the pockets of my favorite sports medicine specialists. The good news was that the effect of no shoes immediately had me running mid to forefoot with my heal barely touching the ground. Cadence was up 7-10 steps per min to near 100 (in shoes I struggle to get to 90). Within the first 300 yds my ability to run on the forefoot was being compromised by muscle fatigue and when I reached the last 100 my heal was hitting the ground noticeably harder but not painfully so.
The last workout, yesterday, I did a set of 10x200 intervals barefoot. The strength the muscles in my leg and foot have improved as I no longer feel the heal impact changing significantly. The recovery from the last few workouts also suggest some positive results, down from three days of tight calf muscles to feeling like I had done a hard workout but not a dangerous one.
A lot of people have read or heard about Born to Run. As I said before it is a fun read but if it temps you to try barefoot running I hope my experience will have you proceed with great caution, getting some advice from a professional would not be a bad idea.
I am going to continue to experiment with this for a while and may incorporate into a workout once a week permanently. Will add an update to this when appropriate.
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