[skSURF]

So I used to run. In my adult life after 25 it was the only time I was in my ideal weight range. I've stopped and for a number of reasons. The most important of them was my knees. Lately I've been hearing a big buzz around barefoot running. Supposedly it has a number of benefits.

  1. better absorption of shock then the cushion-iest shoes because it changes the way your foot lands.
  2. Better opposing strength development.
  X a few others that I won't get into.


Anyone give it a try or actively practice it?

[fulltilt720]

That new Born to Run book seems to be spreading like wildfire. My take on it is that it really does vary with each runner and their mechanics. For all the good that can come from it for certain people, I think there are still a bunch of people that still need the support of a shoe. I always needed the extra support models from Asics in order to avoid stress fractures back when I was training heavily and running 60 mile weeks. We used to always run hard barefoot on grass for some workouts and it felt great and would be a nice change-up, but I'm not sure how my body would've held up if I did much more than that. My brother's the Head Women's Cross Country Coach/Assistant Mens & Womens Track & Field for Georgetown--I just shot him an email asking what he thinks about all of it-I'll share some more when I hear back.

[Speciation]

When I do wear shoes to run, I wear nike Free - I'm really happy with them.
Anyway, I run barefoot on turf when I do a sprint workout on a football field, and on grass at the park (but you have to be careful on what park you are running in - I'm talking clean parks I know of in NJ), and also dirt paths in the woods. It feels really really great. I have had ankle problems, and foot pain, but running barefoot really alleviates the feet/legs, and it feels great.
I highly recommend it from time to time!

[surfplusart]

Vibram shoes are kind of a mini-rage now, supposed to be like barefoot, but i've so far resisted. They kind of look like booties, but fitted for each toe. I've done the cheapie thing- recently have enjoyed running (in running shoes) on the beach in that zone by the water's edge, where the sand is soaked by the ocean, soft and not dry/unstable. (name for that?) in the shoreline. Shoes kind of a necessity, with shells, mussells, fish hooks, and glass sometimes a problem. I used to get a sharp pain in the right knee whenever running, unusually road and even dirt, like the JackieO trail. Had that again the 1st time running on the beach, but not after that, for some reason... so far it's been great, no pain. really enjoy the beach run, sooo much better than the boardwalk.


I need to check out the Nike frees!

[snaggletooth]

i don't put much mileage in anymore, but i did investigate the vibrams. i don't run enough to get used to them. they weren't really my cup of tea, but again, i didn't give them much of a chance.
 
Like Speciation, i've been enjoying the Nike frees a lot - for me, they are just the right mix of barefoot feeling with that little lift for the achilles and just a touch of cushioning. they sort of remind me of the light cross-country racing shoes we used to wear (back when i actually was a runner), so maybe it's just that they remind me of when i was light and fast. either way, i really like them.
 
i like to be barefoot on the beach, too, but i'm really going very very very low mileage - no more than 5 miles a run.
 
separately, i have an extra pair of vibrams if anyone wants them for a nominal contribution - i ordered the wrong size. I think they are a 42 - which isn't even close to what i wear. i guess i clicked the wrong button...

[surfnli]

i've been on the running dl for 4 months now with it band tendinitis, but when i'm good to go, my ideal run is long barefoot run on the beach in the dry/soft sand up by the dunes.  love the extra workout from the deep sand and love going barefoot.
 
i developed the it band problem going hard on long distance runs in the park and on the reservoir

[snaggletooth]

i started having IT band problems when i started working after college - too much time sitting and losing flexibility
 
how long are you going in the deep sand, surfnli?

[jscottk]

I ran until my knee and ankle feel apart from a previous issue.
Thought I would never run again.

Then I tried the Vibram 5 finger shoes.  Originally I bought them because they were a great alternative shoe to the cross fit work out I was doing, and because they fit in a knapsack easier, no bulk.  But then I tried running in them, it was an instant change.  You have to basically run like men ran before shoes.  Long strides balls of the foot lands first, NO stomping.. That took about well 45 seconds to figure out.  I can now run with out any of the issues I had before.  I cant recommend these shoes enough.

a fun beach run is using the boardwalk run a block on the boardwalk run down the stairs run a block in sand run up the stairs, repeat until you run out of boardwalk.

I have heard some people have had issues wit them like small bones in the foot becoming bruised but really I have had nothing but great reviews in them.  The furthest I ever ran on pavement with them is about 4-5 miles, but even that was fine.

And if they don't work for you, you still have a great pair of workout shoes or the most comfortable slippers around the campfire you could ever get.



PS DO NOT order on line, have them fitted, I take a 12 and I wear a 11 in these

[surfnli]

usually around five miles.  would also do suicides sometimes to finish, sometimes instead of the longer run.  first run of the season on sand would leave my achilles/ankle aching--you would definitely notice that you were using all kinds of different muscles.  personally i feel like running on sand has been a major factor in limiting ankle injuries for me (knock on wood).  i've played basketball my whole life and never actually suffered a sprained ankle from basketball.  one from soccer (another lifelong sport) and another from track (where i stepped into beer-can-sized hole while doing high knees to prep for a race).
 
never had it band issues before despite distance running winter (on a rockhard frozen surface) and spring track through high school and running very hard but admittedly sporadically (like--haven't run in a month--let's crank out a 8 miler today) thereafter.  feel like it must have been the increase in hours with my new job.
 
what did you do to address it, snaggle?  did pt for a while but don't have the time to continue, try to foam roll as often as possible but that isn't much...feel like my overall health sucks right now cause my only aerobic is surfing

[snaggletooth]

honestly, it was a really crappy injury to rehab. i tried PT at a ton of different places - lots of time and $$$. nothing seemed to work.
 
ultimately, i quit my job and moved back to CA. then i started doing different types of exercise - spinning (no jokes, please), and basically a bar method class, which is sort of pilates-esque strength training with a lot of stretching. then i was suddenly able to go for 10-mile jaunts through the santa monica mountains pain-free. i guess my recommendation would be something yoga-like and not running - doing something like cycling, for a while. i also think the bar method type class really helped. it totally re-aligned my body and i started carrying myself better. there's a class in the city called Physique 57 which is basically what the class in LA i took was. It is nearly 100% women - could be a good or bad thing for you   I can't really recommend it just cause it's filled with the "ladies-who-lunch" crowd, but i do think it saved me (the class in LA was way cooler - a lot of hot young actresses)
 

[Hooper]

I just started running in the vibrams after having constant foot problems with regular running shoes.  So far so good.  The running technique with the vibrams is totally different than a regular shoe because you basically eliminate your heel strike since you don't have a huge shock absorber under your heel that is hitting the ground first.  They take some getting used to and I noticed my calves were getting a lot more work in these than regular running shoes.  There is an interesting article from the new yorker - http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/index3.html - that explains why shoes are bad and barefoot is healthier for your feet. 

[little_nasty]

hey all - thanks for the info on this.  i'm starting to get back into doing a little running - and desperately need new shoes.  i'm going to check some of these out for fit.

[jscottk]

There a new model of Vibram that just came out as well..

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://birthdayshoes.com/media/blogs/bdayshoes/lace_up_five_fingers.jpg&imgrefurl=http://birthdayshoes.com/lace-up-vibram-five-fingers-vffs-with-sneaker-tops-in-2010&usg=__SQ_H4QhoGSUiEgp0t-_Y1vUSlD8=&h=450&w=600&sz=40&hl=en&start=0&sig2=Y0NtcwxLjRV-30e_HEUKsA&zoom=1&tbnid=wd9AExb684RlsM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=198&ei=_qh_TOCBCoH58Ablw8hQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnew%2Bvibram%2Bfive%2Bfinger%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1335%26bih%3D882%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=156&vpy=92&dur=2723&hovh=167&hovw=223&tx=184&ty=108&oei=_qh_TOCBCoH58Ablw8hQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

[Hooper]

I ended up getting the KSOs.  Like jscottk said, definitely try them on before ordering online.  City Sports in Manhattan pretty much carries every model but finding sizes may be tricky - they seem to sell very well there.  The staff members seemed very knowledgeable about these shoes (most of them were wearing them the day I was there) and will help you find the correct size and shoe depending on what you want to use it for. 

[BlueBerry]

I do about 4 miles a day Monday - Friday in vibrams. Been doing it since November. I have an eff'ed ACL and MCL but I can still run without a problem. I live the shoes.