http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-01/barefoot-running-study-finds-your-sneakers-are-unnatural


Maybe this is what Dana needs to do.

Interesting find Dan. I checked out the Newton shoes and Vibram 5 fingers online. Interesting concepts.

Ryan

I am thinking that it may make sense in the woods on the trail or any surface softer than concrete. But on pavement some sort of cushion may be needed for any significant length of running. Maybe a barefoot trail running group should try it out this summer on the Pinnacle.

http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2010/01/humans_that_had_to_escape.php

I definately agreed with the ideas outlined by the authors that modern shoes tend to make us run incorrectly and cause more stress to our entire bodies.

I know when I was younger and grew up running I never had some of the issues I have now with running. It wasn't until I stopped running for 10 years and started up again that all the problems started.

What these authors conclude is essentially the Chi Running style. Shorter strides and a front foot strike designed to naturally allow the body to propell itself forward using gravity with less g's on the entire body.

I have been trying to master Chi Running for a year or so now but find it very difficult on the variety of terrain we have, especially offroad. I am more convinced then ever my shoes are playing a pivital role in prolonging the learning curve.

I would love to try both the 5 Fingers and the Newton shoes but cost is a bit prohibative. I may give the Newtons a try this year.

Ryan

We have a guy at Hypertherm who does the ultra distance races. He runs barefoot or uses the five finger things. He runs with those silly looking short strides also, his feet are a blur. But man is he fast on the trail.
 
[img:7c60f52a7e]http://www.team-pinnacle.org/albums/bc_personal/120x90.png[/img:7c60f52a7e]

As you guys know I am always up to try something new so this morning after watching a few videos on barefoot running I decided to hit the treadmill in my basement for 20 min barefoot before my morning spin. First some background. I am not a runner, I don't dislike it I am just not that fast and I have always had blood blisters develop on my toes after any significant distant. I also walk with duck feet but they seem to come in when running. I also am an awful heal striker. I started out with a warm up at 5mph and worked up to 7mph with a 1/2" incline. I noticed right away my heal striking seemed to disappear and I could feel my toes and the ball of my foot doing some balance compensation. It felt good up to about the 18min point when I could tell that the skin on the bottom of my feet especially on the toes was getting sanded down by the machine. I am going to continue this for a while and see what happens. I am thinking that after the feet harden up I might like it. Investigating what type of minimal foot covering might work for me outside I think on my treadmill bare feet may be the way to go.

I feel like there is a lot of media hype around this whole "barefoot running" thing. I'm not saying that it's wrong (it's not) but I don't think that it necessarily deserves a revolution. Without question, running barefoot helps develop a more biomechanically efficient stride. You can't get away with some of the errors that you can with big cushy, supportive running shoes. But there are other ways to teach your legs to do the right thing.

Run fast... Ever noticed how when you're sprinting your heel barely touches the ground? When you pick up the pace, your body naturally finds ways to conserve energy and be more efficient. Also, the increased speed will increase impact if you're big heel striker (since a heel strike is essetially braking) your body will try to eliminate this jarring and you'll find a smoother stride.

Running in the snow... This is perfect weather for this. Find a snow mobile trail and go for a run. The softer surface and the lack of traction forces a better stride that doesn't rely on toe push off, makes heel strikes deadly on the slipper bits, punishes long loping energy sucking strides. You'll quickly discover that short stride with a mid-foot strike, and little to no push off is what gets you down the trail without death. Your weight is centered above your foot falls, and you lift your foot off the ground rather than pushing off.

Running uphill... This simply forces you to land on your forefoot, and makes it virtually impossible to extend your leading leg too far in front of you. When you run uphill, you're doing it right.

Anyway, I guess my point is that there are other things you can do to help your stride. Barefoot running is definitely one of the tools, but it needn't be your only tool. Think of it like this...
Barefoot running is like your rigid single-speed... it will make you a better rider, but you still gotta love your full suspension 29er.

Spoken like someone who hasn't hit the wall in running yet! :)

I agree and appreciate most of your insites Adam. I find the whole barefoot "Revolution" a little irritating as well, but at the same time intriguing.

Irritating because hey many people around the world walk & run barefoot and have never known any other way, all of our ancestors were barefoot at some point, this is not NEW, it's a return to our roots.

Intriguing because I bring a unique perspective to the argument, I ran from the time I was 4 until I graduated High School, a good part of that time was distance and competitive and I never had any real issues... then I took 12 years off from exercise in pursuit of college, marriage, and a career.

Maybe it's the 12 years, maybe it's my desk job, maybe it's the 30 pounds I gained during the 12 years, or maybe it's the combination of all 3, but now I find running very frustrating, and trying to loose weight equally frustrating, mostly because I can't seem to do either like I think I should be able to. Running used to just come natural, now I find I need to learn how to do it, as if I never did it before. I always used to wonder why so many people used to wine so much at practice, now I get it.

So in summary, I share Dan's eagerness to try something new with my running, perhaps "this" is that magical element I've been lacking? I doubt it, but something has to give at some point, and I'm not going to stop looking for good ideas until I figure it out.

You may have noticed I'm a little stubborn that way.

Ryan

Update
Received my Vibram Five Fingers yesterday and did 20min treadmill at 6.5mph then spin bike for 40min. Good workout burned about 1000 cal and legs/feet feel fine. The Five Finger model I purchased is called the KSO. Once you get them on they feel great. I talked to my brother who I found out has been using them for about 2 months. He said to start out slowly because you are using all new set of muscles especially in the foot and some more calf. He went to far too soon and pulled a calf. His experience was the same as mine it starts out feeling good, different but still good.

very interesting Dan. It will be interesting to see how your feelings about the 5 fingers progresses.

Ryan

Dan,

Research The Pose running method.......lab tested somewhere in Europe. Same philosophy. I will let you research it, because you will study it in more depth than I explain here. It is tough and practically impossible to improve your speed without running full speed, though.

PJ