Barefoot and minimalist footwear runners forum.

[Jonny00GT]

I just found this site and thought there may be a few who would be interested. Good source for reviews, deals, GTGs and they have a TX chapter.

http://barefootrunners.org/

-Jonny

[jfrog]

Whats your experience so far with the barefoot/ mnimalist running? The local running store here advised me to use Nike pegasus but I just couldnt buy them as they looked too thick in the heel? Ive been using nike free run on my shorter runs and used them in my 5k races. Only thing is the ball of my foot gets a little achey for a while after but no long term pain. with my vibrams kso i am not used to the small rocks as Im assuming that since I weigh 255 doesnt help that either and two of my toes on my left foot hurt from feeling tight in the pocket so Im considering another minimalist shoe. maybe down to a free 5.0 or even 3.0?

[Jonny00GT]

Whats your experience so far with the barefoot/ mnimalist running? The local running store here advised me to use Nike pegasus but I just couldnt buy them as they looked too thick in the heel? Ive been using nike free run on my shorter runs and used them in my 5k races. Only thing is the ball of my foot gets a little achey for a while after but no long term pain. with my vibrams kso i am not used to the small rocks as Im assuming that since I weigh 255 doesnt help that either and two of my toes on my left foot hurt from feeling tight in the pocket so Im considering another minimalist shoe. maybe down to a free 5.0 or even 3.0?

Have you considered Merrells? Same 4mm sole as the Vibram Bikilas, but no toe pockets. I either run in my Bikilas with no socks(the injinji socks bunch up around the toe pockets of my slightly smaller right foot and numb up my toes) or my KomodoSports with or without socks. I LOVE my Komodos! Had I had issues with the toe pockets on both pair, I would have moved to a Merrell. Luke's Locker carries them...not sure who else. There are reviews of minimalist shoes on the site above,so it may be worth a look for you. I think Barefoot Ken Bob would also tell you to try bending your knees more and relaxing your calves. If the balls of your feet hurt, you may be tensing and pounding them into the ground. Even barefoot, the balls of my feet only hurt when I was tight and pounding my feet into the ground. Worth a shot before you spend more money on shoes...

******Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to force anyone to drink the koolaid, so to speak! Nor am I saying I know it all or that my word is law as all info I convey is second hand from various web sites and books.******

Now that that is out of the way, my experience with BFR so far has a been very positive. I sorta wish I would have started totally barefoot, as that seems to be the best teacher (per the few book authors and site instructions I've read up on) since it provides maximum ground feel and feed back. That seems be number 1 when it comes to getting the barefoot running style down. Number 2, of course, is starting out slow with good instruction on what it should look and feel like. I've only run barefoot twice(1.5 miles & .8 miles on much rougher road) and I learned a LOT about my form both times!

After 2yrs off running and never having been much of a "runner" as well as starting at 38yrs old and 258lbs, I am very pleased to be down 12+lbs, running 5Ks under 30min with plenty left over, actually enjoying running and having no structural or joint pain! My form in conventional shoes was bad and my feet, shins, knees and back paid the price! Since I studied up on barefoot form, put it into practice and started slow as my lack of patience would allow, I've had only normal pain associated with waking up atrophied feet and calves. After a lifetime of running in conventional shoes with the prescribed running form and natural atrophy that comes with "supporting" all aspects of the foot and "protecting" it from terrain, it's normal to want to run like we always have, only changing foot strike, and even that goes to hell with fatigue, it seems and going to a minimalist shoe, void of the support we are use to, I used muscles and tendons I hadn't since running shoeless as a kid. After just 2mo or so and learning to run loose and relaxed, my calves no longer tighten up, my feet don't get sore, my arches and toes feel strong, no top of the foot pain and my thighs, lungs and weight are the only things slowing me down! Running also seems easier, maybe cause the Vibrams are light, the use of quicker steps and the foot arch is shown to increase oxygen efficiency or maybe cause doing something fun rarely feels like work. My wife acclimated quicker than me and is catching me up fast! She only wants to run in Vibrams, but I'd like to work up to running barefoot all the time.

If you do try on some Merrells, please let me know how they feel.

-Jonny

[jfrog]

Ill look into the merrells, seems like we are similar that im the same age and about same weight. I used to hate running and started for my health and lack of gym in the area. ran a 5k for kicks and the competitive bug bit me. I hit 35:30 on 5/7 and 31:58 on 5/21. Im aiming for the 20's this coming sat. My legs and feet feel better after working on form so I know theres a lot to it and in past years dealt with plantar fascitis and achilles tendonitis but none since ive worked toward minimalism. Now just working on getting my thyroid levels straight but no BP meds and cut down on diabetic meds so I know im on the right track.
Oh yeah and it feels good to wipe my sweat with my shirt after crossing the finish line so the skinny people can see that a fatboy can run. especially the ones who look at me crazy when I pass them. now thats motivation!

[Jonny00GT]

Yeah, that's wild!
Where you running? The 4th? We're running the Firefly around EDS in Plano that night. Let me know how you do.
-Jonny

[jfrog]

The Best Dam Run on Lake Waco Dam in the morning. Prepare your hydration its supposed to be hot that day and will probably still be in the evening, good luck

[AnthonyS]

I run in Merrells. Today was 12 miles of biking and 2 running. Yesterday was 20miles biking 10 of it into a 30mph heading.

I have problems with the ball of my right foot, but its probably because my right leg is crooked. It's been broken twice. It causes issues on a bike too.

[jfrog]

easy course today but only improved 8 sec. 31:50. that morning sun made75 degrees feel like 100! I felt should have done better so guess I got to work on longer distance runs and some cross training. maybe some tabata. oh and I ran again in my nike free runs. thinking about some merrells or just stick with the free runs and work in the vibrams on occasion since i really over did it with the vibrams on memorial day and limped most of the week

[Jonny00GT]

Nice work, Jfrog!!
Our night race last night was fun, and my wife and I both finished it in 34min even, but 2376 participants(We were 782&785 but finished side by side...weired) in the 5k made it just retarded to even try and run it for time. I felt like I was just dodging people for the first half and there were 2 down and backs that ground to a halt at the turn around cone. I was in the grass, up on curbs, coming to a stop, dodging, only one water station that I tried to stop at twice, but there was no water. The finish was too narrow and people just slowed to a crawl after crossing, so it felt like a sauna and was very hard to breathe! The blinking lights, costumes, glow stuff, etc made it a very cool race, but I hope they do a better job of laying it out, if they do it again next year.

-Jonny

[ceyko]

I still claim you were the only one out there with them! J/king, but that's the only reason I knew it was you...somewhat familiar, with a chick and those shoes...had to be Jonny!

[Jonny00GT]

I still claim you were the only one out there with them! J/king, but that's the only reason I knew it was you...somewhat familiar, with a chick and those shoes...had to be Jonny!

Well, it was dark and we had to focus on dodging people. ;-) I'm telling you...next time, no shoes!

-Jonny

[AnthonyS]

If you think 2376 participants is bad, try the turkey trot and 20K participants.

I have my GPS map from last year and you can see where I ran up on sidewalks, medians, etc. I was all over the road trying to work around strollers, walkers (whole families arm in arm and side by side mind you). It was insane.

[ceyko]

If you think 2376 participants is bad, try the turkey trot and 20K participants.

I have my GPS map from last year and you can see where I ran up on sidewalks, medians, etc. I was all over the road trying to work around strollers, walkers (whole families arm in arm and side by side mind you). It was insane.

It was the same last night, I ran more on the grass and the wrong side then in the actual course I think.

You'd think they'd release groups or something.

[CrackTheSky]

Just bought a pair of Vibram FiveFinger Bikila LS's yesterday, thought I'd give them a try since I overprotonate in normal shoes anyway, needing corrective soles and maybe the different style of running would help me out with my ankle problems. I'm very much looking forward to my first run, but sadly it started raining as soon as I got home with them...

[Ruffdaddy]

Johnny where you wearing blue last night? I saw 2 guys that fit your profile wearing vibrams and knew one of them had to be you but wasn't sure enough to come say hey.