It’s been almost three months since I purchased my first pair of barefoot running shoes. I wrote about my 2 year search for a the perfect pair that weren’t over the top expensive and weird looking in my post from June titled Are Barefoot Running Shoes Hype?
I promised to update you all about how I liked my new shoes in the upcoming weeks, and since this is the last official summer weekend of 2012, I thought it appropriate to give you the scoop right about now.
The bottom line? I love my barefoot runners! These shoes really do give you a connection with the ground that is sorely missing from typical athletic shoes.
I took them with me on our summer trip to Alaska and Canada and found them nothing short of awesome for all sorts of activities: long distance walking, hiking, rock climbing, and even zip lining from the treetops as you really do feel balanced and secure wearing them.
I wore my barefoot shoes as much as possible for the two weeks before I left for vacation to get used to them as recommended by the manufacturer.
I did not experience much if any soreness or problems adjusting. While wearing barefoot shoes for athletic activities definitely felt strange at first, it certainly wasn’t uncomfortable and during those early days of adjustment, I always stopped right away if I felt like I was going to overdo it and injure myself.
We go barefoot year round at my house as do many people in Florida, so it really did surprise me how long it took me to adjust to these shoes despite being used to barefoot living for most of my life.
Observation: walking around your house all day long barefoot is quite a different thing from doing something athletic wearing barefoot shoes!
The Downside to Barefoot Shoes
Now, for the nitty gritty.
Despite the fact that I really enjoy my barefoot shoes and find them very comfortable and even pleasurable for all sorts of athletic activities, I have just one beef to share with you:
I still can’t run in them!
I have tried and tried to get used to running in my barefoots, but I can only get to about the 1/4 mile mark before my calves and Achilles feel like they have had quite enough. I always stop and don’t push it at that point because I have no desire to injure myself as that would accomplish nothing in the long run. Any athlete knows that an Achilles injury is nothing to mess around with as it takes you out of commission for an extended period of time!
I shared my frustrations with Paula Jager, the Fitness Editor for this blog, at our local food pickup this past week.
What she said shocked me.
Paula shared that it took her a full year to get to the point where she could run any appreciable distance in her barefoot shoes!
Ah ha!
So that’s the secret!
I just haven’t given the whole thing enough time.
I guess this makes sense. Having been active my whole life and participated in a wide variety of sports and outdoor activities, my leg muscles have good muscle tone and getting them to stretch to the point where the muscle tone is equivalent in barefoot mode is going to take quite a bit of effort and time.
I think if I wasn’t a very active person, I ironically would have had an easier time adjusting to running in barefoot shoes as my calves and Achilles would not have good tone in the unnatural shortened position which occurs over time when you wear typical athletic shoes.
So those of you who are just starting out with running and haven’t really done much in the past, I think you will have an easier time with barefoot shoes than I have. Don’t be discouraged by what I’ve experienced!
Based on Paula’s advice, I am back to wearing my barefoots for running again after nearly giving up on the idea some weeks ago. I am alternating my barefoots with my conventional runners and am giving it until next summer to fully convert over.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I find this really interesting. I’m actually reluctantly switching to running with shoes. After 3 years of attempting to run barefoot and injuring myself EVERYTIME I’ve come to the realization that if I want to run, I’m going to need a good pair of shoes. I do everything else barefoot and do all my sports activities in VFF’s and I have for years, but I cannot run. So discouraging. I’m so glad that you love it, and I hope that someday I can figure out why I can’t get it right, but until them I’m nursing my achilles back to health so I can continue training for this 10k in 4 weeks.
I’m considering them, but I have an old injury on the ball of my foot that needs the support of regular running shoes
Thanks for sharing. I too have needed a lengthy adjustment period.
Excellent advice!! I loved them but really injured my calves while running. I quickly gave up running with them but didn’t realize it could take a year. Thanks!!
I love my vibram five fingers! I got the ks2 trek that are perfect for hiking and running.
Have them! Love them! Hubby used to have back problems while wearing shoes but these make him feel sooo much better <3
Sarah – part of the problem with trying to adjust is that you probably wear other type shoes throughout the day (and night – high heels). This back and forth could never really allow a foot to conform to one appropriate shape, and could do long term harm, damage to your foot.
I would find one shoe that was really comfortable and effecttive and stick with that. Our feet were obviously naturally designed to be exposed to the elements and the tundra – perfectly designed, some might say, for gripping and balance. That has changed over millenium in various parts of the world – some went to straight hard shoes like clogs in the netherlands or mocasains in other parts, and there are still many regions that live completly barefoot.
It’s not hype to say these sneakers will provide optimum performance, it’s just not practical – in that again, during the day you wear other types of shoes. Ballet dancers have these types of problems (stress fractures etc.) going from extremes.
No this is definitely not the problem. I don’t wear any shoes at all for the majority of the day and wear high heels rarely .. only for date night or other dress up occasion which is at most once a week.
Another issue that can speak to potential hype, is that no two pairs of feet are alike. Genetically, our bone structures have varied so much since we all left africa some 65,000 years ago. Some africans traveled south or east, some went up through europe and acros asia.
Each path encountered different needs and structurally, each group adapted.
Eskimos adapted to their regions by growing thicker hairs etc. Skin pigment had changed as a result as well – so too with feet dynamics. Then you have those who satyed in africa and they stayed the closest to mans original genetic makeup.
An african who comes to the states today will have a different bone structure in his foot than say and asian person or someone whose lineage came by way of europe say (of course asian women had their feet bound for many ages and today many still suffer the ill effects of that, including an altered gait).
It’s no coincidence that many african runners run barefoot. The difference in foot structure can be ever so slight, a longer bone here, a shorter one there, a different size joint connect, and so on and so forth, but the result in terms of damage can be greater.
Everyone in america has a different lineage, and the varied responses on this blog of how they feel wearing this or that shoe is in part reflective of that.
Sarah,
Check out this site. My husband does the barefoot running and has read several books on the matter. Including the book by Danny Abshire. First article, front and center pertains to what you are talking about.
Sofia
http://www.therunningfront.com/tag/danny-abshire/
My husband and I both love our Vibram five fingers. I can’t run in anything else now! They keep me light on my toes, or balls of my feet and I just love them! My husband also has a pare of the Barefoot Merrills that he wears to work, they look nice, with brown leather — his feet hurt terribly in structured shoes. I also love my Keen slip-ons which have minimum support as well. But there is a difference in the manufacturer — I have bought cheap ballet flats at Target, etc, and those hurt my feet after being in them for a while.
Sarah, first of all…. new to your site – love your work!!
I’ve run with shoes, barefoot shoes and barefoot – barefoot was the best. I love my Vibrams when I’m not barefoot. They were also the ONLY thing that helped me recover from foot surgery. Merrell has great shoes too, but I simply do not like my toes squished. I have run a full marathon in tennis shoes, with a coach, and ruined my knees for about 2 years. I ran a half marathon by teaching myself Chi Running, rather nice. I was then up to 6 miles barefoot running for another half marathon, when I got a stress fracture. Not from running, but from gardening/shoveling with improper shoes. (That and missing 2 ribs and neck muscles caused lower extremity misalignment to the point of foot surgery). Since then I have not run regularly, but do walk barefoot each night after dinner. In running barefoot, I tried to go back to shoes one rainy day, just to have my knees hurt – this was my proof. Not only is barefoot anything grounding, it is excellent for inflammation, connects us to our genius and more. It is, as my osteopath says… what we were created for (as he walk in socks in his office). Here’s a great 3+ minute video by a doctor on barefoot walking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XumPQLTzPWI
thank you for all you do
Fantastic. Thank you. Will watch this.
Carmen – I wasn’t sure if you meant “connects us to our genius” or genes. Both are important – this reconnecting to what is the best way structurally for our bodies. The blog topic spoke to the idea of hype – a sort of reverse hype is when I’m told that mattresses make a difference – I’m skeptical because I know that there are people all around the world with crappy mattresses (just like poor footwear) or who sleep on cots or bamboo mats or the floor even — they have zero neck and back pain issues.
I have never seen another species with osteoporosis nor have we seen any with back or foot problems, unless they were wounded in battle or a car accident or on the race track (and none of them sleep on mattresses).
I know of the Korowai tribe in Papua New Guinea who all live and sleep in the tallest of tree houses — on flat mats. Obviously they don’t have elevators and climbing every day for the young and old is natural and uneventful in terms of back issues ( and no footwear). I know personally, first hand, as in moi, that Sciatica comes from poor posture (siting on a couch with your feet up, for one), and lack of proper exercise, and it can be corrected without expensive chiropractic treatments, Epidural Injections, and $1000 mattresses.
I’ve also gone camping all my life and I’ve never had a problem sleeping, aside from the occasional tree root in my spine. Did we forget that man and woman has been sleeping (and making love) and walking on terra firma for 7 million years? Any signs of spinal deformities dug up by archaeologists? Now, we have mattresses, sofas, recliners — and back issues.
I often write about how man, modern man, “forgot” how to “live”. Maybe it’s not a matter of ‘forgetting’ how we used to live, survive, and thrive, as much as it is a dynamic of marketing that leads one to believe that if they get a certain mattress their tossing and turning and backaches will cease. For one thing, if I’m in the hole for a thousand dollars, there’ll be plenty of tossing and turning. 🙂
When I do camp, I do it barefoot, and there is some serious mountain climbing involved – i just find it easier. As a city slicker it takes about five minutes to get used to the pebbles and then I’m off and running.
Oliver – yes, I did mean genius, and yes, both are important 😉 Thank you. I agree with all you have to say. When I asked my osteopath doc friend what he recommended to sleep on, his first response was DIRT, then… whatever makes us comfortable. Nikola Tesla used the earths power for much – fascinates me!. Prior to asking about the bed, I had begun sleeping on the floor, about 2 weeks now. I love it. Like camping, I sleep on the ground in a tent or outside on a cot to be connected. Like you, I walk the grounds barefoot. For those with sensitive feet, it’s like learning to play the guitar. it’s also mind over matter. Interesting on the treehouse too. I have been in talks to build one at my future home away from home near Shasta. Getting back to nature helps neutralize the electroSMOG and noise pollution that many have come to accept and expect. There is no-one-size-fits-all or cause to anything, but as you know in order to survive and thrive, nature, and all it offers is THEE best medicine.
http://youtu.be/X0lG0duiOLQ
Is an amazing video about the Korowai tribe – in all their barefootness and living high in the tress – it is a short seven min video that is very engaging with beautiful footage. If you can’t cut and paste from this post or just click the link, then you can simply google Korowai tribe and there will a number of great videos documenting their existence ( without shoes and mattresses).
thank you Oliver – videos further inspires the Native American ‘prowess’ in me. The last line/comment in video says it all..
“Their remarkable lives remind us, we are nothing without nature.”
AWESOME VIDEO!! I don’t know if I’ll throw out my mattress and sleep on the floor, but I’ll certainly smile (snicker), when I see those sleep number ads for 1,300 dollar matresses. Or the “MY PILLOW” ads