How many of you have started to run barefoot regularly?

[megabarefoot]

sweet, thanks for the vids.  Man, it must take months of weekly practice for the feet to be able to comfortable tolerate a 6-8 min mile pace for at least a full 5k.  It's hard for me to tell what I'm capable of right now because of the cold; too much numbing and it's hard to judge technique and it's no where near second nature to me yet.  At least I don't get hot spots any longer.

[Zephyr]

Basics:

TV report. Interview to Chris McDougall while running barefoot
TRAVELING FRAME
Running Barefoot (The video's owner prevents external embedding)


Barefoot Running Basics - Josh Sutcliffe

Barefoot Running Basics - Josh Sutcliffe

Running in trails:

Promotional video. Erwan Le Corre
TRAVELING FRAME

MovNat - Erwan Le Corre - Barefoot Running

More examples:

Jessica Lee (Boulder, CO). Same circuit as in Michael Sandler's video
TRAVELING FRAME

Finally! A FEMALE barefoot runner!

[Last Place Jason]

There are many reasons to run barefoot; the "form" issue was just the one I referenced by the rest of the comments.  We (my training partners) made this vid of the HUFF 50k this last December.  About half way through, we got a lot of running shots, including some long truck shots of us from the side.  We're wearing shoes, but it was 15 degrees this day.  Each one of us have run ultras, and Jesse is borderline elite.  Our shod form and barefoot form is nearly identical.  

*disregard the dumb-assery*

HUFF 50k- Hobby Jogga Adventure.mp4

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7RVmywCzna4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Zephyr]

HOOKWORM PARASITIZATION IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTWEAR AND SANITATION

A parasite that changed the outcome of the North American Civil War and stunted the economical progress in most southern states for several decades.

All the details in TWiP episode 22, a two-person conversation devoted to hookworm parasitization and its role in the American history.

"...because you don't have to step on the feces to catch the worm."
Dickson D. Despommier, Ph.D.
(Professor Emeritus, former Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences and Microbiology at Columbia University Medical Center)

From:

• TWiP #22: Hookworm (part 1) (70 MB .mp3, 97 minutes): http://traffic.libsyn.com/twip/TWiP022.mp3

Larva detection 1 foot/day away from egg hatching site and up to 4 feet away 4 to 6 days after hatching.

Link to episode webpage: http://www.microbeworld.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=867:twip-22-hookworm&catid=99:this-week-in-parasitism&Itemid=259

Further Reading:

• Loughling, Elmer H. and Stoll, Norman R. Fomiteborne ancylostomiasis. Am J Hyg (1947) vol. 45 (2) pp. 191-203 (http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/2/191.full.pdf+html) PMID: 20292040
• Anjum, Mughees. Hookworm Infection; Its Correlation with Haemoglobin in Rural Population of Mustafa Abad (Lulliani) District Kasur. Professional Med J (2006) vol. 13 (1) pp. 54-56 (http://www.theprofesional.com/article/2006/Vol-13-No-01/Prof-952.pdf)

Ancylostoma duodenale

Other posts:
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/barefoot-running/wear-shoes-run-track
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/barefoot-running/odd-question-barefoot-dog-parks/.0

[Bushrod]

Ancylostoma duodenale

The Spice must flow!

[barefootin]

And the purpose of this is?  Are you totally against going bare, trying to scare people, or just pointing out "risks"?

There are many risks of going bare (as most things worth doing do), but it is something I personally enjoy and have all my life (the running part is more recent).  I grew up being bare most of the summer.  Whether making mud pies, digging my feet in the sand, playing in the stream, fishing, getting stung by bee's, or even running through a field full of cow patties (sometimes throwing them at the cousins or my brother).  We all survived.... as have many others....  Now, hygene sounds out of place after the last comment, but it was an important part of our lives.  You didn't stick your hands in your mouth and you washed your hands and feet pretty regular.  My kids have a choice, we live in a affluent area but have land, barn, stream etc. and the opportunity to explore the environment as I did growing up.  They are embracing nature as well.  My daughter is complete girl with the perfect hair, nails, and clothes one minute and catching salamanders the next.  Both have the freedom to choose bare, VFF's, or shod and they have......     

[UpNorth]

About twenty five years ago, I got hookworm while on a very low budget trip to Jamaica.   I got it from going barefoot on the beach.   I never saw anything that raised red flags either on the beach or on my sole until the little bugger started doing its damage, burrowing trails through my foot.  It was very painful and took some weeks of harsh medecine to get rid of.

I still go barefoot on the beach, and it hasn't happened again (I've also never been back to Negril.). As with so many things, you just need to decide which risks are acceptable and your comfort level.  If you worried about all the things that could go wrong, you'd never do anything.  But there's still something to be said about making informed choices.

[Zephyr]

And the purpose of this is?  Are you totally against going bare, trying to scare people, or just pointing out "risks"?
There are many risks of going bare (as most things worth doing do), but it is something I personally enjoy and have all my life (the running part is more recent).  I grew up being bare most of the summer.  Whether making mud pies, digging my feet in the sand, playing in the stream, fishing, getting stung by bee's, or even running through a field full of cow patties (sometimes throwing them at the cousins or my brother).  We all survived.... as have many others....  Now, hygene sounds out of place after the last comment, but it was an important part of our lives.  You didn't stick your hands in your mouth and you washed your hands and feet pretty regular.  My kids have a choice, we live in a affluent area but have land, barn, stream etc. and the opportunity to explore the environment as I did growing up.  They are embracing nature as well.  My daughter is complete girl with the perfect hair, nails, and clothes one minute and catching salamanders the next.  Both have the freedom to choose bare, VFF's, or shod and they have......      

Some of the points to support your argumentation (e.g., your reference to cow patties) make me think that you haven't probably listened to the recording, or just partially (what is perhaps expectable as it's rather long and has been posted recently). The purpose of my previous post was to introduce that episode as a good source of information, much better than any comment I could had made or you can probably read in many other places such as Wikipedia. Besides, the podcast gives some details about the significance of footwear in history (particularly in the American history) which I really enjoyed and made me think in may be of interest in a forum devoted to certain type of footwear (or the absence of it) and the practice of activities involving the use of your feet (I wonder if Justin would have ever defined the BirthdayShoes forums in a similar manner). If this was a forum of raw meat eaters I would suggest to freeze the meat before to kill any parasites that could contain. I don't make my living trying to persuade other people to carry out different barefoot activities, so I have no need to hide any negative concerns related to them.

My reply about the usefulness of this kind of information won't differ much of UpNorth's previous post. I will clarify some common misconceptions that I unsuccessfully tried to correct by posting the link to the episode.

You noticed that there are many other risks. Well, you can comment and ponder them as well. Some may be obvious or of little concern, and some others may not.
You said that you enjoyed being barefoot, I never recommended not being barefoot. I just try to offer good sources of information to those who could be interested. I already knew of hookworm parasitization through the skin before I started running barefoot and it didn't stop me from taking up such activity.
You commented some details about your own barefoot experience in the past and that you never had to deal with hookworms. First of all, this is anecdotal, perhaps you could have been lucky, or perhaps you've been parasitized without clear symptoms. The truth is that about of a third of the world population in the world become parasitized by human hookworms and the entry pathway is always through the skin, so the chances to become parasitize aren't so remote.
I guess that probably you have developed most of your barefoot activities in the US, a privileged country in relation to sanitation conditions compared to many others. Human hookworm parasitization only remains endemic in Kentucky and West Virginia with no more than some thousand cases, then in your particular area human hookworms are of very little concern. However, more than 6 billion people live outside the US, and 47% of BithdayShoes visitors have been from countries other than US (http://www.sharenator.com/w/birthdayshoes.com) such as China (13%) and India (11%) in these countries the prevalence of human hookworm parasitization is rather high. Even in some countries with otherwise a good level of sanitation the risk to become parasitized by hookworms is significative due to the common use of human feces as manure.
Thus, there is good chance that some people who happen to read this post are living in regions at risk. Additionally, some visitors living is safer regions may travel to more risky countries with the intention to enjoy practicing some activities barefoot (or just lay on the ground partially naked), these people may also like to know of the possible risks.
You also referred to have stepped on cow patties and never caught hookworms. Well, humans can't catch cow hookworms (assuming that they exist). Human hookworms can only come from human feces, but as I quoted in my previous post, you don't even have to get in contact with fecal remains to catch them because the hookworm larvae are motile and will move a foot per day from the hatching site. Besides, humans can also catch dog and cat hookworms. In this latter case, the parasitization won't be complete, they will never reach your small intestine, those larvae will wander under your skin, a condition named cutaneous larva migrans, also called "plumber's itch" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutaneous_larva_migrans). This is what UpNorth probably caught in Jamaica. In contrast, human hookworms won't leave any trace under the skin, instead of being just a cutaneous nuisance, they will reach the blood stream and eventually your small intestine. There they will live on your intestinal epithelium causing significant bleeding, become adults, reproduce and lay eggs. If the parasitization becomes significant, it can lead to severe ferropenic anemia due to the persistent bleeding. The treatment of the most serious symptoms is simple, iron fortification, and there is also and effective cure, specific anti-parasitic drugs (such as Tiabendazole). But a rapid cure depends on the correct diagnosis, if the patient isn't aware of the possible risks he's been exposed by being barefoot, perhaps the doctor may overlook hookworm parasitization as a possible causative agent of the patient's anemia.
BTW, I forgot to mention that US isn't free at all of dog and at hookworms, despite the efforts of the owners to desparasitize their pets a wilded population of animals remains as a reservoir. If you don't catch those worms on the beach is because in the US people aren't allowed to bring their pets to the beach (unlike other countries such as Jamaica or Puerto Rico). These and many other details are better explained in the postcast. I tried to avoid the details adding the link to that episode as a source of information. Unlike Dick Despommier I'm not very good at giving information nor have a strong vocation for it.

[lp8256]

I only wish that I had found this site earlier and read thru this topic.
I had been running in VFFs for around 8 months when the weather turned bad and I decided to take a spin on a treadmill.
In order to save my VFFs.......... I decided to run barefoot (for the first time). I figured since there were no rocks, glass, etc... I would be fine.
I did 45 minutes on the treadmill and when I stepped off, my feet felt as though they were on fire! I am lucky I didn't have blisters! I should have never attempted to do that with my softy feet that have been protected by combat boots my entire adult life......
I intend on trying it again, albeit at a smoother and slower transition, hopefully someday I can transition to outside.

[Zephyr]

I only wish that I had found this site earlier and read thru this topic.
I had been running in VFFs for around 8 months when the weather turned bad and I decided to take a spin on a treadmill.
In order to save my VFFs.......... I decided to run barefoot (for the first time). I figured since there were no rocks, glass, etc... I would be fine.
I did 45 minutes on the treadmill and when I stepped off, my feet felt as though they were on fire! I am lucky I didn't have blisters! I should have never attempted to do that with my softy feet that have been protected by combat boots my entire adult life......
I intend on trying it again, albeit at a smoother and slower transition, hopefully someday I can transition to outside.

This is a short list of some other sites with information and comments from other barefoot runners about their personal experience that can help you transition to barefoot running:

Runner's World Barefoot Running Forum: http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/barefoot-running. There you can post your questions to barefoot runners, share your impressions, read previous comments Additionally there are a few threads (5 "stickies" at the upper side of the first page) with basic information and advice on barefoot running specifically written to runners willing to transition to barefoot running.
The website of the Barefoot Runners Society: http://barefootrunners.org/. They have their own forums (http://barefootrunners.org/forum/5), in some of them you can also find useful information.
The Running Barefoot: http://therunningbarefoot.com/, Ken Bob Saxton's website or his personal blog: http://barefootkenbob.com/ (provisionally not available)

[barefootin]

I did 45 minutes on the treadmill and when I stepped off, my feet felt as though they were on fire! I am lucky I didn't have blisters! I should have never attempted to do that with my softy feet that have been protected by combat boots my entire adult life......
I intend on trying it again, albeit at a smoother and slower transition, hopefully someday I can transition to outside.

My feet fatigue quicker on a treadmill then on road when so take your time and build up slow.  Another point to note, if your feet have been in boots or shoes all day they are softer and you will wear the pads pretty quick.  Make sure you let them get some air prior to hopping on the belt. 

[barefootin]

Some of the points to support your argumentation (e.g., your reference to cow patties) make me think that you haven't probably listened to the recording, or just partially (what is perhaps expectable as it's rather long and has been posted recently).  The cow pattie reference was more for humor..  Honestly, I listened to only a portion, but understand the intent. 10+ hour long days of meetings has an affect on ones attention span
(I wonder if Justin would have ever defined the BirthdayShoes forums in a similar manner). If this was a forum of raw meat eaters I would suggest to freeze the meat before to kill any parasites that could contain.  I chuckled at this since I'm currently on business in an area that loves to eat raw hamburger and onion on crackers.  Yes, RAW hamburger....  I guess what doesn't kill us, makes stronger..  Well at least one should learn from the expierience. 

more than 6 billion people live outside the US, and 47% of BithdayShoes visitors have been from countries other than US (http://www.sharenator.com/w/birthdayshoes.com) such as China (13%) and India (11%) in these countries the prevalence of human hookworm parasitization is rather high. Even in some countries with otherwise a good level of sanitation the risk to become parasitized by hookworms is significative due to the common use of human feces as manure.  Good point..  I do forget sometimes the reach of the web..Thus, there is good chance that some people who happen to read this post are living in regions at risk. Additionally, some visitors living is safer regions may travel to more risky countries with the intention to enjoy practicing some activities barefoot (or just lay on the ground partially naked), these people may also like to know of the possible risks
BTW, I forgot to mention that US isn't free at all of dog and at hookworms, despite the efforts of the owners to desparasitize their pets a wilded population of animals remains as a reservoir. If you won't catch those worms on the beach because you aren't allowed to bring your pets to the beach in the US (unlike other countries such as Jamaica or Puerto Rico). My dog's been to the beach and enjoys eating fresh fish done over an open fire while camping with the rest of the family.  http://www.petvr.com/index.php/pages/PetFriendlyBeaches.html for a list of the top ten....

[/color]

[Zephyr]

Since this thread has been frozen for a while I've decided to use it as repository for my progression running barefoot. I've recently bothered to compile all my running data together after the request of another member in another forum unconvinced about barefoot running asking for personal experience and progression (http://www.correrdescalzos.es/foro/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=198).
Of course, anyone else willing to boast about their progress running barefoot is also welcomed.

My progression running barefoot (except to 6.78 km in VFFs)

03-08-2010 <1 km <00:04:00 asphalt
---
2*-01-2011 ? km >01:00:00 floor tiles
2*-01-2011 ? km >02:00:00 floor tiles
2*-01-2011 ? km >03:00:00 floor tiles
Nike+ & Google Earth
27-01-2011 >2.33 km concrete (+>2.02 km in VFFs) 00:41:55
03-02-2011 >6.02 km 00:44:55 concrete
05-02-2011 10.02 km 00:50:35 concrete
09-02-2011 >5.69 km 00:39:28 concrete
20-02-2011 >6.13 km 00:39:12 concrete
27-02-2011 10.12 km 00:52:41 concrete
Injury
02-04-2011 <3.30 km 00:18:50 concrete (+>2.02 km 00:12:26 in VFFs)
10-04-2011 >2.91 km 00:15:18 concrete (+>2.74 km 00:12:19 in VFFs)
15-04-2011 7.61 km 00:39:18 concrete
19-04-2011 9.42 km 00:51:02 concrete
24-04-2011 12 km (3.8 km on asphalt) 01:25:33
27-04-2011 14.01 km (6.5 km on asphalt) 01:29:11
04-05-2011 17.71 km (8.6 km on asphalt) 01:36:25
09-05-2011 18.56 km (8.6 km on asphalt) 01:47:29
16-05-2011 21.35 km (12.4 km on asphalt) 01:59:01
20-05-2011 15.42 km (10.4 km on asphalt) 01:32:18
23-05-2011 15.42 km (10.4 km on asphalt) 01:30:36
29-05-2011 17.42 km (11.4 km on asphalt) 01:41:19
02-06-2011 18.07 km (13.4 km on asphalt) 01:46:49
Garmin FR 305 [http://connect.garmin.com/activity/]
13-06-2011 22.35 km (17.6 km on asphalt) 02:21:09 [92028607]
17-06-2011 17.81 km (11.3 km on asphalt; 2.6 km in trails; elevation gain >373 m) 02:21:08 [92902836]
20-06-2011 22.70 km (15.3 km on asphalt; 5.0 km in trails; elevation gain >557 m) 03:16:14 [93616342]
24-06-2011 21.80 km asphalt+concrete 02:12:11 [94454019]
29-06-2011 14.87 km asphalt+concrete 01:31:42 [95579336]
02-07-2011 23.11 km (5.2 km in trails; elevation gain >608 m) 03:12:36 [96361903]
06-07-2011 18.00 km asphalt+concrete 01:41:40 [97137336]
08-07-2011 26.17 km (7.4 km in trails; elevation gain >603 m) 03:32:31 [97733813]
12-07-2011 25.57 km asphalt+concrete 02:43:04 [98812079]
19-07-2011 17.82 km asphalt+concrete 01:44:50 [100200632]
23-07-2011 29.40 km (5.3 km in trails; elevation gain >615 m) 03:42:48 [101226986]
27-07-2011 21.23 km asphalt+concrete 01:57:16 [102233612]
03-08-2011 32.59 km (11.17 km in trails; elevation gain >848 m) 05:09:12 [104002765]
07-08-2011 21.37 km asphalt+concrete 02:04:58 [104802785]
14-08-2011 10.12 km (9.12 km in trails; elevation gain >453 m) 2:40:00
17-08-2011 23.29 km (12.48 km in trails; elevation gain >542 m) 3:37:35 [107343911]
20-08-2011 28.41 km (13.94 km in trails; elevation gain >610 m) 4:54:02 [108058291]
26-08-2011 16.16 km (0.46 km in trails) 1:31:21 [109577555]
30.06-2011 12.14 km (0.50 km in trails) 1:11:11 [110712090]
04-09-2011 22.59 km (6.40 km in trails; elevation gain >607 m) 3:05:16 [111760171]

Total 642.01 km (562.44 on asphalt+concrete; 79.57 km in trails) 73:37:28 (+>6.78 km 00:45:40 in VFFs)

Best 5k pace 04:37/km
07-08-2011 5.11 km (splits 1+2+3+4+5) concrete+asphalt 00:23:37 [104802785]

Best HM pace 05:31/km
27-07-2011 21.23 km asphalt+concrete 01:57:16 [102233612]


Yes, I'd already run before. I started running regularly in 1989 as a training supplement to my physical conditioning, and since 1993 as a recreational activity.
At the time I took up running barefoot I had been without running for several months.

Yes, I participated in races from 2002 to 2004.

So far, I'm slower running barefoot. About 28 and 38% slower for 5k y HM distances respectively.

That's not my case, I've gotten injured running barefoot:
03-08-2010 deep cuts in the skin of my foot pads under the ball of both my feet. They needed some days of rest to heal.
20-02-2011 - 27/02-2011 posible stress fracture of the 4th. metatarsal. 5 weeks of rest.
Additionally, blisters in several occasions, a few cuts of lesser importance, and some problems in muscles and joints.

[dardo]

I started wearing VFF 2 years ago, as my only shoes, luckily I can go to work with them. A year and a half I started running with them. It had been years without running because I had to quit due to knee pain and doctors advice "You are too heavy and your knees are bad", I weight 220 pounds.

I started with less than 1km per run as my legs, feet and ankles were weak. 2 months ago I was able to run about 6kms per run 2 or 3 times a week. Then I bought a pair of invisible shoes and run with them a couple of times and loved them but then I decided to go completely barefoot.

My first barefoot run was 3kms, since then I have been increasing the distance, although very slowly and always waiting a few days until my feet are completely recovered. After 100km aprox completely barefoot on asphalt, concrete and grooved sidewalks I can run quite comfortable up to 6kms per run. My feet feel quite good and need a little bit less time to recover for the next run.

I like it much better to run completely barefoot that with shoes and have had no injuries, blisters or cuts since I started. Having been walking on VFF for 2 years helps to make your feet stronger but also to look for possible dangers on the ground.

I have signed for a 10km race on september 18 and still trying to decide if I will run barefoot or with invisible shoes...

[Horse Rider]

Hey Dardo, I signed up yesterday for the 10 km race of the Montreal Marathon Sept.25th!   I too started running again beginning of June, and after a bumpy transition (fibular muscles pain) I am at 40 minutes runs twice a week without pain (yesterday's was particularly blissful, reason why I registered for the race!). I have a HUGE scoliosis and used to have back pain running, and plantar faciitis without inserts, but no more, so good to be a runner again, feels like an important part of what my human body was supposed to be able to do naturally has been restored (almost felt subhuman when unable to run   ). I don't dare going barefoot though, too grossed out by what I know is on Montreal's sidewalks, but Bikilas are my friends.