Author Archives: mid-pack Matt

I don’t like resolutions.  They’re all a bit set up to make you feel bad if you fail.  Ambitions are much more positive because when (if?) you realise them you feel great.  My running ambition for this year is to run a half marathon barefoot.  A few years ago my ambition was to run a marathon and I thought that the more people I told about it, the less likely I was to back out of it.  The purpose of this blog is to tell as many people as I can and to share my experiences.

Last year was probably the worst year for running that i’ve had.  I was training for the Paris marathon and was on track for a pretty good time when I got shin splints really badly and had to drop out.  Having recently read a lot about barefoot running I blamed spongy shoes and the forces necessary to control the foot on landing.  Seeking a solution I thought I’d try minimal shoes and went to a barefoot running workshop.  Running in Five Fingers was great, but i got carried away and ended up with achillies tendonitis.  Again, I blamed the shoes.  I blamed my old built up running shoes for shortening my achillies/calf muscles, and I blamed the Five Fingers for letting me do too much too quickly.  I tried barefoot as a way of regulating how far and fast I was running and got up to about 40mins on pretty rough surfaces but the achillies made itself known again.  Following the birth of my daughter I had less time for training so I cut back on running and focussed on kettlebells and conditioning.  Before I noticed, months had passed without running and I started really missing it.  I tried running again but each time after a couple of runs, the achillies would twinge and I’d be very disheartened.

In November I decided to do something more proactive and started a daily routine of calf stengthening and stretching, with a bit of self massage with a roller.  I bought a pair of Vivo Barefoot Aqua and started wearing them whenever I could.  Around Christmas I thought I’d give it a go and went out in some racing flats.  These have a small heel drop so I thought they’d be a good transition from my old shoes towards completely flat.  After a few runs it all seemed fine so I’m back running in Five Fingers and Vivos and taking it very slowly this time. 

I’ve also ditched my previous obsession with training paces and target times so my watch has stayed at home.  I’m trying to stop myself getting competitive, but I don’t think this will last..!  So far this year, the longest i’ve been out has been about half an hour(ish) - I’ve got a long way to go before I’m running a half.  I got my feet out for a stretch today and even though it was cold I loved the fresh air between my toes. 

Introductory Summary:

years running: more than 10, regularly for maybe 7.

weekly milage: very low at the moment, used to be 20-30 – more if I was training for something.

PBs:  Marathon 3:32 (shod); Half-marathon 1:31 (shod)

barefoot experience (apart from running):  10 years of capoeira 2-3 times a week;  2 years muay thai before that; always barefoot when using kettlebells or circuit training.

previous foot landing:  heel strike; transitioned reasonably successfully to midfoot in 2010, noticed an increase in speed, enjoyment, blisters and plantar faciitis.

previous running shoes: originally heavily cushioned, slight motion control shoes like Asics Kayano or Brooks Trance.  Moved to neutral, more flexible shoes in 2010 to complement midfoot landing (Mizuno Wave Rider)

Previous injuries:  ITB pain; knee fat pad impingement (solved when I switched to mid-foot landing in normal shoes); PF (started when I switched to midfoot landing in normal shoes); shin splints (recurring, but not recently)

Week 3 – 15th – 21st January

Total distance: 15km

Barefoot distance: 800m

Outlook: positive, although developed a bit of a pain in right calf.

It was cold last week.  Went out early on Sunday morning after a freezing night, it was beautifully clear and the common was covered in frost.  The ground was frozen and the patches of mud that are usually slippery in smooth soled minimalist shoes were hard and crunchy underfoot.  Took my shoes off for a bit and ran on the horseride, and a bit of rough tarmac.  The cold ground numbed my feet pretty quickly and meant I couldn’t feel the ground properly – despite the numbness, everything felt rougher than I’d expected and actually quite painful.  A few other runners and dog walkers looked at me as if I was crazy, and began to think they might have a point.  I couldn’t tell if I was trashing my feet or of it was just cold.  After about 800m I put my shoes back on and my feet warmed up quite quickly.  When I got home, I checked my feet and they seemed fine, so think it was just the cold.   

It warmed up later in the week, and after recovering from a stomach bug, I went for a trot at lunchtime with some friends from work.  Running with colleagues meant I wasn’t inclined to take my shoes off, partly because it was raining and although not too cold I worried about my soles getting wet and blistering, but being honest it was really not to look weird in front of people I work with.   I reckon that as I get more confident barefoot I’ll be less shy about it, at the moment it would just look odd to take my shoes off just so I could run slower for 800m, and then put my shoes back on. Running and chatting meant I wasn’t so focussed on my form, and probably sped up a bit as a result, either way I was relaxed and enjoyed the run (apart from what I fear is a slight strain in my right calf, which came on towards the end – perhaps because I was going a bit faster and not focussed on my form).  

I’d be interested to hear from more experienced barefooters what limits you find – how cold, how wet, does it have to be for you to keep your shoes on (or not go out)?  Does this change as you get more experience/confidence?  And what tips do you have for keeping feet warm?

Total distance:  8km (treadmill)

Distance Barefoot: 6km (treadmill)

 After a week skiing (not a very barefoot friendly activity), I was back on it this week.  The relative rest gave my calf strain time to recover and now feels absolutely fine, but the cold weather seemed to follow me home and it’s been a bit cold and snowy this week.  So far I’ve managed a couple of barefoot runs on the treadmill.  I find that treadmills seem to blister my soles even more than asphalt – think it’s the heat of the belt, so I kept them fairly short and extended one a little bit by putting my VFFs on for 10 mins or so.   I tried to stop just before blisters actually develop, and think that I’ve managed to hit that sweet spot – feet felt a little tingly but seemed fine the next day..  Hopefully this will help my soles cope with tarmac when it’s more reasonable out there.

 Other than a fairly unimpressive weekly distance, I’ve put my money where my mouth is and entered Windsor half marathon.  It’s not ‘til October, so I should have loads of time.  The course is 100% tarmac, and being in Windsor Great Park should mean there is little by way of debris to worry about – if i can get through the training on the streets of London it should be a walk in the park..