Barefoot Running, Research and Experience

I'm often asked why I run barefoot.  The answer is based on what I've read and what I've experienced in doing it.

Supporting Research

1. I hadn't considered barefoot running until after Melissa had read "Born to run" by Christopher McDougall and she and I had discussed it some. It's fairly journalistic in nature but interesting to read (I've only read some of her recommended chapters). Here is an article based on book excerpts.
2. A great series of youtube videos by Dr. Irene Davis (pt1, pt2, pt3, pt4).
3. A good review of what research has been done as of 2001 on barefoot running.
4. Nature (2010) 463:531-5: Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard University Professor who runs a skeletal biology lab, has now done the most high-profile research into barefoot running mechanics.  The paper is worth reading all the way through. Their website has good videos.
5. Steven Robbins research: another guy who has done a lot of work in the field.  His research suggests that it is actually going barefoot (not just minimal shoes) that contributes to less impact.  This protracted conversation [start at the bottom and work up] with Lieberman over some points of his study is interesting. I think he is blowing things out of proportion some (and not being very reasonable in his discussions) even though his arguments have some merit.
6. My favorite video on running.  Not really research, but interesting that he has folks run barefoot to try and run with better form.  Just ignore the part at the end about putting your shoes back on ;)

Jury Still Out

Barefoot running touches on lots of interesting ideas involved in "proper" running form.  Here is a sample of posts somewhat related:

• a blog post that examines foot strike angle and injury, economy, and prevalence.
• a post examining center of gravity.

At the end of the day, it is a surprisingly complex topic...

My Experience

I've been running barefoot since April/May of 2010. Since then I've run between about 7 and 21 miles a week barefoot, probably 75% of which is on asphalt or concrete (the rest grass). I run to and from work, 3.5 miles each way. Downhill I average 7:15-7:45 per mile, uphill 8:30-9:10 per mile, so roundtrip 8:00-8:30 per mile.  On occasion I will run for fun, but mostly it is just transportation.

Here are my observations:

I have never cut my foot on anything, although I got a few thorns off on a trail once. I got a good bloodblister in my heel from hitting a rock once, although I never noticed the injury (I had noticed the rock) until coming home.  When running once in Texas, I stepped off the sidewalk and got about 12 stickers in my foot in 2 steps.  Just pulled them out and caught up to our little group.

Takes 3-6 weeks to build up decent callouses. Before that certain stretches can be pretty painful and you can get blisters (usually under the skin and they never really pop). Pebbles hurt and rocks really hurt when you hit them. Once you develop good callouses, asphalt and little pebbles just feel like a nice massage. Nothing really hurts your foot at that point.

It takes a while to adjust your stride. For many months you have to constantly remind yourself to try to shorten your stride and quicken your pace and to try to land more mid/front foot. Your heel will tell you not to land on it too hard.

Calf and foot muscles take a longer time to build up. My calves are almost always sore, now sore less.

No problems with my knees at all. I personally think it is better on my knees than with shoes because my foot can land and pronate very naturally and the strike is with a bent knee ready to absorb impact rather than a straighter knee with a heel strike.

My feet feel like they take a beating, especially at first. Up until recently though, they felt pretty great the next day. A while back, though, my outer midfoot was bruised (single incident or cumulative I don't know) and it has been bothering me, although I've still been running on it (but less). This has been my first and biggest injury running barefoot. Update: I had to take it easy for a while and run with shoes for a few months.  Now it is better and I can run barefoot again.

Steep uphill is much easier than with shoes (significantly faster). Steep downhill is more difficult (significantly slower and more difficult).

For me, barefoot running forces you into a nicer running posture, head back, feet landing more under your hips. Midfoot and forefoot strike more.  Getting the right foot strike is merely a matter of getting your posture right.  The connection between the two makes it easy to run "properly" (if that's what I'm finally doing).

Overall, I really, really enjoy it. It is really stimulating to run without shoes (lots of sensory input on your feet, can feel the different temperatures of the pavement and textures, etc.). I think it is worth trying a few times to see what you think. After all, it is free (minus any trips to the ER ;) I prefer it so much I will only very reluctantly run with shoes on.

My real running friends dismiss it and say that real runners mid/fore-foot strike anyway and think it is silly overall, so opinions from real runners will vary. You will notice that most (99.99%) of them still run with shoes.

To dream the impossible dream...

So guess what my visiting teachers brought me for my birthday...

Chocolate chip cookies and cream puffs :) Yea, they were amazing delicious....(because I didn't make them)...

The CCC syndrome

What's my favorite food?

Anything I didn't have to make...

Years of morning sickness/pregnancy have brought on that conclusion. Before I had favorite foods but now even my favorite foods aren't my favorite unless I didn't make them. I call it the CCC (chocolate chip cookie) syndrome because it is manifested the most with chocolate chip cookies.

I used to love to make chocolate chip cookies, mmmmm....so tasty. Warm, crisp and soft, milk....comfort. Now, however, I don't like them unless some one else made them. I had to make a batch for a ward fireside and everyone said they were delicious but they didn't taste good to me. I almost didn't bring them so I was happy when they all got eaten up but I was unhappy because I really want to like chocolate chip cookies again and not have to wait for the random chance someone will bring them to me.

Anyone with an incredible recipe that doesn't require insane ingredients? Something that can stand the test of time, the test of over eating, the test of pregnancy (not pregnant)??

Shoveling night...

Well, it wasn't a "date" night but it was way more fun than most date nights. We started with visits from various family members which included Christmas presents, Wii sports, dinner, snacks, treats and excellent conversation.
The snow fun started when Joe, Brittany and Dallan (brothers and sister-in-law) decided to leave. It was snowing (and had been for awhile). Joe got out of the neighborhood just fine but Dallan couldn't get his car up the hill. There wasn't much snow but this is Dallan's first winter with a car here :) Joe ran back down and drove Dallan's car up out of the neighborhood. John and I put on our gear and decided to shovel the snow. We had a fun time but the best part was when we cleared off the trampoline. Have you ever cleared a trampoline of snow? You don't know what you are missing...the trampoline gets really slick and it is hard to get the snow off because it slides to where you are standing. We spent a long time doing flips into the snow. We also spent a lot of time falling and slipping while trying to knock each other down.
Next we decide to shovel some other driveways. We did a single sister's house and we shovelled half of the sidewalk in our loop which is a large amount of sidewalk as those who have been around our neighborhood loop know. It was way past even our late bedtime by now but it was so magical. I just couldn't go inside so I convinced John to walk with me and we walked along our neighborhood and then along some other neighborhoods. I left snow angels all around the neighborhood and we tried to think up names for our trees and eventually decided to name them French names but we'll need Math to wake up in the morning and help us as he is the only one who speaks French in the house. It was a crackling snow that made noise as it hit your coat and crunched under your feet. It was bewitching and when we walked in the door the Christmas tree is was bright and beautiful. An enchanting "shovelling" night...

PS...We were looking at shovels and I noticed that some websites spelled it shovelling and others spelled it shoveling. I think I like the single "l" better. Then I looked it up online and one site said you could spell it either way. Thoughts?

I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow

Where it's snowing
All winter through
That's where I want to be...

I know you might not believe me but my favorite part of winter so far has been shovelling snow. I haven't gotten to do it much but I have shovelled it every time so far! The boys like to come out and help...here are a few pictures from Seth and I shoveling while Sam is asleep :)

My Accomplishments

I am not particularly skilled. I am not beautiful, I have no artistic talent, no musical talent, no intellectual talent and very little athletic talent and basically no high level homemaking skills. Being here in Utah helps remind me of these facts everyday...

With that introduction my title must seem off because what accomplishments could I have? Well, they are few and probably not noteworthy but I have noticed that there are a few things I do way better than the people I usually spend all my time with. I have listed some. These are pretty much unique to ONLY ME. (yes, I put that in capitals to make sure you understood who is included in this list and who is not)

*I am so skilled at using utensils that I am not forced to hold my head over the plate to keep from spilling on myself.
*I do not eat my boogers, even as a last resort...
*I have the ability to sit quietly and do nothing. This is obviously a learned behavior that takes years to master.
*I can stand being bored.
*I can smell a poop diaper rooms away and don't ignore it. Again, this is not a skill everyone can possess but I have found if you work hard you can master it.
*I do not force self produced noxious gas on the household public. This takes a rare level of self control which has not been practiced in the "P" family on any level.
*I have the special talent of actually listening to people when they are talking to me.
*I have the special talent of remembering what a person said to me while I was listening to them talk to me.
*I have the unique ability to wear clothes at all times.
*I don't spit or drool while talking. Another obviously learned behavior that requires practice.
*I am capable of taking a bath or shower without splashing/spilling water.
*I can tell the difference between dirty clothes and clean clothes by both sight and smell.
*I can cut my own fingernails and toenails with any available clippers. Definitely an acquired skill.
*I don't freak out at the sight of blood and I act accordingly to the level of magnitude of the accident.

Well people...I feel better. I am special. I am unique and I have hidden talents!!

Gems

With Seth these gems are never ending...

Seth - When Jesus was on the earth did he work at BYU?
Me - Um, no honey, he didn't work at BYU.
Seth - Only because it wasn't invented yet.

Student of the Month

Sam is 1...

How many times have you seen this? The one year old "standing" tradition, crawl up to the dishwasher and pull out the best stuff. This time he got the spoon we used for the orange roll frosting. He was very happy.

Gems

Seth - When Jesus was on the earth I think he watched BYU football.

Farewell to Autumn...

This was the last week right before Thanksgiving. Winter was coming but there were a few days that were fabulous!
















The snow is starting to fall...




Now we have snow! We didn't get the storm of a century like they said we would but it is finally cold and snowy...this was the first real snow, it has stayed for more than a few hours...