Barefoot Running

I just started back to running, well, more like fast walking or a slow jog after a 10 year break. The thought of running has always stayed with me. It provided relief from stress and allowed me to clear my head when life was most challenging. I was pretty fit and did quite a bit of running in my teens and twenties so I can’t say that I am entirely new. That said, the aftermath of the first few outings came with much soreness and stiffness. Add to this the fact that I have been going to a physical therapist for a lower back problem and you might think me to be a masochist.

The primary inspiration for getting back to running was a book called “Born to Run” by which details the experiences of the author and a tribe of Mexican Indians called the Tarahumara. This is a group of northern Mexico natives that run great distances for the fun of it. They run in sandals and skirts which can seem odd to the persons not familiar with their heritage. What I loved about the book was the great story weaved in with research on modern American running, the technology around running shoes and the potential benefits of running barefoot.

Did I mention that my new foray into running was to run virtually barefoot? I say virtually because I am indeed wearing protection but it is in the form of a glove called the Vibram Five Fingers product. The Vibrams are basically a glove and like the ones you wear on your hands it houses each toe individually with a thick rubber sole on the bottom and a stretchy fabric upper that breathes well preventing any issues of sweat building up like you find with most running shoes.

Vibram Five Fingers

The concept of running barefoot, before reading “Born to Run” conjured up images of African tribesmen running across the Serengeti plains on his morning commute to the next town to meet with other like minded natives. It simply did not occur to me to try this out with all of the stylish footwear and a tendency to want to fit in from an appearance perspective. But this is my health we are talking about and so I am willing to try it out and maybe find my way back to one of my favorite stress relievers.

So far, I have gone out about 8 times and each run is easier than the last. The first outing was the toughest since my mind had not wrapped itself around that fact that I did not have 2 inches of foam to cushion my heal strike. My running path is basically the neighborhood streets so needless to say the surface is asphalt and concrete and so this first run was a jarring trip to say the least. I have since improved on my form out of necessity or self-preservation to say the least. It is interesting to watch how my stride is actually getting shorter so that I can easily land mid-foot.

The most desired benefits of jogging are starting to come back to me. These benefits include that spring in your step that comes from much stronger legs, more relaxed attitude from the stress relief, the obvious reduction in weight,  and the highly sought after endorphin high. At some point I will engage a running coach to help improve my form but for now I am just happy to be back at running.

Tagged as: Personal Fitness, Running