Of barefeet and snow.
In the summer my feet rarely see the inside of a shoe. In fact, even in the winter, the shoes come off the second I get inside the house. I love being barefoot, and winter, with all of it’s socks and shoes, drives me nuts. Anything that I can be doing barefoot, I am doing barefoot.
African dancing is done barefoot. So is bellydance. I hoopdance sans shoes as well. So, it should come as no surprise that I am really interested in the barefoot running movement that is taking place. Sadly, I am coming into it right in the middle of winter, when the sidewalks are covered with snow, ice, or gunk (dirt and salt for example). I had heard of it before, but of course reading Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
I’ve been reading about how to start out with barefoot running. I admit that they make it sound a little hard. Run down to your corner and back, and that’s about it for the first time. That’s really it for the first time? But I do understand that most people’s feet spend their day being coddled by shoes, and aren’t really ready for running. I wonder about my feet, are they ready to run, or will I have to start out super slow too? And in the winter, can I start on a treadmill? I could go outside if it were above freezing I suppose, but that’s rare in the early morning right now.
Zen Habits has a great little article about barefoot running. As does Wired. In fact, there are a lot of great sites about the topic, including one that a friend from Junior High/High School started writing called Barefoot Lesher (I wish he would update it more often). And I know that many other blog friends run barefoot too (Spabettie for example, though she doesn’t post much on the topic).
What about you? Have you tried running barefoot recently? Remember the days when we used to run through the grass barefoot all the time? I look forward to recapturing those feelings and that kind of moment.
Themocracy
I’ve used the VFFs but I did too much too soon and injured my achilles tendon. Then it got too cold and I haven’t run in them since. I plan to once spring rolls around again. It’s a lot different, my whole stride changed in those shoes, naturally though. Like I didn’t have to think about it, my body just automatically adjusted.
Here’s my question: What if you step on a rock or glass while you’re running really barefoot?
Sara, I always wonder the same thing. I walk outside barefoot a lot, and find that I am more aware of where I walk so I don’t step on something that could harm my feet. Luckily there isn’t a lot of broken glass around my home/neighborhood. Rocks happen, and they don’t always feel great. I am saving up for VFFs though, they seem the perfect solution.
I am shoeless most of the time as well. I wear My Chacos until it is too cold to stand it, and then come the UGGS (which are supposed to be worn with bare feet and it feels delicious due to the lambswool lining.) I will be purchasing five finger Vibrams to use this Spring and Summer for running, hiking and water sports. I have done barefoot Hiking and spend most of the summer barefoot, or in flip flops or Chacos. I have not tried bare foot running (except on the beach and in the grass!).
I usually do Teva’s for hiking. I’ve always wanted to get some UGGS too for the winter.
I’m saving up for VFFs, because they seem awesome. I do know people run barefoot on pavement and sidewalks, but it does seem nice to have protection for that, even though I walk on it barefoot a lot of the time. It’s all just so interesting.
I’m so curious about barefoot running, but haven’t worked up the nerve to try it. I think I’m more likely to try Vibrams or something like that first, though. Barefoot in Manhattan would be bold
Barefoot in Manhattan would be beyond bold!
Once your feet get toughened up, you can go barefoot pretty much everywhere without concern. I’ve been barefoot for 15 years -not just while running, I mean always and everywhere- and while I haven’t been in Manhattan (I live in Europe), I’ve been in quite a few inner city environments. I’ve NEVER had a cut. Nor ever stepped in a needle. And yes we do have junks here too
The darkest, most trashy alleys in the worst neighborhoods I try to avoid anyhow since I’m female and usually walk and run alone 
and doing that, I’ve never worried about getting my feet cut up. Trust your feet, they’re stronger than you give them credit for!
That’s really amazing that you have been going barefoot for so long! I usually just wear flip flops or other shoes when I have to go into places that require shoes, but otherwise I am barefoot the rest of the time.
I always walk around barefoot, but really haven’t run that way since I was little. Sounds fun!
I think most of us really haven’t run barefoot since we were young. Maybe we do it once in awhile on a beach or in the grass, but really it’s the way our bodies were built to work.
Hopefully you are someplace warm you can go take a little barefoot run right now.
I would love to run barefoot! But I’m not sure I have the patience to ease into it as slowly as I need to. I would think the treadmill would be pretty painful, but not like random loose gravel on the sidewalk/road!
I am so tempted to buy the Vibram’s…
Just found your blog—love it!
Thanks for stopping by! I am off to visit your blog now too.
Oh, and I am also very tempted to buy a pair of VFFs. I’m very curious about the treadmill though, it does seem like it would hurt more than running outside for some reason. LOL.
I used to run barefoot when i was a kid, if i had shoes i removed them or if i were in slippers, i would take it in the hands and run bare. The reason was, i could run a bit faster barefoot and that gave me the advantage.
But as you said, the habit of staying in the shoes mostly changes the feet quite a lot, now it is very difficult to run bare, specially when the ground is not exactly grassy. Keep us updated on the progress of your barefoot running,
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