You’ve seen them. Maybe you’re one of them. Barefoot runners.
I remember the first time I witnessed a runner in those Vibram 5-Fingers. I had to gulp back laughter. Really? I asked myself, I didn’t think this was the Daffy Duck Fun Run!
Now, I want a pair. Badly.
I suppressed the urge for quite some time. Just a fad, I said. Gosh, they really are ugly, I thought with my nose as high in the air as it could go. But still I watched with interest as the fad grew into a movement — practically a religion. Then I read "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall and I almost became a convert.
Fortunately, I’m enough of a skeptic (more truthfully, I fear injury like the plague), to tread lightly when it comes to barefooting. So, before splurging on my own pair of Daffy Duck lookalikes (I like the pink ones, personally), I decided to ask my friend and Level 2 Triathlon coach Lora Lewis. She also happens to be coaching the Ft. Bragg men’s Army Ten Miler team this year.
Not surprisingly, Lewis has been following the barefoot running craze carefully. Based on research and education at top symposiums across the country, Lewis’s advice is colored with lots of caution, sprinkled with a little skepticism. But she's optimistic in the end.
Barefoot running can be beneficial, but there’s a lot of hype, too”, said Lewis. “There are some people who just aren’t ready for barefoot running.”
How do you know if you’re ready for barefooting? Experts from the University of Virginia suggest three tests of readiness:
1. Sufficient plantar fascia/heel chord mobility (your Achilles tendon and arch flexibility)
2. Adequate single-leg balance (30 seconds on one foot with eyes closed — no wobbling!)
3. Ability to control big toe (while standing, can you lift only your big toe off the floor? Can you then reverse it — keeping big toe pressed to floor while raising the other four?)
“If you cannot adequately pass these requirements, then don’t barefoot run until you can,” said Lewis. Instead, do balance work, single calf stretches and raises on stairs (allowing the heel to pass below step for full extension), and tennis ball foot exercises for three to five minutes every day.
Once you’re properly stretched, balanced and toe pointing, Lewis stresses moderation. Begin by doing strides (six to eight 50-meter runs at a quick pace) barefoot after every run on a soft surface. After your feet have adjusted to strides, progress to going barefoot the first mile of every run. Only after you have run 30 times barefoot for one mile, should you progress to two miles, and so on.
“Barefoot running will increase stress on certain bones and muscles and can lead to other injuries if proper progression is not followed,” warned Lewis.
Correctly handled, barefoot running can benefit most runners. It will lead to a quicker, more efficient stride, better form and a lightness on your feet; all of which translate into faster times on race day — something we runners are a bit psychotic over.
But be warned -- if you skip the advice, slap on the vibrams and go for a 10-miler, I promise you’ll do more than look like Daffy Duck. You’ll wind up waddling like him, too.
Tips:
Find out what's happening in Fort Braggwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
- Make use of the new softer surface along Pope Army Air Field. If you run to the end of the new rubbery surface and back, it is right around a mile.
- If you want to foster the natural runner within but scared to go barefoot, check out Newton Running. Their shoes are pricey, but they offer a sizeable discount for active duty military.