The Barefoot Running Controversy

A few weeks ago I read an article by Matt Fitzgerald (http://running.competitor.com/2010/05/features/the-barefoot-running-injury-epidemic_10118) about the rise in the number of injured runners from running barefoot.  Matt quotes several podiatrists or physical therapists who say they are seeing an increased number of runners with foot injuries caused by barefoot (or nearly barefoot) running.  He also recounts his own experience with running in Vibram Five Fingers, becoming injured and quickly returning to regular running shoes.  The podiatrists/PT's basically say that most people need a shoe that helps them be able to run, as most of us are not "born to run" as the popular book by Chris McDougall contends, but are biomechanically disadvantaged in some way.  Matt ends the article pretty much agreeing with the opinion that running barefoot is not for everyone, or even most of us.

At the time I was entrenched in shower/event preparations (see last post), but I have been thinking a lot about this, and since then have read other people's opinions on the matter also...

From the barefoot running blog I follow:  http://barefootjason.blogspot.com/2010/05/barefoot-running-controversy-wtf.html

And from Steven Sashen (Invisibleshoe.com):  http://www.invisibleshoe.com/442/hbo-real-sports-on-barefoot-running-right-or-wrong/, who comments on HBO's Real Sports feature on barefoot running.

    ...all the while continuing to run and walk in my huaraches...

A little background...

I don't (for the most part) do any running in my huaraches on pavement, it's mostly on the trails in the park, which are mulched over a sandy dirt with pine needles and other leaves in places.  (There are areas that the only way to get to the next trail is to run on pavement, but not many.)  I run about half of my runs in my huaraches; otherwise I wear Nike Frees or Nike Moires.  I walk a lot in my huaraches; I wear them for almost all my daily activities outside the home (I go barefoot inside).   I have been doing this since the end of April, so it has been approximately eight weeks.

As a kid growing up, I did A LOT of barefoot running/walking.

When I began running at age 37 I ran barefoot on the beach at least once a week...  until I couldn't run because of the hip--the hip disease that went undiagnosed for five years (see archives:  http://www.run2joy.com/2009/08/my-return-to-running.html) really messed up my whole hip/leg so that I have had to recover/rehab since then.

 ...and I feel that my feet are getting stronger and my hip/leg issues are getting better.

I want to interject here with something that happened a couple weeks ago.  John and I were on a long walk, which we do regularly.  I had made a pair of huaraches for him and this was his first time wearing them.  Now, this was very dumb of us; I don't know why we did it, except that John regularly runs barefoot on the beach and does these long walks in flipflops with no problem, so I guess we figured he would be okay.  He wasn't--got several blood blisters on the bottoms of his feet.  So at about two miles out from home, he decided he couldn't go any further, and I said I would run home and get the car and come back for him.  I had my huaraches on and took off running and...  something really neat happened.  It was an asphalt path; I started out pretty slow...  and then my form gradually changed, naturally.  It was different from my running on the soft trails in the park.  I felt I was running closer to the ground, moving over the road.  And I had no issues, no pain.  It was such a nice little run!  It was only a couple miles, and I haven't tried it since then, as I was in Wisconsin just after that, running in shoes; I think I will need to work up to it again.

Now, I want to say that I greatly respect Matt's opinions; he's a scientist and I believe he bases all of his writing on evidence as much as he possibly can.  I have quite a few of his books; presently I am reading his Racing Weight and a book he co-wrote with Brad Hudson, Run Faster From the 5k to the Marathon.  In his Brain Training for Runners, he praises running in minimalist footware; he tells how he trained, "...as much as 60 miles a week in them...  and far from creating any problems of their own, these shoes clearly helped prevent injuries that my previous shoes were contributing to."  He says that (at that time, I guess), he also ran in Vibram Five Fingers, and that he is "...fully convinced that minimalist running shoes are less likely to cause injuries than conventional shoes..."   He qualifies these statements by saying that all of this "...has not been subjected to formal scientific evaluation."

In his recent article, Matt now says that, "despite easing into virtual barefoot running very slowly, I developed calf, ankle extensor and achilles strains immediately and could not quickly overcome them, so I went back to running full-time in running shoes."

The problem I see here is that he says that he "could not quickly overcome them..."

I have to agree that, of course, there are those who should not run barefoot or in minimalist shoes.  Many, many people have biomechanical issues that require special measures that enable them to run.  Many people have worn shoes all their lives, never going barefoot either walking or running, and should not expect to be able to run right away, or even after several weeks or months, in minimalist footware.  It could take many months or even years of building strength and changing tissue structure to be able to run barefoot.

But, even though I respect Matt's change of opinion (I think that it takes more courage to change your position based on evidence than to just stand by your position based on emotions), I think that, for those who can do so, running barefoot (or nearly) is the way to go.  I have seen my form change and my feet strengthened.  I don't know that I would ever go completely barefoot when running (things on the road--the "ew" and "ouch" factors), or race in huaraches, but rather use the minimalist footware as a tool to help my overall running.

And, of course, running in huaraches is a whole lot of fun!  Isn't that what it's all about anyway?

You just need to be patient and expect it to take as long as it takes.

Back in Florida... Running Barefoot (or almost)

It's nice to be back in SoFL. I had a fantastic run in the park this morning, on the trails in my Vibram FiveFingers. It has cooled down just a bit and is slightly less humid (but is still pretty hot and humid--just the way I like it!) I also got a pair of Nike Free's for Florida. They are a newer model than the ones I have in Wisconsin, fit slightly different, but are fine.

I found this video on YouTube of Christopher McDougall; he talks about running and his book Born to Run.

Nike Free

Thinking about the Nike Free, and how it didn't fit me... I thought I would try again, going up another half size. The first time I tried them, they were okay length-wise but too small width-wise, so I thought if I got a half size larger they would be too long. Well, I got them, the larger size, and wore them on Saturday, and they are great! They seemed a little long when I put them on, but they are okay running. In fact, they fit like a glove in the back and instep; my foot does not move at all in them.

My new Nike Free's

I have been doing my resistance workouts twice a week (not three times a week). I have a hard time getting myself to do it, but once I do, it makes me feel better... stronger.

I go home to Florida tomorrow. A cool front went through while I have been gone... right on schedule--mid-October. Instead of being in the low 90's, it's now mid to upper 80's and less humid... beautiful!! I am soooo looking forward to it! It is so hit and miss here. Today it is raining again, and I just can't get myself to go out and run in the cold rain. Elliptical again today.

Your Injury IS Your Training ~Plato

I am changing the schedule... to no schedule. I got waaaaay ahead of myself: long runs, 30/30's, pace runs... What was I thinking?!

I love having a schedule. I love making a schedule. I love following a schedule. I have not had a schedule for years because of my hip/leg.

Six weeks ago my hip/leg was feeling a little bit better so I ran that 5k. Before that I had no schedule... running real easy, mostly on soft trails, not more than about seven miles at the longest, and maybe five days a week, for several months. I was also doing a resistance workout routine twice a week that I devised for myself. Having a good race and not hurting so much, well... I got carried away: "I can train for a marathon!"

I stopped doing the resistance workout I was doing, because I was now training, and started following the resistance exercises in Matt Fitzgerald's book Brain Training for Runners. There is nothing wrong with the exercises (they are designed for complementing your marathon training), but I now realize that I was not ready for those, and that I still need to do a lot of strengthening, until my pain is completely gone.

"You have to become a strong person before you can be a strong runner." That's from a book I just finished reading, a fascinating book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It takes the reader through McDougall's journey to the Copper Canyons of Mexico, the Tarahumara tribe of "superathletes," and "the greatest race the world has never seen." Recommended reading for everyone, in my opinion, not just those of us who love to run. McDougall knows how to tell a story, with lots of historical, anthropological, running, and scientific info mixed in.

What both books talk a lot about is running form and how modern running shoes not only don't help us in running, but hurt us. Fitzgerald and McDougall both advocate getting as close to running barefoot as possible. We need to strengthen our feet, not support them with stability and motion control devices and tons of cushioning. You want your foot to have to work a little, so that the muscles get strong. Also, wearing shoes while running allows you to land on your heel, which you do naturally when you walk. But when you run barefoot, you naturally land midfoot (otherwise you hurt your heel). Landing midfoot helps keep your feet directly under your body, helps keep you from overstriding, reducing chances of injury.

For a running shoe, Matt recommends Nike's "Nike Free" model, which I tried but, as with most Nike models I've tried, found it way too narrow for my foot. What I did find was the Nike Zoom Moire. It fits my wide foot and is relatively support-free and thin-soled. Both authors recommend running in Vibram Fivefingers. These were originally made for water sports--sailing, kayaking, and such. With their thin rubber soles and glove-like fit, they are supposed to be the closest thing to being barefoot without actually being barefoot.

I first saw this Nike ad for their "Nike Free" posted on Facebook by a running friend; it's very clever, as Nike ads always are, and fun :

Matt also recommends techniques for working on your form, such as: falling forward--leaning forward from your ankles (not your waist or hips) when you run as if you were falling and catching yourself; navel to spine--pulling your navel in toward your spine as you run, which engages the deep abdominal muscles; counting your strides--the best runners do about 180 strides per minute.

Looking at it differently, then, I guess if I was not hurt, I would not be trying these other methods, and maybe, just maybe, my running will be better than it would have been.

So, I will run how I feel (wearing my Nike Moires), work on my form, do my resistance workouts three times a week, and get strong.