Somewhere along the line we seem to have confused comfort with happiness.

-Dean Karnazes

Changing your stride sucks. It’s awkward, sometimes painful, and it takes an aggravatingly long time. There are myriad excuses for not trying to change from a heel striker to a midfoot landing — the most repeated one is lack of comfort.

“I’ve been running in sneakers too long.”

“I can’t change now, I’m too old.”

“Running like that is for those fast Kenyans.”

All wrong, and all things I’ve heard. The truth is they’re scared. They’re scared of taking a step outside their comfort zone and taking a risk.

It may all blow to hell in your face, but what if it doesn’t? What if you struggle, fight, toil, and one day find yourself at the end of the road? What if one day you find that you succeeded?

You set out to change your stride, you worked at it almost every day for a year (except when you did too much and got hurt), and now you can’t remember what it was like to heel strike. You’ve shifted your comfort zone to something you desired through effort and strain while racking up a thousand or more miles. What could possibly make you happier than that?

Changing your stride takes time, but most of all it takes a commitment.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. – Buddha

Take a step

This spring, as things thaw out and blossom into the heat of summer, is a perfect time to start your transition. Here are a few reason why:

1. If you get caught too far from home, you can walk back without a risk.
2. It’s the perfect weather to let your feet breath daily, running or otherwise.
3. The earth is warm, the mood is rebirth, and they daylight lasts long.
4. Because it’s now, and now is all you’ll ever have.

So take a leap and suffer through your lack of contentment. Your journey may bring you running happiness.

Each of these people tend to focus on one solution being the best. These people are often the most vocal proponents of their methods, as they see their success and want to impress it upon others.

Surely there must be other ways to run? You don’t need to stick to simply one type of shoe (or unshoe)! If you want to try running barefoot, you aren’t locked in to running all of your miles barefoot. This is obvious but it often bears repeating as it’s easy to lose focus on one’s purpose.

Know your purpose

Since you’re reading this site, you’re obviously interested in exploring different forms of running. Why? Is it injury prevention? Because you read about it in a newspaper, online, or elsewhere? What do you want to gain from this exploration?

Why stray from solely barefoot?

For some, there is no reason and that’s just fine.

Whether you stray from solely barefoot depends on:

1. What you value out of running.
2. What your goals are for running.
3. What works for you — after all, no one cares how you run.

Source: James Rohal

Why mix barefoot and minimalist running

I value running fast over trails and other unstable terrain. My goal is to often traverse the area as quickly and as efficiently as possible. I am able to run faster on trails with minimalist shoes than with barefeet. There simply isn’t the need to think as much about footfalls.

Also, the shoe helps ensure each step is more stable and consistent. This helps reduce chance of injury on trails as it dampens the effects of errors due to bad steps.

Running shod leads to deviating from your natural form. The tendency of those wearing shoes is to get too confident, not think enough, and by extension not run with as good of form as possible. This allows you to run faster, however it can also act as a degradation of your running form.

This is where running barefoot comes into play, this is your reset to zero, the removal of your bad tendencies and your migration back towards natural perfection. I think of running in shoes as a fast progression towards bad form, running in minimalist shoes as a slow progression towards bad form, and running barefoot as the baseline for proper mechanics.

Barefoot running is particularly useful for:

1. Learning to run correctly to begin with, when speed shouldn’t even be considered.
2. Continuing lifelong as a method of perfecting, improving, and maintaining running form.
3. Mental stimulation, due to the feedback provided from unhindered feet.

Utilizing minimalist shoes is particularly useful for:

1. Technical Trail running
2. Mitigating footfall variation

What to look for in a minimalist shoe

To reiterate for the hundredth time, each person will be different. In order of priority, here is what is most important to look for in a minimalist shoe:

1. Zero drop - Nearly all traditional running shoes are twice as thick in the heel than the forefoot.  Zero drop running shoes simply applies a 1:1 ratio — meaning that the heel and forefoot are the same distance off the ground — there is no “drop” from heel to toe.
2. Simplest solution to what you need. Any part of the shoe that exists, but does not serve a purpose for you, is a detriment. 
   
3. Lightweight – minimized weight and sole. The less you’re carrying, the less effort you’re expending.
4. Built for surface. Traction is vastly different when traversing technical trails than it is when cruising through the streets.
5. Forefoot protection.

Forefoot protection is key because having a protective plate of some sort in the forefoot not only makes one less timid on rocky, rooty trails (a definite improvement over the bare foot), but also provides rigidity and energy return in one’s footstrike and stride that would otherwise be absent. By having a solid platform to push off of with every footstep, a greater confidence in one’s footing — the ultimate goal — is achieved. [link]

How to implement in your life

1. Make sure you understand why you want to attempt this. If you don’t have a purpose, you won’t have success.
2. Throw out your preconceptions of how fast and how far you should be running. If you are in a marathon training plan, you can not implement this. This transition in itself is a training plan.
3. Start training by learning how to run barefoot. Only barefoot. Pour all of your running energy into learning how to run lightly and gently on nothing but your two feet. Don’t run with sneakers, don’t run with minimalist shoes, and don’t confuse your body by putting anything else on your feet. Force the change you desire by being in the state which allows your body no choice. This can be hard, which is why you spent time earlier deciding why you wanted to accomplish it. Remember these reasons now and that there is help transitioning.
4. If, and only if, you’re comfortable running barefoot, it is time to add in a minimalist shoe. Do you still get pains when running barefoot? Do your calves still hurt after every run? Then you’re not ready. You will know when you’re ready — when a run feel painless and you end with a smile as opposed to a grimace.
5. Review your shoe needs (trails, street, etc.) and experiment with the least amount of shoe that meets these needs.

I received a pair of the Men’s Trail Glove in December and have had the opportunity to use them during some my winter runs. Past receiving the free pair of shoes, I have received no requests from Merrell, just to be honest and to link to their barefoot site.

General Use of Trail Gloves

Due to the Michigan winter, my experience has covered (~100 miles):

1. Snow covered trails
2. Treadmill (to experience how they responded)
3. Roads/Sidewalks (mostly snow covered)

I have attempted using the shoes with both wicking socks and without socks. I enjoyed them more without socks.

Comparison to Vibram Five Finger Bikila’s

The majority of my winter running has been performed in VFF Bikila’s so I am qualified only to compare these two together.

The first thing I noticed was the difference in ground sensation between the VFF’s and the Trail Glove — the VFF provided much more ground sensation. It’s difficult to articulate the difference without experiencing it for yourself, however the best example I can think of would be explaining the difference between a thin glove and a thicker glove. The Trail Glove’s are still no comparison to an actual running sneaker however, which reduces sensation to zero.

Second, both the front sole and the heel of the Trail Glove feel more “built up”. I like this for the heel as ideally it would absorb sharp blows from rocks. Having this on the forefoot has taken some adjustment. At first I hated it, but now I feel indifferent.

I expect that I would make particular use of the Trail Gloves on actual technical trails, where I have bruised my heel a few times when landing on embedded larger sized rocks. These type of obstacles are difficult to avoid, especially descending. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to test the shoes in the place I would find them most useful.

Despite my thoughts to the contrary, the shoes provided no more “grip” in the snow than the VFF Bikila’s. This may be due to my running style, but I expected more traction out of the shoe.

Initial Conclusion

I prefer the Bikila’s on normal roads, sidewalks, and dirt trails due to the increased flexibility and ground sensation. The Trail Glove is the best shoe I have ever worn however, which is saying something, as I have found no others I would ever think of wearing again.

I am looking forward to trying the shoe out on the more technical trails come spring/summer to alleviate the issues with rocks. I think that this shoe may find itself a permanent home.

Updated Conclusion (8/2/11)

My initial conclusion stands. I have now utilized the trail gloves for approximately 300 miles of very technical trails. They have served the exact purpose I had intended them to, which is to full the sensations in my foot when dealing with embedded rocks and fresh cut saplings (1-2″ off the ground). If the situation does not meet this criteria, I find the Bikila’s much more to my liking.

Photo by: 666 is money

Even if you’re not interested in running barefoot all the time, you can still reap benefits from kicking your shoes off as part of supplemental training.

Before you start the process, you should be clear what benefits you hope to gain and ensure they match up with what running barefoot can provide. Here are some things that can be reasonably expected from running barefoot:

• Strengthening and awakening of feet and ankle muscles — many smaller muscles that never get activated in shoes
• Improve a slow stride rate
• Improve the form of an existing mid-foot or forefoot strike
• Improve balance

Barefoot running performed as supplemental training can also be dangerous. There are a few things you will want to be sure you’re aware of:

• It will be easy to overdo it by being overconfident, especially if you’re already running quite a few miles shod
• Smooth concrete or asphalt will provide a more consistent environment than grass. A soft surface will dull the feedback loop and make it more difficult to improve
• The bottoms of your feet may require adaptation time
• You can not heel strike while running barefoot. If you heelstrike in shoes, and don’t plan to change your stride, running barefoot will most likely just screw up your stride and get you injured.
• Expect some level of blisters, especially in the first few weeks, if you’re not adapted to being barefoot.

Think about whether you’re serious about accepting the risks of running barefoot. Many of the benefits of being unshod can be gained simply from walking barefoot. This is often a better and less damaging place to start your unshod journey.

Since I have authored much of the original research regarding the bare foot in running and its advantages, I feel responsible to counter incorrect ideas regarding minimalist shoes. There is no evidence that minimalist shoes are superior to thin soled running shoes (racing flats) that preceded them. I consider them simply as a attempt by running shoes manufacturers to exploit runners through misleading marketing indicating that they resemble running barefoot – which is false. The detailed arguments can be found at my website

http://www.stevenrobbinsmd.com/

Barefoot runners should realize that the human foot is best adapted for running on naturally deposited ground. Running barefoot on man made surfaces certainly represenst some additional risk of injury, the magnitude of which is not known, but probably lower than running without shoes. Shoes are required to extend the running season in regions with severe winters, and for use on extremely low frictional resistance man made surfaces.

Be sure to check out his site for some invaluable information regarding barefoot running. Thanks Steven for the information. We are listening and appreciate all the insight you provide.

1. Transfer Method. Keep your weekly miles the same, running both shod and unshod, slowly moving the amount of miles run shod to unshod.
2. Cold Turkey. Stop running shod completely. Gradually build up your miles running barefoot.

If your end goal is to run in minimalist shoes, it is still wise to run barefoot until your body is fully adapted. The entire process will be much quicker as you will be receiving richer feedback.

The Transfer Method

This method is best suited for runners who are mid-foot strikers.

Heel strikers who attempt this method will find themselves in an awkward situation. For the unshod portion of their runs, they will be landing on the mid-foot, while feeling “off” due to the change in form.

For the shod portion of their runs, they will most likely start running on the mid-foot, and revert to heel striking when their mind wanders, or their body tires.

It is impossible for the body to feel comfortable being forced into two separate running forms — this increases the risk of injury.

Mid-foot strikers will find that running barefoot still requires adaption, but the changes required are easier because they are less dramatic.

The Cold Turkey Method

This method is best suited for runners who are heel strikers, or who are recovering from an injury. Since this type of runner requires a fairly drastic alteration in form, the change must be the only way the body is allowed to move.

It is too difficult to force the body to run in two different poses, while trying to mentally communicate that the way that feels more awkward is the one you want to keep stick with. Your body sticks with what it knows

By going cold turkey you can completely focus on the changes you are forcing onto your body, while never letting up, or sending the body mixed signals by reverting to a heel strike.

(1) Feedback Loop. The difference between what you feel when your feet are directly touching the ground versus touching the ground through shoes is immense.  The most sensitive areas of your body are your hands, lips, face, neck, tongue, fingertips and feet. Covering any of those areas would obviously reduce sensitivity, correct?

Here’s a simple exercise to illustrate the difference: take an object and hold it in your hands.  Feel the texture, the firmness, the warmth, the shape.  Now put a glove on your hand.  Try the same thing.  You can still kind of tell what the object is. The texture information disappears, along with your assessment of the object’s heat and your ability to apply correct pressure.  This is what happens when you put a glove on your foot!

Of course the thinner the (foot) glove, the more feeling that can pass through, though it can never be the same as without that glove. That information isn’t earth shattering, it’s obvious once we apply reason.

When a person makes a transition from the typical running shoe to a more minimalist shoe, think of it as a person taking off their heavy duty mittens and putting on a pair of thin gloves. The sensation at first can be overwhelming as new information is being provided. Logically, removing the thin glove will provide even more feedback.

While we run (or other exercise) we are forcing our body to adapt. I would prefer to give my body as much information as I can in order to change in the most beneficial manner.

(2) Cost. Things cost money.  You only have so much money.  With me so far?

If you don’t spend money (or as much money) on shoes, you’ll have money to spend on other items, or to save for that special day you find out the chimney in your house is now leaking.

There are hundreds of thousands of people whose sole job is to convince you to buy things. They don’t care what it is, their job is to sell what the company tells them to sell. Market it, spin it, convince you that you can’t live without it.

The story of how the diamond has been marketed is a great example of people being sold something they don’t need.

(3) Being barefoot bothers others. For some reason, folks hate seeing things that are different. It irks them to no end when you don’t conform. Seeing you barefoot can make people very uncomfortable.

Why is he barefoot?  Doesn’t he know he’s going to catch some awful disease, step on a hypodermic needle, and follow it off by crawling through a field of broken glass? There is a social stigma attached with being barefoot in places where others do not expect it, which can be pretty much anywhere.

When not running, or some other form of strenuous exercise, minimalist shoes serve mostly to protect those around you from feeling this anxiety.

There is a great statement on twitter regarding this very thing: “Minimalist shoes fulfill the need of those around you for you to not be barefoot.” -@rmgraham

What are your thoughts on the differences between the two?

How to get started

I’d suggest proceeding through the following steps, being sure not to move onto the next one until you’re sure of yourself. Running barefoot is nothing like running with sneakers for the majority of us. There is no opportunity for heel striking, there is no tolerance for faults, your body must adapt. The good news is that your body evolved exactly for this purpose!

1. Start walking around the house barefoot. Walk around your home, your apartment, your yard — wherever your normal travels find you. Remember what it’s like to feel the ground beneath you. There are an incredible number of nerves in your feet that are neglected when covered.
2. Begin walking outside, as far as you can handle, without getting blisters. For most folks this will be as little as a quarter mile, or as much as a full mile. You will feel the plantar skin gradually become thicker as it adapts to the stresses of being barefoot. Perform these walks for at least 3-4 weeks on any surface you can tolerate. The more variety, the better off you are.
   
3. Time to run! Begin running in small amount, being certain you’re not going so far as to get blisters. For most folks this will be the same as your initial walking, anywhere from .25 miles to a full mile. Be sure to listen to your body and shut the running down before you feel overwhelmed. At this point your calves, feet, and ankles should strengthen and they may tighten up quickly (especially your calves) if you overdo it.

   Make sure you run easy — easier than you think you have to. Listen to your body and most of all, relax! Plan on spending at minimum 3-4 weeks just learning how to run without those pesky sneakers.

   If you’re already putting in a set number of miles per week in sneakers, this stage can get particularly difficult. I suggest completely dropping your weekly mileage back to the 0 mark and base building from there. For many of you this will seem ludicrous. Run barefoot for a few days and see if it’s so silly then. You’re learning to run all over again — although there have been people who have reported success with gradually splitting miles between shoes and barefooting; I am not one of them. Making the switch all at once will help keep your focused on your new and improved stride. Besides, running is for life, remember?

4. Mix it up. As you get stronger you can begin to add tempo runs, fartleks, and some track workouts. The only thing that I would save until last are interval workouts on the pavement. This seems to be the most abusive and hard to control style of barefoot running. Not until you have a solid and springy form can you perform them.
   

Alternative Footwear Options

There are a number of options available for supplementing barefooting. As you progress into running, I’ve found that I enjoy doing a partial barefoot run, coupled with a lightweight “shoe”.

I use “shoe” very loosely in that it only need be a sole. Vibram Five Fingers have been my barefooting shoe of choice. They are light-weight, very versatile (you can wear them just about anywhere, and I do), and most of all, they protect the sole of your foot. You can easily get a thousand miles out of these, making them economical as well.

There are some things (broken glass, crushed gravel, etc) that just aren’t worth running over. And there are times when I do not feel like running barefoot as I find it a bit more abusive on my soles, especially the concrete.

Other people have reported success with something as simple as aqua socks. There are a lot of choices out there and there are no wrong answers, so long as the enclosure around your foot is thin and not encumbering.

Finally, don’t buy the Nike Free. Nike claims it mimics the sensation of running barefoot. How about just doing the real thing and not giving money to the company that started this whole mess to begin with?

Running Form

Describing the best form for barefoot running is difficult since everyone is built differently.

The general idea is the run with short, quick, and light strides. Your stride rate should remain at 180 steps per minute regardless of your pace.

Allow your feet to land directly under your center of gravity, beneath your hips. The front part of your foot should hit the ground first (good luck landing on your heel). Your overall posture should contain a slight forward learn. At no point should you feel like you’re slapping the ground with your feet and there should be no shock reverberating in your bones.

Parting Thoughts

There’s no scientific data that running shoes reduce injury. In fact, a case can be made that they actually increase injury rates. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, regardless of their background. If someone insists you’re wrong, you need arch support, you need orthopedics, you need an enema — make them prove it. Just because something is common practice doesn’t make it right.

Barefoot running isn’t going to make you immune it injury. Many people overdo it right off the bat and get injured, thinking that just because they are running barefoot they are invincible. Be smart about it and you will be rewarded accordingly.

Resources for learning more

This has been only the briefest of introductions. If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend the following websites & books.

On the web:

• Running Barefoot – The original resource for barefoot runners. This covers just about every aspect you could be interested in.
• Barefoot Ted – Fascinating blog of a barefooter who has been all over the world.
• Barefoot Running Community on RunningAhead – Forum for learning about barefooting. Ask questions from experts to noobs.
• Sports Science – Summary: Running barefoot is associated with a substantially lower prevalence of acute injuries of the ankle and chronic injuries of the lower leg in developing countries, but well-designed studies of the effects of barefoot and shod running on injury are lacking. Laboratory studies show that the energy cost of running is reduced by about 4% when the feet are not shod. In spite of these apparent benefits, barefoot running is rare in competition, and there are no published controlled trials of the effects of running barefoot on simulated or real competitive performance.

Books:

• Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
• ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running