The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [20]
• Feel comfortable with the feeling of lifting your feet off the ground versus “pushing off.”
• Feel comfortable with your ability to relax all tension in your arms and legs.
Concept—Feel Instead of Think
Barefoot running is inherently individualistic. It is impossible to give a detailed explanation of the perfect barefoot running form. Every barefoot runner will have a slightly different form that works best for their individual characteristics. Because of this, I will teach the basic components all barefoot runners have in common. It will be your responsibility to experiment to find out exactly what will work best for you.
Luckily, this is a relatively easy task. All you have to do is listen to your body. The soles of your feet are the best teachers you have and will transfer critical information to your brain. In turn, your brain will send a signal to your muscles to provide the smoothest, most efficient gait possible.
It is important to be able to simply feel and react to what you are experiencing. Thinking about the tiny details of your form tends to short-circuit this process. Because of this, I prefer to avoid explaining many details that must be remembered and processed while running. Instead, I will give you one or two concepts at a time, then give you the drills to practice them. My goal is to teach you proper barefoot form that is tailored to your individual characteristics in the most time-efficient way possible.
Concept—Importance of Patience
Throughout the process of learning to run barefoot or in minimalist shoes, it is important to be patient. Your feet have likely spent many years encased in heavy, sweaty foot coffins (a term Barefoot Ted coined). Those shoes have weakened the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and plantar skin of your feet and adjacent anatomy.
Because your feet have become used to shoes for so many years, I cannot emphasize enough the need for patience by slowly increasing your barefoot experiences.
In the beginning, you may be tempted to run farther than you should. In the barefoot running world, we refer to this as “too much too soon” (TMTS.) You will also reach various “break-through” points where everything seems to come together. Your form will finally click and everything will feel great. You will be tempted to try out your newly-perfected form. It will once again be important to exercise caution. Do not increase your mileage more than 10-15% per week or pace by more than 15 seconds per mile per week. By being cautious, your transition to barefoot running should be smooth and injury-free!
Concept—Running Happy
“Fitness has to be fun. If it is not play, there will be no fitness.
Play, you see, is the process. Fitness is merely the product.”
—George Sheehan
All too often, I see other runners with either a scowl or apparently wincing in pain. It is abundantly clear they are not enjoying themselves. Running should be enjoyable, especially when we ditch the shoes! Before you begin your journey into barefoot or minimalist shoe running, always keep the following ideas in mind:
• Smile often. First, it makes others smile. It is wonderful publicity for barefoot running. Second, barefoot running is enjoyable! It’s like being a kid again. Embrace your inner-child! Third, by smiling, you are providing feedback to your brain that actually makes you feel happier (Kleinke, et. al., 1998) thus making the activity more fun!
• Be nice. If you encounter another runner, say “Hi.” Other people mirror our behaviors. If half of the runners on the road and trails were friendly and nice, they would convert the other “grumpy” half.
• Thank volunteers at races. They are taking valuable time out of their day to help YOU. Do not complain, scold, or belittle them. If they do not fill your water bottle to your satisfaction, thank them and do it yourself next time. If you follow the first two rules, this one should take care of itself.
Issue—Minimalist Shoe or Barefoot?
It is common for new barefoot runners to have a desire to “ease into” barefoot