The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [27]
Once you develop a feel for form and have some degree of success (run a mile or two barefoot without pain during or after the run), you can graduate to different surfaces.
It is advised to avoid soft, forgiving surfaces like grass or sand. Running barefoot on a surface such as grass may be tempting because it feels good, but the softness can inhibit your brain’s ability to provide good feedback. Soft ground acts much like the thick, cushioned padding of traditional running shoes. It can hide bad form resulting in a longer learning period.
Once you learn good form, running on grass and sand is perfectly acceptable. Running over sand dunes along Lake Michigan is one of my favorite workouts.
Activity—Run/Walk Drill
The run/walk drill is a good precursor to beginning barefoot running. Its purpose is to make a transition between walking in place, walking barefoot, and running barefoot. To begin, find a smooth, hard surface that will allow you to run a moderate distance.
Start by walking relaxed in place for 30 seconds followed by moving in a slow walk forward for another 30 seconds. The key is to maintain the same relaxed foot lift and gentle touch you practiced in the previous drills. Upon completing the 30 seconds of walking, move to a slow run. The key to the run portion is to maintain the relaxed foot-lift, gentle touch, and 180 step cadence for the entire 30 seconds.
After the time expires, slow down to a walking pace as you did before the run. After 30 seconds, stop and walk in place. Repeat this cycle three times. On subsequent days, add one cycle to each practice session to increase the amount of time doing the drill. This drill will help you put each element together into one complete package.
Once you can successfully make the transition between walking in place, slow walking, and slow running, you will be ready to move on to the next activity: slow running.
Activity—Slow Running
Slow running is the pinnacle activity of the second stage. After you spend some time strengthening your body, and you develop some of the basic barefoot running skills, you will be ready to start running. By this time you will have developed an excellent foundation to make the transition to barefoot running.
To begin, find a smooth, hard surface free of debris. Do the deep breathing drill or progressive relaxation drill to assure you are in a relaxed state. Start by slowly walking in place by focusing on lifting your feet. After a few steps, start moving forward into a slow walk. Gradually increase your cadence until you reach the 180 mark. You should now be running at a slow pace. Continue to stay as relaxed as possible. Focus on lifting one foot while the other foot is gently kissing the ground.
Depending on your experience level, limit your first run to ¼ to ½ mile. If you feel any pain, stop. After each “run” day, schedule a rest day. This will allow your body to always have the opportunity to heal. Remember, you are using muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones that have not had to work for years!
During your rest day assess any potential soft-tissue damage that may have occurred. Soft tissue damage does not always appear immediately after a workout. Each subsequent “run” day, you can increase the mileage by ⅛ to ¼ miles. Once you reach to 2 miles, you should be ready to advance to the next stage.
Concept—Run Like a Ninja
Once you master that skill of running relaxed, it is time to add another element that was briefly discussed earlier: running softly or running light. To begin, make sure you are in an area free of obstacles, debris, or walls. Close your eyes and run for about 25 to 50 yards.
Listen carefully to the sounds your feet are making as they touch the ground. Ideally, they should make little or no noise. If you hear significant noise, your feet are not softly “kissing” the ground. Refine your form until you can run silently while slowing your running pace.
To help achieve