:D Barefoot Running

[Insider]

This is really interesting stuff from Lee Saxby
HERE

Endorsements from both Prof Lieberman & Chris McDougall

[IanDarkpeak]

This is really interesting stuff from Lee Saxby
HERE

Endorsements from both Prof Lieberman & Chris McDougall

5 mile for me this morning, trying to concentrate on technique at the moment.

[Clash City Rocker]

On the moors last night in my £4.95 pumps wont be long before fully barefoot. Have run through the winter every so often in pumps which has helped. I'm not a big fan of the bunny runs for those of you who know them but I am going to do BR3 this year and will definitely be in pumps may go the whole hog if the weather is Ok. Anyone else up for it?

[yomper]

I'm glad I found this thread, I can stop saving up for expensive shoes... I'm a cyclist but have decided to get into running, cos I'm moving to some hills in a few weeks, and for the past few weeks I've been run/walk bit by bit. Being hard up and very new to it, I've been plodding in very cheap shoes - £20 from Mountain Warehouse, and really worrying I was doing massive injury as most of what I read so far went on about "buy the best shoes you can afford". Having read all this, I may as well swop from the cheapo trainers http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/wom...hoe-p2646.aspx to my flat thin pumps before I get into any bad running habits. Yay!

[martmason]

This is interesting, for the past 6 month I have been running 2-4 times a week using my inov8 x-talons with no issues. About 4 weeks ago I started to run to work a few times a week which is mostly on the roads so decided to get some Inov8 roclite320s. Since then I am constantly turning my ankles and am convinced that the cushionning is at the expense of stability. I am not ready to go too minimal but want to reduce the cushionning before I do some long term ankle or foot damage. What shoes would make a good starting point for me, I am looking at something like the roclite260 then maybe some new beargrips for racing???
Thoughts please guys.

[nikalas]

If you're already getting on fine with the x-talons off-road, I'd be tempted to get a pair of f-lite 195's for your runs to work. Your shoe line up would then be very similar to mine...

off-road training: Baregrips
off-road racing: x-talons 190's
trail/road: f-lite 195's

Works great for me. I don't race in the Baregrips because I can't quite completely let go in them on rocky stuff but, for training and encouraging good running form, they're superb.

[Alphin]

This is interesting, for the past 6 month I have been running 2-4 times a week using my inov8 x-talons with no issues. About 4 weeks ago I started to run to work a few times a week which is mostly on the roads so decided to get some Inov8 roclite320s. Since then I am constantly turning my ankles and am convinced that the cushionning is at the expense of stability. I am not ready to go too minimal but want to reduce the cushionning before I do some long term ankle or foot damage. What shoes would make a good starting point for me, I am looking at something like the roclite260 then maybe some new beargrips for racing???
Thoughts please guys.

Hi mate,

You could also use an 'old pair' of X-Talons for the road...

The baregrips are awesome - well worth the financial investment...I was worried that the sole/grip may give up, but after using them for the past six weeks running (av 10hrs+ a week) the soles are showing very little wear - that's on rock and moorland/peat terrain..I prefer the BG's to the X-Tals for grip and certainly inspire confidence on those steep technical descents....

[martmason]

Cheers Nikalas and Alpine, think I might just try to run my x-tals into the ground and treat myself to the beargrip for races etc then concentrate on posture and fore foot landing etc. Is it hard to master and intensive on the calves as the articles lead you to believe?

[Rob Furness]

...then concentrate on posture and fore foot landing etc.

Posture - yes, forefoot landing - no. Don't try to land on your forefoot, just try to run with good form and try not to overstride, your footstrike will sort itself out. Deliberately landing on the forefoot is not how barefoot runners run (unless that was their original style anyway). If you're wearing fairly low profile minimally cushioned shoes then your style will become more natural anyway.

Is it hard to master and intensive on the calves as the articles lead you to believe?

Depends on your current style and if you ignore the advice above. Landing too far forward on the forefoot is why people often suffer sore calves and achilles, once you learn to relax and run with more of a heel drop and relaxed calf muscle, the soreness etc. goes away.

[martmason]

Hi Rob, thanks for the advice although after just posting on your thread about twisted ankles dont think i will be doing much of anything for the short term. Looks like the MTB will be seeing some action this weekend....