I was swayed towards barefoot running techniques and related shoes after seeing slow motion images of runners running barefoot compared to runners running with supported shoes. It’s easy to be swayed by barefoot running - as the people who are into it are passionate and the arguments are very convincing. Admittedly the passion could be just that this is new, where as people have been running with a heel strike in supportive shoes since the 70s.
At the time that I started, barefoot style shoes were limited to Vibram Five Fingers (VFF) and the Nike Free. I like what the VFF are doing, but was concerned about the price and sizing of something that I could only buy online... and everywhere seemed to be warning of fakes. I ended up with Nike Free 3.0, the most flexible of the Nike range.
The sites all state that I’ll feel some discomfort as I adjust to a new way of running - however as I had never run in a supportive shoe, this was never a problem. My instinctive technique for these shoes was a mid-foot strike. Not what I wanted (as I was aiming for a fore-foot strike, as this feels more natural when I’m not waring shoes). As I had to get used to running for my first Triathlons, I ignored the technique so that I could focus on covering the distance.
After my last triathlon of 2010, I focused on my technique, running solely on my forefoot. This increased my speed dramatically; but by winter I was having pain in my Achilles tendon. After a few months of problems, I blamed my worn shoes (the Nike have a sole that still provides cushioning, so deteriorates with wear, and I had done a lot of miles). The solution was to run without shoes (as this was the cheep way to pinpoint the problem without spending any money!). I started each run wearing shoes, and when I got out of the city centre I took them off and carried them. The routes were usually icy with temperatures struggling to get above 0C... which meant that I didn’t encounter many people.
Running with no shoes felt fantastic, however the pain continued. After several months, I researched footage of runners who wore no shoes, and discovered my error... although I should strike the ground with my forefoot, the heel touches the ground before the leg pushes you forward. This made a massive difference to my running, and I was able to aid my tendon recovery with Glucosamine and Fish Oil supplements, and massaging daily with ‘Dog Oil’
So - should I wear shoes? The answer is yes... I discovered this after a 10 mile run on the canal... 10 miles of almost constant sharp stones. I now run in Merrill’s Trail Gloves... these allow the technique and flexibility as running with no shoes, but I can spend more time looking ahead instead of looking at the ground! Using these the only area of my legs that seemed unprepared was my soleus (the deep calf muscle)... this comes with time. The furthest I’ve run is a half marathon, and the run was still enjoyable.
In summary, the Nikes appeared to have developed my foot strength, as I had no aching foot muscles when I ditched the shoes. However the feel of the run was not the same as true ‘barefoot’ styled shoes (or true barefoot running).
