Barefoot Running: Not for Me Thanks.

by Neil Anderson

I read "born to run" 4 years ago.  After doing so, I was thoroughly convinced that if God had wanted us to run with 2 inches of padding under our heels, he'd have put it there to begin with.  I immediately began searching for some Vibram 5 fingers.  Had to drive to Provo to find them.  Salt Lake Running co. had some, but they were an awful green and orange color.  Hell, I was already going to feel pretty dumb in these things.  Last thing I wanted was to draw even more attention to my weird new obsession.  

I was careful when I got them.  I did everything right.  I realized that I'm a tenderfoot and it would take months to break in to using them.  So for the first 2 weeks I wore them for no more than 15 mins per day.   Never during workouts.  Never running.  After 2 weeks I began increasing my time in them to 20 min, then 30.  After a month I did my first workout.  A lifting workout.  It was 2 months of gradually breaking into them before I attempted my first run.  It was a 400 m run around the old Fitzone.  Was pretty pumped to do this.  I had been studying and practicing P.O.S.E running techniques and was excited to put some of that stuff to the test.   I only allowed myself to do 1 workout per week in the shoes, but was still gradually increasing my time in them.  Then it happened.  At about the 3 month mark, I woke up one morning to a twinge in my R heel.  

Plantar fascitis sucks.  I went into full rehab mode.  Unfortunately, I had to stay there for over 9 months.  People to this day still think I'm a tree-hugging, granola muncher due to the fact I had to wear Birkenstocks (for the arch support) for 9 months while trying to get better.  It spawned a nickname I hate and fear I shall never live down.  

Me and barefoot running have parted ways.  

During this time, Lizz and I were doing a weekly health and fitness talk radio show.  Our guest one night was John Wojciechowski Co-owner of Striders Running in Layton.  I happened to ask him what he thought of this new barefoot running craze.  He gave us an earful.  Said it was silly.  That there was once a time when running 26.2 miles was considered the limit of human capacity.  That is was only about 40 years ago that people couldn't really run a marathon.  Back then our recreational/athletic foot wear was limited to canvas shoes with no padding.  Those who used that type of foot wear to train for a marathons back then would generally and quite literally fall apart.  They'd blow up.  The jarring was just too much.  Joint damage and stress fractures were quite common and the only guys/gals who could finish a marathon were those who were quite gifted physically.  They literally were built differently than the rest of us and/or had very different running styles.  Styles that if adapted by most of us would also cause injury and joint damage.  

"Improved shoe technology with padding changed all of this." He said.  

Hmm.  It makes a lot of sense.  A WHOLE lot of sense.  I figured I need to do some more digging.  Might not be smart to take barefoot running advice from a guy who makes a living selling shoes, right?  

While digging, I learned that after the proliferation of shoe technology and padding in running shoes, running a marathon became something within the wheelhouse of just about anybody with the perseverance to put the time into training.  In fact since the invention of the padded shoe, millions and millions of people have finished marathons.  It is estimated that there were 25,000 marathon finishers in 1976.  Last year it is estimated that 518,000 people finished marathons.  A testament to good shoe tech?  I think so.  I mean could it just be coincidence that marathon popularity and shoe technology seem to be running (haha) parallel?  

Ok, so maybe shoes didn't have everything to do with the growth of marathons.  You could argue that training techniques have changed and that is the reason for the proliferation.  You could also argue that fitness wasn't as necessary back then, and people just weren't as interested.   Maybe so, but at the bottom of both of those arguments (where the rubber meets the road) is a good shoe.  

The question I think you have to ask yourself is, "If barefoot running is really so much more beneficial and productive, how then is it that the pro's at the highest levels of running sports aren't ALL running barefoot, ALL the time?"  Also, "If running barefoot was really so superior, how did we ever come to put shoes on our feet in the first place?"  I mean, I'm no idiot.  If wearing shoes while I run is slowing me down, injuring me or hampering my performance in ANY way, wouldn't I naturally gravitate back to what works better?  One time I tried to run a few miles in some cowboy boots I used to wear.  It was a miserable experience.  It really didn't take me long to figure out I was NEVER going to do that again.  Just sayin...

Speaking of "works better," it has been interesting to see all the runners switching back to their padded, high tech running shoes.  Have you noticed it?  Many, many serious runners tried very hard and quite earnestly to make the switch to barefoot running.  Most of them are back.  Many have even opted for MORE padding in their shoes.  Which they immediately loved.  No learning curve.  Hmmm.  Interesting, isn't it?   

I'm a non-conformist.  Lord knows I wanted this barefoot running thing to work for me.  It really appeals to my contrarian nature.  But it didn't.  I was grateful for the new tips and tricks I learned from the experience of trying.  Many of these have stayed with me.  Turns out barefoot running advice works pretty well for some.  What's cooler, for me, is it works even better for those of us still using padded shoes.  

Here me when I say this.  Barefoot running works, for some.  I have no doubt of this, because I have seen it first hand.  The claims proponents of this running style make about improving foot shape, durability and toughness are real, for some.  That barefoot running improves posture to some degree and encourages a lighter foot strike while running is also true.  And, for some, it truly improves their experience.  For me it added nothing but pain and misery.  

Bedside Clock - GONE!

This CCC has really got me excited about a few things.  I can feel myself forming new habits.  Strangely, they are taking effect much sooner than I thought they would.  Take my sleep, for example. 

I really want to get my point every night for a full 6-8 hours of sleep.  I realize the importance of it and plus, it is the ONE thing I got.  It's my ONLY gimme point.  While I'm going to miss a bunch of points for drinking diet soda - others will have a hard time sleeping like I do.  I'm a pretty good sleeper.  Takes me forever to fall asleep, but when I do, FREIGHT TRAINS could plow past my window nightly, with horns a blasting and it wouldn't wake me.  Seriously, I have a gift. 

But I want to do better. 

I like my sleep and I have noticed that after about 4 am I wake periodically to check the time.  Mostly, I'm concerned with how much sleep I have left.  4:30 am, "Whew!  2 hours left - woot!"  5:15, "Plenty o time!"  6:00, "Half hour left - can I get a HELL YEAH!" 

The other day, I read about a guy who says this is bad.  He claims it takes away from your rest time.  And that you can train yourself to sleep longer, deeper and with more rest if you simply do one thing.  Get rid of the clock!

It makes sense.  But could it really work?  For MORE/BETTER SLEEP it's worth a try. 

Starting Sunday night, I got rid of my alarm clock.  I figured I'd have nothing to lose.

Wrong!

It's rough.  I actually got out of bed that night to search out a clock to find out how much more sleep I had left.  I got a pretty bad sleep that night.  Was tired all the next day.  It didn't seem worth it.  

Monday, I remember waking up a couple of times, but I didn't get out of bed.  To my surprise I fell back to sleep pretty quickly.  ONE night and already there was improvement?  "Nah," I figured "It's probably cause I was so sleepy from Sunday. 

Tuesday, I only woke up once.  Very briefly.  I got the best night's sleep I've had in a very long time.  But Wednesday topped it. 

Wednesday, I got the best night's sleep I've had in a lot of years.  Didn't wake up once.  Not ONCE.  I feel like it must feel to strike gold!  Like I've discovered a new planet or asteroid.  And had it named after me.  I found myself walking around all day feeling bad for all the people who have never slept through the night like I just did.  I mean, I'm almost smug about it. 

Feels good, man. 

Who'd have thought something as simple as getting rid of that clock could make such a profound change?  In such a short time, too.  I get that I will have ups and downs with this, but I tell you.  If I NEVER sleep another night like that again, I feel it was worth it.  Because May 9th, 2012 I had one of the top 5 sleeps of my life.  It feels better that I planned for it.  Even worked for it a little.  So, it makes it that much more cool.

Want to get a better night's sleep?  Try getting rid of your clock.  It is working well for me.  I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing with it periodically.  But, I have high hopes for this thing.  I'll try to keep the "smug" to a minimum. 

If you have some experiences you could share about getting a better night's sleep.  Please do in comments.  Every little bit helps. 

When Am I a GPP Vet?

"Veteran" status is sort of a made up thing, but it's VERY real.  It means you know better.  Veterans at GPP are blooded.  Seriously.  They can pilot their way through any and all of our workouts gaining maximum benefit, while avoiding unnecessary pitfalls. 

Pitfalls? 

Mainly the pitfalls they avoid are wasted time and effort.  But, they are very skilled at avoiding injuries and excess soreness.  Notice I didn't say ALL soreness.  Even experts will hit the wall from time to time.  Hitting the wall seems to be part of this journey.  Experts are better at bouncing back though. 

One of the ways you can know you are approaching "Vet" status is by looking to the Rx.  If, in general, you are able to complete ALL of the workouts within any given week as it is written (as Rx'd).  As written means you can do all the reps, of all the sets, of all the rounds of any given workout.  It also means you did this with perfect form using the recommended weights.  It also means you can do this without evil, awful horribleness and pain.  If this is so, you are probably approaching "Veteran" status. 

Completing a consecutive week of our workouts as Rx'd shows broad based ability, fitness and skill.  Many people have individual strengths that lend to Rx'ing certain workouts after a short while.  But, few posses the ability to Rx workouts that lie outside of their strengths.  GPP programming is extremely broad in scope.  It will take you outside of your strengths regularly.  However, Vets will attain acumen within all aspects of fitness and develop more broad based abilities.  Rob Eastman is a great example of this broad-based fitness.  Last weekend, Rob ran 9 miles in 55 minutes.  Several weeks before that he bench pressed 110 lbs above his body weight for 2 reps.  See what I mean by broad? 

Each week, our unique programming ensures that we put all ten aspects of fitness on you in a way that will increase each aspect.  If you are very strong, you will Rx workouts that play to your strength, but in general, the endurance, stamina and flexibility stuff will take you for a ride.  The opposite is usually true of those with lots of endurance.  After you bring the other aspects of fitness up to speed with your strength, Veteran status is now within your grasp.     

Another way to know if you are a Vet is by logging time within our methodology.  If you understand and live the meaning and purposes of GPP fitness.  If you have spent more days than not over the last year exercising and learning about your fitness, health and nutrition.  If you have made positive and consistent gains in your health, fitness and appearance over the last 6-12 months and learned how to keep these gains.  If you have payed it forward by encouraging and helping others.  It is a safe bet that you are one of our salty, crusty old VETs.