I leaned into the run I would get blisters

[Labi1995]

As part of my whirlwind trip to New York City, on Sunday morning I attended the NYC Barefoot Run. Rather than starting the race with the other runners, I opted to set up shop about a quarter mile from the starting line with my trusty high-speed video camera in tow. Managed to film all of the runners as they passed by, and got some great footage. Lot’s of interesting observations should come of this. Anyway, my messages for the day:Just because you take your shoes off and run barefoot does not necessarily mean your form footstrike (updated: form may have changed in other ways, such as the degree of overstride or angle of the heelstrike) will change immediately. Perhaps it might never adapt without conscious effort. I have a different pair for each day of the week. I also have a pair I race in. My form changes to match each pair. The pair I race in (Brooks Green Silence) allows me to run any way i want depending on speed, slope, and fatigue. Adidas Altune heel strike, Adidas Rocket forefoot mostly, heel going downhill. Puma street forefoot even going downhill, Mizuno Wave Rider 13 heel strike, Asics Hyper speed 4 forefoot uphill, flat on the flats, and heel downhill, Pearl streak forefoot when running fast, flat medium, and heel slow, Saucony Peregrine is like the Brooks Green Silence except I use them mainly off road. I guess my shoes dominate how I run. I have heard from some people that they forefoot strike regardless of the shoe. As you have shown it is obvious that some people heel strike regardless of what they are not wearing. Even when I run barefoot the type of landing I have is determined by what I am landing on.I can tell you that what they are landing on is fairly rough pavement. The only really smooth part is close to the starting line. I am also baffled by the barefoot heel striker – not so much the vff guy because I see that all the time. How fast they were going will impact my opinion though, because if they are traveling at a good clip then they can touch their heel lightly down before putting their entire weight on their full foot. Still though, I only heel strike when I’m tired or when the ground is really soft like grass. I think The Gait Guys might say that the problem is not the foot, the problems are the hip and the knee – even for the forefoot landing costume wearing dude. The angle measured at the back of the knee is too large and the angle measured at the hip flex-or is too large – is what I get from their instructions and it has worked for me. Once I got lower down, I was actually able to lean a bit. Before when I was upright like the costume dude if I leaned into the run I would get blisters. Now I’m faster, smoother, lighter. I don’t bounce etc etc.
I’m gonna do a video for Patton in barefoot and in my Merrells and I’ll send it to you too. I would be interested in your feedback.I think it has alot to do with what we do growing up as our bodies develop. I had never owned a pair of running shoes growing up, I did all my running barefoot without a thought, as I guess many kids did down here in New Zealand did in the 70’s. I bought my first pair of running shoes at 25 yrs and had nothing but trouble with shin splints to the point that a well meaning podiatrist made me a pair orthotics to slip into my already heavily supported Asics. This only served to make everything 10 times worse.After stupidly perservering on and of for another 10 years, I saw the light again after reading Chi Running 4 years ago and was immediately back to forefoot striking in my still chunky shoes. It came naturally, I guess as Chris McD puts it, I was born to do it and it certainly felt that way!I have never looked back and can only wear minimalist shoes now. I suppose there is a lesson for all parents, let your kids be kids and run the way they were born to, barefoot, at least until their bones and muscoskeletal system have matured.