Hi Beth and welcome to this extremely good group!

I, too, thought I would transition into barefoot running by just
running on the balls of my feet. Its not that simple, and it caused me
some damage. Yes, running barefoot uses the balls of the feet more,
but don't focus on them as the primary goal. Its better to focus on
the whole body alignment and movement.

Read the section on "Beginning" on the website:

http://runningbarefoot.org/?page_id=455

I've boiled down my running formula to these four simple rules:

1) Knees bent.
2) Feet placed beneath your body, not out in front. (Step within your
noon-shadow.)
3) Tilt forward from the ankles, not the waist.
4) Faster cadence - 3 per second equals 180 per minute.

I like to tell people, If you can go down stairs stepping on every
step, then you can run barefoot. Or, If you can run in place, then you
can run barefoot. The body alignment and foot placement for these are
very similar to running barefoot. Forward movement is accomplished by
leaning forward from the ankles.

Someone once asked me how I run barefoot. I told them: I just run in
place - for ten miles!

Re-training my brain was the hardest part of learning to run barefoot.
Un-learn the bad forms and re-learn the good forms.

I hope your new running experience is happy and injury-free!!

Ryan
Vancouver, WA
(the OTHER Washington)
(the OTHER Vancouver)


--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "Beth M." <mouser4@...> wrote:
>
> I have been running barefoot for several weeks on the canal road behind
> our house. There are a few rocks mixed in the dirt. Overall, I am
> really enjoying it and surprised that the dirt feels so good. I am a
> person who has never really gone barefoot in the past.
>
> My question is that I am trying to run on the balls of my feet. I
> think this is what you all recommended. Is my heel supposed to touch
> the ground at all? While running tonight, my heel hit several rocks
> and now my heel feels bruised.
>
> Also, my shins are hurting and I think it might be from running with
> weight on balls of feet.
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Beth
>