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

Do not force yourself to run on the balls of your feet. I have never

recommended such tension in running.



Focus on the following:

- vertical posture of torso

- bent knees

- hips forward (do not stick the butt out back)

- fast steps (cadence)

- relax, relax, relax..



Listen to what your soles and body tells you. Pain is a tool, to

teach which techniques do not work comfortably. Running is NOT an

endurance sport, where one must endure pain to suceed. One should,

instead learn to avoid pain, in order to run more efficiently,

smoothly, and naturally.



more...

http://runningbarefoot.org/?p=623



Have fun,

-barefoot ken bob



--- 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

>

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

>

--- 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

>

Can you tell of the pain in the shins is from the impact or from the

shin muscles being used more?  In my transition (I just started a week

ago or so) I have noticed pain in my shins, but its the pain from

exercising muscles that don't get used, not pain on joints or bones.

----- Original Message -----

From: Jason ******

To: RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 6:00 AM

Subject: [RunningBarefoot] Re: Newbie at running barefoot

--- 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
>
Can you tell of the pain in the shins is from the impact or from the
shin muscles being used more? In my transition (I just started a week
ago or so) I have noticed pain in my shins, but its the pain from
exercising muscles that don't get used, not pain on joints or bones.

---

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--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "Tom & Beth Mouser"

<mouser4@...> wrote:

>

>  >Landing with most of our weight on the forefoot, with it's greater

width,

> or on the entire sole, naturally promotes a more stable landing. A

canoe is

> easier to tip than an outrigger!

>

> This seems to be saying to land on the balls of our feet.  I will try to

> bend my knees more and relax.  Thanks again~

>

I had trouble with this very issue.  For me, the problem is that if I

think about how my feet are landing, I end up with some tension in my

calves when my foot lands.  This leads to calf pain.  The idea is that

if you do everything else right and forget about your feet, not only

will they land properly but you also keep them relaxed.  I'm still

working on this when I'm running on rock-strewn trails, but when it

works, it's amazing.



Good luck and have fun,  Gordon