Run Like an Avatar…..Barefoot!

Run Like an Avatar…..Barefoot!

I was watching the movie Avatar with my grandson and noticed something familiar about the way the Avatar characters were running. They stretched out their legs in front of them, long and lean, ending up with sticking the ground on the ball of their foot, just like I’ve been trained to do in barefoot running. Hmmm, I thought. Not a bad body image. If you’ve ever seen the movie, then you know I’m referring to the lean, 1% body fat and incredibly fit Avatar characters in the movie.

I avoid painful running in a whole different way. When I was road running or bounding around wooded trails in conventional running shows, I’d take it easy on myself by taking small strides. Again, heel striking, but with less force by implementing smaller and more numerous steps. Easy, right? Wrong. I still ended up sore, while my legs felt as tight as an oak door. I was sore one day before a barefoot run. I had a long day with patient care, on my feet for a twelve hour shift and was predictably tight the next day. I’ve learned to let my conscious mind go with barefoot running and let my body guide me, so without me thinking about it too much, I was taking long strides, slightly leaning forward and glancing the ground with the balls of my feet, just like in the movie. No pain with lots of gain! My legs loosened up, felt great all day and could imagine myself an Avatar.

Foot and heel pain have gone away! If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that I began looking into barefoot running by first reading Born to Run and became intrigued with ending my now frequent running injuries by going barefoot. As a medical provider I saw no logic in it based on my current education and it went completely against the advice of several friends of mine who are Podiatrists. I did it anyway. Those who know me will not be surprised.

I’m happy to report that after about seven months of slow and careful training, I no longer suffer from the ailments that had once plagued me. Barefoot running, using the new Vibram Five Fingers foot cover, which protects your bare feet from glass, has been able to strengthen my foot and produce a marked improvement in my feet’s stamina. I have seen my all too frequently diagnosed heel bursitis; plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis first lessen and then disappear. All from barefoot running. I can and have treated myself and many others with acupuncture to relieve the above foot maladies. They always came back when I tried to get active again. Just about to turn 51 years young, I know the importance of staying fit and keeping my weight down. I tend to be a carb king, so I have to balance it out with vigorous exercise or I’m going the way of the dinosaur. Barefoot running has made a tremendous difference in my ability to exercise again and stay pain free.

How do you keep running barefoot when the weather gets cold? I live in New England. The weather is already turning with cooler fall winds blowing. I found some special socks, Injinji, which are form fitting to your toes and made to use in Vibram Five Finger foot coverings. They separate your toes, just as the shoes do and make it easier to get the Vibram covering on your feet. It originally took me about two weeks to get used to putting them on. The socks do make it easier. I got two kinds, one lighter weight and the other a neoprene type fabric similar to a scuba divers wet suit. Both are wicking fabric so they pull moisture away from the skin. I have to say my Vibram Five Fingers fit better with the socks. My feet are narrow, so I can get some uncomfortable rubbing on my feet after about 60 minutes of exercise. Using the socks, my Vibrams fit better and I was out for 90 minutes with only minor discomfort. I’ll let you know how the other socks do when the weather gets colder.
Hope you are looking into this if you enjoy running and have been frustrated with injuries. Barefoot running has made a huge difference in my health.

All for now. Next time we’ll discuss what the wooly worm knows and how to run on slippery fall leaves as well as tread mills.