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Category: Running

Correct barefoot running form – avoiding top of the foot pain and tendinitis

Published by Patrick Durante on February 7, 2011

First let me tell you my story with barefoot running. I attempted to migrate to minimalist shoes twice and failed. The first time I was a victim of the too much too soon. I didn’t limit my mileage and started off running 5-6 miles. As a result, I had pain on the top of my foot. I don’t know if it was a mild stress fracture or just tendinitis. It’s not like I’m unaccustomed to running in minamalist shoes! I have been using racing flat for several years, why was this transition so difficult for me??? I have run two marathons and done plenty of trail running, I’m a strong runner. Right?!? WRONG. I was in so much pain that I actually put the five finger shoes away and was unsure if they would ever see the light of day. The issue was my form but I’m getting to that.

The second time was after I purchased a pair of the Mizuno Wave Universe 3s.

This is an incredible shoe, it’s actually lighter than the vibram KSO. My thought was that it was the perfect blend of a racing flat and a minimalist shoe. Since they were like a racing flat only lighter I shouldn’t need to worry about hurting myself, right? WRONG AGAIN!! These shoes have a very low heel and I still didn’t adjust my form to absorb the shock. Just like the first time, I was struck with pain. It was the same location, on the top of my left foot, right below the toes. I couldn’t believe it, what was I doing wrong?

The Answer!
This video opened my eyes to some of the issues.

Practice these exercises and take note of your form. If you have access to a treadmill, try completely removing your shoes, and go for a brief run. I was still pushing off with my forefoot, and I wasn’t lifting my knees. Another common mistake of runners new to barefoot is trying to run on the forefoot only. It’s a combination of both forefoot and mid-foot that helps absorb the impact. You need to LIFT YOUR KNEES, not push off your forefoot. This was the big mistake I was making. You need to bend your knees, but not too much. Like he says in the video it’s 50% elasticity and 50% muscle action. The combination of poor posture and too long of a stride also wasn’t helping my cause. You need to increase the amount of steps you take as you transition. This was also very different than traditional shod running. With this new information in mind, I’m now working on the problems that caused injuries. My hope is that, with this next season of running, I’ll increase my efficiency and prevent injury all while enjoying my fun minimalist shoes. That’s what I hope at least… I’m still dealing with some calf soreness as I change my form, but I’m taking it slow this time.

Post in the comments your experience with barefoot running. Let me know anything you’ve done to help the transition.

The Philadelphia Marathon – 2010

The Philadelphia Marathon – 2010

Published by Patrick Durante on November 24, 2010

After months of training, various 20 mile runs to work, decents amount of speed/hill work, it was finally time to face the marathon. You really couldn’t ask for a more perfect day, the weather wasn’t too cold, not as cold as you would think it would be for November.  This is my second attempt at the marathon, last year I suffered great pain and torture as I hit the 17th mile.  It was going to be different, having put in the necessary miles I knew going out I wasn’t going to struggle like last year.  Last year, I wasn’t happy with my marathon time.  I knew that I had left a large amount of time on the table, having to walk because of cramping was discouraging.  I saw several people that were in my same position as last year, it starts to happen as you head in to Manayunk.  The large steep hill, on main street, is brutal on your already tired legs.  This is also where you can find “race supporters” handing out beer. It’s one of the moments in the race you will either love or hate for, difficult because of the hill but great for the large amount of supporters.

A concern I had this year was finding a comfortable pace, I always worry about crossing the finish line with not giving it my all.  At the beginning of the race, I said to myself, if I can hold a 7:00 minute mile pace I would be happy with that.  Using my Garmin 405, I kept a careful watch on my time.  I like having instant feedback, it helped me avoid the problems of last year.  By the end of the race I ended up averaging 8:00 minutes a mile, 48 seconds faster per mile then my time last year.  As I passed Loyld hall in the final home stretch, I passed my father who was out supporting me.  Seeing my Dad provided an extra little boost I needed to help finish the race.

Running a consistent pace helped aid in the recovery process. I also made sure to continue walking directly after the race.  Last year, I remember sitting down on the side of the curb as I tried to recover. Massaging my legs with “the stick” for 30 minutes after helped with the soreness. I also continued to massage them daily, it’s painful but critical to a quick recovery. The Turkey Trot was coming up on Thanksgiving day so I wanted to recover fast so I didn’t miss it. I know I’m not even close to being competitive with the marathon. It feels good to PR in a short race, but nothing compares to defeating the marathon and beating your previous time.