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Well, I just got back from my first legit barefoot run. I figured I would type up a bit of info about the run and my background and then some various bits of info regarding how I decided to start running barefoot and why. Then I’ll tell how it went.

I was in the Army Reserve for 6 years (including a 15-month tour in Iraq), but I never developed and affinity for running because it was always such a regulated chore. I like running alone at my own pace, but Army style running was unfun for me. Furthermore, my Army time led to back problems which are not uncommon for servicemembers. This further steered me away from running. I have, for the last few years, struggled with staying fit because my lower back gives me so many problems. Running/jogging has become a rather painful process for me; the jarring of my foot’s impact on the road causes discomfort during, and serious soreness after, each run.

In any case, I was reading a Men’s Health mag one day and ran across an article on barefoot running. It’s really long (6 pages), but it is a great read for runners:

The Men Who Live Forever: Men’s Health circa 2003

I have further researched barefooting and found a strong internet following. I am sure it has been discussed at length here as well. Several articles and anecdotes I have read suggest that barefooting is easier on your back because it eliminates the up-and-down “jogging and jarring” motion in running. That is the main reason I have taken on this training.

Here are a few good links I collected while checking out the subject:

runningbarefoot.org
keith-in-training.com
barefootrunner.org

I have committed myself to training to run a barefoot marathon – hopefully the Country Music Marathon in Nashville next April – as a goal to drive and motivate me. I might just go for the half this coming year, though, depending on how things go, but I intend on running a couple 5k and 10k races in the mean time. I will chronicle my training as I go. I may drop a link later for those that may want to follow it.

My first real barefoot run was today. I ran about 2.5 miles and walked another 2.5 – about half of each was barefoot; the other half was wearing Vibram Fivefingers Sprints. I had a few blisters come up on my soles between my biggest toe and second biggest and another on the instep of each ball. My first significant barefoot walk was about five days ago during which I got blisters in the same locations but on my second (actually my longest) toes on each foot. From what I have read, this is just part of it. I am willing to endure the blisters if it means that I can return to running pain-free despite my bad back. Pics of said blisters will be forthcoming.