My Buddy Oso Polar posted this on the Runners world barefoot running board. Having dealt with Posterior Tibial Tendinitis from running barefoot and doing to much to soon TMTS, I thought this was a great massage and stretching exercise for the Posterior Tibial Tendon. Even though I am basically back to normal, I still massage the muscles and tendons after a long Barefoot run and it feels wonderful.
Sit in a chair and place the ankle of the leg to be massaged on the opposite knee. You’ll be looking right at the medial side of the shin – and post tib. (All of the following assumes you’re massaging your left leg.) Place the thumb of your right hand right behind the shin bone, down by the ankle. The thumb is placed along the bone – so it’s pointing up toward the knee. The fingers of the right hand will wrap around the front of the shin. Now place the left thumb on top of the right thumb. Wrap the left hand fingers around the front of the shin. Start making small circles with your foot. You’ll see post tib contract and relax. Push your thumbs deeply/firmly into the flesh and, while making slow circles with your foot, slide your thumbs up toward the knee. You’ll hopefully be massaging that muscle and releasing any of the restricting fascia that could be inhibiting the muscle movement.
via Runners World – barefoot running – posterior tibial tendinitis.
I have found that Interval training / Hill Speed Work required a completely different method. In high school I was a sprinter. My events were 100 Meter and 100 Meter hurdles. All power came from the hips and legs and was transferred to the ground through the feet pushing off and driving into the ground with every ounce of energy. Barefoot, this would be a difficult task as it would shred the balls of the feet. Some form of protection is required.
Sprinting barefoot requires a much more refined approach. In my experiments I found that a gradual acceleration, straight and aligned body posture with the weight moving through the center of the body, forward knee thrusts engaging the hip flexors, solid arm swings with thrusting back motion, exaggerated lean from the ankles without a bending at the hips and a very solid mid to forefoot plant followed immediately by a strong pull are essential. Any attempt to push off barefoot ends in hot spots and torn skin. Gravity is used to accelerate the body but to increase the speed, a forward drive of the knees and a strong swing of the arms can help increase acceleration without increasing the force exerted on the foot. As you begin to accelerate and decelerate, Do so slowly as to not create accelerating and braking forces on the foot. This is a critical time in sprinting barefoot and avoiding injuries
I like intervals on hills mainly for the added intensity but it also creates a situation where it is very hard to run in bad form. To climb a hill you need a high knee step and an exaggerated knee thrust as well as a forward lean from the ankles.
I included this picture because I love the alignment through the entire body.
via Barefoot Interval training | Barefoot Runners Society.
This pretty much sums it up
Positive side effects of BF Running
- My balance improved, Core work helped there too
- Chronic Shin Splints went away after 7 years steady
- Calf trigger points have disappeared, better hydration may be helping as is foam roller
- Knee pain is gone. Have bad knees, meniscus tears. No pain now
- I smile when I run
- My form has dramatically improved. I am a puller not a pusher
- Oddly, my shoulders don't hurt after long runs. Probably form related
- My heart rate during running is 20 beats lower than when I wore shoes. Could be I run more now.
- Having the time of my life
Negative side effects of BF Running
- Ankles are still adjusting. Posterior Tibial Tendon still inflames occasionally but getting better. Too much too soon did some insult that is not clearing quickly
- People think I am weird, but I guess that was pre-existing
AKA Scooter- The Barefoot Buddha
via Have a medical condition or running-related injury that somehow cleared up when ditching the shoes? Please share! | Barefoot Runners Society.
I spend a decent amount of time in Central America and have grown to LOVE LOVE LOVE fresh handmade Corn Tortillas. However, creating them authentically at home has proved to be an elusive beast…. until today. I finally nailed the perfect Tortillas and man are they yummy and great nutrition too.
Made from Masaca Flour I use one cup flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp NoSalt (potassium) and the secret is extra water. Make the dough wet enough that it is very pliable and just short of sticky. Then divide into 4 even balls and let stand 10 minutes in a sealed container. This allows the flour to absorb a little water. then put a sheet of plastic down and press out the ball a little, Add a sheet of plastic over the ball and start rolling or spreading. To get good at this takes time… be patient. Or once you master this, go spend $9.99 on a tortilla press. I told myself no press until I mastered hand forming. I was close.
Once the patties are made throw them in the pan about 30-45 seconds each side. You will know when they have nice brown areas. The pan MUST be VERY hot like around 500 F. Use Cast Iron or Aluminum. Teflon Pans will burn and give off toxic gasses killing pets and possibly you.
Once the Tortilla is cooked, place it between two paper towels and aluminum foil. This step is very important to the flexibility of the tortilla. Basically you sandwich the tortillas between Foil and then Paper towels to seal in the moisture and continue baking them in their own steam. Every time you finish a tortilla, stack it on the rest and reseal the foil.
These have enough Carbs, Protein, Sodium and Potassium to be considered Runner Electrolyte Tortillas. I am now experimenting on eating them as I run. This should be fun!
Here is a picture of the final product, well what is left after my lunch Smile
via The perfect Corn Tortilla | Barefoot Runners Society.
Preface: An old friend asked me about my barefoot running and I responded to him and thought the response would fit nicely here.
Here is a follow up on your question about me running barefoot.  I started running again back in 2002 or so and had quite a struggle. I was horribly out of shape and had smoked for a large portion of my adult life. I started small and was able to work up to 3 miles a few times a week and settled for that until I met a friend that had run 40+ marathons and talked me into training for one. As I started increasing miles, I started getting more and more injuries. Shin splints were so bad that I couldn’t even walk at times, Knee pain, plantar fasciitis, calf pain where the soleus connects to the bone, hip and back problems.  Basically I was a train wreck.
This breakdown would happen every year as I ramped up my mileage and every year I would reach a point that meant taking off a few months to recover right around marathon season. I had a few years where I could do a few 10 milers but that was all I could muster before the injuries started. Last year I had had enough. The 2009 season was awesome for me because I had worked my mileage to 18 miles when I was slammed with pain again and training was shut down. I went through tons of PT and the therapist started me on some barefoot exercises. A friend told me to try running barefoot about the same time. I was skeptical since I had tried it once before and ended up having massive calf pain.
I started out small since I was in the middle of injuries but I wanted to run and keep the cardio I had in hopes of catching a late season race. After a few weeks of runs ½ mile at a time I bumped up to a mile, then 2 then 3 and soon was running 5 miles. The pain moved from shin splints to calf pain so I had to really monitor that but as the calf muscles strengthened, I started getting better and as we headed into winter I was running 5-6 miles 3-4 times a week completely barefoot and many of those runs were on trails and asphalt. My arches are nice and solid now and everything seems to be well. I still have some ankle issues but I am working through them and getting stronger.
There are no guarantees that as I ramp up mileage in the 2010 season I won’t get injuries but there are many things I am changing. Running barefoot or at least minimal wear like Vibram Five Fingers is the goal along with lots of trail running mixed in with my street beatings. I’ll see how it goes.
As for barefoot and Plantar Fasciitis, I have met many people through various groups that swear they got over PF simply by slowly strengthening the foot with barefoot runs on grassy surfaces. Many College coaches are now doing barefoot training for athletes. I prefer not to run on grass. It seems every time I do I step on something that was left there. On the asphalt, sidewalks and trails, I seem to have better luck. Maybe you could try a few short runs a week just to start building up foot muscle and see how that works over time. Running barefoot isn’t for everyone but it seems to work well for me.
Maybe this summer I can get out that way and can go for a run and get a garlic burger and laugh about old times.
Just a little perspective for those who want to know
Here is what I see or saw through my eye
What I should See
Bad Eye Morning 1/4/2010
What I am seeing today 1/5/2010
Going to miss Army this Year. Man this sucks.
My head and heart want to go but the left leg is just killing me. Yesterday I ran to catch the Metro and even after a 20 yard sprint, the leg throbbed for 2 solid hours. Messed up Man! It was an Ibuprofen night
Here is a picture from last years race at the finish, Holy Crapolla, can you say heal strike?
Me running Army 2008
Health, Running | Scott Schneider | 
June 29, 2010 10:22 am | 
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