And I do appreciate my bare feet for not hurting themselves when something sharp pops up underneath them. My conscious brain would be far too late to prevent the harm if they had to instruct my feet first.

But seriously…. I am stunningly overweight, and unfit and NO I don’t run. My poor knees….

But walking barefoot has been a revelation in terms of using all those sensory nerve endings in the feet to really come into contact with the ground and really be in touch with the way my ankles, knees and hips are reacting to the way my feet are striking the ground. I am looking forward to being fit enough to run You guys are an inspiration to me

Hi Kavih,

Let me answer your questions… below

1) Is sand/beach running recommended or frowned upon?

Neither. It’s a fine surface to run on, just like concrete, trails, streets, and any other surface. It’s just that each surface has different characteristics and will require different adjustments in form and conditioning.

Sand is, obviously, abrasive, in a way that concrete isn’t. Sand, obviously, absorbs shock in a way that concrete doesn’t.

You may want to check out the article I wrote at http://www.invisibleshoe.com/297/surfaces/

2) Does it matter whether it is soft or hard-packed sand to run on? (I have a theory that soft sand is worse than hard…)

I agree with your theory.

3) Have you or those you know experienced long barefoot runs on sand/beach and did you/they experience pain after the run (is what I’m experiencing expected)?

Again, you’re running on a highly abrasive surface, and you have to use more energy to overcome the amount of shock absorption in the sand. That said, over time, you can acclimate to almost anything.

BTW, you mentioned that you were trying to stay off your heels. There’s no need to do that. You don’t want to LAND on your heels, but trying to stay off of them is unnatural and takes a lot of extra energy. Aim for relaxing as much as you can and you’ll see that your heel probably drops and lightly touches the ground before you lift your foot off the ground.

4) Would Huaraches Sandles help?

Well, they’ll add a layer of protection… but like any sandal, it’s not possible to keep sand from getting in between your foot and the sole. I know people wear Invisible Shoes on every surface known to man, and I wear mine for everything… but I can’t tell you either way whether they’ll help you. That depends as much on your form and your mileage as it does on the shoes.

5) For a beginner barefoot runner, should I start off with trails/street as opposed to sand/beach?

See the post I mentioned, above. (the answer is Yes)

-Steven

Here in Boulder, Colorado, the Boulder Creek Path or the sidewalks around the university aren’t asphalt, but they’re really smooth, well maintained, and divine for barefoot running.

Depends on the gravel. Some is great. Some is, well, not.

And, yes, we’ve got what you’re looking for on the way (more details soon).

This morning, I ran with my huaraches on the gravel side of Alameda creek. Just like Steven says, these huaraches are not much different than running barefoot. Ouch! I lasted about 10 minutes and headed for the streets. How about some thicker Vibram Steven? We could have some invisible trail shoes and invisible street shoes.

Stay off the gravel!

When I run barefoot on the street, I often carry my huaraches as a “back up” or escape plan. You never know when and if your pads will start to burn. What if half way through a run, you decide that you want to go longer? See what I mean? Besides being invisible, they are also almost weightless.

I know this is a barefoot running community so don’t hate me for saying this. Here is something to consider.

What are your goals?

Every runner has a different goal and reasons why they run. I know for me barefoot running, VFF, or running in huaraches is for fun exploratory runs but when I am racing and seriously training, I will opt for my racing flats or spikes. You have more traction, more protection, and run faster.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers,
AC

Was man really made to run barefoot on sidewalks?
Do the Taramuhara run barefoot or on tire-sandals which would provide much more protection.
The book- Born to Run- speaks of Caballo Blanco running in Tevas.

Definitely smooth cement for me. Thanks for every ones input. If you still don’t believe man has evolved to run on many different surfaces including hard ones like cement, then I suggest you try it out and listen to your feet. Regurgitating propaganda from shoe companies advertisements is why people are so against barefooting in the first place. Once you try what this post is about: “what is you favorite surface to run barefooted style on?”, then your comments will be relevant.

Thanks again Steven