[This post is guest-authored by our friend Rob Raux from www.shodless.com]

Being barefoot and running barefoot is a blissful and consciousness-expanding endeavor. The feedback supplied from the ground is powerful enough to force even experienced runners to try it for only a mile or so, if they make it that far. Barefoot running, however wonderful, should not be subscribed to dogmatically.

There are myriad resources available expounding on the benefits of being barefoot. Most of their reasons, methods, and warnings have merit. Unfortunately many of them sway to heavily towards the one-size-fits-all solution.

Experiencing life unshod isn’t always the best option. Putting on a pair of huaraches or other minimalist shoes can serve a number of beneficial purposes:

1. Technical Trail Running.
   Many people worry that the rocks, twigs, and roots on a trail make barefoot trail running impossible. Not true. First, you use your eyes and avoid what worries you. Second, your feet aren’t rigid and can grab and grip and mold around many “obstacles.”

   That said, while there’s nothing better than feeling the grass beneath your feet, having your heel land on an embedded rock leaves something to be desired. To be more specific, it could leave behind a bruise that will take at least a week to heal.

   That doesn’t include the chance of damaging the fatty tissue which protects your heel bone from impacting the ground. If any of this sounds painful, trust me, it’s worse than you’re picturing.

   A trail has hazards which you may not wish to risk if you’re still an inexperienced barefooter. When a single false step means a week of no running, it’s just not worth it to be ideological about keeping yourself unshod.

2. Additional mileage
   Your body may be able to take additional mileage, but the bottoms of your feet may not be ready to support it yet barefoot. Now, if you’re looking to become a better barefoot runner, this is good news — when your skin tells you to stop… STOP! Over time it’ll adapt (not callous) and you’ll be able to put in more miles.

   Until then, there’s nothing wrong with protecting your precious footsies, but only if you know your form is correct. If you are transitioning from shoes to barefoot and have yet to perfect the change from heel strike to mid foot strike or a forefoot strike, don’t ask for trouble by adding more miles in a minimalist shoe. You’ll find yourself injured promptly and thoroughly.

   If you are comfortable in your stride, you will find that your feet hit a natural point where further barefoot running may only lead to blisters (that usually means your form has broken down and you’re pulling/pushing the ground, instead of placing/lifting). In these cases, adding a protective covering will give you the opportunity to add those additional miles you crave.

3. Racing
   A foot covering increases your margin for error while running. Proponents of barefoot running tout the pain feedback loop as a beneficial aspect. Any foot covering blocks the pain receptors, which allow you to cause more damage to your body.

   In a race, this can be a necessary evil. A reduced pain feedback loop allows you to run a longer duration of more intensity. The covering may also absorb some of the mistakes you may have made barefoot (stepping on that rock in your mental fatigue).

   There’s obviously a very fine line to be ridden here, and one that you can certainly go too far with. Go with the least amount of covering possible and you should be able to dampen and absorb just the minimal amount of error to improve your results.

   I’d love to say, “If you’re not comfortable running that distance, don’t race that distance.” But I know how some of us… I mean, YOU… can be

4. The bitter cold
   Mother nature yields to no man. Don’t even think about getting the best of father winter.

   If you live in a climate that has a true winter, you know what frostbite feels like. Now try running barefoot.

   Amazingly, there are folks who do it, and enjoy it. And check out Steven shoveling snow in his huaraches. Frankly, I’ve tried it and even I think that’s crazy. Most people are going to need something to keep their feet protected from the elements (wind, snow, slush, etc.). Each person has a different tolerance, which will adapt as they get more comfortable with the colder weather.

   When dealing with the elements it’s best to be safer than pull up limp 3 miles from your house and walk the rest of the way home.

I was recently on a panel discussion about barefoot running. At one point, someone in the audience asked “So how do I transition to barefoot running?”

Before I could respond, a well-respected physical therapist suggested the following:

“First, switch to a slightly lower heeled shoe than what you have. Run in that for a few months. Then add a racing flat, maybe one day a week for a while… then add an extra day every month, until you can run in those. Then maybe try something like Vibrams on a soft surface, like grass in a park. Work up to being able to run on the grass… then try a soft dirt path. Eventually you may be able to run on hard surfaces, but don’t do that too often. And I don’t recommend being totally barefoot because you could step on something.”

The only reason I didn’t interrupt him was that I was in shock. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But then he tossed out this next line:

“Expect to spend about 2 to 3 years making the transition. That’s how long I’ve been doing it and I’m still not there.”

And that’s when the politeness stopped.

“Hold on,” I said, “this is completely upside down.”

Danny Abshire from Newton jumped in as well, “Right, that’s backwards.”

I’ll tell you what Danny and I proposed, instead, in just a moment. But first, let’s back up to the question that started it all.

“How do you transition!?”

The idea built into the question itself seems to make sense. If you’re wearing a motion-controlled shoe with a 3″ heel and a $400 orthotic, it seems logical that you need to slowly wean yourself from all that support. It seems clear that you would need to get comfortable in a lower and lower heel until you’re ready for barefoot.

But things are not always as they seem.

Here’s the bottom line: There is nothing that “prepares” you for being barefoot. Nothing.

Not “zero-drop” shoes (where your heel is at the same height as the ball of your foot. Not Vibrams. Not a thinner insole. Not even huaraches (more about those in a second).

Anything that you put on your feet will change either your stride and biomechanics or the amount of sensation you’re feeling in your feet (or both) compared to being barefoot. So once you take off your shoes, or fully feel the ground, you’ll need to learn to move differently.

Here’s where some people stop reading what I’m saying and respond with two arguments (to points I’m not making).

First, they’ll say, “Oh, so you’re some sort of barefoot purist! Who are you to tell me what to wear or not wear?”

To be clear, I’m not telling anyone what to wear and I’m not saying barefoot is the only way to be (the majority of my time I am in Invisible Shoes). This article is about the myth of “transitioning”, not about your footwear, or lack thereof.

Secondly, people will say, “Yes, but switching to a racing flat or zero-drop shoe will give your Achilles time to stretch and strengthen, and that better prepares you for being barefoot.”

To them I say, “Not always and, even if it were true, there’s a better way.”

Keep in mind that the biggest reason for going totally barefoot is that feeling the ground with your skin gives you the most feedback about your form. Feedback that, if you attend to it, can inspire you to change your gait to something more efficient, easy, and natural. Running in Invisible Shoes is, really, the same… if they covered everywhere you stepped in 4-6mm of flexible rubber.

I’ve seen hundreds of people in VFFs or racing flats who still heel strike or have some other gait pattern where they aren’t getting much if any extra “Achilles strengthening and stretching”.

So, what’s the better way to “transition” that Danny and I chimed in with?

Take off your shoes (or put on your Invisible Shoes), find the hardest and smoothest surface you can find (like a bike path or street) and run.

But only do it for about 200 yards.

Then see how you feel the next day.

You may be sore, you may be fine. If you’re sore, wait until you’re not. Then go try again, and add 100 or 200 yards. Repeat.

I think of this as the “Shampoo method” of barefoot running. Instead of “Lather, Rinse, Repeat,” it’s run a little, rest, repeat (and run a little more).

Keep in mind, there are two types of soreness. One is from using muscles you haven’t used in a while, or using them in a way you haven’t used in a while (if ever), or using them a bit more than usual.

The other is from doing something wrong. Like doing way too much distance (which part of 200 yards was confusing to you?), or trying to stay on your toes without letting your heels ever touch the ground (Not necessary… land mid- or forefoot, but your heel can touch down. No need to do 200 yards of calf raises).

In other words, a little soreness is probably normal. A lot of soreness is telling you to try something different.

And this idea that you need to be on soft surfaces. Completely wrong. And wrong for the same reason that you don’t want to be in cushy running shoes.

Give yourself a soft surface and the odds are good you’ll heel-strike. Plus, soft surfaces don’t give you the feedback you want, the kind that can help you quickly learn a new and better way to run. I’ve seen barefoot runners who’ve only run on grass, and they usually look like shod runners who lost their shoes.

Instead of thinking that you can work your way to barefoot or huaraches slowly, go there immediately. But work your way up in time/distance slowly.

All the strengthening that you want to do before you run barefoot, you’ll get that faster by running barefoot.

To misquote Yoda’s famous “There is no try. Only do.” There is no transition, only run.

Oh, the joys of being barefoot. We will all be able to look back and think of this time as “the enlightenment” when we finally ditched our constrictive foot coffins and let our toes emerge, shaking and crooked, to see the light and heal. The more you adjust to ditching the shoes, the more you find yourself heading out shodless or in something minimal (not everyone wants to get kicked out of a restaurant or pay attention to every shard on the street).  Unfortunately, this pedal liberation does have its costs. You may now find yourself struck with a case of shoeguiltitis (SHOO-gilt-ite-iss).

The Problem:

This affliction generally creeps on slowly, but as you embrace your barefoot life more fully, you may quickly and unknowingly find yourself in its grips. Do you avoid looking at the piles of shoes in your closet? Do you find yourself making negotiations when passing the shoe rack? Oh, I will wear them next week. But next week never comes. Do you feel regret and see $$$ signs oscillating through the air when confronted with your shoe collection? Do you suppress a strong urge to hurl all of your shoes out the window and into the nearest dumpster? Then feel the inevitable guilt for the landfill waste you would be contributing to as well as the hundreds of wasted dollars spent? Do you feel the urge to run with your old shoes only so you can get your “money’s worth” and use them until they are “done”? If you have answered yes to one or more of these questions, you have Shoeguiltitis.

The Solution:

Fear not, my barefoot amigos! While you have moved on from your raised-heel, toe-spring, arch-supportive motion-control running  shoes, there are others that will find hope and safety in your shoes. Soles4Souls can take your old shoes, clean them up, and donate them to those in need. I know what you’re thinking – why would I want to give someone else the very shoes that had me feet up with two bags of frozen peas on my knees? Here’s why: in other countries where clean water isn’t as plentiful and infectious disease isn’t as easily controlled, there are children and adults who can protect themselves from sickness and disease by wearing shoes. For others, they may have access to clean water, but may have lost everything they own due to devastating circumstances. You can make a difference.

Soles4Souls was founded on the mission to “change the world, one pair [of shoes] at a time.” After seeing the devastation of the 2004 tsunami in Asia and later damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina, CEO Wayne Elsey felt compelled to do something. When television coverage aired a single shoe washing up on a beach, he knew he had found his calling. From there S4S was formed and has since donated well over 14 million pairs of shoes to 127 countries including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Every 7 seconds, a pair of shoes is placed into the hands of someone in need. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

How to Donate: Follow this link and find a drop-off location nearest you.

Learn More: www.soles4souls.org

Take a few minutes and cure your Shoeguiltitis just in time for the summer sunshine.

Feel the World!