Thanks for your comments. May I ask what treadmill you are having such success on. Might you have the make and model?

Thanks!

I think of myself as using a methodical, structured approach in my training and I’m not one to jump headfirst into a new thing. With my shod training runs up around 16 miles, I thought I was a reasonably strong runner, but even so, I decided to be really conservative and only did an easy 1/4 mile barefoot my first time out. It felt wonderful!

The next day I could hardly walk due to severe pain in my right metatarsal arch. It took four weeks to recover. I decided I’d need to make my transition MUCH more slowly. I started with very short walks of a hundred yards and over 4 weeks worked up to 1.5 miles. My feet felt good, so I started with easy little runs of 100 yards, then worked up to 1 mile. The mile felt so good that the following day I did 1.5 miles. By the time I got done, I could hardly walk. Now I’m recovering from pain at the 2nd metatarsal heads on both feet. I guess I’ll have to start over and take it MUCH, MUCH more slowly.

I’m not a medical professional so take my advise as just an opinion. Having said this I very strongly believe that when there is pain it is a very strong signal that something is wrong. I would keep yourself away from running until things feel very close to normal again.

Going slow would never be more important than for a situation like yours. If things hurt, stop.

It is of course impossible to say what would happen for you as there isn’t any solid data on things like this, however, I have spoken to and read about at least 50 cases where people had problems with PF and they were completely resolved with a more barefoot lifestyle.

Please let is know how you progress.

Who has had personal exerience with this?

Being a person who has not ran anywhere in the past 12 years who has just signed up for a 3 mile fun run, I am taking it very carefully with my barefooting, because I am not fit enough and get out of breath after 100-200 yards anyway! So I thought I may as well start from scratch with my running and my fitness and build them both up at once.

I bought a pair of Vivo Barefoot Lucys in black leather last year, so I could wear them all day, every day while around the office with trousers/shirt and the usual smart clothes and it not be noticeable.

The first week I wore the shoes my foot muscles and bones literally felt like they were cracking and breaking out of ice – and they ached so much!! My calf muscles and achilles tendon also felt like they were constantly stretching. I was still stumping my heel down, which I soon learned not to do as it was uncomfortable. I now take shorter strides when walking. The shoes are really comfy to me now, and by contrast my trainers feel like they are crushing my toes.

I am going to do the whole run in my Barefoot shoes. I’m not going to run crazy fast, if I get out of breath I will walk for a time, or if my legs hurt I will walk for a time. Rest assured I am going to pace myself.

Arround 2 months ago, I bought my first pair of Terra plana lesotho to go to work. The change was so amazing that I did not put my feet in a traditional shoes from that time, adding 2 other pairs for work and leisure.
I don’t know if it is only an idea, but I feel my feet are much more bigger than before.

As an Ultrarunner, I try to do the same for my running shoes, but as you said the progress need to be very slow. I moved from high heeled shoes to nike free first arround 10 months ago, then moved to lasportiva crosslite where I am now performing most of my training and races. In the same time I run more and more with Inov8 F230, and add a 20-30 mn barefoot training on tread miles every 2-3 weeks, at low speed .

So far so good, my body accepted the transition with some complain some times (on achil mainly) but nothing serious or leting me stop running.

The road is long before I can finish UTMB barefoot (or at least with VFF) but I can say it is for sure a realistic goal.

Bipédy

I have no idea if going slower would have made any difference or not, but since I had no intentions of going any slower I don’t really care.

Just a few weeks ago, I got up the courage to go again. And although I’m going barefoot 24-7 for the most part, I’m not doing any long walks or hikes barefoot yet. I’m letting my feet slowly acclimate to being barefoot all the time by not wearing shoes when doing basic chores and going to/from work. For anything else, right now, I wear shoes.