Born to Run Barefoot? Barefoot Britain Runner Anna McNuff Teaches Us How To Run WITHOUT Shoes

[@brandonfarley5297]

You should bring her back on to see how her trip was.

[@derekrichardson9652]

Agree!

[@IronWill]

I don't often run completely barefoot, but I always run with very minimal shoes! It does take a while to prepare your feet... Take it slowly!

[@joeculligan8937]

What an amazing community this running community is. Such wonderful and interesting people. I actually run barefoot on my cool down sometimes but only on grass and only in an area i know. I usually don't run for more than a 800 meters but i absolutely love it. Feet have definitely gotten stronger as well.

[@runningchannel]

Isn’t it just :) Anna M is amazing.

[@Maxyshadow]

Me too Joe. My feet feel better going home afterwards!

[@BleakVision]

She is really funny and has quite the impressive stature. A real warrior

[@runningchannel]

Anna is amazing! We love her!

[@xsutlox8146]

what an inspiration and she seems to have such a great personality too

[@mcmangoofficial5336]

She'll change her mind as soon as she encounters lego

[@runningchannel]

😂

[@MrJonno85]

I was just thinking that!

[@annvirco7308]

😂😂😂😂

[@KerptacularGaming]

I wouldn't fancy running on lego with shoes either XD

[@triggerhappymacrogir]

Happy I came across this as I’m recovering from a hip injury and have been doing some barefoot running to try to rehab it!

[@quas7goh9chooZae]

Wow! I’m amazed by her energy and send-confidence. Thanks for this awesome video.

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikecooper1116]

I'm a barefoot walker and now I'm starting barefoot running. It feels great

[@Kosh42EFG]

I loved running six stages with Anna. She's awesome!

[@runningchannel]

She is!

[@321Tdog]

Very helpful video, with actual exercises too. Thanks guys

[@runningchannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@nicholasgartell5374]

A great interview and an inspirational adventure. Good luck!

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for watching Nicholas! Anna’s doing so well on her challenge. We’ve been tracking her the whole way 🙌

[@northernninjarunner5506]

I run through the forests on trails lots of rocks, will pass on this one but thank you for the offer 👟

[@runningchannel]

Ha, you’re welcome!

Not all rocks are created equal. The really achy rocks are the "artificial" sharp ones (crushed stone usually of gravel size) that they periodically spread on the surface of dirt tracks and some trails as part of the maintenance work of the pathway. The surfaces of natural rocks tend to have been smoothened by the erosion.

[@JanneNordman]

You can wear WOOL SOCKS when you run, even two pairs on top of each other. It works very well in winter time if you are running in the snow. // have you seen this inspirational video about running? -> running is anything else than boring.

[@dombower]

love a barefoot run. but usually after 5k my calves are destroyed. doing this distance is amazingly impressive

[@runningchannel]

Isn’t it just! Thanks for watching.

[@barefootdogwalker1402]

read Barefoot running step by step by Ken Bob Saxton

[@clivewitcomb2839]

I would be so hysterical about the thought of stepping on used needles that I just couldn't enjoy this, which is a real shame, because the necessary changes in form really appeal to me! X

[@runningchannel]

It all depends on where you go running I suppose, Clive. Ps, don't forget to hit 'Subscribe' and tap the bell icon so you get notified when we upload new videos about running - there's new stuff every week and it'd really help us out if you subscribed ☺️ (it is free after all! And you don't get much for free these days)

Have you ever heard of someone who stepped on a used needle while running barefoot?

[@hairyairey]

Sharp flints will be more of a challenge.

[@mallorymyers7525]

I've never in my life seen a used needle lying about. It this actually common in some places?

[@tmortaz]

Minimalist shoes simulate barefoot technique, whilst protecting the foot :)

[@fessellsahmed2587]

This video has blown my mind. They look like the best trainers in the world. ❤

[@runningchannel]

haha

[@fessellsahmed2587]

@@runningchannel I was the guy who pretended I would run the Olympics in £10 trainers😅

[@S.F.Martin100]

How did Anna make out after?

[@timnolan3278]

Best one I’ve seen so far

[@runningchannel]

Thanks :-)

[@paddywiggle]

I feel like I was made for this. All the tips she gave I already do when I run barefoot. Might give it a go

[@runningchannel]

You should try it!

[@matthobbs2740]

Great stuff & good luck. I think I’m the only BF runner in Guernsey. I see you’re passing by my island on the 28th October. I can’t believe it I’m off to Australia n NZ on the evening flight on the 27th of October. Hopefully we can hook up sometime.

[@matthobbs2740]

Great. We have loads of quiet lanes and beaches. The tarmac on the pavements can be kind of rough and sharp, but its a lovely island.

[@murrayshed]

Who knew there was a hipster running equivalent to fixed gear cycling 😂😂😂

[@runningchannel]

😂

[@fudbeer1]

Even running in "zero drop" shoes has caused me achilles issues despite doing it gradually.I think the problem is your body has spent its entire life in "regular" shoes.Also going barefoot would mean I would be constantly looking down which is not ideal.

[@leonda4817]

it gets better within a few years. Just take a progressive approach

[@SamStow]

I love zero drop and don't do anything else. You do need to take it slow and also check your running form. I run 60 miles a week currently.

Not gradually enough. The pace is also relevant. Too fast too soon is a recipe for disaster. You wouldn't be constantly looking down while running barefoot either. That's just what shod people imagine. By the way, it's much harder to get injured (I mean serious injuries like in muscles, tendons or even bones) running barefoot than running in minimalist shoes during the adaptation period or even afterwards.

[@alfromtx245]

I do all of my waking in minimalist (Xero) shoes and my running in zero drop (Altra). It does take some adjustment. For me, it helped that I was coming back from an injury and had to start out with really short, slow, and easy runs. By short, I mean around 20 minutes. Even still, my calves were seriously sore. But they adapted and I'm around 90 minutes for my long run, training for a half marathon, and not having any issues.

[@fudbeer1]

@@alfromtx245 Great to hear.I now do heel raises to strengthen the muscles in that area which really helps.

[@Hello-gf2og]

Running regularly in shoes will give you a life long knee/ankle/foot issue. Period. No other animals wear shoes.

[@jackd1582]

Horse "hold my beer"

[@thewildblueangel]

You've got to be careful with the gliding style, in my experience. You have to lift your feet enough so as not to stub your toes.

It depends on where you're running. It's probably safe to run on a road or a decent sidewalk without lifting your feet much. Sudden changes in the inclination of the ground, curbs or steps may also represent a hazard for that running style.

[@forbi70]

A wise sentence: "the only way to learn to run barefoot is to run barefoot" ! Just do it, don't think too much. But start slooowly! And do it barefoot, you will NEVER learn it with minimalist shoes, because that is NOT barefoot!!!

[@deldridg]

True to some extent, however... the minimalist shoes do allow you to adjust (s-l-o-o-o-w-l-y) to the greater range of motion while in parallel you gradually build your ability to run with nude tootsies. :-) I'm currently transitioning slowly - 2nd attempt after going at it too quickly and injuring my Achilles - and for now am mixing fast trail walking in my Vivo minimal shoes with some barefoot walking. In a month or 2 I will do some light jogging like this before moving on to proper runs, perhaps in 5 to 6 months. All along I will continue my serious running training with my 4mm drop shoes (Inov8 250 Trail Talon). It's a lot of fun I must say! Cheers from Sydney - Dave

[@forbi70]

@@deldridg yes maybe, mixing both in the beginning is okay of course. But keep in mind that your skin gets only thicker with direct contact to the ground. I can run over rough tarmac and light gravel for longer distances without problems. You'll hardly get there when you wear shoes, no matter how thin the sole might be.

[@deldridg]

@@forbi70 True, but I'm making the move to true barefoot in a measured way with the aim to gradually increase my time on my bare feet. I am not yet up to running on gravel or tarmac but fingers crossed, will be in a few months! Having had achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis from transitioning too fast in the past, I'm finally a convert to taking my time! It's a great journey though. I envy you at your stage!

[@forbi70]

@@deldridg Yes you are doing it right. Of course, I didn't take off my shoes overnight either. But I'll stick to it: you can't learn to walk barefoot properly in barefoot shoes - at least I couldn't. When I put on shoes, I automatically walk differently. It's not the same as barefoot. It is an addition in special situations, not a replacement! But of course that's just my opinion. Everyone has to find out for themselves. Antipodal greetings from Berlin ;)

[@deldridg]

@@forbi70 You are absolutely right. The minimalist shoes satisfy an entirely different requirement to going 'barefoot', so calling them 'barefoot shoes' is pure paradox! I have to say that every time I walk true barefoot on bush trails, I am noticing wonderful changes - not only in terms of foot sensation, but in terms of feeling more present and 'connected'. I feel like my sole nerve endings are slowly but surely becoming adjusted to the light - so to speak! Are you bare-footing mainly around town or are you able to get out into the 'real world'? :-)

[@bikesandlaces]

Love the ankle tattoo!!! Is it symbols for something? Itching to get my next tat, also itching to pay for my next race too!!

[@Aswodel]

I've been having a trouble with keeping my feet dry, i go out alot in the rain and wear minimalist sandals. But if it is raining hard for more then an hour my feet get soggy anyway. How do those amazon people do this lol?

[@soulmercer]

Great for foot massages!

[@22fret]

How on earth did I end up here? I'm a cyclist. However, quite interesting story...

[@runningchannel]

Haha! Brilliant! Well, welcome... and glad you enjoyed the video :-)

[@annvirco7308]

What an interesting women, thank you for the interview

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MrCol104]

Crazy challenge. It's not for me. I'd pick up so many injuries by running barefoot. Zero cushioning would be damaging, and that's before you take glass, rocks, gravel and dog poo into account. Very best luck, Anna.

You're utterly wrong. Zero cushioning don't cause any damage (rather the other way around). Stepping on pieces of broken glass (especially thin tiny shards of glass) are more a nuisance than anything (and a very uncommon event). They don't cause any incapacitating injuries. The same goes for sharp pointy rocks or gravel. It may be briefly achy to step on them but they don't usually cause any injuries. In contrast, you may get some minor wound if you stub your toes against some protruding object (or against the ground) if you get distracted. but again, that's a minor issue. Your skin will fully heal after a few days. Running on gravel road/trail over a long distance (specially if you arent' used to it) may cause some soreness in your soles for a couple of days, that's it. As for poop, I haven't been even close to step on one after more than a thousand miles running barefoot, and that in spite despite of living in a country with rather uncivil population fond of leaving the sidewalks littered with poop and garbage. Blisters are actually a much more common concern, especially if the ground is too hot and/or you run too fast (though with conditioned foot soles and good running form is much less of a concern). A further real concern is too overload your ankles. But that can be prevented by easing into it gradually, not doing too much too soon.

[@joshuaantao6017]

Zephyr López Cervilla yeah, no. Glass and lack of cushioning is easily a way to get injured and hurt

[@Cozwantsthatpie]

So I just did this. The major drawback I experienced was the ground scrapped the skin off of my foot. But I broke my 400 time by 10 seconds and I wasn’t even winded when I did it. They always say there is always a cost to power 😅

[@runningchannel]

Nice! Would you run barefoot again?

[@bikerdude6119]

When i was a child my parents said i would always walk and run on the balls of my feet lol. Im giving lina sandals a try soon

[@robinbebbington7063]

I lived in NZ for 30 years and kids wear shoes before 12. I have no idea where she got that idea from.

[@nicolaeggleston490]

Love her no trainer snobbery!

[@runningchannel]

😄

[@thisguy2973]

I tried barefoot running and almost tore my Achilles which caused my calf to almost completely seize. I’ll only do it if I’m in need of survival.

[@runningchannel]

Yeah, barefoot running isn't for everyone.

[@melissamenchaca9121]

You need to ease into it. You’re literally using muscles that are very underutilized in our daily life. Try walking in minimalist shoes for small walks as a first step and build very slowly

[@Malaki727]

What if you step on rock, glass n sticks. Then what

[@jackd1582]

Go hard or go home

[@stefanoviviani6064]

Beautiful

[@sonnysalim5757]

The fire 🔥 you have hot shot

[@movingdragons]

Liberate your feet!

[@MarioBecerraC]

Tara-hoo-marah? :P

[@MrArnie82]

No thanks

[@runningchannel]

😂😂😂

[@Positiveminds511]

GET ON WITH IT ! Thumbs down 👎