http://www.Feetus.co.uk was born from a lifetime love affair with running. We live it and breath it. We were born to run.
Where Are We
Sandwiched between the northeast’s sandy beaches and the North York Moors means we are perfectly situated for breathtaking running adventures. The beach offers us true barefoot running, whereas the Moors presents us with challenges that are best tackled with a minimalist shoe.
The Feetus Mission
To bring together the best products in the barefoot and minimalist running space. We will only sell to you what we would use ourselves. We promise to deliver you fantastic products, exceptional customer service, and innovative offers that you will love!
The team at Feetus understands that barefoot running will change your life, and we aim to bring you exciting news, tips and interesting studies in our blog. We are here to help you transition in to a more natural style of running. It’s simple, it’s natural, and it’s fun!
The Barefoot You
Enough about us – let’s talk about you. Whether you are an experienced barefoot runner, a complete beginner, or just a curious window shopper – we have something for you!
STAY TUNED
The Feetus online store goes live February 2013. Until then, keep up to date through our online channels:
Online: http://www.feetus.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FeetusOnline
Twitter: https://twitter.com/feetusonline
Pre-Birth Blog: https://feetusonline.wordpress.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/feetus/
Can I just first say It’s great to see a dedicated site to barefoot/minimalist running.
You mention above that the site is for all levels. So here is a short cry for help; I’ll try to keep it short. I’ve only been running for six months (minimal shoes 4mm drop), to help transition into my Vivobarefoot Neo’s which I presently only use for walking. I’m beginning to doubt that it’s right for me as I’ve had two ankle injuries. (Not from doing too much, well maybe the first one!)
I’ve searched the net for help, and while there’s plenty out there, what I’d really like is a more personal level of help from running shops with gait analysis or a podiatrist. This turns out to be very difficult as these so called specialists have closed minds or are just downright anti barefoot/minimalist. They just want to put you in great big bulky shoes or advise orthotics.
Is there anywhere in the northeast that will give honest advice, not just instantly advise against minimalist running?
Cheers
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for getting in touch.
Sorry to hear of the ankle injuries – There is nothing worse than having to nurse an injury when all you want to do is get out and run!
As you’ve probably gathered from your online research, transitioning in to a natural style of running takes time and patience. It’s all about technique, so I can fully appreciate that you want some personal guidance / advice.
I would be more than happy to help. Do you want to drop me an email at lee@feetus.co.uk, and let me know a little more about how you got the injury, and what your running mileage is, where you live and anything else you feel may be relevant?
I would also like to add that I have plans to work with the Sports Department at Teesside University on a study in the biomechanics of running, and later in the year will be looking for customers to participate.
Look forward to speaking to you soon
Thanks for the offer of help Lee.
I’ve emailed you an overview of my injury problems.
Looking forward to your advice.
I can appreciate that everyone is different but, on average how long would you say it takes to transition to minimalist type running shoes?
Hi John,
First up – My apologies for the late reply. For some reason WordPress didn’t flag your message to me until just this morning!
It all depends on your current level of fitness, your current running style, and what kind of running shoes you’re running in at present. Hypothetically, presuming you’re of average fitness, you wear a shoe like an Asics Gel Nimbus, and you’re running about 12 – 18 miles per week with a heel-strike technique – I would say it could take about 12 – 15 weeks to transition.
To start, you will have to strip back your current mileage, and instead focus on short runs (around 1-mile) twice a week, paying particular attention to running with a quicker cadence (faster, shorter steps, around 180 steps per minute). If you’re used to spending more time per week running, you can use this time to do other exercises, ie core strength, gym, yoga.
Increase your mileage by no more than 15% per week. You’ll feel aching in different muscles to normal. Ensure you stretch your calf muscles after each run. Pay attention to how your body feels, and don’t push yourself if you’re feeling particularly fatigued.
The main thing is that you enjoy it. IT can feel strange for a runner to go back to basics – but you just have to see this as a kind of rehabilitation; you will be stronger when you come out the other end.
If you want any more information, or would like some guidance choosing the right training shoe, please email me at lee@feetus.co.uk.
In the meantime, our online store has now launched: http://www.feetus.co.uk, and very soon this blog will migrate to http://www.feetus.co.uk/blog