Cautionary tale. Broken sesamoid bone from barefoot running

I’m on crutches. I can’t put any weight on my left forefoot without it feeling like my foot is impaled on a huge spike. My X-rays (see right) show I’ve got broken my sesamoid(http://www.sportspodiatry.co.uk/foot_sesamoiditis.htm). The sesamoid bones are the two small oval shapes you can see just below the big toe joint on the X-ray. Obviously my footfalls haven't been quite as light as I'd hoped and these two tiny bones have taken a pounding. Rest is the only prescribed cure. I have no idea when I'll next be able to run.

No pain, no gain… errr right? Too much barefoot running too soon?

It’s been a tough few weeks since I started in the VFFs. Previously unused muscles have been crying, but I’ve tried to brush these aside as being teething problems while I adapt to this new style. Now I’ve got a pain in my left foot that just won’t go away. I’d been feeling this pain all weekend. Each time I move the toes of my left foot either up or down it feel like I’m being stabbed right through the centre of my foot. But even though it hurts I can wiggle my toes, so I don’t think there’s anything broken. As I set off yesterday morning, it was painful each time I stepped on my left foot, but thought I’d be fine once I warmed up. Not that the pain went away, but a whole bunch of other pains popped up to dilute the pain in my left foot and take my mind off it.

Magnetic pull - 45 miles and counting in Vibrams

I should have known after running quite well for a couple of weeks that I was due a stinker. I set off determined to run for an hour and maybe I put too much pressure on myself. It was early, quiet and the weather was perfect for running, but I felt like I was giving someone a piggyback. Stupidly I tried to do 2 laps of the Marina, but as I finished the first lap the magnetic pull of home was too strong for me to carry on.

In total I’ve run around 45 miles in the VFFs and it has reinvigorated my whole attitude towards running. I’m even starting to think that a marathon might not be too far away. My calf pain is constant, and I still haven’t worked out how to run downhill properly. Nor can I yet consider running on consecutive days. But it’s only been a few weeks, and despite the claims of magazines, I fully believe that if you want to make a fundamental change, be it to body shape or running style, it takes years not months. And this is just the beginning.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

You’ve got to roll with it - My longest run to date in Vibrams, 10 miles

There are times when you run, it might only be for the briefest of moments, but you feel like you can run forever. Indestructible. Other times each step can be torture. It’s fair to expect that when you’ve been healthy you should feel good, but accept that after a few days on the booze, eating take you’re going to struggle. But it doesn’t work like that. Now I’ve realised that you’ve just got to roll with it either way, if you feel good then push on. If not, do what you can.


Today was a good day. I’ve got no idea why. I felt good, so instead of stopping as I approached home I thought I’d carry on, go for another song on the iPod and see how I felt. Another. And another. After about 8 miles I realised my calves were tighter than a snake’s arsehole, but I had no choice but to carry on and head home.

I managed my first 10 miler in the VFFs, and my feel felt fine. I felt good everywhere apart from my calves which started to cramp up in the last mile. The next test is to see what difference the VFFs have on my speed, to test that I’ve entered a 10k in 3 weeks. Evenutally I’ll reluctantly take off the VFFs, even though I’ve become very attached to that 3mm of rubber.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.