How many of you run without socks?

I've always biked and ran sockless - just a personal preference.  If you're getting blisters now I don't see that changing - probably due to your shoe fit and/or foot type and running gait.

I race without socks and, yes, you should be training without socks if you intend to race without socks.  If you don't wear them racing; then why train sockless?

Be carefull to prevent the blisters - use vaseline or lube on your feet and especially on hotspots.  It'll take some time for your feet to adjust. You should let your feet heal from your current blisters before you go sockless again. 

Edited by Gritty 2010-04-28 9:47 AM

Just starting to do some of my shorter runs without socks to ease into it and get my feet used to it.  I haven't done anything longer yet but will over the next couple months. 

I do sprints and olys without socks.

The best way I've found for adapting the feet is to not wear socks ever - or at least as little as possible. That means no socks for running as well as any time shoes are worn for any purpose. A few months of doing this and the feet will usually adapt.

I do shorter races and impromptu runs sockless.  Bodyglide works miracles.  I enjoy the feeling of being sockless, but I hate the smell it creates in my shoes.  Sometimes after doing several runs sockless those blisters turn into calluses and/or tougher skin and then I don't have too much problems anymore.

I only run without socks in a sprint tri (occasionally Oly).  Otherwise, always wear socks and especially in training.  I don't mine being blistered a day or two after a race when I'm likely resting anyways,  but not worth it for training.  Some shoes (tri specific) are supposed to be worn without socks but I haven't heard this always works.

Less than a 10K sockless. 10K and greater, socks.

But I do work up to it. Bring socks with you and put them on after 1 mile for a week, then 2 miles for the next week, etc.

i do all of my training and racing sockless, longest run to date like this was 17 mi on trails.

during the winter, if there is snow on the ground, or its below the mid 30s i'll wear them simply to stay warm, but outside of that no socks.

Anyone have smell issues?

I race sockless but do not train sockless unless I am doing a run in my racing flats - and I use a ton of bodyglide - on feet and shoes.

if I am riding the trainer I am often sockless.  outdoor rides if not a TT I wear socks.  Have not had a problem racing sockless

stuff your shoes with newspaper to dry them out.  works wonders on the smell

Get a really small fan that sits on the ground. Put your bike and running shoes in front of it when you're done with them and let them dry out completely overnight.

I only have any smell at all when I'm working on a good case of athlete's foot, it's one of the things that lets me know before any other symptoms start up. A week with tinactin twice a day and that goes away.

I used to do ALL my run and bike training and racing without socks. Takes some time for your feet to toughen up for it, and it also takes some careful shoe selection, but I found it far better (and that's just my opinion). If you just one day decide to make the switch without taking the time to adjust, you're going to suffer from blisters, no doubt.

I'm in the same category as newbz.  Never wear socks running or biking (or swimmin' either) unless it is really cold - then I will put socks on.  I did 12 miles yesterday without socks.  I did not - however - just jump right into sockless.  I started by keeping a thin pair of running socks tucked into my waistband and after 15 minutes, then 20, then 25 I woiuld stop and put the socks on (running, that is - never had a problem cycling without socks) like someone else mentioned (can't remember who, sorry about that).  I also started to wear socks less often and "toughen up my feet".  Kind of like when you were a kid and would go running accross a bunch of gravel without even thinking about it, but now you walk accross it like they are hot coals.

I've done it for sprints and did once for an oly (it was pouring out and I didn't have anything to cover my gear for an out of town race so I figured wet socks would be as useless as no socks)  It does save a little bit in T2 if you can build to it!

I'm a sockless rider on the bike anytime except for really cold.  For running, I race up to the Half-Iron distance without socks.  In the summer I'll train that way cause it's more breathing for the feet. For running races, I still wear socks.  I was fortunate and never got many blisters from it. I did quickly figure out what spots rubbed the most, and I prep those spots with body glide--vaseline is a good idea too.  I've been at a couple of rainy races, including a half-iron, where I was SO GLAD I was sockless cause there were several spots on the route completely water covered by a couple of inches--socks would've just gotten soaked down and been a true pain.  I get out of my bike shoes before the dismount, so going sockless makes for a nice quick T2 as well.

I can bike sockless, but not run.  The few times I've tried it, I've gotten massive blisters that keep me from running for a few days.  In a race, I usually put socks on in T2.  It's a little easier because my feet are drier by that point.

Never considered it.  When would I get to wear all of my cute running socks? 

To call what I do "running" is an insult to actual runners.  However, I do my ungainly "jog thing" without socks.  Unless it's a mud run.  Then I wear socks just to help keep the grit from bothering my feet too much more than it would w/o socks.

Socks are a must for me. My feet sweat a lot - not sure if that's part of it.

I can ride without them but usually wear socks anyways. I've learned how to roll socks up so they go on fast in transition. It probably takes less than 5 seconds. The risk of having unhappy feet to potentially save me 5 seconds just isn't worth it, no matter how long the race distance may be.

Edited by dhopman 2010-04-28 2:30 PM

No socks here. Longest run was 14 miles last season. No problemo.

If it ever warms up here I'll start going sockless again.  Except for really long runs when I wear injinjies.