{If you didn’t read my post yesterday Click Here, scroll down and it will explain!!}
I know you are all probably thinking I am crazy to think of running barefoot or in these crazy looking Vibram Five Finger shoes, but I have my reasons. Let me tell you a little bit about how I came to this decision.
About two years ago my husband came home with these shoes, The Vibram Five Finger Sprints.
I was a little embarrassed to be around him while he was wearing them, but I got used to them and decided he looked pretty cool in them, but I would NEVER wear them myself. He bought them mostly for fun, but also to help strengthen his balance and stabilizing muscles, and that it was like walking barefoot. I thought that it was strange, but let him do his thing!
Then about a year later I heard my cousin talking to my brother about how he was actually running barefoot. I only slightly listened, but thought it was just a crazy thing to do and didn’t look into it any more. I also heard people talk about this book called Born To Run
and that a lot of people were reading it and switching over to barefoot running. I never looked into it, and just thought it was kind of weird.
and that a lot of people were reading it and switching over to barefoot running. I never looked into it, and just thought it was kind of weird.A couple of weeks ago I was running with my brother who was running in the VFF KSO’s.
I decided to ask him about why he chose to run in these weird shoes. He told me that the main reason for him is to eliminate any pain. {Pain? really that can be eliminate? This got me thinking} We had just finished running 3 miles and I was in pain. He told me to take off my shoes and run barefoot around their church. I did and the pain was gone. That is when I decided to look into the shoes, research them and buy them.
I already love being barefoot and mostly walk around barefoot all the time in my house. It is really hot where I live so running around outside might burn my feet, so I decided to go with the Five Finger shoes. {I actually really like how they look even if I do look like a hippie} They just came out with a new style that is more directed for running called the Bakila VFF’s.
Here are a few other reasons why I made this decision. They come from here and here.
The benefits of running barefoot have long been supported by scientific research, coaches, and athletes who’ve offered ample evidence that training without shoes allows you to run faster and further with fewer injuries.
Motion studies demonstrate that when running barefoot, one naturally lands on the forefoot, directly below your center of gravity. This results in optimum balance, increased stability, less impact, and greater propulsion. According to Dr. Ivo Waerlop of the Vibram Biomechanics Advisory Board, “Running in FiveFingers improves agility, strength, and equilibrium, plus it delivers sensory feedback that allows runners to make immediate corrections in their form. This greatly improves running efficiency.”
I also emailed my cousin and this is what he said about the process.
The basic idea of barefoot running is that your feet are really highly developed to know how to run. When you put them in shoes it’s like putting them in a cast, the muscles atrophy and they aren’t able to do what they are supposed to do. So if you can take your shoes off, your feet will get stronger and be able to support the rest of your body better.
One thing that I like to remember is that your shoes mask pain, not impact. When you take your shoes off you automatically walk and run differently in a way that minimizes impact because your shoes aren’t tricking your feet.
My suggestion would be to just start taking your shoes off as much as possible. Walk around the house barefoot, then walk out to get the mail barefoot. Take your shoes off at the park. If that all feels OK then maybe jog 100 meters and see how it feels. It takes weeks if not months to build up the strength in your feet. It’s not about your feet getting tough (that process happens pretty quickly), it’s about your feet getting structurally strong enough to be able to handle the impact. Barefoot running takes a TON of patience, but it forces you to listen to your body. If you run and your feet hurt, or your hip hurts or your back hurts. Stop. Try again tomorrow. Go slow and enjoy it. If you want to help your feet get stronger but the ground is really hot or it not safe or socially acceptable to go around barefoot (like me here in Spain), you could get some five fingers (which are not the hottest looking shoes) or something like these
One thing that I like to remember is that your shoes mask pain, not impact. When you take your shoes off you automatically walk and run differently in a way that minimizes impact because your shoes aren’t tricking your feet.
My suggestion would be to just start taking your shoes off as much as possible. Walk around the house barefoot, then walk out to get the mail barefoot. Take your shoes off at the park. If that all feels OK then maybe jog 100 meters and see how it feels. It takes weeks if not months to build up the strength in your feet. It’s not about your feet getting tough (that process happens pretty quickly), it’s about your feet getting structurally strong enough to be able to handle the impact. Barefoot running takes a TON of patience, but it forces you to listen to your body. If you run and your feet hurt, or your hip hurts or your back hurts. Stop. Try again tomorrow. Go slow and enjoy it. If you want to help your feet get stronger but the ground is really hot or it not safe or socially acceptable to go around barefoot (like me here in Spain), you could get some five fingers (which are not the hottest looking shoes) or something like these
I started slowly and just ran a little bit at a time. They felt great and I felt really light on my feet. I love being barefoot anyway and realized that these shoes would not be to hard of an adjustment. But I did something wrong. My calves and ankles started killing me after a week. One day I could barely walk, I realize I must have done something wrong, and I did, I started way to fast {not with my speed, but did a bit to much running and also was focusing way to much on the strike of my foot that I was running more on my toes then on my forefoot.
This article helped me a lot after I started running and realized I had injured myself. I found it and realized what I have been doing wrong..
“Letting the heel touch allows the calf muscles to relax. Do relax! Don’t fight to keep the heel off the ground, otherwise, you will end up with extremely sore calves and Achilles tendons. You probably will have sore calves, and possibly sore Achilles tendons, too, at first anyway. Especially if you are new to running, or have been a chronic heel striker (over striding).”
“I’m glad you figured it out. We hear so much about how heel striking is bad that we inadvertently confuse heel landing with heel touching after a forefoot landing. It’s amazing how much of a difference such a slight difference in the bio mechanics of the landing can affect your entire leg, but it is pretty important. Have fun out there!”
I am really excited about these shoes as dorky as they look. {actually they are growing on me.} I have searched to find out if anyone had anything bad to say about them and haven’t found anything. Everything I have read has only raved about them. I am excited to try them out. I hope doing this helps. I am going to test it for thirty days and log how I feel each day. While I am waiting for my shoes to come back I am actually going to start barefoot and run early in the morning barefoot at least five times a week. My goal is that by the end of August when I run in a 30 mile relay with my friends that I can wear these shoes and not have any pain!!
Here are some of my favorite sites that talk about barefoot/ VFF running.
You can also a download a great guide of how to run barefoot here
Come back tomorrow for an awesome Giveaway!
I think they look awesome! Especially the Sprints.
I wore them around town all day last week to “break them in”. I couldn’t run in them that night because my heels hurt so much.
So what you say about slowly getting your feel used to it makes total sense.
They sure look funny. Would they be a good shoe to just wear around doing normal stuff and around the house? What about arch support? Is there any built into the shoe?
my first time using this, gives me a really different feeling..so light and free
My husband just got a par as an early birthday present from his mom. He wants to use them for the Top of Utah half marathon at the end of August. He pushed himself too hard with the shoes in the beginning and hurt his calf muscles. Fortunately he is job shadowing a physical therapist in prep for PT school. It throws my off when he wears them, because it looks like he is just wearing socks, and they stink, but whatever floats his boat:) Now he wants me to get a pair, we’ll see?
Good luck t your runs, wish you luck and may the vibram five finger shoes will help you. Actually it will, because it helps me to be comfortable every time I run.