The Running Thread

[Irving]

Okay, another update. I've now put 24 miles on the Vibrams. I HATE walking in these shoes. Almost everyone I've talked to about them said that they don't run in them, but they like to walk in them. I am completely opposite. I wore them for a day of being a tourist walking around Glenwood Springs, and messing around at the pool, and I've never had my feet hurt so badly. I had to take an entire week off from running just to heal. It wasn't necessarily my heels either, but more the balls of my feet. I can't describe it any more than that it seems like when walking, I spend too much time on every part of my foot, and it is like grinding my feet into the pavement with every step.

Running in them is completely different. I really prefer to run in these shoes over my Saucony Stabil 6 stability shoes. They are so much lighter, and I like the way that I can feel the surface I am running on. When running, I'm not as light and bouncy on the balls of my feet like I thought I would be. In fact, do a solid mid-foot strike and it sounds like I'm slapping the pavement every step. If someone was running next to me, they'd probably cringe the whole time, but strangely it does not hurt.

I've been running at least 2 miles at a time in them, but never more than 3 miles (this is because now I run at lunch during work and just don't have time for anything longer). I can't quite run 5 days in a row though. By day 3, my calves are very sore. It feels like I've done 100 reps of weighted calf raises. If you have skinny calves, this is the exercise for you!

[Beprepared]

I HATE walking in these shoes. Almost everyone I've talked to about them said that they don't run in them, but they like to walk in them.

I agree. I almost only run in my Five fingers. Made the mistake going to school with a mere 20lbs of books on my back, that sucked, had a hard time not heel striking. Most people I see walking around in these are pounding their heels, makes me cringe.