Aching Feet

I have been wearing my Vibram Five Fingers on and off for a month. I haven't been consistent, and haven't really worn them exclusively most days. I've had regular shoes on quite a few times, especially when at my standing desk.

Not a great plan for getting the feet stronger, and I could feel it. Thursday last week I was in the airport and on planes for a good part of the day wearing them. My feet were slightly tired, and on Friday I was tempted to wear my running shoes, but didn't. Instead I was out all day in them, walking through the National Air Museum, on hard floors designed to support the weight of large airplanes.

By Saturday, when I again didn't wear them because of the rain, I spent all day in college classrooms, on my feet, on hard floors. The run Saturday night was hard, and when I lay in bed, my heels were aching a bit.

I tried to step lightly, but caught myself pounding the floor a few times and realized that I should have worked up to this, with some longer days wearing the shoes. I need to back off a bit, and start wearing them around the house when I get home.

Day 1369

Slow, short run. I wanted to see the basketball game, but after walking on hard cement for two days in the Five Fingers shoes, my feet hurt. The heels ached, and I was a little full from a poor dinner of some hot wings, appetizers, and a margarita. With lots of water.

14:00
1.4mi

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/136684021

Barefoot Running

An interesting article on barefoot running and an increase in injuries from it. It definitely makes me reconsider trying to run in my Five Fingers.

I ran in mine once, about 2 or 3 months after I got them. I hit the treadmill for a short run, and found myself slapping the deck. I couldn’t find a way to get “light on my feet” and that was the last time I ran in them.

I live on gravel roads, and with scrub that has lots of stickers in places. I walked around the yard one day, up the driveway (0.25mi) and decided that the rocks and scrub weren’t suited to barefoot running. There are some trails a short drive away, but after my treadmill experience I gave up on running.

However once the weather gets warm, I find myself wearing the five fingers often. I wear them most days, walk around town, and they seem to make my arches stronger. After getting them last year and wearing them for a month, after 2-3 weeks of short duration break in, I thought my arches were stronger. I noticed that my cleats bothered me less and my feet felt better on Monday after baseball.

It’s hard to test, but I played two games this year and my feet were sore on Mon. The weather warmed up, I wore the Five Fingers for 2 weeks before the next game, and my feet felt fine the Monday after playing. Not scientific, but I noticed it.

I don’t know if I’d recommend running in them or not. I know some friends do, but I haven’t really experimented, and not sure I will. However read the article, and decide for yourself.

Five Fingers

I've broken out my Five Fingers shoes for the warmer months, wearing them around as I go about life. After having not worn them for months, probably since early November, it was strange to put them on again, but they felt fine and I adapted quickly.

I haven't run in them, though I might give it a try a few times this summer. I do think that it has helped me feet get stronger. In karate, baseball, everything they just seem to be able to stand up a little better to the activity. I highly recommend them for runners, at least if you can wear casual shoes most days.

Five Fingers Running

My wife bought me some Vibram Five Fingers shoes a little over a month ago, and today was the first day I tried running in them. It was interesting.

It has been my plan to try it out, but I was worried about hurting myself. So I waited until I'd finished a year of running, gave my feet a few more days to get stronger, and decided today I'd try. I went on the treadmill, at it's softest setting, and did my 1.3 mile run.

It felt like my first few days wearing these shoes. My feet seemed to be "slapping" the ground hard, and it didn't hurt, but it wasn't super comfortable. I found myself missing the cushion of my running shoes, and while I ran at my normal pace, it wasn't something that felt good.

I could feel my feet sliding a touch and the beginning of a blister on the right pad (ball) near the end of my run. Even when I walked to cool down, I had trouble not slapping the surface of the treadmill.

I have the classic model, which is low cut, and doesn't tightly grab my feet. When I flex, the sides bend out a touch, and it seems that my feet slide a little in them. If I were to get another pair, I think I'd go for the flow model to more tightly fit on my feet. Especially if I were to keep running in them.

I might do some more outside running in the, maybe on the road or on some softer trails. I don't think I'd run on pavement, concrete or asphalt, with these. At least not without much stronger arches.

Day 366

My first day running with the Five Fingers shoes. It felt a little like I was pounding on the treadmill, but not too bad. However they were loose and I started a nice blister on my pad.

The run felt OK, short, trying to not hurt myself and rest up for the 5k this weekend.

1.33mi

14:00min