I think Vibram Fivefingers are very expensive.
I think Vibram Fivefingers are very expensive.
You can pick them up cheap on ebay if you're patient enough. Usually worn once from someone who had bought the wrong size.Originally Posted by Spyros76
I think this thread is more about people's experiences of using them, so here goes:
Used them on some longish hill/fell runs and found them fine. They don't grip on very steep wet grass, the same goes for steep mud, but a bit of zig zagging gets you out of these patches, other wise fine.
I'm tempted to start doing more totally barefoot running soon (now that is cheap!) as my feet have toughend up with the FFs.
Don't like running on road, hard pavements though. Maybe some road hill reps would worth trying though.
Got mine yesterday (KSOs). Despite carefully following the instructions and NOT ordering a size smaller as advised in several blogs, mine are too small.
I should have gone with my gut feeling that the calculated size was just too small but I think a lot depends on the shape of your foot.
Time to post 'em back I suppose...
I agree the fivefingers are very expensive for what they are. Having said that I have been assured by the company that makes them that the sole is very durable and the shoe as a whole should last a long time.
There is a good review on barefootrunner.com
I have started running off road in aqua shoes. Lidl were selling them recently for £3.99. I have run in aqua shoes before but the ones from Lidl are very breathable. They are not that grippy and I'm not sure how long they will last but unless you are doing steep descents I would say they are worth using.
Richard
To run in Five's requires the ability to run barefoot. Because most of us have had our feet in casts (very supportive shoes) our muscles and ligaments are very weak - including our ankles. My journey to run barefoot, because of constant injury (i'm a big guy who loves to run), has been over three years. When ever I have thought I could push past pain - common runner thing to do, I have injured myself and found myself icing my feet for the next six weeks. Go slow and listen to your body. If it hurts, your technique is wrong. Ease into it. I carried my shoe with me for the first six months. Each time going longer and longer before I put my shoes back on, and then "hey I don't need them." But it has definitely been a journey. Much information can be found at barefootrunner.org, and barefootted.com. I studied much here.
One other thing. You do not have to be a purist. Sometimes I think those in the BF community are like those Vegans who used to be Carnivores. The diet works for them, and then the next thing you know it becomes a religion and they freak out. Please don't get me wrong, I am a religious man, but not about running BF, or eating veggies.
One of the best Utramarathoners in the world now trains a few days each week barefoot, but dons the shoes for the rest of his regime.
If you are serious about improving your running, BF can be a great tool. Be wise and prudent, relax and have fun.
Regards,
Michael Carroll
redrocksbluesky.com
Thanks for these wise words Micheal, I definitley agree that you don't have to become a purist. My "journey" has only just begun, I am consious of over doing it so only barefoot or run minimal 2 times a week at the moment and I am trying to build up an increase in milage very gradually. I wouldn't completely disregard shoes - the terrain here in the UK is very wet and muddy throughout most of the year! Our fells are generally steep and grassy so studed shoes like Walshes or Inov-8's are pretty necessary, that said most fell shoes are neutral with only the minimum of cushioning. Barefooting gives me a connection with the environment that affects me spirtually and increases my overall enjoyment of running, I also look at my two sessions a week as strength building and injury prevention for when I'm running in shoes.
Just had a look at your blog BTW, your running terrain looks absolutely amazing. Also very impressed with the wear of your 'Brams after 400+ miles. Good stuff.
Bought my KSOs over a month ago, still haven't got round to running in them!
I've worn them round the house and seem fine. Because i do triathlon i'm used to walking round outside in barefeet and i'm used to road running in shoes without socks. This should help with not getting blisters in the VFFs.
i'll try and get out there this week sometime; i've got a 4 hour bike session to do on thursday so might manage a 1-2 mile jog round in them afterwards.
It's a shame they don't do a fellrunning version though; fivefingers with walsh studs on would do very nicely!!
Have you got round to running in them yet? how did you get on?
I'm up to 3 sessions a week now, and I must say putting my inov8's on for a long run this morning was a real drag. My feet felt very heavy, especially my left leg and took ages to warm up. Once I got going though it was fine. I guess this is just the sort of thing to expect when transitioning to minimal running wear. My calves are less and less stiff and I really look forward to a run in my 5's, I love 'em!
For some it might seem a radical option, ie: no cushioning goes against all that we have been told about what we need. What I'm learning through running in the 'brams, is to run with a kind of shock absorbing style; bending at the knees, slightly bending at the hips and trying to keep my foot fall under my hips - I read a great peace of advice on runningbarefoot.org, where ken-bob says; "think of it as a race between your hips and you feet."
My hopes are that taking time to re-learn my style, running lightly and softly will benefit me in the long term. There is certainly a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that runners taking this approach really do avoid injuries, for me after 6 months, I have had no flare up of an ankle injury that sidelined me for 3 months last year.
So far so good!
Nope, not yet! Completely forgot when got back from the bike, and had a stinking cold this week!
My wife's gone and 'bagsied' tomorrow evening, but might get out for half hour when she gets back!
Richard[/QUOTE]
The company that makes them that the sole is very durable and the "shoe as a whole should last a long time". Because they are more often than not left in the cupboard
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