Merrell Road Gloves on the Road

I took the new shoes out for about 6 km this morning over mixed surfaces -- mostly concrete and asphalt, but some grass and gravel. They were every bit as good as I had hoped. They are very comfortable, even on gravel. I can feel every pebble, but the shoe offers just enough protection so there's no pain. They certainly don't give as much ground feel as the Vibram Five Fingers Classics, but I think it's a good trade-off. I like having laces so I can get a secure yet comfortable fit. The toe box is nice and roomy just like I like it. I think I've found my new everyday shoes.

I don't think I'll run my half marathon in them, though -- for 21 km, I'll need a little more shoe than this. I'll probably wear my clown shoes (Brooks Green Silence).

[update 2012/04/07]
I ran another 12 km today, and still love these shoes. I'm even thinking about the possibility wearing them for my half marathon. I'll see how I feel about it in five weeks.

Merrell Road Glove

I bought a pair of Merrell Road Glove shoes yesterday, and ran in them this morning. I ran 50 minutes on the treadmill, and I liked the shoes from the first step. I've been running almost exclusively in Vibram Five Fingers Classics, and I like the Road Gloves better. It's not that the Five Fingers are bad, but the Classic model probably isn't the best choice for running. If I buy Five Fingers in the future I expect it would be something like the Bikila LS.

I'll have more to say about the Road Gloves in the near future.

Easing into the FiveFingers

Since my blister incident of a couple of weeks ago, I've been cautiously training my feet for wearing my Vibram FiveFingers. Running exclusively on the treadmill (it's very cold and snowy here) makes this easy. I run the first two kilometers of each run in the FiveFingers, then switch to conventional shoes. I'm mindful of how my feet feel, especially my toes. I'll gradually increase from 2K.

If I were running outside, I'd do a short loop in the VFFs, then switch shoes.

I'm pleased and a little surprised that I haven't had much ankle and calf soreness. When I first started running in the FiveFingers last year, I could really feel it in most every part of my legs below the knee.

Lesson not learned

My running has been spotty lately, to put it charitably, and all on treadmills and in conventional shoes. I've just recently gotten back into a bit of a routine, and on Monday decided it was time to put the FiveFingers back on and hit the treadmill. I should have known better, but I did the entire run (granted, it was only 30 minutes) in the Vibrams. This was after using only conventional shoes for the last few months. To make matters worse, when I felt my two big toes start to develop hot spots at about 25 minutes, I ignored it and kept on running. Not too bright!

Sure enough, I had blisters on both big toes. They aren't severe, and with the help of a bit of Dr. Scholl's Moleskin, I was able to run today.

If you've decided to take the minimalist shoe plunge, do as I say and not as I do: ease into it!

Half marathon report

I had an enjoyable half marathon yesterday. The weather was perfect. I was a little worried about wearing my Brooks Green Silence shoes, since I hadn't run all that much in them, but they were fine. By the end, a toe or two felt a little hot, but I didn't get any blisters. My left knee feels just a little tender today, but I don't attribute that to the shoes. At my low level of training, I don't think any shoes would have prevented that.

Those shoes are definitely attention-getters. A number of people remarked on them.

I saw two marathoners wearing Vibram FiveFingers; one wore Classics and the other wore Sprints. I didn't get a chance to talk to them, but judging by their tattoos, they were both triathletes.

Many thanks to Russell, who ran with me. His wife, Mary, alas, was unable to run because of a foot injury. Also thanks to the staff and volunteers for the race -- everything was just right.

Cashing in on the Bikila

Out of curiosity, I did a search on eBay for Vibram's newest Fivefingers model, the Bikila, which just now rolling out to a few retail outlets. Sure enough, people are cashing in on the scarcity. I found asking prices as high as $250! Yikes!

I think I'll wait.

Vibram FiveFingers Bikila preview

Justin over at Birthday Shoes managed to get an early peek at the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila, and shares his first impressions.

New shoes: Brooks Green Silence

Brooks Green Silence

I have a half marathon coming up shortly, and I don't think I'm ready to go that distance in a truly minimal shoe like the Vibram FiveFingers. I've been looking for something towards the minimal end of the traditional running shoe spectrum.

I've worn mostly Brooks shoes for the past several years, and have been pretty pleased. I'd read a little about the Green Silence racing flat, and thought I'd give them a try.

I just got them yesterday, and have only run about 5K on a treadmill in them, but my initial reaction is very positive. They're really light and comfortable.

I haven't decided if they're the ugliest shoe I've ever owned, or the coolest. It's one or the other; there's no in-between with these things. One might say they look like Ronald McDonald's bowling shoes -- bright yellow and red, and asymmetrical. One has a red sole and a mostly yellow upper, and the other is the opposite.

The heel-to-toe offset is just 8 mm, which is flatter than most running shoes. Brooks is getting on the minimalist bandwagon a bit, touting a number of models on their web site. They don't have anything close to the FiveFingers, but I wonder how long that will last. Surely the traditional shoe companies notice the attention Vibram is getting.

I'll have an update once I get some more miles on these shoes.

New: Vibram FiveFingers Bikila

Vibram has a new model coming out soon. This one's designed specifically for runners. More info at Runblogger.

Back in conventional shoes for today

Over my lunch hour I took a short run in conventional running shoes, a pair of Brooks Trance. I really don't expect ever to convert completely to just barefoot and minimal shoes. The Trance is a lot of shoe, and I imagine I've purchased my last pair of those. I have about 5 or 6 pair of them, and while I've had good results, I just don't know if I'll ever need that much shoe again.

Peter Larson at Runblogger has an approach to shoes that's a little different from most runners I know. Lots of runners will wear one or two different models for training, and maybe own a pair of racing flats for short races. Peter's a little different. He really likes shoes. I mean really. Anyway, he considers himself a minimalist when it comes to shoes, but he hasn't much interest in running barefoot, and isn't trying to switch over completely to, say, Vibram FiveFingers. He does run in FiveFingers from time to time, and once ran barefoot, with not much success. His approach to minimalism is to use a variety of shoes, and use for any given run the minimum shoes that he thinks appropriate. For him, FiveFingers aren't a goal, but a tool to help him train his legs in a different manner than he can in a conventional shoe.

Mind you, his idea of a "heavy" shoe is pretty light.

I can see myself eventually taking up this way of doing things myself.

Check out his blog. He's a much better writer and blogger (and runner) than I am.

Finally FiveFingers

It was sunny and 45F this evening, and most of our slow-release rain (aka "snow") has melted from the sidewalks. It was time to finally try out the Vibram FiveFingers outside. I'm still taking it slowly, so as to let my feet and legs build up strength. I ran only 15 minutes.

I ran mostly on concrete sidewalks, but some on grass and gravel and asphalt as well. The FiveFingers do protect the feet, but I could feel everything of any size from small pebbles and twigs on up. One does have to pay a little more attention to what's on the ground compared to running with conventional shoes.

I ran through a bit of sloppy snow and wet grass and gravel, and FiveFingers most certainly do NOT keep out water. The soles are siped for traction, and water comes right on through. I worry that this might contribute to blistering on longer runs.

I finished with no such problems, though -- just wet feet. I can tell that my calves, ankles, and feet are all getting stronger. I've had less and less muscle soreness in those areas as each day goes by. Nearly everything below my knees was at least a little sore for the first few days of this little experiment.

First steps

I've had barefoot and minimal shoe running in the back of my mind for some time. Perhaps my biggest flaw as a runner is that I like to read about running more than I like to run, so any crazy idea out there on the web will eventually get into my head.

Some time last year I heard about Vibram's FiveFingers shoe. I was running a road race last fall as part of a relay team, and just ahead of me was a man wearing what looked like a pair. I caught up to him and quizzed him a little about it. He told me he loved them, and wouldn't go back to typical shoes. He'd had plantar fasciitis in the past, and was convinced that his FiveFingers had cured it, while also allowing him to run longer and faster. He now runs ultra-marathons.

This really piqued my interest, but still I didn't get a pair, or seriously consider barefoot running.

Something, I don't know what, finally clicked last week. It's still cold and snowy here, but I didn't want to wait. I took off my shoes and hopped on a treadmill. I was cautious, and only ran for 10 minutes at a slow pace.

It's definitely a different feeling.  I've been a mid-foot striker, so it wasn't exactly a dramatic change to my stride, but I could feel my feet, ankles, and calves working in ways they hadn't before. I would imagine a heel-striker might have a hard time adjusting. On a whim, I tried a heel strike or two, and boy, does being barefoot discourage that! Youch!

I was a little stiff & sore later, but just the kind where you know you've had a good workout -- no real pain, and no sign that I'd gone overboard. Google barefoot running, and you'll find all kinds of advice to start slowly. A lot of folks will go so far as to tell you to not even run for a few weeks; just walk a lot barefoot. That's probably good advice that I'm ignoring!

But since my stride isn't changing all that much, I'm pushing it just a little faster. I've now run five days straight. I did 10 minutes the first three days, and 15 the next two. Maybe it's not as cautious as some would advise, but I feel I'm taking it slowly enough. I'm trying my best to really listen closely to what my legs are telling me, and so far they're OK with it.

The third day I happened to be out of town and found myself in a shoe store. They didn't have FiveFingers, but they knew of a store in the same shopping mall that did. I hightailed it over there, tried some on, and bought them. I gave them a spin on the treadmill at the hotel where I was staying. I think they'll take some getting used to, but running in them shares many of the same traits as barefoot running. They're essentially just a thin rubber sole, and just enough shoe to keep that sole attached to your foot.

I probably won't be using them much until the snow is gone. For now, I'm happy with barefoot treadmill running.

So, there's how it's started for me: four days barefoot, one day with minimal shoes, and sixty slow minutes.

Introduction

Barefoot and minimal-shoe running have garnered more and more attention in recent years. It's certainly nothing new; fifty years ago Abebe Bikila won the 1960 Olympic Marathon running barefoot. Zola Budd, infamous for her collision with Mary Decker in the 3000 at the 1984 Olympics, routinely ran barefoot. And, of course, for many tens of thousands of years all humans ran without shoes.

Lately it seems more people are taking a back-to-nature approach to running. Some say that modern running shoes, especially those with thick heel cushioning, encourage poor running mechanics, which leads to injuries.

The general idea is that the natural way for humans to run is to land softly on the forefoot. Heavy heel-striking, made possible by cushioned shoes, jars the body and causes harm.

I've just started exploring these ideas myself, and will here record what I find.

About me

I'm 46 years old as of this writing. I ran, rather slowly, track and cross country in high school, but didn't run again for nearly 20 years. Although I've been overweight to one degree or another over my last 10 years of renewed running, and have been wearing typical modern shoes the whole time, I've not had serious problems with injury. I believe I have fairly good stride mechanics -- I am a mid-foot striker. This mostly came naturally, though over the years I've read various advice here and there about proper running form. I imagine some of that has crept into my stride.

About 1 year ago I had tendonitis in my right foot, which idled me for several weeks. Although I recovered, I have not returned to my former mileage, and my weight has crept up. I find myself running less and less, and weighing more and more.

Earlier this year I decided to train for a half marathon. I've run 4 races of that distance or greater, but not for a few years. I don't want a repeat of last year. I might be taking a big chance here, but I think barefoot running will strengthen my feet and ankles, which may help me avoid tendonitis.

Later this year, I hope to be more fit, less fat, and happily running either barefoot or with something like the Vibram FiveFingers, which is a minimal shoe with just about the least amount of cushioning possible.