Any other VFF runners here?

[nowster]

Am I alone in being doing this in FiveFingers toe shoes?

I have worn them exclusively for about eight years but never tried proper running before. (Like many I was put off exercise at school.)

[Taliesin7]

Hi there, I purchased my five fingers a couple of weeks ago! I LOVE them. I ordered a pair of ordinary running shoes only to cancel them before they arrived when I discovered that I over-pronated on one side and under-pronated on the other. I thought that it must be because I am trying to still protect my ‘bad leg’ (broke neck of femur when 12). Friend has the same issue and her physio thinks it is driving - interesting. Suffice to say my ankle was unhappy and so was my hip whenever I walked the dog. I am only on week 3 of C25k and I had been running around tgg hg e garden barefoot. Since the advent of 5 fingers, I have noticed an amazing improvement in my dog walks. I can walk for miles without lower back or hip aches. Ankle vastly improved and mended as I am more conscious of how I am putting my feet down. I think those 5 fingers have saved me going down the orthotics route and that’s without running! I am a Granny- 53 - only over run for the bus but so far been quite healthy! Everything was beginning to fall apart. I have a barefoot horse so I thought, hang on! Why not me? All new shoes from now on will be barefoot. Feet ache after a run and lower legs and ankles but they seem to recover between runs so I am presuming they are building strength. Now running on the road.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Taliesin7]

As I mentioned in my introductory post, I have flat feet due to hypermobility. Going "barefoot" with VFFs has meant I could ditch the horrible orthotics as my calf muscles have gradually strengthened from the toe/foot flexing to be able to support the arch themselves. I'm a similar age at 51.

One word of warning to new potential barefoot or VFF runners: running in them can feel amazing, but because the posture and gait is different to running in more rigid shoes with raised heels, you can injure yourself if you do too much too soon.

Which model of VFF do you use? I have many, but I've been doing C25K in a pair of KSO Evos (with socks).

[Taliesin7 in reply to nowster]

I have V-Runs with socks. Great to hear that you have freed yourself from Orthotics. Fantastic! Yes, I do go very slowly - rather like watching paint dry, I imagine! However, I plan to speed up later! I also walk a lot in them. I actually started C25k with a slightly sprained ankle due to the over-pronation, methinks (and the fact that I have had the same yard boots for years and wear them for everything - ew.. They are going in the bin.) but by concentrating on how I put my foot down it has healed.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Taliesin7]

I've been in VFFs now for 8 years, but up till now walking only with the occasional sprint for the bus type run. It does take a while to adjust the gait so it's "place and lift" rather than "land and push off". The same is true in normal running shoes, of course, but with them the thickness of the soles is more forgiving of poor technique.

Ever had people coming up to you and asking "Are those things comfortable?"