barefoot Running

[dmbell]

Just wondered if anyone did this? I have heard alot about it and I am curious. I need to get some new shoes and I am torn between investing in running shoes or investing in barefoot shoes?

[Hidden]

hi, i got some vibrams last year after reading about barefoot running. i loved them and did a lot of walking in them during the summer. i started to use them for running at the gym and after a transition period of a couple of weeks loved them. however i now use a minimalist trail type shoe as a compromise. this is partly due to the weather in this country (wet and cold ) and to the fact that when using them i found it hard to wear any other type of shoes. if i could have lived in vibrams and flip flops it would have been great but i found this hard to do. if you do try them you need to research learning to run in them as it is totally different to normal trainers , using a forefoot strike rather than the heel. it takes a few weeks to adjust. good luck.

[Mirella Graduate]

Not tried them a friend at work has and he said that they were brilliant

[mair99 Graduate]

I'm a bit curious about them too. I would love to give them a go... I actually do real barefoot running (no shoes at all) in my martial arts training and its fine but use Asics when i run outside or at the gym.

A colleague told me she tried Nike freeruns and they gave her horrendous blisters!

[Skandia Graduate]

Hi, I needed new shoes and decided to go for the Merrel Pace Barefoots. I love them. I've never run before so I thought I might as well go straight for the barefoot option.

You definately run / walk differently - more flat footed than landing on your heel as Laura recommends. But I find it puts less strain on your calf muscles.

Mine are ventilated so great for this hot weather and look so much more subtle than most running shoes! This was a big plus for me. Minimalist yay!

[toegloves Graduate]

I bought a pair of Vibrams my second week of c25k, and I love them.

My mom had both her knees replaced when she was in her early 50s, and I'm 37 and had knee pain my first week of the program in good, "big," non-minimalist running shoes. I'm worried because of my mom's experience, so I try to take good care of my knees.

I had foot and lower leg pain when I started in the barefoot shoes, but it felt like building-muscle pain rather than anything harmful, and since it's gone away, I'm really happy running "barefoot," hence my login name.

Oh! And Harvard has done an interesting study on barefoot running, if you want to google it.

Happy running!

Toegloves