Barefoot - friend - 2 new moments

[bearpadi]

Ran today with my new Vivobarefoot shoes - staying with a friend so ran with her. Two new things for me - never run with someone else and new shoes! Loved running with friend - lots of distraction chatting and found i was a bit fitter than I thought - expected to hold up her up - but no - good old Laura the C25K has got me there!!

Now the shoes! Liked 'em - loved 'em - feet felt free - first 3.5 k brilliant - leg not aching as it sometimes does - but then towards the end they started rubbing on my left heel. I WILL make them work - need to let them dry out and see what the problem is - or maybe I need to wear them with socks which seems a shame? Anyone else got experience of these shoes and what to do?

Like the idea of Santa with a new technical sporting wear factory as well as his toy line - thanks Greg_m

[Cohii]

My friend bought me a pair of Vivobarefoot shoes this week and I absolutely love them! Unbelievably comfortable and easy to run in! I'm going on holiday with the same friend next week, I'll be bringing them and going on walk/runs with her (she already runs, I'm just finishing week 1).

I'm looking forward to see how you get on with these shoes, as I haven't found many people talking about using them!

[Pelephant Graduate]

Oooooh you are tempting me with those shoes!

[lydiap]

I bought some barefoot back on week 2, thought I was being abit hopefully (seen as the chances were quite high I'd probably give up!!) However starting week 6 this week and the shoes are delicious, before I felt really heavy footed and I used to land on the inside of my foot (almost on my ankle) but I've noticed I don't now and it is down to the shoes. I wear a plaster on my heels more just in case than anything else because I don't want to stop running now I'm enjoying it, I also have some fab running socks that are thicker on the heel and 'bunion' area (can't think how else to describe it!!) Enjoy your shoes!!

[bearpadi Graduate in reply to lydiap]

Thats great to hear. Do I understand that you had a problem with the heels/bunion area rubbing to start with?

Having really looked and felt carefully I find on the shoe that rubbed a bit there is a lumpy raised bit that caused the rubbing that isn't on the other shoe. I am going to phone up vivobarefeet tomorrow and discuss it with them and see if they can help. I hope so as I think they are fab and I like them otherwise!

Have you tried using them without socks?

And well done for your great committment to buying them on week 2 - thats brilliant - I graduated a few weeks back before i did that - mind I did have normal runningshoes.

[sfb350 Graduate]

I'm quite intrigued by the barefoot shoes but were any of you running in shoes with arch support before moving on to the barefoot shoes ? I've read that you should build your mileage up slowly in them to get used to the change in running style without injuring yourself.

I believe you can also get toe-socks to wear with the toe-shoes

[lydiap]

I haven't tried them without socks, more because I am scared of having a reason not to go out running, I don't want to loose momentum if I can help it, when I first tried them on I thought they were quite high at the back and I thought if I put plasters on my heels it would prevent any blisters.

Mine are Merrell shoes and my husband always uses merrell's for work and from his experience vibram always take a few wears to mould to your feet but once they mould, they are perfect!!

As I said it was genuinely prevention rather than problem with the plasters and socks!