Field and Trek in Chester. They only had 2 pairs in the women's section, the 'Classics' in size 4 (perfect for me - only downside is they are a pinkish colour) and a pair of 'Sprints' in a size 6.5. For £50 I couldn't not buy them! Trying them on was an interesting experience, my toes really didn't know what I wanted them to do, or where they should go... I now have to go and cut my toenails so I don't shred the toes... :wow:
Will do. I'm going to ease into wearing them, because I don't want to give myself shin splints the way I did when I started with my Nike Frees...
I wouldn't want to run barefoot because of what I might read on, or in. But if there was a shoe which fitted like a an extra skin, protecting the foot without cushioning it, then that would allow the benefits of barefoot running but with the hazards reduced.
That's pretty much what the Vibram Five Fingers are supposed to do. http://www.vibramfivefingers.it/default.aspx
That looks more like a pair of trainers with toes. I was thinking more along the lines of a durable sock. Perhaps a durable sock with toes would be best?
They are much, much thinner than trainers, the soles are a matter of a few mm thick and have no heel lift. MItch
Having been mooching round the house in them tonight, I can definitely say I walk much the way I do with no shoes on when wearing them. It's much more ball of the foot than heal/toe. It feel weird at the moment, almost like I'm stomping round (which admittedly I could be... )
I've been using those Vibrams for the past 5 years and they really give you the "I'm barefoot" feeling. They also come in all sorts of different kinds now. You can get ones that are super thin and soft and made for running on the sidewalk/grass, or ones that are rugged enough to go mountain climbing or fishing for recyclables in a land fill. You should at least give their site a try! They may even have a newer product that is exactly what you're looking for.
Are you actually landing on the front of your foot while walking, I've done that sometimes and it feels really weird unless I am walking around somewhere with lots of rocks or sticks. Normally I walk just slightly on my heel, almost flat footed.
I have been using five fingers footwear for about 18 months now and am a convert. Started out with the 'classic' and gradually increased the use for indoor training. There is an adjustment process as walking/running is different in them but I didn't find it that too troublesome. Recently bought a pair of 'Bikila LS' for outdoor running and found them very comfortable. You do get some strange looks from people whilst wearing them but again I've stopped being concerned about that.
It's more midfoot/front of foot at the moment, but I'm not walking very far in them yet, just round the house, I need to try walking further to see how they really affect my stride. I'm going to play round with my classics for a while and then think about getting a sturdier pair for outdoors use.
I've been minimalist running with cheap alternatives to the Vibrams for a bit, and I'm a big advocate of them. My foot grips the road much better and I have far more control with minimalist running versus a thick running shoe. I feel lighter on my feet and can alternate directions much more quickly, I only use the small muscles in the feet and ankles, my calves and thighs are really not sore at all after a hard minimalist run, and I can run a bit further naturally before getting winded (which is pretty much the point). I'm confident the mileage on any of the minimalist shoes is going to be a lot less than a conventional running shoe though, so keep that in mind if you can't afford to drop high $ on name brands frequently.
What do you guys think about these, there cheaper then the vibrams. http://www.fila.com/men/shoes/skele-toes/skele-toes-ez-slide/1PK000EX,default,pd.html
Interesting. As I understand it part of the reason to run on your fore foot is so that you land with your weight over your leg (as well as the cushioning effect of your arch rather than the heel), but this is only possibe because you are off the ground. With walking this doesn't work as it is much harder to move your center of balance over your front foot unless you take a really small step. It will be interesting to see how you go when you walk faster and further.
My physio views barefoot running as a mistake. Her point of view being that yes, we evolved to run barefoot, but we also evolved to wear out and die in our late 30s at best. I can see her point Mitch
What do you do to combat attacking dogs without the advantage of being able to kick harder with a shoe? I mean, a karate front snap kick will work but you usually get attacked from the side in which the rubber soles of normal shoes protect the blade of your foot. That and it offers some decent protection against the actual dog bite. Have you found another method against dog attacks while running with minimalist shoes?
