Archive for the 'barefooting' Category

Five Fingers On My Feet!

Published
by
alice
on September 22, 2009
in barefooting and photos - 2009
. 8 Comments

They’re not in the house yet. They came up in another post and yesterday was the first chance I’ve had to pop over to the North Shore and try some on. The folks at the Rock/Creek store were kind enough to let me give them a whirl, though unfortunately they didn’t have many in stock, so I while I was able to take a picture, but had to leave without any vibram fivefingers of my own (I did get Emmie some new chacos, though!).

I was a little apprehensive about putting these shoes on. I didn’t want to be disappointed and the only other thing I’ve ever worn that separated my toes were those socks from the 70s — and I definitely was not a fan of those! Putting the fivefingers on freaked me out a bit because the process made my feet feel a bit catastrophic, but once I had them on, it was a huge relief! I have never worn such comfortable shoes! I took a jog around the store and am pretty sure these will make really good running shoes. They allowed me to fall into the natural gait that I use when I’m barefooting on the treadmill.

I liked the Classics better than the Sprints, which is what I tried on (they are so snug that the strap feels unnecessary), and they didn’t have any Classics in my size in stock. Plus, these things cost $75.00, which for me is a lot to spend on a pair of shoes! And having running shoes is not really going to be an issue until I want to run outside. Given the recent weather here in Tennessee, that is not likely to be for a while, so there’s no big hurry… maybe this can even wait for xmas…

But in the meantime, here’s my feet — perhaps properly swaddled for the first time in my life. The guy in the store probably thought I was insane for taking a photo of my feet, but as Emmie pointed out, most people probably think I’m insane anyway… And if by some freakish coincidence you have a size 37 women’s classic fivefingers pair of shoes you don’t want, I’d be glad to take them off your hands — or feet, as it were (if they’re the black ones, even better!)!

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Oh, my naked feet

Published
by
alice
on September 6, 2009
in barefooting
. 5 Comments

I’ve brought this up before, but the evidence continues to trickle in. Those space age sneakers are not, perforce, a good thing.

Recent research suggests that for all their high-tech features, modern running shoes may not actually do much to improve a runner’s performance or prevent injuries. Some runners are convinced that they are better off with shoes that are little more than thin gloves for the feet — or with no shoes at all.

And statistics do not necessarily favor the shoe.

But for all the technological advances promoted by the industry — the roll bars, the computer chips and the memory foam — experts say the injury rate among runners is virtually unchanged since the 1970s, when the modern running shoe was introduced. Some ailments, like those involving the knee and Achilles’ tendon, have increased.

I’ve been running barefoot on a treadmill for years, but for outdoors, I’ve been considering the fivefingers since they came out (at the time I was a member of an online barefoot runner’s group and the cool new shoes caused quite the buzz*). What’s been stopping me so far is the fact that anything on my feet makes. them. so. HOT. Plus, I’ve pretty much been ok with just sticking to the treadmill.

But this summer, I really wanted to do a bit of running while I was on vacation and had to run outside. The ground was either too hot or the terrain too rocky to go barefoot. I tried wearing running shoes and it was awful (like trying to run on a mattress and my feet were suffocating the whole time). I couldn’t wait to tear those shoes off! I also tried running in sandals and that was just sort of clunky. Next year, I’ll be prepared with something better.

—

*the buzz was both positive and negative. There were barefoot runners who were tired of cuts and bruises on their feet who excitedly embraced the idea, but also some purists who did not approve at all — “but, that’s not being barefoot!” For all I know, the debate is still raging (I left the group after a controversy erupted over one member’s proselytizing).


(this is a repeat photo)

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Eschewing the Shoe

Published
by
alice
on April 24, 2008
in barefooting
. 2 Comments

Heh! Is barefooting going mainstream?

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Two significant events today…

Published
by
alice
on August 12, 2007
in barefooting and tech stuff
. Closed

It’s been a while since I’ve had a day when I could just putter about. And putter I did, with two big accomplishments:

1) I burned a home movie to DVD. The analog ==> digital conversion project has finally begun. It’ll probably last all fall, but that’s ok, because it sure is fun to see video I haven’t looked at in 10-20 years…

…and 2) I ran 5K. It was just on the treadmill, because it’s too freakin’ hot and humid to do anything outside. But I’m thinking about running a 5K at the end of September* and I wanted to see if I could do it. I’m pretty new to running — I’ve only recently discovered the secret to running without pain and injury (one of these days I’ll do a post about the benefits of barefoot running!) — so I’ve never run that far before.

For the record and the curious, a 5K = 3.1 miles, and it took me less than 45 minutes.

*If anyone has a pacing device/HRM/Garmin thing that I could borrow for the run, I’d be ever so grateful! I mostly use the treadmill, so I haven’t invested in that sort of tech. Yet…

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