running without "running shoes"

[alexr_rwx]

Every so often, the news makes its way around the blagotubes that going barefoot is really good for you, and you have these really important muscles in your feet, and evolution has crafted a relatively non-injurious way to move around.

And I do have a pair of those crazy barefoot-simulation "Vibram Five-Fingers" shoes, and I've done some running in them off and on, but it usually ends up with me having sore feet and sore toes, and switching back.

But I'm giving it a more earnest try this time. I think my feets can learn to be up to the challenge. My stride does feel better (before my feet get tired), and the whole enterprise results in a lot less pounding on my back and knees, which is a definite bonus. Although I think I'm over my back problems -- I've been doing a lot more core-strengthening recently. You likely noticed my extra-toned abs.

Oh, and I went six miles with the barefoot-shoes tonight, woo!

Comments

[billings.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was reading that, too. Except I saw the Vibram Five-Fingers and thought to myself, "I'm not paying like $70 because I read up on some fad." So I decided instead to pay liked $50 and order some old school pre-existence-of-Nike style Adidas running shoes.

It's a conservative idea, but it just might work!

Keep us posted on how it goes. I might get some of those things if they're really worth a toot.

[oniugnip.livejournal.com]

Very nice! You'll have to show me the less-chunky running shoes. I considered looking for something more like a shoe, but I already had the VFFs handy (er, from the last time the fad went around).

[praetorian42.livejournal.com]

Yeah I've been reading the same thing, and I'm pretty convinced of it. I feel much less stable in running shoes- I don't get any feeling and can't respond with my toes- so I depend on the stability and cushioning of the shoes themselves, which are always going to be inferior to your own feets.

I'm going to try out some spikeless track flats first. I'm also considering the idea of constructing my own lightweight canvas shoes.

[oniugnip.livejournal.com]

Awesome :) Keep us posted!

I never had racing flats, but I was a big fan of my track spikes, when I had occasion to wear track spikes...

evolution?

[rusty42.livejournal.com]

how has evolution responded to our relatively hard modern surfaces? or do you only run on grass? and anyway aren't we just quadrupeds with a couple of hacks to allow us to stand upright?

Re: evolution?

[oniugnip.livejournal.com]

That first question, that's a really good point. We haven't had a lot of natural selection for dealing with running on concrete.

But! See what Bill's saying below -- apparently the current thinking is that our ancestors figured out how to hunt by long-distance jogging.

[jes5199.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of the less-shoe, but

have you ever considered that running many miles at a time is, itself, a strain that the body was not evolved to handle?

[billings.livejournal.com]

There's some modern research out there that says that it might be exactly the opposite case. In particular, our tendon structure, our ability to maintain our field of vision at speed, and our sweat glands are all possible indications that we're adapted towards long-distance running.

And there's also
this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wI-9RJi0Qo&feature=related)

[oniugnip.livejournal.com]

Oh my geez.

Thanks for sharing that.