Taking a short break

It seems I have some sort of ankle/foot injury that has flared up, so I am taking a break from trying to run. The Vibram FiveFingers are still comfortable for walking, biking, and other activities, but running is a bit too much of an impact right now. This is probably a good time to explain that I have several old foot injuries that could be exacerbated by certain activities, such as running.

When I was a gymnast, I broke my foot, and I have had pain associated with that in the past -- even after healing. I also had heel issues during that time, and I taped both feet/ankles for each practice and iced afterwards (3-4 times per week). Injuries like that were one reason I ended up quitting in the end. Later in high school, I joined the track team for a season -- but quickly had to stop running and become a manager due to these old injuries causing pain. It seems that whatever injuries I had/have do not like the impact of running very much, even though dancing, jumping, walking, hiking, etc. all seem to be just fine.

I am seeing a sports medicine doctor tomorrow to see what they think the problem may be and see how I should handle it based on what exactly is injured in there. It has been getting progressively better over the last few days, so I am hoping that continues. However, I need to avoid this in the future, so I am hoping to find some solutions. I don't think it is muscular, so I am curious to know what else may be causing it (ligaments, tendons, bones....hopefully not.....)

I still do not blame this on the Vibram FiveFingers. I have a health issue that is prone to flaring up, which I know from previous experiences. I still hope to wear these for the 5K Run A Muck Mud and Music Festival in May if I can. If not for the run, I plan to carry them to change into for the mud pits. :)

Finally did a run

AND....my legs are so sore!!!

I would be worried about this, but I read a lot about how you have to build up muscles in your feet and legs and really ease into this new shoe. Also, when I was at a store trying these on, a guy came up and told me he had some and loves them. Then, he paused and laughed and said, "You're going to be in so much pain!" And then he walked away.

So this is expected. I ran a mile and walked a half mile. Basically, the muscles supporting my ankles are somewhat sore, but the main source is the lower calf area (possibly the soleus and/or tibialis posterior). I have been stretching it as much as possible today and resting also. Definitely best to not tear up my legs too much. I think my plan for now will be to run every other day until the pain lessens.

As for today, I am planning a bike ride, and I will wear my FiveFingers. I really like how that feels, and it doesn't cause pain. The more I wear them, the better they will feel over time!

A few days in

I don't have a lot to report, because everything is going great for the most part. Over the weekend, I walked about 2 miles in my new shoes, and today, I walked another mile. In addition, I wore them for about 13 hours straight today, and I was comfortable. I do have a few thoughts:

• They do become pretty hot over time -- mainly when just sitting.
  
• As I sat in class for long periods, I felt like I would rather just take them off entirely. I think maybe the Injinji socks would make a difference with this problem, but I am not sure. The are not exactly uncomfortable, but they do get a bit clingy. When I am moving, it is fine.

I don't know why this would be the case, but my feet actually feel softer. Maybe the better fit reduces the rubbing from regular shoes? Either way, that's a good thing.

I don't have any significant pain at all from these. I had some very slight muscle pain in my lower leg (soleus/gastrocnemius), but that is to be expected. The redness I was worried about on my achilles has not blistered or caused any problems. I notice the pressure there less as I wear them. Also, I do feel a slight bit more pressure on the ball of my foot than usual when I walk, so that will take some getting used to.

One of my cats got very excited by my new shoes and started attacking them, so I make sure to keep them in the closet. (I saw a youtube video of another cat loving the Vibram FiveFingers, so watch out for that!!!)

I should get starting running soon. I have been reading up on techniques for barefoot running and have watched some tutorials. I gave it a quick 2 block try as I went somewhere on Saturday, so that was fun -- but obviously not enough to report back on.

Why I bought these!

What inspired me to buy them was reading all the testimonies online from everyone about how wonderful they were for such a wide variety of activities. I specifically got the Sprint, because I think the strap over it makes it more versatile than the Classic, but I didn't like the enclosed models (such as the KSO), and I didn't need the shoe watersuit (the Flow). :)

I am hoping to do the following in these shoes:

• Walk around town: Whether this be city (concrete) walking or in parks or on trails.
• Bike: I did this today, and it was GREAT! (It really made me smile.) I could actually sort of wrap y toes around the pedal, and it gave the sensation that I was more connected to the bike and had a bit more control.
• Begin running: Although I am not much of a runner, I am inspired to try the "barefoot running" experience. I also need to prepare for the following bullet point.
• The Run AMuck Mud and Music Festival: This event occurs in May, and I am really excited! It involves running a 5K and doing obstacles along the way. At the end is a big mud pit crawl. I am anticipating that the Vibram FiveFingers will be perfect for this -- especially the Sprint, since it can not fall off and get lost in the mud. Additionally, they are machine washable, so rather than ruining other shoes with mud, these should hold up just fine.
• Water sports: Any rafting, canoeing, walking through creeks on trails, etc.
• Tree climbing and/or rock wall: I am not currently a member of a rock wall, so this is not a primary reason for purchasing, but I have heard they are very grippy and work well for this also.
• The MedWAR (Wilderness Adventure race): The details aren't out for this one yet, but it is in August. Depending on how I feel about these shoes, I hope to wear them for that also. It will involve 6-10 hours of continous movement (walking, running, biking, canoeing) with medical scenarios along the way. Much of this, obviously, could be on muddy trails, so I am hoping the Vibram FiveFingers will be good for this also (since mud will not accumulate as on regular shoes and weigh me down).

These are just a few reasons I like these - besides esthetically. Yes, they look a bit bizarre, but I think they are really great and unique. I would rather be barefoot than wear shoes, so these are a great option.

Welcome!

This will be a short first entry, but I wanted to get this started since today is DAY ONE of my new Vibram FiveFingers Sprint shoes. :)

I have been excited about these shoes for about two years now, so this moment has been long in coming. I hope I like them as much as I expected to. The purpose of this blog is to help other people through the process of choosing the shoes as well as to give an idea of what to expect along the way. I did hours of research before buying these just to see the health benefits, the sizing, the praise and the complaints, and the many uses. Other people's comments and blogs helped me along the way, so here are my thoughts to help the next people to venture into the land of the Vibram FiveFingers!

As for my Day one reflections -- I have only been wearing them for about 2 hours. I LOVE how they feel so far, but I have only been around the house at this point. I am predicting that I will get a blister and then a callus on my achilles, since I can already feel it rubbing there. However, I feel that is probably a given with any shoes that fit like these do. Other than that, they feel fantastic.

I am planning to wear them tomorrow, which will consist of biking to campus, walking around classes, and biking home at least. I am also planning an evening outing to see a show, so I will plan to wear them there, which will involve a mile walk. I will report back!