Fivefingers - Day 5

It's been almost a week that I got the Vibram so I figure I would update you the readers on my experience with them.  I worked out all week with them, I wore them a few hours extra just walking around doing running errands and doing stuff.

Monday 7/18:
Cross training, back and triceps.  While doing overhead tricepts extension on the cable machine I felt significantly less stability than usual in my posture.  My legs were just flimsy and my core compensated a lot more.  I think my legs did not "know" how to provide the stability I needed without the extra support my regular shoes provide.  I find this most interesting ...  I also jogged a half mile on the track (8 laps) on the straight sections, slowed down and walked at a brisk pace on the curve sections.  The intent is to break into the Vibrams slowly

Wednesday 7/20:
I went to Crystal MacMillan Fit Club.  We did TurboFire which is a tempo cardio workout with running drills and kick boxing inspired moves.  I did not feel impeded by not wearing regular shoes but I was worried to not overdo on lateral movements ... For two reasons: first because activities that require sudden lateral movement is discouraged when you train for long distance running (as running is mostly in one direction) and second because I was wary that the absence of support from the Vibrams would put increased pressure on my knees laterally.   I ran my scheduled seven miler for the day after Fit Club in my Brooks.  My legs felt definitely heavier.  I felt weird pain on the outside of my left knee.  I felt sluggish so I think I had just ran out of steam at the Fit Club.  Heat did not help either ... mmm ...   Fit club and the training run was probably too much ...  But I digress lets get back on the topic !

Friday 7/22:
Took a day of rest Thursday and slept like 6 hours instead of my usual 4 so I was bursting with energy today or so it seemed!  I cross-trained shoulders and arms today, 45 minutes.   I wore the Vibrams of course.  I warmed up with 5 min jumping rope ... I was bouncing like a bunny or so it felt.  In part because the Vibrams are lighters than my regular Aesics I use for cross-training ... But the form was also different ...  I bounced off the forefoot instead of the entire foot like I do with the Aesics.  My feet altered their usual position naturally (that is I didn't "try" to change the position of my feet rather it just happen naturally).  This is worth noting because after that I did my 4 miler training run that was scheduled for Thursday ... Well the 4 miles turned into a 6 miler because of the route but that's a different story ...  What is noteworthy is how my legs ran ... That's right.  My legs had a mind of their own today.  It's hard putting into words.  It's like my feet were reaching further forward and down ... My strike was different ... The heel strike was smoother ... The pace was pretty fast too, about 8:15 min/mile.  This "phenomena" lasted between about half mile into the run  to mile 4.5.  After that, fatigue settled in and I reverted to my normal strike (heel first hard).  I felt the difference instantaneously.  I think there is something to these shoes ...

So five days into wearing my Vibrams I noticed changes in form, more power in my strides, weird pain and sorenesses on the sides of my legs and feet that come and go ...   So the question on my mind tonight is how do I ensure the Vibrams are safe?  Five days into wearing my Vibrams and my stride is mutating before  my eyes ...  It's amazing !

I got my fivefingers, have you got yours?

I was at REI last Sunday (7/17) and I finally got to check the Vibrams out!   Max (REI salesperson that assisted me) explained the Vibram FiveFingers KSO is a 3.5 mm rubber sole design that mimics the natural foot.  Vibram also offers optimized models for specific activities such as running.  REI carries several flavors of the Vibram FiveFingers.  I checked out the KSO as well as the BILIKA (running), Treksport and KSO Trek. While the KSO is the closest to barefoot and the most versatile model the Bilika is optimized for running, the Treksport is optimized for the rugged outdoors, with molded cleat imprints for enhanced traction.  The first three use a mold and odor resistant nylon-based fabric, similar to that of bathing suits, machine washable and that can be used in water.  The KSO Treck is covered with Kangoroo leather and not recommended to get wet, however I checked with my workplace safety bulletins yesterday, the KSO-Trek is acceptable in factory-settings whereas the other Vibram FiveFingers are not.  You can review the complete FiveFingers product line here.

I chose to try on the Bilika.  Here are a few snapshots:

Top view shows the toe, the most recognizable feature of these shoes ...

This is what the webbed toes look like from up close ...

Close-up shows the inside texture of the shoe including the webbing around the toe ...

Midsole and cleats imprint ...

Technical Specs [copied from www.vibramfivefingers.com]:

^Materials:

^{UPPER - Stretch Polyaminde with TPU toe caps for protection}

^{SOLE - Anatomical Pods TC-1 Rubber}

^{FOOTBED - 3mm Polyurethane with Dri-Lex Sockliner}

^{Machine washable. Air dry.}

^{Weight: Men's size 42 - 6.0oz. each, 12.0oz./pair}

The FiveFingers can be worn with or without socks.  According to Max the foot-tight design prevents rubbing, but if you decided to wear socks you would have to get the the foot-glove socks that fit around your toes to match the contour of the shoe !  I decided to go radical and wear no socks.  Putting on the shoes the first time is definitely awkward.  You must put them on like you would gloves, spreading and sliding each toe in location then the heel, then strap the entire show (Velcro strap).  The entire process took over a minute.

In a way it was both the perfect time and the worse to try the FiveFingers.   Perfect because as I completed my longest training run that morning ... about 18.5 miles ... and had some distinctive soreness on the sides of my feet, my calves and my knees,  I felt relief in my feet immediately.  The open-toe design allows the toes to spread as you step which increases the foot contact area thus the stability of your posture, and also relieve pressure from the side since there is no shoe structure to push your toes inward as you take a step like a regular shoe would. 

The Vibrams are extremely light, 12.0 oz.  I jumped in place and it didn't even feel like I had the shoes on.  I ran around the place for a few seconds with a normal strike and I could feel stronger impact at each step.  The Fivefingers promote forefoot striking instead of heel striking, one strikes with the flat of the foot first ... When I adjusted my stride I felt mounted on springs as I jogged a lap around the store ... Still felt quite a bit of impact considering I was just jogging ...

The feel on the side of my feet convinced me to get them.  I have wide feet and rarely find shoes that don't compress my toes and the Vibrams Fivefingers felt so good, like the soreness of the day was gone instantaneously.  There lies the controversy of these shoes though.  The Vibrams activate a different set of muscles than when you wear regular shoes and when first starting out with them you really need to re-learn out to walk/run at a slow pace to avoid injuring these under-used muscle.  In the absence of pain there is no indicator that you may be getting hurt and may result in a greater injury.  The key is to not overdo it.  The other limiting physiology is if you have a tendency to pronate a lot (need extra support) or have a big arch.

My goal will be to use the Vibrams when I cross-train or walk.  I will put to test the theory that the flat design and thin sole strengthen the foot and improve the way the body runs.   So my expectations are that I will strengthen my feet while improving my stride LOL.  I found this testimony.  Do explosive runs?  Don't know really at this point  I don't see myself cutting down on distance because well I love distance.  I don't run for the cardio, I run because I love running.  So I will likely go back and forth between my regular shoes and the Fivefinger for a while and experiment ... And in case you were wondering like this blogger was ... What happens when the weather gets bad? (not that the weather has been THAT great in the Puget Sound lately LOL) ...  Well they do have a Vibrams for that !  The FLOW with added insulation ...

Stay tuned for more updates :)

Vibram 5 Fingers

What are those is what I though the first time I saw a pair of Vibram Five Finger on a fellow skydiver at the DZ.  I though these looked cool !  I have been intrigued about them ever since ...

These shoes are apparently designed around the idea that wearing normal trainers impede our natural abilities to run and returning to barefoot running is the purest kind of running ... Human babies are born without shoes.  Walking in Vibram Five Fingers promotes the usage of muscles in the foot/leg normally under-utilized.  I chatted a little on-line about these with runners.  There is a school of thoughts that swears by them.  They do take some time to get used to and should be worn for shorter distances when transitioning to them, in the one to three mile range.  I was recommended to use them on short runs less than a mile and on the treadmill first ...

Even as one may think the argument that one is born without shoes makes sense at first, the other school of though is that from the time we learn to walk we use shoes so that our bodies are conditioned to use trainers regardless.  This argument seemed to be reinforced by what seemed to be an increase in running-related injuries in runners wearing Vibram Five Fingers, or even bare-foot runners in general.  The question could be not so much as whether barefoot running causes injuries so much as whether the injuries from running are more prevalent in some individuals as the following article concludes:

"The Barefoot Running Injury Epidemic" from triathlon.competitor.com

I wanted to check some Vibram Five Fingers out at the Seattle Sports Expo.  There weren't any on display, my guess because the expo was geared toward long distance running ...   Still I can not, not be intrigued by the Vibrams.  I think they could make for a nice pair of exercise shoes for the gym.  But at a $100 price tag that makes for an expensive bargain so for now ... I satisfy my curiosity with writing about the Vibram Five Fingers and fantasizing what it is like to wear some ...