Shoes that look like feet.....

Found this old SNL skit and had to post it to my blog. Enjoy!

Running Partner

There was a time when I would have been embarrased to be shown up by a 9 year old girl. I'm over that....this little tyke stayed on my left hip for the entire 10K. While I noticed that someone was beside me the whole time, I never acknowledged her until the race was over.
In hindsight, she was a great running partner. She never talked, she never spit to her right and she paced me. A good pacer is a Godsend.....

Lake Murray 10K

I've just completed my first competition in FFs. Aside from the funny looks and multiple "what are they" questions, it was a great race. As mentioned in an earlier post, the course was very hilly. Of the 6.2 miles, 3.7 of those were inclined, 1.8 flat and 0.7 declined. My time was 48 minutes 23 seconds (7 minutes 48 seconds / mile), which is a considerably slow pace but the hills factor heavily into that equation.
My feet were incredibly comfortable, I can't get over how fivefingers have adjusted my running form and posture. The major difference for me between shoes and fivfingers is how FFs make you adjust your form instantaneously. Run incorrectly in these and you'll know it right then, run incorrectly in padded running shoes and you'll know it when you're 60. Too late.....
Today's race was a confidence builder that I actually could run the Myrtle Beach Marathon in fivefingers. Not that I doubted that earlier, but I had never worn them during competition when adrenaline was high.

PS. Thanks to Tony Post (President and CEO of Vibram USA), who read my blog and sent me a crate of freebies.

Back in action...

Today's the day folks. Head on over to the Fivefingers website now and pick up a pair of your own. Vibram is now back in stock!

Sipes?

Not only are these shoes well crafted and unexpectedly comfortable, they're also scientifically engineered. What? That's right, the rubber soles are much more than "rubber soles." An excerpt from IDOnline:

"In order to give the Fivefingers extra traction beyond TC4's capabilities, Vibram borrowed from the tire industry, which faces similar hurdles when engineering winter tires: These need to be grippy on ice but also can't wear away after a couple thousand miles on dry pavement or plowed-and-sanded roads. The solution: sipes! No, that's not a yelp of pain or surprise; it's a noun (plural) that refers to the tiny cuts you'll find along the surface of a winter tire. You'll also find sipes—1.5-millimeter-deep zigzaggy cuts—across the ball and heel of Fivefingers' soles."

10K in Fivefingers

I've been running in Fivefingers for nearly 2 months now, figured it's past time for competition. An annual 10K is just around the corner. Due to construction on the lake dam in Columbia, the course has been altered from years past. The new course is residential and very hilly. Due to the sock-like fit on your feet, hills are easier in FF than running shoes.



As a sidenote, the race finishes in downtown Irmo at the beginning of the Okra Strut festival. What? How the hell did I end up in this town?

Fivefingers 2.0

Barefoot Ted is flaunting the new version of Fivefingers on his website. I want a pair! Vibram, can you hear me?

Running on the beach

Took my Fivefingers to the Bahamas last week for a little beach running. (didn't even have to take them off in airport security, victory!) I was a little concerned that running on the white sand would prove to be disasterous. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised. The sand stayed out and my feet went unchafed.

The next few days

My Brooks and Nike Free have found a new home.....

Turns out that I can't get enough of these shoes. My wife says "shut up already." I find myself anticipating my next run when I finish my daily routine. I'm currently running about 24 miles a week, all in Fivefingers and I've never felt better. My current pair has roughly 50-60 miles on them and the soles still look great. My first pair accumulated nearly 100 miles and I just had to have more. I mow the lawn in the old pair. I've found that the more that I wear them when not running, the more comfortable I am when I am running. Works for me.

Day 1

As a newbie to barefoot running, I had read several articles that made no bones about starting out SLOW. I took this seriously and decided my first run in Fivefingers would be a comfortable 3 miler. No hills, no stones, no problems. The temperature during my run was around 100F and the sidewalk was considereably warmer. My feet were very comfortable and I felt great the whole run. The blister was a result of ridiculous concrete temperatures and the fact that I didn't use the adjustment cord. Whoops.
For other newbies out there, there are muscles in your feet and legs that you never knew you had. YOU WILL KNOW. The freedom of running barefoot allows your feet and legs to work at their full potential and not be constrained by over-protective running shoes.
I'm already looking forward to tomorrows run.

On the way

As I waited for my new Fivefingers to show up on the doorstep, I took time to research the product. Some of the most helpful postings came from Barefoot Ted and ID Online. I would soon learn what these guys knew already....Fivefingers are revolutionary! I'm ready for the first run in my new skin.

How it all began....

On a recent flight home from Las Vegas, I was reflecting on a couple of things. How could I have spent so much money in 4 days and when would I begin my training for a marathon in Myrtle Beach, SC in February. My wife, asleep on my shoulder, had picked up several magazines in the airport for the 5 hour flight. As I thumbed through a Men's Health magazine, I discovered a tiny article about Vibram Fivefingers that sparked my interest. When I arrived at home, I went straight to the Internet, read several reviews and made the purchase. This blog will be my attempt of informing people about the greatness of Fivefingers and how they've changed my outlook on running.