I know all of you have been as anxious as teenage girls before opening night of a Twilight movie while waiting to see what kind of shoes I purchased (well, as least *I* was). Well, the wait is over. Yesterday, in the mail, I received my Vibram Five Fingers KSOs:
I put them on as soon as I got home, tried them out on the treadmill, and think they will do just fine, thank you very much.
They fit pretty much like a sock (with toes). I originally tried some on at Hudson Trail Outfiitters, and it took me several minutes to get all five toes in the right holes in the shoes (at one point, I had toes in the wrong holes, two toes in the same hole, and every combination you can think of. At times, I have a very sad existence). Well, at home, trying on my Five Fingers on for the first time, I had the same issue.
How do they feel? great. They feel fine walking around, and I like the fact that I can *feel* the ground when I walk. How do they feel running? Well, good! Today I ran a total of two miles (I thought it would sound longer if I spelled it out, rather than typing '2') at a 9:43 pace. I didn't intend to run that slow, I just did. I'm getting used to landing on my forefoot and I'm taking noticeably shorter strides, so it'll take a while before I can run more than 3-4 miles in them, and I'm sure that I'll be slow in them as well. I remember that when I started running in my Nike Free's, I couldn't do more than 3 or so miles at first. And running in 3 in those Nike Free shoes felt like running 6 in normal running shoes, due to the extra support your actual legs and feet need to provide in your running (rather than your running shoes). I'm feeling the same here with the Five Fingers (fans call the Vibram Five Fingers the 'VFF' -- I don't think I'm there yet). I felt my feet engaging in my run, and landing on my forefoot adds stress to my tendons, but I think that's a good thing (once they build up strength). As long as I increase my miles very very gradually with these Vibram shoes, I should be okay. If I took off and ran a 10 miler in these shoes, well, my feet wouldn't feel so great.
The other think I was worried about (well, worried is a strong word, concerned? fretful?) was how to tell others who I am and who to contact after a car knocks me off the road without my handy-dandy Road Id. I use a Road Id on my normal running shoes, as they attach to my laces. Well, with the Vibram's, no laces. I then remembered that I embraced the concept of Road Id way before they got all the nifty devices (wrist bands, shoe bands, ankle bands, interactive bands, etc.) and I still have the original 'Fixx' necklace (it looks like a dog tag). The hardest part about the Fixx is remembering to put it on. That's why I got the shoe Id in the first place. (as you all know, the Fixx was named after Jim Fixx, a popular runner and author who helped start the 2nd running revolution in the 1970's).
All of you who run, get a Road Id. Seriously. Especially out in this area, there's lots of traffic, and if you run early morning, when drivers are mostly just focusing on getting to work, they may not see you. If you are unconscious lying on the side of the road, the Road Id will tell the first responders who you are, emergency contact info, as well as any drug allergies you may have. Oh, and your blood type. Get it.
Anyway, the great wait is over. Keep on running!
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