Well, I’ve had the new Vibram shoes for a week now, and I think things are going well, although slowly. I have to alternate running and walking at 1-2 minute intervals right now, because the new shoes have changed my running stride so that I no longer land on my heel, but on the ball of my foot. This is great because now I don’t get all that jarring impact every time my foot strikes the ground. Instead, I’m springing along on the balls of my feet. However, landing on the balls of my feet and then springing back off again requires a lot more work from my calves, and they definitely aren’t used to that.
I’ve had a few days off being really sore in my calves, so have been taking things slowly. However, I’m not experiencing any knee or hip pain after my run/walk, so that’s a huge benefit. I’ll see where I’m at in a couple of weeks.
Other comments on the Vibram KSO shoes. It has taken me a little while to get used to having my toes separated in my shoes. The discomfort from that passed quickly, but if I sit too long with the shoes on, it does come back. It’s better when I’m moving around and walking. I’ve had one hot spot on the back of my left heel, where the edge of the shoe hits the achilles tendon. A sports bandage took care of that. And I’ve noticed I feel the heat from the pavement a lot more when wearing these shoes. The soles are much thinner than an ordinary running shoe. I only noticed this though when I practiced karate at a local tennis court. When I run, I don’t notice it at all.
I’ll keep you updated on how things go with the shoes. I’m hoping by next week I’ll be able to run for a 5 minute stretch at a time. We’ll see!
