Vibrams again!

I haven't posted for a long time. But I have not given up on Vibrams. I found that running on the road--pavement--was tough. I would get a pain mid-foot on the top of my foot. So I gave up the barefoot on the road.

I did run an hour trail run last summer in them. It was AWESOME. My brother-in-law and his wife all took our Vibrams out for a nice early morning run in the moutains. Stepping on rocks, picking up weeds in between the toes of the Vibrams, and whatever else you find on a mountain trail were painful sometimes, but it was so much fun. I was afraid that I would have really sore feet at the end of the day. NO PAIN. None.

That was the last of my Vibram runs until this winter. The weather here has been so cold that it's the first year I haven't been able to run outside on the roads. My running partner and I discovered an indoor track in town and started running there just so we COULD run. I decided to fire up the old Vibrams again. I have run about close to 40 miles in them now on the track with no problems. I took it slow and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

One thing that I notice when I'm running barefoot is that my low back doesn't hyper-extend as my leg pushes back through the stride. I have also learned that I don't run on the balls of my feet but mid-foot. The weight of your body should follow through the long bone of the leg to the midfoot--logically in my mind it should. If you put all the impact on the balls of the feet or the heel, you're asking for problems. So I will run the road again this summer in them and see if this has helped--running on the track and building up to it--and also running more midfoot. We will see. But I am still running barefoot as is my daughter and my running partner, as well as one of my sons.

Can't wait until I can swing the 100 bucks for some Bikilas.

Happy running!

Keep moving those feet!

Yesterday my daughter and I suffered the abuse of the males in the family mocking our "hobbit feet." They're just threatened by our innovative and progressive minds! VIBRAMS may look like hobbit feet, but they feel wonderful. So there!

I made it the entire run--4 miles plust a one mile walk--for the first time on the ROAD in the VIBRAMS. I won't say it was EASY, but I did it.

As soon as I start wearing my RUNNING SHOES for running days, my back and hip starts to FREAK out again! So it's worth it. I know it'll just take time. Patience, patience.

Daughter now a convert!

My daughter has been working on building up her runs and has done very well. But a few weeks back she started slacking off because of pain in the arch and joint of her big toe. I said, "Grab my VIBRAMS and take a run." So she did. She liked them. She used them several more days after that and her foot pain completely disappeared. She's LOVING it again.

She ordered herself a pair and did her first run in her OWN VIBRAMS yesterday. Loved it!

She has always loved to wear flip-flops or go barefoot--always. I think her feet are much stronger than mine for barefoot running. It's been a very positive thing for her.

I am still making miles on mine, but I struggle some days with a bit of pain in my right foot. I keep WORKING THROUGH IT and know that eventually my feet will be stronger and more able. When i run on the treadmill I have NO problem running four miles in them. But when I hit the road, three is hard work. But I keep trying. I'm hoping that the weather will warm up so I can run grass or trails somewhere.

Happy Running!

Still at it!

Still going STRONG. Had a bit of a setback when I slipped on some ice. But I'm back to running. The weather is warming, so I feel more COURAGEOUS to run in VIBRAMS.

There is a new VIBRAM BIKILA coming out. My daughter-in-law hooked me onto these. I hope she gets hers FIRST. Then I'll try some. Very cute, and made just for running.

I am seeing a change in my leg and low back pain--SLOWLY. I just keep trying and making my feet and legs stronger. I go BAREFOOT anymore around the house. I don't know if I could go back to shoes...

Happy running! And good luck to those of you recovering from injuries. Not fun.

First Mistake!!!

So I ran over four miles last Friday on the treadmill--worked REALLY HARD and felt REALLY GOOD. I owed myself another FOUR in the week because I WIMPED out on Wednesday. So I decided to hit the road on SATURDAY.

I broke my own rule: Do not run on successive days if you want to avoid INJURIES. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11130-0,00.html And that has made so much difference for me. (I do strength training every other day)

I also then ran in the VIBRAMS on the road on a successive day. STUPID! My running partner was trying out her new VIBRAMS and was just going to do a mile in them. I did the mile with her. Then I thought, "Well, my feet are used to these. I'll just do the other two in these." (We went three that day). BIG MISTAKE!

I made my foot sore. I wouldn't say it was painfully sore. But it was that little NAGGING pain that makes you worried.

So I have been CAUTIOUS this week and have done no IMPACT in VIBRAMS--just the Sauconys or Nikes. Bummer! But it's feeling nearly normal.

I looked at myself in the mirror this morning before working out and said to myself, "You have a LIFETIME. No need to rush." That was to remind myself not to over do it barefoot today.

I think we have lived in our shoes for our entire lives, and we can't expect to just shoot out the door barefoot and think nothing will get sore.

TAKE IT SLOW. You've got a lifetime.

Happy Running!

Injinji socks

My running partner finally JOINED the hippee movement and bought her VIBRAMS. She had a very HARD TIME getting them on over her toes and said the injinji socks helped a ton. So if you have DIFFERENT shaped toes that kind of pull back and the VIBRAMS are snug on them, get the socks.

I chose not to get them because some people POSTED that they made the toes too tight on the VIBRAMS. So opted out. But apparantly they do have their PURPOSES.

Doing better

I know you've all been on PINS AND NEEDLES waiting to hear if my calves survived. I wondered myself. They are doing much better. I was MAD at my husband Saturday, so I picked up the two miles I owed myself for the week. I was WORRIED because my calves were still painfully excruciating! But ANGER is ANGER. What do you do? I took off in my VIBRAMS.

I can't believe how much BETTER my calves were that day. So I guess the ADAGE of doing what you did to get sore to get un-sore works. At least it did for me.

I do find myself finding grass and dirt to run in on the side of the road a bit. TRAIL RUNNING would be great. But until then, I just hit the dirt once every NOW AND AGAIN. Today I was mostly asphalt. I feel fine.

I did 2.25 miles today on the road. I'm DOING more slowly. Don't want to HURT myself permanently!

Happy Running.

Anyone tried the YOGA stretch???