VFF Adventures: Barefoot Baby!

Lately I've been desk warming... which means I've had loads of downtime.

And with this lovely time I've been researching, reading, and searching for as much info as possible about barefoot or minimal footwear running!

I wrote a post before about the Vibram Five Fingers, and I'm happy to say I'll be receiving mine on Friday!!! After ordering them a month ago and waiting impatiently patiently for them to get here... they will be making their appearance along with my Mom!!!!

Ahhh I can't wait until I have a pair of my own!!!!

So throughout all of this research I found an AWESOME website with all sorts of info about VFF's and barefoot running... and instantly I was hooked.

I've been wondering how to adapt and transition into the VFF's and have REALLY wanted to just be gutsy and go all out with the barefoot running and I came across this encouraging article.

How to Transition to Running in Vibram Five Fingers- Let your skin be the guide!

The actually suggested starting with barefoot first and VFF second. Because with the VFF's you really have to work on your running form they suggest that to get the correct form you really need to start barefoot to get it down right!

So I took these babies for a spin

(here they are lovely and dirty in cambodia)

Now as much as I love being barefoot... in Korea it's a terrifying thing. There literally glass on every surface and I'm not really up for completely slicing off a toe. But there is a track nearby and I dragged Jon along with me and we gave our little toes a spin around the track.

We alternated running one lap (about .12) and walking one lap. Jon's smooth and supple feet were "feeling" the track after 2 run arounds and he called it quits, my callousy, rugged feet made it a few more times and it ended up being a mile. My feet are feeling a little sore, but otherwise good.

Throughout all of the reading and researching the one piece of advice I've seen over and over is to start SLOW! And so I am... I think every other day for two weeks I'll try doing the mile alternating the walking and running and then I'll move up the mileage depending on how my feet feel.

As "rough" as my feet feel apparently after a few weeks of barefooting it, my brain will start to recognize that the nerves in the balls of my feet are getting a lot more stimulation. Because of this my brain will start sending signals down to the soles of my feet and fat will start being deposited there. Voila! Instant padding :) Truthfully half the fun of this is, is just finding out how absolutely incredible our bodies are. We are truly created in a unique way and our bodies and feet in general were created so capably and they can do so much! We just have to be willing to put them to use! And I fully plan on it :)

I'm hoping in the future to put up some more of the scientific reasoning behind barefoot/minimal footwear. In the meantime... go get the book Born to Run... now!

As for me I'm going to go soak my sore toes and remember the bliss they felt in all of this glorious Mexican sand :)

If you have anymore questions about barefoot/minimal footwear walking and running send 'em my way! I'm happy to research things and have found a lot of information on the subject :)