BF/VFF Adventures

I figured, because I haven't even gotten my Vibram Five Fingers yet I should really be calling these posts. Barefoot and Vibram Adventures... because all the running I've done has been via my own little toesies.

In high school two of my best friends and I would compare our feet. Melissa's were dubbed cute and well proportioned, Joelle's were cute and little, and mine were...ugly. You see...I had these lovely large lumps on the sides of my feet called bunions. I'd like to thank my mother and grandmother for those babies. They were large, disfiguring, and gave my feet a bit of an odd look. Plus... wearing any sort of dressy shoe was a complete pain.

Because I apparently had "the worst bunions ever seen on an 18 year old" my doctor suggested they be hacked off. And when I say hacked off I mean my foot splayed open like a 8th grade science dissection project, pieces of bone removed, a pin shoved in, and then everything sewn back up into a neat little package that can't be walked on for 2 months.

Look at those lovely scars

 Even after the removal of my bulbous bunions my feet still weren't too pretty, the scarring is still quite noticeable and that doesn't exactly make for a beautiful view. But to be honest that just doesn't matter much anymore.  After not being able to walk on my feet normally for a few months after the surgery I became to appreciate just how miraculous those things attached to the bottom of my legs actually were.

Now, as I've been barefoot running I think I've come to see just how absolutely incredible our feet truly are.  Not only can they get us anywhere we want to go... but they have 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. How freaking out of control is that!? In such a tiny space all of that is crammed in. 

 It's still hard for me to believe that so many intricate details go in too such a small and confined space. For such a small part of the body it really does have an impact on our everyday lives. We don't fully realize how much we rely on them until we can't use them or they are hurt.

What I've really been learning during this whole barefoot running experiment is how much we need to take care of our feet. After I've gone on a run it's amazing how nice it feels to scrub them down and give them a little rub down with some lotion. My feet love me after I do this and I really think that it's a key component to keeping my feet healthy and working in prime condition. It's also the key to keeping the rest of my body in sync. I've realized that when my feet hurt it effects the rest of my body. My ankles, legs, back etc. They are the key ingredient to the rest of my bodies happiness. So, regardless of whether they are pretty or not, I love my feet and love the fact that they do so much for me! So whether they are pedicured, dirty, buniony (is that even a word?), or not so pretty looking take care of your feet! They are the ONLY ones we get! 

VFF Adventures: A Misadventure

Yesterday my mother, sister-in-law, and friend Danielle arrived in the land of Korea...

along with them, my VFF!!!! wooo hooo!!!! (trust me I was just as excited about the rest of them coming too :) ) But I had envisioned wandering the streets of Busan and Seoul in my new VFF's. I was going to conquer the world in them. I was going to get stared at. I couldn't wait.


So of course I put them on and admired their beauty.

I walked around for five minutes in the house... and then I noticed something a bit funny.

Not all was well in VFF land.

*gasp* a hole!!!??? I was shocked, upset, aghast that this could happen to me!

So I re-inspected.

And saw that yes, it truly is a huge gaping hole in my brand new Vibram Five Fingers.

Now I'm sure you're thinking, what's the big deal? Just send 'em back and get a new pair! Ummmm, people... I'm in freakin' South Korea... I ordered these puppies a month ago and had to wait for my mom to bring them over for me. 

Soooooo now they get to go back with my mom next week, get send back to the VFF company and they will send her a new pair, and the she will have to mail them to me. So in about another month I'll actually  have them. *le sigh*

So I guess I'll just continue on my barefoot ways... and wait for the day when I'll actually put on VFF's without fear of a hole.

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 :)

Five Fingers

About two weeks ago I wrote about my break-up with running.  The break-up had occurred a few weeks before I wrote that post, so it's definitely been awhile since I had gone on a jog. But I broke the streak this past wednesday with a 5k... and it was FUN!! I just focused on the scenery around me, enjoyed the feeling of running, and started to pay attention to my form.

In the book Born to Run it really talked a lot about how our form as runner's isn't all that great. We tend to strike on our heels, which is good for walking... but not so much for running. So I was really paying attention to striking the ground on the balls of my feet and kicking my heels up... and low and behold I picked up the pace... by about 45 seconds for the last 1.5 miles, and it didn't wind me as much as it would've before! I was PUMPED! And honestly it did feel good to run, but I'm still going to give it some time before I go full fledged.

Another idea that was presented in the book and seemingly everywhere in the running world is the concept of barefoot running, or minimal footwear running. Because I enjoy running, and I enjoy testing out theories I thought it be a fun little experiment to try.

Now I've actually been wanting to try this since last summer, but 1) running barefoot in korea would not be good. There is glass EVERYWHERE and I know I would slice up my feet real fast. 2) I was going to grab some vibram five fingers, but just decided not too. And I regret that decision every day.

However, Amanda and Ian's mom bought them some last year and Amanda has been gracious enough to let me try hers out.

The Verdict: I LOVE them. I enjoy being barefoot, quite frankly shoes and socks are the bane of my existence...but these actually felt like my bare feet.. with just a little padding.

I've borrowed them a few times for some walks and even tried out a little run in them.

Everyone says to start slow, and I'm happy I did. I didn't have any soreness the next day, but I could still feel that I'd worked the muscles in my feet.  New theories are showing that by putting our feet in shoes it's like putting them in a cast. The muscles atrophy, and they aren't as strong. Which is why a lot of times people have so many issues with their feet! To me it makes sense. Shoes do all the work for us and our feet aren't "worked". The Vibrams... work your feet.

Plus they're fun :) And it's a way for me to spice up running and working some more muscles that haven't been worked in a long time!

What do you think? Would you give "barefoot" running/walking a try?