Truth about runners, are they a waste of money?

[Veronica01]

Here's a good article for any of you athletes that frequently find it hard on your feet to wear runners and expensive runners actually can cause more injuries than cheap ones.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1170253/The-painful-truth-trainers-Are-expensive-running-shoes-waste-money.html

I like this quote

'Putting your feet in shoes is similar to putting them in a plaster cast,' says Dr Hartmann. 'If I put your leg in plaster, we'll find 40 to 60 per cent atrophy of the musculature within six weeks. Something similar happens to your feet when they're encased in shoes.'

Would explain why the more I worked out on elipticals and treadmills the more time off i needed inbetween, my feet would physically hurt and i'd get shin splints so bad.

[Veronica01]

I just found these online. They look amazing!!

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_Sprint_f.cfm

[JennaBoBenna]

Wow, that has got to be the goofiest shoe ever! But I love it! I would totally wear that to sprint around. I've always wanted to run around barefoot, but my soles are so sensitive since I always wear shoes! haha
I bet they feel great

[JennaBoBenna]

why SHOULD humans wear shoes? that's not how our physiology is. no other animals wear shoes! ;)
that's why this type of shoe makes so much more sense

[Revvell]

I just found these online. They look amazing!!

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_Sprint_f.cfm

Just bought a pair this afternoon. Tim VanOrden had them on when he came over. He runs hills and mountains in them.

[Veronica01]

Aww that's great. I am totally impressed there are several stores in town that sell these, they're around $80. So thats my next fitness investment. I know i always slack off working out cuz i hurt my feet and get pressure points. I love reading on the internet, it teaches me so much. :)

[contessa20]

I've been eying these online ever since someone mentioned them here a few months ago. My only question is, how strong are the soles? I mean, if I step on glass or something like that will my feet be protected?

[michigan roman]

i run in man made material hiking boots , a good mix of sturdiness / lightness .

and just a word of caution about these feet shoes is ide be leary of stubbing a toe into say a crack in concrete or cutting a toe on a peice of glass cutting up thru bottom because these type soles arent gonna provide anywhere near the protection as a full sole IMO . but thats just opinion without ever seeing them , so maybe wrong but ide rather error on the side of caution with this post .

[Veronica01]

I don't know I was reading on 30bananasaday people were talking about using them to run cross country through forests and off trails and such as it protected their feet instead of going barefoot. They mentioned running over rocks does not hurt you can just tell they're there.

Roman did you look at the article and scroll down to see the pictures of how your feet move barefoot as opposed to in runners. in runners your always landing on your heeling and having to roll forward right away, in barefeet you're naturally always on the balls of your feet and your toes splay to grasp the ground and you have much better footing. I don't think you could stub your toe in these, you'd have so much more control over your footing and be aware of the surface.

[Revvell]

Actually, you're not landing on the ball of your foot, you're landing mid-section and, you can stub your toe in anything except steel-toed shoes. These have protection coming over the lil toesies.

MR, stop being a scaredy cat and looking for problems, 'k? :rolleyes: *kissy face since they don't have one here for me* :D

[Revvell]

O.k., went up and down the mountain in my Vibrams ~ about 2 - 2 1/2 miles round trip. They are pretty darn cool!!! The foot moves with the terrain. I could feel the rocks and was a bit nervous about running down and hitting a rock too hard ~ so I didn't. I did walk fast and everything felt fine and still does.

I brought some shoes and socks up in my backpack. Didn't need them.

Revvell (http://LetsTalkRaw.com)

[Veronica01]

So you can wear them barefoot no problem? Did you get any blisters?

[Revvell]

So you can wear them barefoot no problem? Did you get any blisters?

I can't see wearing them any other way. Nope! No blisters for me.

[Veronica01]

wow i'm excited to try some on. Maybe if it stops snowing next week i'll consider it. :) haha.

[freshlight]

I can't see wearing them any other way.

unless you wear those funny toe-socks :D

[Revvell]

Well, I was thinking of getting some but, they'd have to be really thin.. might get some anyway as I'd like to wear these in colder weather. Don't know if I can get my toesies in my new footsies with lil toesie socks on.

Do NOT get the full shoe until you can get your lil feets into the others first. Toes don't have the sensitivity, flexibility of fingers. I tried those on first at the store. Might still be there trying to get my toes to behave. :p


unless you wear those funny toe-socks :D

[gs4life]

i have the exact pair you posted a picture of, veronica01. i got my vibrams back in january and i absolutely love them!

since running barefoot and/or in vibrams i've been injury-free. i used to be injured all the time.

i highly recommend the vibrams! :D

[Veronica01]

Oh that's so great to hear. I used to injure my ankles and shins all the time playing basketball and badminton by moving side to side and my shoes being too tight. Now I am totally aware how uncomfortable my feet are in running shoes, i get instant proessure points and aches on my calluses!

[Moretta]

Wow, these shoes look so comfy and I bet they are. Want to almost invest in a pair.

[LotsaRaw]

I did not see anything in their Q&A with regard to people with toes that are not shaped like that. My first 3 toes are all about the same length, then the last two only taper a little....(no pointy shoes for me! LOL) They look really neat, but with little wide Flinstone feet (cute, though), I am hesitant to order them!

Revell - do they feel like toe socks?

[Revvell]

Revell - do they feel like toe socks?

They feel like gloves with padding.

[Veronica01]

Maybe i will go try some on for my bday next week lol. I like knowing if i want something before I worry about not having enough money to buy it. If they won't fit my foot I won't have to want them. :D

[rawstrength]

I love running barefoot.
Running barefoot on the beach is the BEST!

[contessa20]

Just wanted to add my thoughts here. I just bought a pair of Vibram Sprints and they are SO comfortable. After reading about them here on RFT I went back and forth about whether to spend $80 on something that appears to be nothing more than glorified toe socks. I pondered just walking barefoot or even in my regular socks but I tried both and neither was pleasant AT ALL. Finally, last week I bit the bullet and bought the Vibram's because I found them on sale for $65.

They were a bit of a challenge to get into to start with and I was convinced that I had bought the wrong size. However, once they were on they were perfect. When I started walking I could feel immediately that my posture had straightened up and I was automatically walking the way I rebound; feet supinated and with toes flexed slightly upward with each footfall. I have to say too that I was really surprised at the amount of support and comfort that could be achieved in such a thin sheath. The soles are very thin and yet with the slightest bit of padding in just the right spots. My soles weren't in the least bit sore even after wearing them for several hours.

[The French One]

These shoes look awesome! I love running and have runners, but I'm always afraid that the repetition will finally damage my spine. For the moment, I never really got injured with runners, but truly, these vibram shoes look so great, like running barefoot but not hurting my sole. I'll have to try these!

[rkk]

I have been wanting to get these, but for whatever reason I feel awkward, as they make me feel I have lizard feet or gorilla feet (depending on the color). Maybe if I can get used to the look, then I will buy a pair.

[iwuvmydoggy]

i wear ugly shoes anyway, so i'm getting a pair of these babies. i don't care what people say. lol if it's good for me, i don't mind looking goofy.. but honestly, these shoes are kinda cute.. seriously! you get tootsie pockets!! how cool is that? http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/patriotcz/the-blacy-victory.png

[bunny_rescuer]

As a person who has run the Boston Marathon, I would be incredibly cautious of such shoes. I would get shin splints, bad knees, ITB Syndrome without a proper fit shoe and a slight lift on the left foot.

If you have a perfectly aligned body, with strong supportive muscles, sure... go for it. I would hate for a running newbie to try these. If you are a strong runner, and I have heard of experienced runners loving these, then they are totally fine and pleasurable. They love them, in fact... swear by them.

[contessa20]

As a person who has run the Boston Marathon, I would be incredibly cautious of such shoes. I would get shin splints, bad knees, ITB Syndrome without a proper fit shoe and a slight lift on the left foot.

If you have a perfectly aligned body, with strong supportive muscles, sure... go for it. I would hate for a running newbie to try these. If you are a strong runner, and I have heard of experienced runners loving these, then they are totally fine and pleasurable. They love them, in fact... swear by them.

Because these are so different from typical running shoes most people will probably need to ease into wearing the Vibram's for long distances. Switch back and forth between the two until your feet and body are fully comfortable with just the Vibram's. I think most any serious athlete who wears Vibram's will tell you the exact same thing. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater just because they're different.