I want to start running minimum/barefoot

TY Trim and Dianna for the advice. So excited now!

Any thought on the huraches?

The running huraches?
I have a deaf friend who swears by them.
I've taken out the padding in my minimalist runners at times to approximate, or get closer to, the same feel.
Most of the huraches, though, go between your toes. And, just like the vibrams, eww. I can't imagine running with something between my toes.

Hey, you compare the drop in many other "running" shoes, 8mm isn't that bad really, you are on your way there.

And actually, even easier to practice the required method right now. Just land flat footed and turnover close to 90/180.

Here are some comparisons to see that 8mm isn't that bad.

http://www.runblogger.com/2012/09/recommended-zero-drop-barefoot-style.html

That was helpful. My brooks pure connect are 4mm drop. New Balance minimus are my official ultimate goal

Thank you all for the great comments! Everyone has been very helpful!

BTW...I'm still a little sore in my calves from running in my new NB minimus shoes. I'm just sticking to short runs till my legs are broken in. :bigsmile:

Don't forget you can trade off shoes. Just keep same style/method in the old shoes.

I used to walk on the treadmill barefoot but after a few walks I ended up with mild burns on my heels. Nothing major but slightly uncomfortable.

I tried VFFs but had to return them after about a month because the insides of my big toes became numb (all the time, and even now almost three months later). I blame the fact that I was using them to walk on pavement. In theory, I think they are great shoes and I would love to have them again but ONLY if they were for outdoor grass/dirt activities.

Sure, it's "natural" to walk barefoot... but only if you do it on the dirt. Stay away from hard pavement.

I get that you're talking about walking, specifially, but I keep hearing people say that about running barefoot (or in VFFs)... but it's not really supported by anything. I could just as easily say, "Try to stick to harder surfaces, like pavement, and avoid spongy, squishy surfaces like grass." I prefer running on the sidewalk to running on grass; I feel like I can get a better run in. I may actually be slightly more likely to develop shin splints on grass than I would on pavement - not sure why that is. There's a big myth that running on pavement is too jarring and more likely to injure a runner... but it's a myth.

http://www.chrismcdougall.com/barefoot.html

And if the VFFs left your toe numb, my cure for that was to take the suckers off and walk or run truly barefoot... toe problem: solved. Works like a dream for me.

I seem to remember reading an article recently about a study with 'barefoot' or minimal shoes. These researchers put people in the shoes and taught them how to run in the shoes and followed the people for a while. The researchers found there are some people the shoes are good for, and others who are not helped much, if at all.
Some people naturally will run on their forefoot. These are the people the shoes were good for. Some people could not learn how to do that. They naturally run landing with a flat foot or a heel strike. These people tended to have problems with the barefoot shoes.

Can you happen to remember the outcome for natural heal striker who could teach themselves to run on the forefoot? I fall into this category, I changed styles about a year ago and am thinking about trying the minimal shoes.

Saucony Mirages are my favorites and have a little more support.. I also wear Saucony Kinvaras these are more minimalistic I prefer them for shorter faster runs