Minimalist running?

mommysockmonkey · May 2013

Anyone out there make the transition to minimalist running shoes? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience. How and why did you make the switch?

mikeatmichael · May 2013

My lower back used to tighten up when I ran until at some point one of the muscles would spasm and I'd be barely able to get out of bed. Last spring I started consciously landing on the balls of my feet and found that I no longer had any back problems. This spring I bought a pair of five fingers minimalist shoes (the kind without the separate toes) and started running with those.

You'll find when you first start running that way your lower calfs will get really sore pretty quick. You just have to run on the balls of your feet as long as you can and slowly increase the distance over time, just like building up any muscle. I'm now running 6 miles at a go with no calf discomfort, but as I get tired I get sloppy and I start to notice that I have to concentrate on keeping my heels up. My feet feel stronger too. It feels like I'm not running as fast but when I time my runs I'm actually going slightly faster, although thats probably due to being in better shape.

I gave up trail running because I often twisted my ankle. As soon as the trails around here dry out a little I'm going to try that again using the five fingers with separate toes. I can't imagine landing on the side of my foot or rolling my foot wearing those.

I highly recommend minimalist running and can't imagine going back to the old way.

rybo · May 2013

I switched because it just made sense to me. I didnt have any problems, pain or issue before. My running style was already a mid foot striker so litle changed in my overall form. You have to go slow. And by slow I mean short distance not pace. I started out just by running a few 100 yard strides at a time. Its was months to build to 3 miles. My longest run has been 10 miles in Vibrams. I'd lost some of that strength over this winter, but I am working my way back into it again.

dbmata · May 2013

Anyone out there make the transition to minimalist running shoes? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience. How and why did you make the switch?

I use five fingers, which are about as minimal as it gets unless you go barefoot.

I was having a lot of knee problems and plantar fasciitis problems when wearing those super dooper specially chosen and "perfect for my gait" brooks running shoes from a certain running store that was hit by a bomb in Boston.

I threw those brooks away and bought some five fingers after having wasted a ton of cash and still getting hurt. I read up a bit on a harvard study about barefoot running. I put on the five fingers and walked around a lot, for about two weeks before running with them. My first run was a half mile and it was uncomfortable. I didn't push it, let myself feel better, and added on distance. Within a couple months I was running a couple miles at a go, they're comfortable and totally my favorite shoes.

It also helped me change my gait from a retarded heel strike to a much more comfortable and sustainable midfoot strike. Since switching, I have had 5 pairs of five fingers, and won't be moving away from them anytime soon. However, I want to adding in some other minimalist shoes, so I'm going to check out some new ones today.

RonandDi · May 2013

A few weeks ago I bought a pair of NB Minimus shoes. I have been taking it slow. Started out at a half mile every other day and now I'm at 1 mile every other day. I like the way it feels to run in them and can't wait to be able to run at will with them.

galipemi1 · May 2013

While I don't really run in them (yet) I have been using primarily minimalist shoes for over a year. About two years ago I bought a pair of Vibrams Five-Finger shoes - didn't wear them much because it turns out I bought them too small and didn't understand how they should fit. I moved onto Saucony's version without individual toe pockets and pretty much lived in them or bare feet every minute I wasn't at work. Two weeks ago I bought another pair of Five-Fingers and these ones fit! I've done a few walks in them, 2.5km and 4km - no problem! A little stiff through the calves, but easily attributed to a recent lack of exercise

Then on Sunday, I went on a 10km charity walk - formed a couple of small blisters on the underside of my second toes and overused an ankle ligament. Overall, still not too bad but a definite testament to start off small and build up to the distance you want.

runfreddyrun · May 2013

i'm an overpronator who has previously been told i need motion control shoes - or whichever are the most heavy duty shoes. and then on top of that i have $400 custom orthotics. that was all fine and i never experienced any real problems but i wanted to switch to a more minimalist shoe. i've never been a big runner. i don't think i've ever even run 3 miles.

i ran a few short distances in my merrell minimalist shoes and outside of the initial calf pain, things have been good. but then i sort of felt like i needed something more - not because of any pain i was experiencing, i just wanted to be careful.

so i got nike free 5.0 - which is about halfway on their minimal/flexibility scale. it's the nike free that is usually recommended for overpronators. it has an 8mm drop vs the 0mm drop from the merrells. they don't feel as 'minimal' as the merrells, but they feel good. i've only gone 2.5 miles, but so far so good. There have been a few times where i've felt a tiny twinge of something in my left foot on the side but it went away and i never felt any pain afterwards.

i don't know what of runner i was before but since i started running in the merrell minimalist shoes, i noticed i'm now a midfoot striker, even when wearing the super motion control shoes.

IronSmasher · May 2013

Slowly.

Minimalist running?

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