Ever so carefully, I’m getting back to the sort of running schedule that will lead to doing some road races again. My biggest problem now is with, to my surprise, blisters. For years I wore New Balance running shoes, but then I switched to Brooks. Being a bad over-pronator, I’ve been wearing the Addiction 8, and now the Addiction 9 is out.
The problem with motion control shoes is they’re heavy, stiff, and the mid-sole can feel like a block of wood. That is certainly true of the Brooks Beast, which is like the Addiction shoes on steroids. I wore a few pairs of the Beast, but they were just too much. And now the Addiction is also feeling like it’s too much.
There’s an anti-shoe movement among the running community, favoring minimal shoes, or even barefoot running. As you would expect, there’s a product catering to this group. It’s called Vibram Five Fingers. The alleged science that’s claimed for these products reminds me of Earth Shoes, back in the 70’s.
The thing is, I’m starting to wonder if the barefoot running proponents have a point. All of my injuries have happened while wearing the “right” shoes and not letting them get worn down before getting a new pair. Last Sunday a new blister, caused by my orthotic insert, hurt so much I had to stop a mile from home and couldn’t even walk in my shoes. So I took them off and ran the last mile in my socks.
At first it felt like I was trying to cross the parking lot at the beach, but after a while I settled into it. Then I felt a distinct sensation in the weak spots in my right leg. It wasn’t pain, it was more like relief, as if they were being allowed to work. The effect was contrary to everything I’ve been told about correcting for my low arches and protecting my feet. I woke up the next morning expecting my legs to hurt, but they felt fine.
So will I try a pair of Five Fingers? Uh, no. They look ridiculous! If they were a solid color and the toes weren’t emphasized so much, maybe I would. Maybe I’ll just try a lighter, less protective shoe, like I used to wear in college.
i dont know if he was impressed exactly mom. But i did better than i thought i would…
DogRat, running au naturel? Think of the plantar warts! Say, were there any superheroes who went barefoot? 😉 Molly is all excited because she did her cross-country today (she’s joined the high school team) and made the whole four miles with no asthma attacks, side stitches, or anything! She and a couple of the newbies were a new yards behind, but the coach was very, very impressed. She experienced both the runner’s high and “hitting the wall” toward the end, but she’s addicted! Tom bought her a relatively cheap pair of shoes, I’ll have to check what brand they are. But she’s young, so her body can tolerate a lot more than us old-timers.
It is very healthy running. I get tired very fast!. I did rhytmical gymnastics when I was 11-15 years old, it was my favorite thing in the world !! all day thinking on it, till I had to leave it, for high school and because I had to go to another town to train and I didn’t want to watch it any more to not feel sad. I remeber how I felt.