Yet another running shoe question

I am a pretty cheap bastard, but I thought, 'what the hell'... several people in line said they had a pair and loved them.

I got this warning several times - don't go on long runs with them until you break them in - or more specifically, break your body/legs into getting used to them.

It's probably psychological, but i don't want to run long distances without them. Oh, and I wash them almost every time, and put them out in the sun to dry.

Oh, and I think i look like a total tool in them, but i think its worth it.



This is the set I have.

 

Here is another option for folks who don't like the FiveFingers, but want to try something with Vibram soles -- the Merrell Glove series. This pair is the Men's Barefoot Sonic Glove

I have a pair of the Merrell Trail Gloves that I have used on both trails and streets. I really like them a lot. The only thing I've noticed is that it really eats at your calves starting out.

 

It may be that the minimalist running movement has it right...or not. It is important to transition to non-support shoes very slowly gradually increasing miles. There is a steep learning curve for the body and numerous injuries may occur in the first few attempts to use the new shoes.

 

I'm on my sixth pair of Newtons, with No. 7 this week (the new MV2, 5.8 ounces). They're not cheap, and I won't be responsible for anybody who gets hurt trying them out, but when I bought my first pair, I was 210, and now I'm about 180 and change and running 5K in the 22:30 to 23:00 range, with high hopes for much better in the next few months.

Newtons changed my life, to the point that I want to like the minimalist offerings of other manufacturers but don't want to mess with success. When I bought my first pair, I had chronic Achilles issues; those were gone in two weeks. I've had to revamp the way I run, and it's an ongoing process not to slip back, but when it's really working -- quicker cadence with shorter strides, leaning slightly forward, arm movement key -- it's a revelation.

I can't get my head around Vibrams, but it's not just aesthetics; we had two people run in them in our Corporate Run last March, and the metal grates on the bridges killed 'em. And again, I'm so pleased with Newtons that I'm just not going to mess with it.

But you have to go all in; cheapest pair is $125, and I've spent $175 (with a slight discount) for a couple of the pairs of trainers.

So all I can tell is they worked -- spectacularly -- for me, and you can't discount the Achilles deal; I had bad problems. They went away with Newton shoes.

 

I have a pair of Vibrams and love 'em. I run like you Ragu, and after some breaking in, running seems a bit more natural. Then again, I walked everywhere barefoot when I was a kid, so maybe it's just me.

I met a guy who got a stress fracture from wearing them, so I was quite cautious. I wore them just walking around town for several weeks before even trying to run in them. Even now, I try to step on dirt and grass as much as possible (pavement did a number on my knees in college, anyway).

Also, they can double as watershoes and I've had no problem swimming in them, which is quite handy in lakes and rivers with rocky bottoms.

 

If you buy the whole thing -- if you ease into it very gradually (they give you guidelines), if you take shorter, quicker strides, if you land with your feet under you instead of out in front of you (I'm still fighting the form thing all the time, because I was a reacher way back to when I was a high school miler and always equated long strides with speed, but getting gradually better) -- I don't know that it matters how much you weigh. But if you buy Newtons and then keep landing way back on your heels, you're both missing the point and likely to get hurt. The "lugs" for Newton are right in the middle of the forefoot, and there's no extra padding in the heel.

I've been in them for more than a year and still fighting it all the time, but here's an oddity I'm finding -- I tend to run more like you're supposed to the more minimalist the shoe (you have to, or you'll break your ankles). Running barefoot -- on the artificial soccer field behind my condo, but a beach could work, too -- helped me get a feel for what it was supposed to be like.

 

If you're going minimalist, go slowly.

I tried to jump in with both feet (ha-ha, he made a pun) recently and screwed up my right foot. Hurt for the longest time. I'd ditched my old shoes, bought new ones and tried to go too fast.

So, I've since taken a break from the walking-jogging (leading up to running) and purchased some Asics with good support. I'm sticking with them and my Merrill trail shoes for long distance stuff.

 

Well, of course, SixToe, you're not exactly the typical case, for obvious reasons.

 

I always struggle to find the extra width.

 

This is the reason I live in New Balance shoes. For a long time I bought shoes too long so that they'd be wide enough, especially for my right foot. Now, I just head straight for the New Balance store when I need new shoes.

Out of curiosity, is there another running shoe that offers a choice of widths? I haven't come across one yet.