Barefootin'

Bought a pair of Vibrams Five fingers today (model KSO), and went running. According to the makers, many experts believe the shoes we wear not only cast the foot in a protective form, but also weaken our foot and leg muscles, leaving them underdeveloped and more prone to injury.

And while there are many occasions where traditional footwear is essential for protection, safety, and security, it is equally important to stimulate and exercise the foot in a more natural state on a regular basis. Hence the creation of the Five fingers.

Anyway, it was a short run (5K), and I've got blisters! Guess it's part of the breaking-in process. The upside is that you can chuck your socks once you've toughened your skin.

So how does it feel? Well, it's like running barefoot, and you're readjusting to that feeling of being barefoot and running over different surfaces, adjusting to the un-eveness, hardness, and so on.

The leg muscles (especially the toes and calves) are also readjusting as you're mostly landing on your front feet, and not so much on your heels. I'll update this post when I've broken them in a little.