Forums/

General Running

Mike C.
Mike C. Sendmail

Looking for minimalist runners

posted 9 months ago | Report

Hi,

I have been running in Vibram Bikila's for over 2 years now and I'm looking to connect with other minimalist runners out there to share some minimalist experiences.

I have run everything from 5K to 1/2 as well as several mud runs in them. Occasionally will go totally barefoot for short runs.

Let's connect.

Respond

17 posts

scroll to bottom
  • Dan
    Dan Sendmail

    I've been running in my KSOs for about a year now. I haven't even touched my traditional shoes since then. I'm also working on going completely barefoot, still trying to toughen up the soles of my feet. So far I think the farthest I can do barefoot is 2 miles. Oh well I'll get there.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Mike C.
    Mike C. Sendmail

    Nice! I really enjoy the feel of going barefoot. Even compared to the Vibrams, it is a big difference. I can do about 2 as well but anymore than that and my feet get too beat up and I'm not sure my wife could live with the soles of my feet if I did anymore, so I only do it occassionally.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Paul B.
    Paul B. Sendmail

    Hey, Mike. I alternate between VFF Bikila's and Inov-8 Bare X Lite 150's.
    FR sent - Paul

    posted 9 months ago

  • Tiffany H.
    Tiffany H. Sendmail

    My running arsenal consists of Bikilas, Kinvaras and just today Minimus Trail. Too chicken to go barefoot, I live in the middle of the desert :-)
    Request coming your way.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Ren S.
    Ren S. Sendmail

    5 fingers last 3 years with some barefoot, this year all runs are barefoot. Ran 5k race barefoot 2 years ago, now going to run 10k race barefoot. My running tools when it gets cold are invisible shoes, Altra Adams, 5 fingers.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Kathy N.
    Kathy N. Sendmail

    Mike,

    I run in Saucony Kinvara and NB
    Minimus 730's and Trail 110's. Minimal running is the only way I could run without feeling tremendous knee pain from an old injury. I am a total believer. FR sent.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Kt
    Kt Sendmail

    Started running again in my mid 40s last year, but then stopped due to knee and hip pain...started to read about barefoot running...did a little last fall, then none this winter, and now 6 months later have been running 3-5x/week between 2-6 miles...PAIN FREE...gosh I feel like proselytising and I never do that...I've been running in Run Amocs...from Soft Star shoe...I love them...rain, mud, sunshine, and all!

    posted 9 months ago | edited 9 months ago

  • Andrea P.
    Andrea P. Sendmail

    I have a question for everybody: Have you ever suffered from any injuries after running in the minimalist-style?

    posted 9 months ago

  • Mike T.
    Mike T. Sendmail

    I alternate between Vibram SeeYa, Brooks Green Silence, Brooks PureConnect, Brooks T7, and today did my first run in my new Altra Instinct 1.5. I started minimalism a couple years ago with Vibram KSO in an attempt to find a solution for painful recurrent Achilles tendonitis. After a few weeks in the Vibrams, my tendonitis was gone and hasn't returned, plus I've been completely injury-free and have run my first and second full marathons. I haven't gone barefoot yet, but would like to.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Dan
    Dan Sendmail

    Before minimalist running I had horrible shin splints, bad knee, and my back would just spasm (that's left over from a non running injury that never healed quite right). After I started running in minimalist shoes my shin splints are gone, I don't need my knee brace anymore, and my back spasms are much less severe or frequent (they are now just a mild annoyance instead of forcing me to stop activity for a few days).

    However, with minimalist running I have had to fight a bit with plantar fasciitis. It's annoying but, for me, totally manageable with stretching and a frozen coke bottle.

    If you're transitioning to minimalist, just take it slow. You'll be using your muscles differently and they need time to adapt. Its almost like learning to run again.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Andrew W.
    Andrew W. Sendmail
    in reply to what Andrea P. said:I have a question for everybody: Have you ever suffered from any injuries after running in the minimalist-style?

    The only thing I have had is a little more than usual soreness in the calf muscles from doing to much to soon, but no real injuries.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Christine C.
    Christine C. Sendmail

    Mike C.

    I currently run in Saucony A5's, but I have run previously in New Balance MInimum Roads (WR10), Saucony Peregrines, Brooks PureConnects and Brooks PureFlows.

    FR sent!

    Andrea P.

    After switching to minimal shoes from cushioned, motion control or cushioned, neutral shoes with orthotics and changing my stride (forefoot as a child, heel strike as an adult and now back to forefoot), my shin splits stopped.

    It hasn't been perfect though as I did end up with a case of plantar fasciitis as my soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in my calves are like concrete according to my massage therapist. I had to take 4 weeks off and then slowly work my way back to running even 5km (3.1mi) where as I had left off at running 16km (10mi) for my long runs. I am still working my way back up, albeit more slowly but stronger than pre-PF.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Julian L.
    Julian L. Sendmail

    Thank you for starting this thread. I just got a pair KSO, and still in the stage of stretching them out. I wore them in the office for a day, then 2 hours per day, as they got a bit uncomfortable due to tightness. I ran 5 k with it a few days ago. Other than the tightness on my second toe, everything was great. I switch to my Merrell after 5 k, and realize how much more time and energy I had to spend to run; Merrell Road Glove was the best shoes I ever had. The shoes store told me it need to be tight, and it will stretch out eventually, I hope this day will come sooner.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Julian L.
    Julian L. Sendmail
    in reply to what Andrea P. said:I have a question for everybody: Have you ever suffered from any injuries after running in the minimalist-style?

    I switch from Adidas to Merrell Road Glove, the shine pain was lesser by a lot. That was back in May when I started running long distance. With Merrell, I still have knee pain, fascia tightness, but I think they are just simply beginner runner things that I had to go thru. With time, a month or so, the pain lesser by a lot. Last weekend I tried KSO, the experiment was very positive. I have better timing, less pain/stress on my legs. Save a lot of energy as well, as I do not need to spend time on waiting for the shoes to bounce back up from the road, and less energy on pulling my legs up.
    Before, minimalist, the pain seem to stay for good. After minimalist, I see my legs growing stronger on every run. I started off running 4k, now less than 3 months later, I am running 30k.
    I think minimalist makes sense.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Erik K.
    Erik K. Sendmail

    I current run in Kinvara's and Trail Gloves. I try to do barefoot work, but don't get to it as often as I should since it typically means a shorter day. I had problems with shin splints and PF before changing. While I don't think it will cure every problem for every runner, I know I can't run any other way now.

    posted 9 months ago

  • Mike C.
    Mike C. Sendmail

    Hi Andrea,

    In my experience, not really unless you consider foot bruises and muscle tightness an injury. Over my adjustment period which I will say was 18 months, I started with intense calf tightness, then some hip soreness and lastly arch soreness. All of this was muscle related and I took it as a sign that my body was just adjusting to the use of muscles that had not been used as much before. Never any sharp knife like pains like I had in the past. Occasionally, I take a pointy rock in a bad place or get sloppy form and hit my heels too hard but those are both avoidable and even that over time has become less of an issue as your feet get used to these kinds of impact.

    PS, I had on and off back pain too, but never attributed it to running. I used to do simple yard work like weeding and be in agony after about 5 minutes. Now I can weed for hours and were I live, it is a much needed skill!. Again, I might be sore afterward but not in pain!

    posted 9 months ago | edited 9 months ago

  • Rafael V.
    Rafael V. Sendmail

    Just ran the San Francisco Full in the Vibram Bikilas. Last year I did the same marathon in KSOs.

    Once I started running in vibrams all my ITB issues went away.

    posted 9 months ago

Similar Discussions in Running - General Running