Vibram FiveFingers Part 1: The Adjustment Phase

Leading up to my trip abroad, I came across an article on Wired.com reviewing the Vibram FiveFingers: http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_vibram_fivefingers_kso. For some time I've been interested in running shoes; they're usually sinfully ugly and bulky, any genuine innovation in this space beyond adding a Nike-esque set of springs in the heels is welcome. Vibram finally came up with something new that in fact harkens back to something old: running barefoot.

The article caught my attention particularly for the reason that I would soon be travelling, and lugging around a massive set of running shoes is not that an attractive a proposition. The FiveFingers are very compact and require no socks, thereby clearing luggage space for all manner of junk acquired on a trip to Australia and Southeast Asia. The only major drawback is that the FiveFingers get a lot of weird looks and they take some adjusting.

And oh, do they take some adjusting. I picked them up just before I left from the lone store in San Francisco that actually carries them. They got their break-in on the treadmill at the gym and the instant result was calf agony. Generally speaking, my calves are in good shape, but after about two mile's worth of running in the FiveFingers it felt as if my calf muscles had completely seized up. I place a lot of trust in my body—aside from my hair follicles—and let the lactic acid clear over the next day or so. Given sufficient time, I figured my calves would adapt to the new gait imposed by the shoes. The next day I took the FiveFingers to the gym again in an effort to build up the leg strength. Gradually I got there, but that's when the next phase of adaptation set in.

Something clearly spelled out by people familiar with the FiveFingers is that they will stretch the tendons in your feet. Moreover, there are muscles in the foot that don't get worked in the same way when using standard running shoes as when using the FiveFingers. There's a whole lot more going on when essentially getting around in bare feet, and the result is a lot of discomfort. I followed the rules and slowly built up the mileage. While on the trip to Singapore and Jakarta, I dutifully squeezed in a couple of miles a day, providing my feet with ample time to explore what it takes to run in the FiveFingers. My arches ached after each workout, but it felt like something good was happening so I persisted. Towards the end of my week in Jakarta I felt confident of upping the mileage, so when I lobbed back in Sydney I took on what is perhaps my favourite run in the world: the Bondi to Coogee run.

The Bondi to Coogee run clocks in at about the 7 mile mark, I think—I've never measured or timed it but that's what it feels like to me. Slipping on the FiveFingers I took to the trail yesterday. I felt strong, full of energy. The miles slipped past and at each potential turnabout I forged ahead, reminding myself at each point that the run is an out-and-back, and that each mile I run on the outward bound leg is the same number I'll have to run on the way back. But I felt good so I did it.

During the latter third the foot soreness kicked it. Unlike most running injuries I've encountered in the past, the pain wasn't something that felt catastrophic; rather it felt like the strain or tightness one might feel in the quads after a long period of disuse. It was obvious that I'd finish the run well, but the next day would be full of agony.

And that's what happened. I awoke this morning with feet that burned slightly above the arches. Placing my full weight on them was difficult but possible, and after an hour or so of ambling about I felt much better. I'm confident that I'll eventually reach an adequate point of comfort, but for the time being I'll have to contend with more tendon and muscle stretching.

Tomorrow I'll head out for another run, althought this time I'll peg the mileage back a little. The lungs are willing but the feet are week.