New Fivefingers have arrived: Initial impressions

I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I got home today to find my new Vibram Fivefinger KSO Treks waiting for me.  As my attempts at repair of my worn-through KSOs were just a stopgap, I was really looking forward to trying the treks, with their leather uppers and thicker soles, out for a bit.

My initial reaction to the aesthetics was very positive, as was my wife's, daughter's, a family friend's and the dog's.  They certainly are the most "conservative" Fivefingers and will draw less attention in public.  Honestly, my biggest concerns were around the leather and the soles, so I immediately decided to try them on and walk around a bit to test them out.

First, I replaced one of my original KSOs with one of the Treks.  I have to say that the fit of the Treks is much more glove-like and they are tougher to slip on due to the fact that the leather doesn't stretch as readily as the nylon on the KSOs.  Once I got the shoe on, I noticed that it has a completely different feel on the foot that the standard KSOs do.  My initial reaction was that it felt heavier and more constricting.  I took a walk around the house with one of each type on and it is a totally different foot-feel to the Treks.  The thicker sole certainly doesn't transmit as much tactile information, but it doesn't feel bad, just different.

I then put on both of the Treks and I have been wearing them for an hour or so.  They seem to be adjusting to my feet as I wear them and I am getting used to the change in foot-feel.  I would have to say that, initially, I am very positive about them but I would really like to see how they are on breathability and over the long-haul.  With this pair, I might try out some of the toe socks that REI sells as these are much more useable for casual wear in public and I really don't want them to be all funky...

I'll post some pics and will do further reviews as the situation dictates or as I think of worthwhile (fsvo "worthwhile") things to say...

Hope this was of use.

tldr:  Vibram Fivefinger KSO Treks feel more shoe-like, initial impressions still very positive.

Good news and bad news on the Fivefinger front...

So, it would seem that my shoe repair utilizing "shoe goo" holds okay for a couple of days of normal walking/driving.  So, as a long-term repair option, I would not rate this as a winner.

That being said, it is holding well enough until my new VFFs arrive, which they should do tomorrow.  On another totally unexpected and pleasant note, I also got a note back from Vibram with regards to the comment I submitted on their site asking about the normal life of the shoes.  They informed me that this was unusual and I provided them with the pictures of the wear.  They are letting the designers know and are also shipping me a new pair, which was totally unexpected and is greatly appreciated.  You simply must love good customer service :-)

Also, We can expect kids sizes in Q1...  This will make a certain 6 year-old princess very happy :-)

So yeah, I am even more of a fanboy now.

Insert witty title about the failure of my Fivefingers here...

I am a total fanboy of my Vibram Fivefingers.  I admit this about myself.  I tell everyone who asks that they are very comfortable, totally awesome, and one of the best footwear investments I have ever made...

worn spots behind 3rd toe...

However, now I am depressed.

After somewhere around 250 miles in them, my wife noticed a spot where one shoe was worn through.  It was an unusual spot, between the ball of the foot and the toes, not where I would expect them to wear out, but they did.  We decided to check the other one.

Oh, the horror!

Almost exactly the same spot!

I am so depressed.

I still love these shoes, so we will try to repair them with some "Shoe Goo", but I am not hopeful.  I am also planning on ordering a pair of KSO Treks, which have a more rugged sole than the normal KSOs.  However, I am also probably going to get another pair of KSOs as well as I really like the feel of these.

I will now go off and be sad for my shoes...

100 Miles, one blister, awesome calves...

Well, according to my log, I topped 100 miles of walking/running in my Vibram Fivefingers today.  So, I thought I would provide a "century review" of them for those who were interested in them, but didn't like the risk of getting them to try out...

So, overall I would have to say I absolutely love these shoes.  So much so, that I am getting one or two more pairs (more on that in a bit).  After 100 miles of mostly asphalt walking/running, the soles look brand new, with the exception of the black "dirt" on them from the asphalt.  I have noticed no wear and they feel like the day I got them.

As far as getting used to them goes, it cost me a couple days of sore calves when I pushed too hard and a blister as I adjusted my running style.  That happened in the first week or so.  Since then, I have gotten no blisters and I recover much quicker from walks/runs that I push it on than I did when I wore boots or shoes.

The feel of these shoes is incomparable to anything else I have worn.  You sense the nuances of the surface you are walking on and you feel much more sure-footed on uneven surfaces.  I am thinking these would be great for recreational climbing, would defer to a climber on that though.

Another positive note is their impact on the tone of your legs.  Since you are absorbing more impact through your musculature, as opposed to transmitting it up bone to your hips, you will quickly find that your calves turn into rocks very quickly and the rest of your leg muscles quickly start to define.  I have a lot of slacking off to compensate for, but I am seeing marked improvements in the toning of my legs.

Now, it isn't all rainbows and unicorns.  There are some negatives.

My particular model, the KSO version in grey, black and camo, make me look like I have gorilla feet.  They are seriously dorky looking.  However, I like them enough not to care.  The other negative is the fact that you really need to clean these regularly.  They don't smell as bad as regular shoes, but if you don't wash your feet before putting them on, or if you have problems with dead skin on your feet (my feet have been messed up since the military, lots of dead skin) you build up "funk" inside the shoes it the natural eddies formed where your foot doesn't apply pressure.  You will want to throw the shoes in the wash at least once a week.  Now, while that is a negative, it does illustrate how easy the shoes are to clean.  Just toss them in with a load of clothes and hang dry overnight.

Which brings me to why I am purchasing a couple new pairs.  First, I want to get another pair of the KSOs like I have so that I can rotate them for use and cleaning.  While the shoes will dry overnight, sometimes I sleep less or I forget, so having a second pair would be nice.  The other pair I want to get is a pair of the KSO Treks, which are made of brown kangaroo leather.  They seem like they would look a bit less dorky in public.

So, long story short, if you have been wanting to try out the Vibram Fivefingers, I would suggest popping into REI and trying on a pair.  If you order them online, make sure the place has a good return policy if the fit is off (follow the directions for fitting).  However, I highly recommend them and give them an 9 out of 10.  They only got an 8 because they are so damn weird looking.  That aside, I would put them at more like a 9.8 out of 10.

Hope it helps...

Oh, if you are going to purchase, please support one of my favorite stores, either REI or Erehwon.  You can get more info on the shoes from Vibram.

Back in the Saddle

Today I Was able to get in 6 miles of walking (4 for Reggie), I planned out my meals for the week and I will do the majority of the cooking tomorrow and my daily calorie intake should be pretty low.  I am hoping to keep it up and to really get my program re-booted a bit.  I want to introduce some weight training into my program as I am not happy with the progress of weight loss and I would like to build up more muscle to boost my metabolism a bit.

Also, I am experimenting with a new system for the management and presentation of recipe data so that it is a cleaner, and more logical, process to cook multiple foods at once.  Sort of a fun side project :-)

Now, after doing 6 miles today, and not getting in much walking over the last week, I have to point out that my feet and calves hurt again.  So, it just goes to show that you shouldn't let life get in the way of the program :-)

So easy to slip...

Business travel has a serious impact on my attempts to change my lifestyle as it pertains to eating well and exercising.  Long days of meetings, documents to get done, airport food, lots of time sitting, no time to get in some exercise, lack of sleep, sitting in an airplane breathing recycled air...

Then, you get home and you have to re-establish habits, or try to.  It is all such a pain in the foot.  Due to business travel and needing to stay home over the weekend with the little one, it has been 6 days since I have gotten onto the trail, and my diet hasn't been the greatest.  I am hoping to restart everything tomorrow.  Planning would probably be a better word...

Videos Around Barefoot Running

I finally found some good videos that go over the stride of a barefoot runner versus a runner with traditional running shoes on. Pretty interesting stuff.

Here it is

Poor puppy...

I think I have been walking Reggie too much.  Today I was going to up the mileage to 6 miles (3 2-mile walks).  However, at the end of the second walk, Reggie was limping a bit.  We have been concerned about his hips for awhile, as they seem really loose, but I think I will have him take a couple days off from the walks.  I know my legs are sore, so his must be too.

Anyway, Threw the fivefingers in the wash, they are hanging dry.  Considering running to REI tomorrow to get a pair of KSO Treks to wear to CO later this week.  You know, to annoy my coworkers :-).

Brutal Days and Decompression

This was a long day.  Conference calls all day about a project at work that is high-profile and high-pressure.  Your butt glued to the office chair, not getting up to eat, generally a bad situation.

So, in my new perspective on importance and having time for things, I decided that I needed to make time to get in a couple walk/runs today for me and the mutt, if I didn't, it wasn't going to help the process at work at all.  So, I found time to get them in, and I am much happier for it.

I am planning on actually blocking out time in my work calendars for the walks, or some form of exercise.  In the past, I might have felt guilty for this, but it actually gives me some time to clear my head and think about what I am doing, instead of getting frustrated, sitting at my desk.  If you aren't sure it's okay, just ask your manager, my guess is they will be cool.  Unless your manager is a jerk, then just put something like, "TPS Report review" in the time slots and lie to them about it :-)

I should point out that my manger is cool and obviously, he is a handsome and powerful man...

It's not easy being healthy on the road...

Business travel sucks, there are no two ways about it.  Jammed into planes with a couple hundred infection vectors in a closed environment, not enough exercise, limited control over what food you get and the added stress of meetings and deadlines.  It doesn't make for an easy life.

However, you can be somewhat healthy, if not completely.  Walk the 13 blocks to your meeting instead of grabbing a cab.  Go to the salad bar in the grocery store instead of grabbing a sandwich at the pizza place next door, stuff like that.  So, while I didn't eat as well as I do at home, I was able to stay within my calorie limits over the last 2 days in New York, and have some really good Brazilian food while I was at it :-).

What I didn't get to do, however, was hit the treadmill at the hotel.  My exercise all came from walking around the city.

Also, I need a new "2 Day" business travel packing list.  I am wholly displeased with my travel minimalist performance on this trip.

And on the Fifth Day, Andrew Rested...

So, five days into having the Fivefingers and I kind of hurt.  The balls of my feet are a little angry, my calves are screaming and I still have that blister to heal up.  So, tomorrow I am going to throw my boots back on when I take Reggie for his walks to give my dogs a day to heal up a bit.  I probably should have done so today, but I was thinking I was all tough and shit.

Still loving the shoes though.  So much so, that I think I will grab a pair of the KSO Treks when I get a chance.  You know, for business casual situations :-)

On Altered Strides and Constantly Falling

Okay, I tried the "Constantly Falling" running style recommended by those into the whole barefoot running thing.  It is not easy to do.  It's almost like learning to walk again but it certainly is nicer in the Fivefingers.

The thing to do is to think about not pushing off with the trailing foot, instead, bring your foot off the ground from the knee, using your upper leg.  I imagine that this running style looks like the old cartoons where the character spins his legs in place before going anywhere...

I couldn't do much running today, as I am dealing with that blister on my right foot.  However, I can see that, with practice, I will be able to adopt the new stride and it should be more comfortable as I developed no new hot spots.

Reggie was pretty good on the walk.  He now only gets really distracted by seeing dogs he has never seen before or by people in their yards.  He is the biggest wuss on the planet in his own yard, but out and about he wants to greet everyone.

Have I mentioned he is handsome?  He is.

UPDATE:  I should also mention that in the very short bursts of running, my calves are super-sore.  So, I don't think I can emphasize enough to take it slow or you won't be walking for a couple days...

Damn the Blister! Full Speed Ahead!

Yup, got a blister in that section between the ball of the foot and the big toe.  According to all the info I have dug up around running in the Fivefingers, it more than likely has to do with me overdoing it before I am used to the new stride.  I think they are right.

Apparently, my forward foot should make contact when it is directly beneath my torso.  Most people writing about it liken running barefoot or in Fivefingers to "constantly falling forward" and state that you should curl your toes up slightly prior to impact.  When I did my brief spurts of running in them today, I was striking the ground forward of my torso and was more upright, like I was running traditionally.  What I was doing was shortening my stride so I could impact the ball of my foot, but since my weight wasn't in-line over the foot when it struck, it forced my foot forward in the shoe and caused friction.  Simple physics gets me again.

So, I am going to continue trying to take it slow, but beware the traditional gait, there be dragons (and blisters) there...

The First Tentative Strides...

On this morning's walk with Reggie we worked some more on his short attention span (SQUIRREL!!!) and his heeling, at which he is getting pretty darn good. As this was a gorgeous Saturday morning, all of the dogs were out with their invisible fences, so it was like going through the Gauntlet of Distraction for Reggie. I have to say I am pretty proud of him though. For the most part he stayed in his heel and only paid a little bit of attention to the other dogs.

As a part of this, I decided to change up my pace when he started getting distracted. So, I began some unplanned jogging in my Fivefingers. Let me tell you, it is a whole different experience. In regular running shoes, I am a total heel-striker, which causes me issues in the shins and knees and my lower back. So, I don't run. With these, you completely alter your stride and take much choppier steps so that you take the impact on the ball of your foot and then settle into your heel. However, I didn't really put any weight on my heel as when it made contact, I was already starting to bring it back up for the next stride. A much quicker cadence.

I liken it to a running style we used in the military called the "Airborne Shuffle". A very short stride meant for being done in boots and so annoying instructors would have more time to yell at us (it was a slower pace). But, this isn't like the shuffle in the fact that while you are taking shorter strides, there are a lot more of them and they flow into each other a lot better. It is a smoother run than I am used to.

Now, I didn't do much running today, but I can tell you it will mess with your calves. They simply won't be used to this. In the little bit of running I did, I can feel them burning more so than when I would do calf raises at the gym. So, take it slow if you go this route.

All-in-all, still very happy with the shoes, and very happy with Reggie.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Tools of the Trade

I got asked yesterday what pedometer I am using. I must say that I have tried a few standalone models and have been disappointed every time. Now, I use a pretty nice app on my iPhone called, creatively enough, iTreadmill.

It is a really well done app that is quite accurate in step counting, sounds tones at each 1/4 mile, auto-pauses and provides history and graphing capabilities. You can also configure it to tell it if you are walking or running as well as various other config options. Oh yeah, and you can listen to your music while it is running.

So, if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and are looking for a pedometer it is worth the $1.99 in the app store:

iTreadmill in the App Store

speaking of iPhone/iPod Touch apps that are kinda helpful in the diet/exercise department, there are a few more I am or am planning on using:

Lose It! - This is a nice calorie tracking app that allows you to use foods in their database or enter your own foods and recipes. There is also an optional online component with more robust analytics and the ability to link with friends for motivation and ridicule. Here is the iPhone app, which is free (as in beer):

Lose It!

100 Pushups - The simple goal of this app is to get you to be able to do 100 consecutive pushups. It shows you proper form, has you assess your abilities, then builds a workout plan to accomplish the goal. It also has timers for rest cycles and graphing/history. This is an app version of the online presence. iPhone app available here for $0.99:

100 Pushups

200 situps, 200 squats and 25 pullups (future) are all related sites to the 100 pushups program. I haven't started on the situps and squats yet, but I will be in the next week as a component of my program. You can get the iPhone apps here for $0.99 and $1.99 respectively:

200 Situps

200 Squats

So, as you can see, I have a pretty iPhone-centric set of workout tools. For those of you without an iPhone, I don't have much for you except to tell you how awesome the iPhone is. If you really don't want one, all of these work on the iPod touch as well, so you can go that route too.

One last note is that the tools are only as good as the effort you put in to use them. So, give it a go and see if they can help you out.

Walking while you work

Came across this blog posting awhile ago and have been thinking about doing something similar, but I want the treadmill to remain in its native state. So, perhaps a desk that fits over it or something. Neat concept though.

http://bit.ly/dBMTu4