anyone tried any? they look like a good starting point into the world of barefoot running, not that i'll go the whole hog but i like the close to the ground feeling of inov8's and wondered if anyone had thought the same.
pricey mind!
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merrell barefoot
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Friend I run with recently switched to them after having back problems and leg problems. He swears by them and the barefoot running technique. Does seem to make a lot of sense when explained, though I have not managed to make the change yet.
He does like the Merrell shoes, though he also uses Inov8 shoes with the very low sole.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I read that barefoot running book, Born to run. Seems sensible enough I suppose, and if it works for you, good stuff. There do seem to be more and more trainers aimed at barefoot running, and they are VERY expensive...call me cynical.
Posted 1 year ago # -
they're chuffing expensive!
just get some plimsolls for £5, and start slow.
it really is that easy - as i'm about to demonstrate in about 10 mins, i'm off for a 5k half-hour shuffle.
Posted 1 year ago # -
+1 what ahwiles said
Posted 1 year ago # -
iDave I've loads of energy. It's V hard not to go for a long run!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just do the intervals faster then
you'll be super fast for your trial 10k, not long now!
Posted 1 year ago # -
You're soooooo irritating LOL.
what trail 10K ? I'm not entering any races!!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
no, but at the end of the wee plan, run for 10k and be amazed how fast you are. doesn't have to be an event.
Posted 1 year ago # -
yes, i can confirm that plimsolls are fine for running in.
5ish k, 50/50 mix of tarmac and lovely technical singletrack.
don't worry, i'll go for a ride in a bit!
life is good.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'd personally go with the inov-8's, they were around long before Merrel jumped on the bandwagon. I was recommended zero lift shoes after knee problems and haven't looked back.
I've had several of the 190 and more recently the 195's and they are hard to beat. They are also beneficial in the gym etc if you are doing squat / deadlifts as they help maintain better stability.
Running in barefoot shoes takes some getting used to, your shins will no doubt kill for the first few outings so recommend taking it relatively easy until you adapt.
Posted 1 year ago # -
How much padding in those merrels? I think I'd like something flat but with some padding.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Vibram fivefingers make me laugh. Get down to Decathlon and buy a pair of these for £6.99.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/many-aloe-verra-white-162472792/
Sole is 3mm front to back.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Plimsoles...never even thought of that.
Just ordered a set of Newtons on a 30 day free trail though. I appreciate that you can experience BF running with plimsoles in the same manner as you can appreciate riding single track on a sub £300 MTB. I could save myself £55 but I'd still want to try some engineered sports wear rather than incidental design.
It's taken me months to build up to 40 miles per week and I'm not risking nowt.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yeah I use the 190s and 195s quite a bit. The only issue i've had with them is the forefoot area being a bit narrow, which means the widest part of my foot overhangs the outsole slightly. And at the point of overhang there's a silly wavy undulation in the top edge of the outsole which is a perfect blister generator. Thanks to someone on another forum identifying the problem, I hacked the offending lump of rubber off and they've been perfect since.
I surprised it was you shins that hurt though. It was my calfs that took a beating.Back to the merrells - Are they on sale in the UK yet?
Posted 1 year ago # -
What tempts me about the 5 fingers is that they spread out your toes like they are meant to be. I read that it helps with pronation, which sounds interesting. An expensive experiment, but it's still peanuts compared to bike stuff
Posted 1 year ago # -
What tempts me about the 5 fingers is that they spread out your toes like they are meant to be. I read that it helps with pronation, which sounds interesting. An expensive experiment, but it's still peanuts compared to bike stuff
True. I might be just bitter because my ape-like toes didn't at all fit into the pair of Vibrams i tried on.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Very True molgrips! For the price of a decent bike you can be your own Imelda Marcos
These are next on my list -
http://www.vivobarefoot.com/uk/mens/achilles-m-3924.html/Though I suspect they'll be the death knell for a nice summer
Posted 1 year ago # -
...your shins will no doubt kill for the first few outings...
i found it was my calf muscles/achilles mostly (cos that's where the energy is absorbed/stored). but i've got the hang of it now.
...I appreciate that you can experience BF running with plimsoles in the same manner as you can appreciate riding single track on a sub £300 MTB.
it's not the same thing at all, your feet are perfect instruments of speed! your feet are better suited for running than any bike could ever be for singletrack.
think of the best singletrack bike you can, your dream bike, carbon fibre and titanium everywhere, it's not as good as your feet.
Posted 1 year ago # -
your feet are better suited for running than any bike could ever be for singletrack
Yours might be. Mine have been squashed into shoes for 35 years and attached to legs that have not been running properly in all that time.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm pondering doing some trail running. Did a field archery course the other day and ran[slight trot] between the targets and it made a good workout
and thought some running would be good So the plimsolls.... slip on, velcro or laced ?
Posted 1 year ago # -
The Vibrams remind me of the Nike Rifts, comfortable initially but I always ended up with blisters between my toes. Not only that but the socks (like karate socks) were a nightmare.
How on earth you'd wear socks (and minimise toe rot) with the Vibrams is beyond me, not only that but the only time I saw a bloke wearing them it looked like chimpanzee hands hanging out the bottom of his jeans !
Have seen the Merrells on the barefootathlete website so assume they are available.
Re aching shins, I have a terrible natural gait, with heavy pronation and heel strike (hence the knee issues) so the initial change in force felt like shin splints for the first couple of weeks until I learnt to shorten my stride and adjust my body angle. I wouldn't go back to lifted soles now though given the improvements I've seen.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I saw a bloke riding a bike with the 5 fingers the other day. Beyond weird. That does concern me somewhat I must say
Re socks - I'd assumed Vibram made special socks to fit. If they don't, they must surely reek after a short while?I have some Innov8s with a flat sole, but on tarmac I find the impact of my forefoot hurts my feet a fair bit.
MM - your gait sounds like mine used to be. Although I wouldn't call it my 'natural' gait. In school I used to be a good sprinter, and I found that a much better way to run longer distances is to use the same gait that came naturally when sprinting, just doing it more slowly
Posted 1 year ago # -
saw a bloke riding a bike with the 5 fingers the other day. Beyond weird. That does concern me somewhat I must say Re socks - I'd assumed Vibram made special socks to fit. If they don't, they must surely reek after a short while?
Yes they reek after a short while, but you just lob em in the washing machine. You can get socks, Injinji make lots, and plenty of people use em, but I think the majority don't bother.
Posted 1 year ago # -
how about some vibram five fingers...they seem pretty cool, not sure about comfort/sizing tho. I've only ever used brooks for my running
Posted 1 year ago # -
Will they help fix flat footed or fallen arches? - plimsolls used to kill mine as a kid.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Possibly if you run on your toes properly. If you heel strike they will fk you up reel gud (maybe
)
Posted 1 year ago # -
There's no recognised evidence that they would.
There's a variety of anecdotal evidence claiming they will, or they won't. I guess you need to read up on a bit really to find out how applicable such evidence is to you.Posted 1 year ago # -
saw a bloke riding a bike with the 5 fingers the other day. Beyond weird.
I ride in minimally-soled Inov-8s. Not managed more than 100 miles off road in a single outing though
Posted 1 year ago # -
it's not the same thing at all, your feet are perfect instruments of speed! your feet are better suited for running than any bike could ever be for singletrack.
Nor really though eh, we're better suited for endurance over speed.....that's apparenty how we used to catch our quadraped meals; they can't pant and run at the same time so bin it at 15 minutes or so, that's when we jog up to them with our spears and stuff.
I'd find your point of view much more palatable if you threw up your weekly milage.
MT I was considering the inov8's...how do they hold up as a day to day trainer. 233's is it?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nor really though eh, we're better suited for endurance over speed.....that's apparenty how we used to catch our quadraped meals; they can't pant and run at the same time so bin it at 15 minutes or so, that's when we jog up to them with our spears and stuff.
I would say it is a bit more than 15 mins.......
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
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