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How much running did you do in them? I dropped down to doing about 10 minutes at a time when I first got them, I am now running about half an hour or so outdoors and a bit longer on the treadmill. But that depends on how fast I set the thing going.
I'd like to point out that I stop when my calves adn feet start to hurt. I've been injured enough over the last 11 years that I have learnt to listen to my body and not push it.
The down side is that I don't often get the all over workout lungburn feeling I used to get when I used to do longer runs. Just feet and lower leg ache.
IanMunro - Member
they were perfect for giving me stress fractures in my feet, lovely
Me too! But I still love em
yeh weird that cuz i still love mine, you used huaraches yet? they are great.
they were perfect for giving me stress fractures in my feet, lovely
That's the trouble with minimalist shoes, really easy to do too much!
Bet you've been having fun running barefoot in snow 🙂
I made the mistake of seeing how fast I could run downhill on about the second or third time I used them 🙂
But after that I was a lot more cautious and gently worked up to about 20 miles as the longest run in them.
PS.
Apologies for not having anything constructive to help the OP with.
But this is STW, so you must have set your expectations low anyway 🙂
I think Nike Frees have somewhat less of a heel (ie height differential) than many normal shoes:
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vs
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I have to admit I haven't been running at all over the last week 🙁 But if the snow comes back whilst I am in Newbury at the end of this week then I'll be doing a couple of runs then.
ron - I'd personally go with some barefoot ones...... I don't really know what else to say, barefoot all the way!
When the shop gives you your feedback ask them why whatever they say is a problem / positive. Get them to explain themselves with reasoned argument. Don't take what they say on face value.
Legs are a beautifully engineered system of springs of levers, in my opinion anything that reduces your ability to use them in that way is not a good thing.
[i]yeh weird that cuz i still love mine, you used huaraches yet? they are great[/i]
I haven't really got on with them. Though I only tried them out a couple of times off-road on recently ploughed land and got pissed off with the front of them folding under if I caught my foot on stuff. Quite fancy trying a pair of terra plana achilles when they come out though.
ronjeremy - I wouldn't get fell shoes, they'd be wasted on mixed terrain. Something like a Mizuno Wave Harrier has good grip in a harder rubber that won't evaporate on contact with road. They're not overly cushioned, fairly small differential between heel and forefoot and fairly low to the ground, so you should be safe if marauding packs of gait police are patrolling your area.
Avoid anything with a higher heel, if not for heelstrike offences, but because you'll go over on your ankle and cry like a girl. I speak from experience. Some trail shoes are like road shoes with a bit more tread. And don't worry about water, goretex lining etc. Aim for the puddles.
Lesson - never come to STW for running/shoe advice.
IMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway. A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find...
IMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway. A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find...
*sigh*
....and what gives you the qualification to jump down from on high and make such a statement?
Sometimes you really post the most dickish things Mat.
written by those that are cr4p runners anyway
Harsh, Mat! Since you've got no idea how good anyone is.
Surf-Mat - Member
Lesson - never come to STW for running/shoe advice.
IMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway. A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find...
Could you point me in the direction of the good stuff then please..
It comes from Mat himself. Who is by his own admission not a serious runner.
[i]Could you point me in the direction of the good stuff then please..[/i]
I think lots of people tried to help. It's just that some of them have different views, what with it being a forum and all. That's a lot of words wasted then. I withdraw mine.
But you all know Matt's the best. Well you should cos he keeps telling us he is....
[i]A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find... [/i]
actually I think the overall advice is pretty much the same which ever side of the barefoot-running shoes divide you're on, and that's:
find a shoe that will allow you to run without pain.
some advocate barefoot shoes, others like normal cushioned trainers, go with whatever works for you.
Stever, wasn't meant as a snide dig and apologies if that is how it was taken, was meant light heartedly to try and draw a line under the barefoot debate. I have digested alot of what has been said and I will admit that I think I have a clearer idea of what questions I need to ask and what I am looking for, I think I will steer clear of the barefoot ones for a while until I have a gauge of how my running is and also I have something to actually measure them against. Thanks all for your opinions and advice, I will probably post back after i have had my assessment with the verdict and also with what I end up getting (I like the look of the Mizuno ones, but ultimately fit will be a big factor), thanks again peeps and I hope you are all well.
IMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway
Strong words Surf Matt but probably true
He's in the cooler for 2 days after a brush with the swear filter earlier.
Half of what he said in that post is true. I'm not saying which half I agree with though. 🙂
Probably all that barefoot running bul**** wound him up.
Thing is, if running barefoot was such a blimmin good idea, we would all wouldn't we? If you're that convinced, save £££'s and run barefoot, No? Thought not.
Hasn't anyone realised it's just another marketing niche for the manufacturers to exploit.
Better? Worse? No, different.
Barefoot running also makes people far more mellow, so they don't suffer from this issue 🙂
IMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway. A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find...
So what defines a "good" runner then?
lookmanohands - MemberIMO at least 90% of this thread is complete BS written by those that are cr4p runners anyway. A few snippets of good advice but it's hard to find...
So what defines a "good" runner then?
Overinflated opinion of self worth and called Matt? 🙂
😀
Barefoot running also makes people far more mellow, so they don't suffer from this issue
That would explain why most hippies eschew shoes.
So apart from the Vibram Five Fingers what decent "barefoot" shoes are out there?
Inov-8 are bringing some out soon. Evoskins? A lot cheaper than the Vibram.
Terra plana evos are worth a google Shandy, or maybe Mizuno wave universe 3 for something better known.
Or feelmax if you want something very thin.
"Barefoot" shoes? I run in these with no insoles, pretty minimal.
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I won the White Peak marathon earlier this year, i don't know if that's a good enough qualification to post Surf-Mat...?
What [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-question-for-the-stw-runners#post-2070417 ]Bomba said[/url].
It's taken me an ankle injury that's kept me out of running for the majority of 2010, and subsequently a great specialist physio who's opened my eyes to the body's capability, and the need for a thinner soled shoe to feel the ground as opposed to a over engineered running shoe that becomes a cast and lets your muscles degenerate.
I've switched to a certain type of cheap footwear - mimicing the Vibram 5 fingers but costing a tenth of, in order to simulate the barefoot running style but with some layer of protection for the sole, and am loving it.
The body knows how to run. Search YouTube for running style videos by Christopher McDougall (author of Born to Run). If you want to buy in to the expensive running shoe system that's fine, but it won't stop you from getting injuries.
[url=
McDougall YouTube vid[/url]
Thanks for the pointers, I think I might go the whole hog and get the Vibrams.
I like my Nike Red Rocks. I read all the stuff about barefoot / minimal cushioning running etc. and thought it made sense, but I found that whilst it was fine on the flat, running downhill with relatively little cushioning hammered my knees as they took almost all of the shock. Switching to something with some bounce to it let me heel strike a little when running downhill and made running a massively more pleasant experience.
That said, I'm a fairly casual runner, and Red Rocks aren't anywhere near as "off road" a shoe as some of the stuff posted here. That said, they work fine for my bridleway runs. It seems to be a very "horses for courses" thing - neither New Balance or Asics came anywhere near fitting me, so they were straight off the list.
ron jeremy, ok I withdraw my withdrawal. If you get on with the Harriers and know they fit, they often pop up cheaper here and there.
Sprints are 60 notes on here and KSOs are 70, thats a decent discount. It almost seems too good to be true...
The body knows how to run.
This is a myth imo.
you can try it for yourself - find a nice big room / warehouse / long corridor with a good hard floor.
take off your shoes, and start running - nice and slowly.
you'll be better than you expect.
Finbar - of course you do. Flipping (is that a swear word? 🙂 impressive.
Ask Andrew Murry on twitter
http://www.scotland2sahara.com/
he is in the middle of doing 3000 miles for charity, averaging 30-35 miles a day. So he may have an opinion on shoes.
So what is his opinion?!
Finbar, 3:10 off road? Very good 😆
take off your shoes, and start running - nice and slowly.you'll be better than you expect.
But do we have any feedback from competitive runners or those like me averaging 50 mpw?
Overinflated opinion of self worth and called Matt
The second time you've tried to get everyone's attention and been ignored there Boblo. Some issues by any chance? Mummy not giving you enough attention.
Anyway as clearly stated, I'm not hugely into running but do okay (just "okay") in 10k trail races. Some are VERY into running but get cr4p results. Some are very into into and get brilliant results (like Finbar and Surfer). These are the ones to listen to, not some all the gear no idea runner who isn't very good