I’ve been an avid runner since years, doing some races, marathons and triathlons. I would say, that in general I am aging well, but since I became 42 or so, my knees started to hurt when moved in awkward ways. It’s not always but from time to time it hurts so much, I can’t do another step.
Some month ago I came across the book „Born to run.“ It’s about some south-american tribe, which up until today are running barefoot like 120 miles a day 😳. It’s not a classic runners book, more like a novel, and it gets to the point, that running barefoot is the „natural“ way of running (like in ancient days, chasing an anthilope to death), using the architecture of our body as a natural „spring“. They say it prevents injuries and typical achers in the achilles heel and so.
So I got myself a pair of these:
Yes, they look stupid. They look stupid when I wear them. But they feel sooooo good while running. Not in the beginning though – but step by step:
- My first run was about 15 minutes and my calves were exploding.
- My second run was 25 minutes – and my calves were exploding.
- My third run was 75 minutes – and I felt nothing than pure pleasure!
Running „feels“ so more light and natural; with every step you sense the underground.
I’ve now been running the fivefingers since 3 month and don’t want to go back. Seriously, it changed my whole running stile. I am more aware of and in the run, my heartrate is way lower. I am bit slower though, and especially on bigger gravel I have to watch out where I set my foot (it helps to set smaller steps).
From time to time I am in my nikes, but they feels clumsy and awkward now. (btw.: Nike invented the „cussion“ running shoe, to sell more pronation-correcting sportshoes, leading to more injuries – „true“ story 😉
Pro tip: as you run barefoot in your barefoots: vinegar and shampoo in the sink give wonderful results regarding the „smell“ effect 🙂
Main Picture by Guttorm
Article picture by Zalando