I have always liked to run but as a middle-aged, overweight, back-pain-suffering man, I have had way too many injuries to ever get into serious running. Every time I increased my distance or started running faster, my feet came back to bite me. I have had ankle issues, plantar fasciitis and other heel related injuries causing me to move to more and more cushioned shoes with customized orthotics. But none of these helped and things kept on getting worse and worse. So much so that I seriously thought about giving up running altogether. Came a day, recently, when was 40 lbs overweight and my left knee had started to hurt. Along with that my blood pressure had gotten worse and my back pains had returned (thanks to herniated discs of a few years ago).
It was only about 6 weeks ago that I heard about Chris McDougall's book, 'Born to Run'. Reading the book exposed me to barefoot running and these wonderful VFFs. I did some Internet research and since I had nothing to lose, I decided to give them a try. I must say, that from the very first time I put these on, I fell in love with them. I wore them on and off for a couple of days in the beginning and the more I wore them, the more I liked them. Then, after a week of trying them on and walking with them in my neighborhood park, I went for my first run and my feet along with all the unused muscles in my calf ached like hell. This went on for about a week. What I did notice right away, though, was that my running form improved dramatically. I was no longer pounding the pavement (or asphalt since that is surface where I run) and my stride was much, much shorter. Also, even though I had aches in my feet and legs, nothing really hurt. The sharp pains in the knees, in the soles of my feet and the heel were nowhere to be found. By the 2nd week, I was already running with ease and comfort.
My running has improved steadily and dramatically in these last four weeks to the point that I just ran 9 miles (for the first time ever!) and had absolutely no discomfort all all. My feet feel great and strong (I can actually feels some of the muscles in there) and I have not aches and pains anywhere else (thanks perhaps to the improved running form and posture). These simple VFFs have already done for my feet what no doctor or shoe has ever done. They have made them stronger and gave them the freedom to move and support my body according to my body's own particular needs.
There is nothing really especial about me. Like I said, I am an average middle-aged male, 40-50 lbs overweight, with high blood pressure, lower back herniated discs and knee pains. Nothing about me is geared towards running and my shoes have certainly always made sure that I knew that. Running in VFFs though, on asphalt, is showing me just how wrong it all was. When you feet can move the way they need to to support your body's uniques needs, when your running form improves and you stop punishing your body with those artificially long strides, you find that your body, especially your feet and legs, get stronger very quickly. Four weeks running in VFFs and I just ran 9 miles without any ache, pain or discomfort. And I have dropped about 10 lbs.
So do go ahead and give these wonderful VFFs a try. Your feet (and your body) will truly thank you.
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