But down here in DC, they're pretty easy to find. Walked into a City Sports and asked to try some on. The guy told me he's seen people take 20 min to put one on but I got mine on in a few min. The size 40s KSOs felt pretty good and fit perfectly.
I've slowly over the years gone down shoe models to have less support and gels. I wear Asics 1150s, and find they are much closer to the road than the more fortified and popular GT 2100 series. My current pair of Asics have long lost cushioning (they are probably 100 miles past the change time) but I have come to enjoy the feeling of foot on ground.
Today, R and I went on a short run around the Mall. My first few strides on my FiveFingers were natural. It felt great. Not in the way new bouncy shoes do, but natural, like when I run down the hallway of my condo sometimes.
We ran at a recovery pace mostly but I did ramp it up to 5 min kilometers/8 min miles and it was great! I won't be able to do distance in them nor do I expect to replace running shoes but I now see the KSOs as a possible recovery running partner. I think it will also help improve my form. Running without socks will take time to get used to but I now believe that this "barefoot running movement", even if only after a 4 miler, to be no gimmick.
3 comments:
My shoes are well past their recommended distance, and they are the most comfortable things to run in. I've clocked up over 1900kms in them to date, and they are still holding together, just.
I don't think I could ever go to Vibrams on the trails I run over, just too rocky. I met a guy in a race last year in Vibrams and his feet were battered because of the rough terrain over 35kms.
You're idea of using them for recovery and improving form is sound, and one I sort of adopt myself, by running the last couple of kms of an LSD run barefoot.
Good post, keep it up.
Andy
www.ultrarunning.com.au
I don't know if i'd ever get the guts to wear a pair. I think they look hilarious. I do all my recovery runs with a pair of Nike Free's and find it really helps with form.
Welcome to the dark side. I've been wearing vibrams for over two years. just take your time in transitioning, a long time.
Be careful with the KSO's as the stitching around the inside of the arch has been know to cause blisters on that model. My KSO's do that on my left foot from time to time while my Flow's have never done that.
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