Only run 1/4 mile to start.

This is my fervent warning if you buy a pair of these shoes. Only run 1/4 mile the first time you go out in them. Do not try to run further even if you think you can. Literally, run around the block, go into the house and take them off immediately.

That said, I ran 1.7 miles in them the first time. Three days later I am still incapable of walking like a normal human being. The DOMS is so bad. I think its still getting worse. I'm the broken, mangled Terminator. And I'm not sure that I'll be back, haha.

So these are my jazzy new Vibram Five Finger running shoes. I bought the Bikilas, which are specifically made for running (vs hiking, watersports, etc.). Very lightweight. 2mm sole with 1 mm of traction padding that you can see on the bottoms. They have no cushioning and therefore I can literally run them into the ground - until my feet come up bloody, haha.

They are incredibly comfortable. But you have to run on your forefoot, so if your current gait involves your heel hitting the ground at any point, this is going to be totally different for you. And that is why you can't run more than 1/4 mile the first few times out. Trust me.

The New Shoes

I went into Marathon Sports after work today to pick up my bib for the upcoming Jingle Bell 5K in Somerville. And somehow I walked out with a brand new pair of aqua-and-white Vibram Five Finger Bikilas.

I am resting some kind of sad and sorry hope on these shoes that they will fix all of my IT band problems and vault me back into the world of endurance running. See how inspirational they look?