Providing unsolicited advice since 1996................
This month's edition of Triathlete magazine has an article "When Less or More", or some such, which may be very helpful for anyone even halfway interested in a running "make-over". The article addresses the virtues of minimalist shoes and how they can actually prevnt injury and promote a more natural foot strike and running stride. Not to mention, how some experts believe that the advances in shoe support and cushioning are actually contributing to injuries, rather than preventing them.
Here is where I throw in my own disclaimer- Dont' blame me if you get hurt trying this.
Now, I fully believe in the idea behind forward lean, mid-foot strike, minimalist shoe running, but if you are coming from a jogger, plodder, heel striking, beefy heeled shoe culture, then please, please, please take this slow. Dont go from a 13 oz New Balance to 5 oz racing flat or Newton. Maybe, move toward that slowly, by first going to a lightweight trainer with a nice forefoot midsole cushion. Also, dont try the new running form for 20 minutes at a time to start out. Build up to that with, perhaps, a "1 minute new form: 4 minutes old form" ratio for a total of 5 or 10 minutes of new form running and then build from there.
Now, when you are ready to go completely off the deep-end, get ya a pair of these Vibram's.
Between these goofy little shoe/socks and a pair of compression hose, you can alienate, not just the average on-looker, but every self-resepcting triathlete/runner, as well.
Cheers,
'swami
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