Going Barefoot (minimal)...

Over the last month or two I have focused my attention from thinking about a marathon to going beyond.  My source of inspiration has come from numerous books such as Born to Run be Christopher McDougall, Finding Ultra by Rich Roll, Eat and Run by Scott Jurek. Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes, and the list goes on.  Inspired by the story,I have begun to think different.

The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that there are many to performing endurance athletes that are either vegan or follow a vegan menu.  With the little that I know and the tweaking of my diet, I am amazed at my energy levels and endurance.  Much to learn and do, but certainly not stopping here.  But this post is not about that, rather...

The second idea that intrigued me was going barefoot (or closer to it).  The stories and discussion within all of these books made me really thing about how I have been selecting footwear with the thought that maybe, just maybe I have been going about it all wrong.  The question is how will I know?  Take a Leap!

For many years I have been wearing an ASICS GT-2170 which is a fairly neutral shoe with a medium (not a technical term) amount of cushioning.  In pondering a switch towards barefoot  I figured my best course of action would be a "barefoot" shoe as I value my feet and cannot picture myself being exposed to the elements and ending up mangled feet.  After a lot of research into shoes, I purchased the New Balance Minimus MR00GB.  

The shoe fits incredibly well with very little movement, like a glove. It features a zero-drop midsole that has the benefits of barefoot but with protection.  

Excited to try the new shoes, I ventured out for an easy 20km road run.  What an experience!  I had never imaged how curious it would feel to have no cushioning and be with the road.  Instantly, my running stride and style changed.  What worked in my GT-2170s, was certainly not going to work here as the cushion in the GT-2170s compensates for a lot.  After a couple of kilometres of running, I fell into a nice pace that felt light on the feet and was comfortable.  As I slowed to a stop at traffic signals, I had to gently slow to a stop as anything abrupt would result in an unnatural stomping feeling.  Carrying on to 5, 10, and 15km, all was well without issue.

The last 5km became a greater challenge.  Running in barefoot shoes (for the first time) has a very different affect on your leg muscles.  The muscles were not tired, but rather they were being worked in a very different way resulting in some tightness, but nothing that you would not feel after an extended run.  Settling back at  home for a check on the feet, all was well, no blisters, no soreness, no issue.  My adventure was good, the shoes were good, and my body is feeling good too.

I can't give a recommendation on a shoe here as it has been day one.  That said, you know what you feel and this was a good run in a great shoe.  As a side note, I also enjoy trail running and picked up a pair of New Balance MT10GY trail running shoes which I have yet to try, but am really looking forward to it.