First review / week after review Bikila LS Vibrams by minimalist running breastfeeding mommy and wife

After my awesome week long runs in my new pair of Bikila LS Vibram Five Fingers....... I have had to hang up the laces for 5 days so far. 'They' say you need to ease into running with minimalist shoes. I ran a half block one day. I was fine. So I ran a half mile one day the next week. I was fine. I ran three miles in my New Balance flat foot arch support babies the next day. No achiness-es, no pains, no problem. I went back to the vffs for a two-miler. Easy-peasy. I completed a week of runs adding up to 20 miles in the vffs and then came the weekend. Started off with weird little aches in my feet and my calves that have slowly transformed into very serious aches and pains in my feet, legs and back. (Seriously, I had to go see a chiropractor for an adjustment and everything). It's been six months that I took up running and I have never missed going for a run or some other form of exercise 5 days out of 7 and here I am not sure I'll make it out again before this week is out.

My initial review of my Bikila LS VFFs was: Awesome shoe - go for it. Don't start slow; they really are very intuitive on your foot and your body will ease itself into them naturally. Especially for a new runner my thinking was: a new runner has likely not been 'spoiled' (for lack of a better word) by the various mechanisms of today's running shoes. As for looks, a fantastic looking shoe. What a thing of beauty! I almost purchased the hot pink Bikila without the laces but they had a funny feel in the left pinky toe that I'm sure would have chafed/caused blisters over time.

But my my post one week review is as follows: Take your time. If you must get them on and get going right now (!) because like me, you don't like to wait, then do what I did except be prepared to take a week off. Otherwise, do one medium sized run in them each week for about four to five weeks and then you won't put yourself in any pain while your feet and running posture acclimate to the new sensation. Even someone new to running will need time for their feet to adapt to the new sensation of running with no support. Contrary to other runners' reports I have zero blisters.

One question often asked is: "Will I run faster in vffs?" The answer for me has been a resounding "YES!". So from that perspective alone I can't wait to get myself back into them. (err.. whenever that might be (really though that will likely be on Monday at the very latest based on how I'm feeling right now (I also have a stomach bug (great for weightloss - but I don't recommend it!) that I'm contending with otherwise it may only have put me out for five to six days))) Was that the right number of ending brackets? As you can see dear blog, I love me some run-on sentences and brackets!

Oh right, the mommy and wife part of this whole post: Tara has been told once again that mommy can't pick her up anymore because her entire body hurts. And little man has had to contend with milk that is probably filled with all kinds of stress hormones from my achy broken-ish body. And it's my nine year wedding anniversary but med student hubby is away studying for his USMLE Step 1. But that's a story for another day! G'nite!