Start with Minimal Mileage
These shoes are going to feel weird and uncomfortable the first few times you wear them. You’ll be forced into using muscles you’re not used to using within your feet and lower calves. Definitely take it easy when you first get them. Start by walking around the house in them. After a few days, start going on walks with them. After a few days of that, start running, but minimal mileage. You’ll be sorry if you go on a five mile run within the first week of having the shoes. Your feet and lower calves will be INCREDIBLY sore the next day. Start with minimal mileage and increase as the new muscles strengthen.
Let Your Running Form Change
When you make the switch from regular tennis shoes to Vibram Fivefingers, your running form will have to adjust if you want to make the change injury free. With regular running shoes, you’re used to having an inch of padding under your heel. Because you have the padding, you likely take advantage of it and pound a little too much on your heels while running. Vibrams have barely any padding under the soles of your feet, so if you pound on your heels, you won’t even make it a mile. Let your running form adjust to your new footfalls. Try and land as much on the middle of your foot as possible. It will become perfected over time, but you have to be willing to change.
Running Surfaces
This is one of my only concerns about the Vibram Fivefingers. They are not waterproof at all. If there is any amount of water on the roads, my feet get wet. Any runner knows wet feet blister much easier than dry feet. Be aware of the surface you’re going to be running on. If it’s wet, seek alternative routes or tape your toes to avoid blistering. Also, don’t run on pavement every time you run. This is more of a general rule for runners, but especially applicable to Vibrams. The lack of padding will make you really appreciate running on trails or grass for a change.
Keep Them Clean
Since your toes are separated inside the shoe, wearing socks isn’t an option unless you wear toe-socks (which are very expensive and not all that necessary). Not wearing socks while running means one thing: Smelly shoes. Vibram Fivefingers start smelling after the first few wears and won’t stop until you wash them. Luckily, washing them is easy. They can be washed in your washing machine (just use cold water) and then hang them up to dry. It gets rid of the smell every time!
Be Patient
Vibram Fivefingers take awhile to get used to them. It took me a full three weeks of awkwardness until I really felt like they were more comfortable than regular shoes. Possibly the most important tip I can give you is to be patient with the shoes. They have served me really well and now after four months, I can confidently say I’ll never go back to regular running shoes. Don’t try to push your mileage until you’ve adjusted to the shoes and you’ll be fine!
All you Vibram-wearers, what’s your advice? Comment below!
