Finally got a pair of Vibram FiveFingers over the holidays. I’ve been tearing around the mountains in them a bit, but really put them to the test on New Year’s morning at the Los Gatos Resolution Run.

I hadn’t run 5 miles at a pop in quite a number of years before this, but I nonetheless managed to maintain a 7:35 pace for the duration.

Most impressively, I had absolutely zero pain during this run. I can’t remember the last time I ran and it didn’t hurt. The Vibrams allowed me to use my feet as they were meant to be used (i.e. as highly sensitive proprioceptive appendages instead of bludgeons). The Vibrams instantly put me into muscular dominance instead of depending on joints and soft tissues to literally absorb trauma. I would highly recommend them to anyone that is suffering from chronic pain, of any sort.

My adventure with these “shoes”, if you can call them that, is just starting, as is my re-education on how to properly use my feet. Stay tuned.

- Casey