Flee Flies in Five Fingers

By Britt on Sep 27, 2010 | In User Stories | 15 comments »

Post Race Elation
Post Race Elation by Flee

Flee is an amazingly talented artist and illustrator who writes and draws at her blog drawntorun.com. Also, Flee is a marathon runner who switched to Vibram Five Fingers Bikilas over the last year. Read about her transition after the jump.

 

My name is Flee - I'm a runner, illustrator and relatively recent convert to barefoot running. I made the transition just under a year ago, a few weeks after completing Sydney's annual marathon (little did I know it would be my last ever in shoes) inspired of course by 'Born To Run'. I took to running in my fives like a duck to water. All of a sudden, after battling some persistent knee pain and feeling like it was a bit of a chore; running felt utterly joyful and natural. I was so convinced that I very promptly gave away my expensive trainers and never looked back.

Flee running in the Sydney Marathon
Flee running the Sydney Marathon in 2009 wearing traditional running shoes vs 2010 wearing Vibram Five Fingers Bikilas.

Just last weekend I ran in the Sydney Marathon again and in my Bikila, I was able to take an easy 20 minutes off last year's time. I love seeing the difference between these two race day photos - you can how unnatural my stride was in the picture on the left - a perfect example of how shoes can encourage you to heel strike. With a little help from my five fingers (all 4 pairs!), running has evolved from hobby to a passion. So much so, that it has made its way into every area of my life, including my illustration. You can check out some of my cartoon musings on barefoot running in my new blog 'Drawn to Run'

more samples of Flee's illustrations:

Thanks, Flee, for sharing your success story and your amazing drawings.

About the Author — Hailing from College Station, Texas (Home to Texas A&M!), I grew up running cross country. Believe it or not, I gave Justin the name for this site back in early 2009 but I didn't jump on the toe shoes bandwagon until a year later.
Britt has written 162 articles and 67 comments.
Tags: bikila, running

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Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
AlexMaybe I can't see the change but both photos look like she's heel striking.
09/27/10 @ 10:26
Comment from: Brooke [Visitor]
BrookeAlex, it looked the same to me, too.
09/27/10 @ 11:19
Comment from: Justin Owings [Member] Email
I think it's been discussed elsewhere, but generally, you can't really evaluate a runner's form by a single photo of them in action. There's a lot of movement of the foot immediately prior to striking and I know you flex toes upward to stretch the plantar fascia (IIRC).

I also doubt Flee is heel-striking a marathon distance and not breaking her foot in the process :)

Maybe she'll chime in here.
09/27/10 @ 12:18
Comment from: Ernie [Visitor]
ErnieThe second pic she looks more confident and more fluid. I see a total diffrent. The second pic she looks liker her name FLEE
09/27/10 @ 12:26
Comment from: ernie [Visitor]
erniePS: love your drawings
09/27/10 @ 12:27
Comment from: Jocelyn [Visitor]
JocelynWow love her site! Congrats to Flee!
09/27/10 @ 12:49
Comment from: WyldKard [Visitor]
WyldKardFWIW, in the first pic, she's just landed with her heel on the ground, while in the second pic, she hasn't hit the ground yet, so she could still land mid-foot.
09/27/10 @ 15:00
Comment from: seret [Visitor]
seretLOVE the drawings!!! Thanks for sharing your passion and talent with us and keep running HAPPY! :)
09/27/10 @ 16:22
Comment from: ERNIE [Visitor]
ERNIEHE IS FLEEE!
09/27/10 @ 16:43
Comment from: Flee [Visitor]
FleeWow, thanks guys!! Yep I think I do have to chime in here - running in the VFFs has definitely helped my stride to become more fluid & efficient ... there's no way I'm heel-striking any more (as Justin said, after a marathon you'd sure know about it if you were)! After I'd finished a couple of guys approached me to tell me how surprised they were at how comfortable I looked on the road in 'those things' ... so at least I know I'm not too far off :)
09/27/10 @ 18:13
Comment from: Juggling Joe [Visitor]
Juggling JoeAbout the foot strike comments: my marathon photos when I joggled in the VFF's looked similar to hers and it appears like a heel strike. But, I assure you I wasn't heel striking or else my legs would have been toast! Photos don't do it justice. Justin and WyldKard were right in their observations and how the foot moves right before striking the ground.
09/27/10 @ 18:36
Comment from: Britt [Member] Email
Uh, we're talking close to an 8 minute per mile pace here folks. Flee really was flying! No doubt in my mind that we are seeing her stride just before a perfect forefoot or midfoot strike. Her foot is still in the air and a lot happens in the split second that follows.
09/27/10 @ 23:35
Comment from: Rob [Visitor]
RobNo disrespect, but I wouldn't attribute a 20 minute Marathon P.R. too switching to VFFs (or any shoe) necessarily (besides the fact that VFF would be much lighter than a trainer). Probably much more to do with experience, training, weather etc. I love reading how relatively new runners attribute their running success to switching-to-VFF-after-issues-with-expensive-trainers. While the VFFs MIGHT have helped things, it's really more likely that increased time in the sport, training, strengthening of muscles not used to running etc.. was the real difference. IMHO, a better test for what impact VFFs (or other barefoot-like shoes) have is for long time runners to make the switch and compare. Anyhow, congrats on a fine race!
09/30/10 @ 11:41
Comment from: Jen [Visitor]
JenI agree with Justin. You really can't evaluate a runner's form off one or two pictures picture. We should also consider that she just ran a full marathon (26.2 miles) in under 4:00. For those that have done it before all know that it is challenging and your form changes often throughout the run.

Congratulations on your running! Your drawings are AWESOME!
09/30/10 @ 13:41
Comment from: Pete [Visitor]
PeteIn the picture on the left she has already made ground contact on the lateral side of the heel. Picture on the right she has not yet made contact, and it looks like the foot is already less dorsiflexed relative to the ground, and as others have said, lots happens in the moments just before contact. I'll add that finish line photos from a marathon are not such a good place to evaluate form - fatigue and braking change things a lot!
10/23/10 @ 07:58