Life-Changing?

[gryllus]

In a sense...
A few days ago I realized that I am looking at some trees from the point of "climbability" (if it is the right word - forgive a non-native speaker). Not that I actually climbed a tree recently, but until now I felt that I am some 30 years past such ideas (I am 44).
So, if having more fun in life and being more aware of one´s surroundings counts, definitely yes.

[fingerhunter]

So my life has been continually changing since the shoe conversion    I did the Gladiator Mud Run in Lake Elsinore, CA over the weekend (something I barely considered doing before VFF's came into my life).  I ran in my KSO's and they rocked!  Didn't see any other 5's but I heard a few whispers from people saying, "He's got the shoes I want".  My results: Overall-111 of 1390, Men-97 of 689, Age (35-39)-9 of 94...I ran a 9:06 pace.  Disappointed with the pace but considering obstacles, not bad I guess.

[Olarte]

Yes I guess it has but so have many other inter-related things.

You see about a year ago I was 47 almost 48, had diabetes type II was on 8 meds etc... my mother in law died very suddenly and that woke me up to how life passes you by... and next thing you know your time has come.

Just as my diabetes doctor was planning to add more to the cocktail I decided to re-asses my way of life and have not looked back.

Since then, I have lost 70+ lbs, am off all meds, no longer have diabates, have totally embraced healthy eating and cooking and am a practicing Buddhist, and living each day to it's fullest.

Somewhere along the way I got back into running with good ol' expensive Asics Kayanos at first I thought I had found the perfect shoes but then I started getting sore after every run, and I knew that this was not right and there had to be a better way.

Anyway, I had seen the VFFs somewhere along the line on the internet then I saw  a Buddhist Monk wearing a pair during a 4 mile run\hike.... did not talk with him about them or anything but simply noticed them.

When I got home I guess the seed had been planted and then I found about the Born To Run book which I got in audio book form from the library. Within the following week or two, I found myself at Citysports and grabged the first pair of KSO's that they had in my size.

These shoes still did not feel optimal for running so I went back the next day and exchanged them, snagging a pair of Bikilas just as they came in.

Right after that though I researched more about barefoot running, found this forum etc and since then I have been transitioning to BFR almost exclusively.

Since then after running about 4mi with running shoes for about 4 months I had to learn the hard way and start over... I started with 1/2 mi barefoot alternated with VFFS and Invisible shoes (Huaraches) which were too much too soon etc..

So during the past 2 months or so I have now graduated to doing about 2 miles BFR and another 2 with VFFs with no calf pain and nothing more than a bit of soreness from the sudden increase from 2 to 4 miles needing a day to rest.

Now,  I feel great, and thanks to VFF's,  BFR, and all the other aspects of my new way of life I feel like a new person and at least 20 years younger.

Berfore all this, I was feeling stiff, and sore all the time like the tin man in the Wizard of OZ but now, thanks to my new way of life, and a mostly barefoot life the only soreness I experience is a healthy (mild) one from working out etc... One of my biggest practices it so listen to my body and rest when I need to... there is no rush.

I now live (in order of preference) in Bare feet, Flat Sandals, VFFs or Terra PLana Aquas & Dharmas and am ready to donate all my other shoes or hand them down to my son who happens to be the same size as me.

I have purchased a 2nd pair of red Bikilas to alternate with my green ones and am considering KSO Treks for the winter.

The funny thing is that since I don't use the VFF's much (for now) due to being in transition and low milage, when I used them the last time I realized that while I enjoy running in them I prefer\love running completely barefoot!

I still plan to go barefoot as much as possible using VFF's or Huaraches only as needed due to Weather\Road conditions or for higher milage runs.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it!  

[kath]

Hi All,

I had a couple of little life improvements -

I have very flexible joints, and I tend to turn my ankle at odd moments while walking about. (It's good for my balance, in a way, lots of practice in catching myself before I fall!) I don't trip or have my ankle roll in my VFFs. My flexible arches feel pretty good too.

After only two days' wear, I suddenly noticed improved movement in my toes! I took off the shoes, stretched my feet, and was shocked to see that I could make a Vulcan salute V between the middle toes of my right foot. I put it partly down to the way I was playing with drumming my toes on my hardwood floor - rolling the toes from left to right, right to left... There's been little improvements since then. I've always liked to pick up things with my monkey toes, so independent toe movement is worth a lot to me. They also hold out my silly little toes which normally collapse across under my other toes - hopefully that's going to improve with time.