Hi, all! I have another question on form and transitioning (please let me know if this is the wrong thread).
I've been running in minimal shoes for a year now (Merrel Vapor Glove, stack height 6.5 mm with lugs which don't exist any more so 5+ mm nowdays) and have just transitioned to my home-made huarache-style sandals (4 mm vibram). Failing miserably in the process since after three runs (3, 5, 7 km) I ended up with pain in my achilles all the way to the knee forcing me to stop my run (only in one leg which, admittedly, I did overuse just a tad in a 20k race few weeks back).
Did I underestimate the switch from 5 to 4 mm? I maintained my usual cadence (cca 180) and speed bracket (5:00-5:20 min/km). Was this overzealous? Their must be more at play here than 1 mm of rubber, but I seem to be missing it...
So disappointed! There I was, feeling extatic, gliding above the pavement like a gazelle (in a paved savannah of some sort) one moment... and road kill the next!
Help me pick up the pieces, please.
Welcome, VR! I totally understand your frustration. It's time to troubleshoot.
It doesn't seem like you're doing too much too soon, but I'm wondering how your runs would be if you ran skin on ground. Would you have the same trouble as the huaraches or improve? When we run barefoot, we are able to interpret the signals from our feet more clearly. We can tell if we need to adjust our footfalls and our weight over our footfalls. We can tell when it's safe to speed up or slow down. We're able to adjust our knees and our hips according to what our feet are telling us. With any type of footwear, even socks, these signals are deafened, and you could get injured if you're not careful.
I'm also wondering if perhaps you need to strengthen your calves (thereby your achilles).
The huaraches have absolutely no support and no structure, whereas the Merrell Vapor Gloves with lugs have some, BION. There may not seem to be a big difference in height, but there is quite a difference in the construction that retains your foot in place.
You actually can get injured by switching your footwear, even in the minshoe category, and I've seen it time and time again. We get so used to running a certain way, over certain terrains, at a certain distance, and at a certain speed, then we expect to be able to carry that gait over to different footwear that isn't supporting the foot in the same way that we're used to. When this happens, you need to slow down your progress, not necessarily your cadence. Heal completely before you try again, listen to what your feet and your body are telling you, and when you feel something is off, walk.
Right now, the first thing you need to do is to heal (RICE) before you attempt your next run. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.