Hey all, name's Ryan, and I'm a more-or-less minimalist runner from Michigan. I've been in the Army in one capacity or another since '94, and currently work as a .gov contractor.
The Army was what got me running, and for years I was an ok middle distance runner. As I gained years (and bodyweight; I discovered the weight room a few years ago), just buying any old running shoe and doing the typical heel-toe thing stopped working for me. I had been reading about Barefoot Ted and huaraches/VFF's for a couple years but never made the leap. Finally, after getting sick of injuries/soreness, I figured it was time for a change.
I started out with a pair of Newtons. Yeah, not minimal, but it got me running with more of a forefoot/midfoot landing. More importantly, it got me thinking about how much shoe did I really need? So I raided our local Tractor Supply Co. for some industrial grade baler belt and picked up some 550 cord from the PX and went to work. I've run almost exclusively in my homemade huaraches since last year, with a couple barefoot runs here and there. I say "almost" because any military school I've been to has frowned pretty severely on anything that deviates from an orthodox running shoe.
While down in AZ finishing up my Warrant Officer training, I was finally able to pick up a pair of VFF Bikilas. The experience has been simply wonderful, and between VFF's/huaraches/BF I don't think I'll be wearing regular shoes for running ever again. Well, except on PT tests, and I'll still try to scam in with my Bikilas even then.
Ryan
The Army was what got me running, and for years I was an ok middle distance runner. As I gained years (and bodyweight; I discovered the weight room a few years ago), just buying any old running shoe and doing the typical heel-toe thing stopped working for me. I had been reading about Barefoot Ted and huaraches/VFF's for a couple years but never made the leap. Finally, after getting sick of injuries/soreness, I figured it was time for a change.
I started out with a pair of Newtons. Yeah, not minimal, but it got me running with more of a forefoot/midfoot landing. More importantly, it got me thinking about how much shoe did I really need? So I raided our local Tractor Supply Co. for some industrial grade baler belt and picked up some 550 cord from the PX and went to work. I've run almost exclusively in my homemade huaraches since last year, with a couple barefoot runs here and there. I say "almost" because any military school I've been to has frowned pretty severely on anything that deviates from an orthodox running shoe.
While down in AZ finishing up my Warrant Officer training, I was finally able to pick up a pair of VFF Bikilas. The experience has been simply wonderful, and between VFF's/huaraches/BF I don't think I'll be wearing regular shoes for running ever again. Well, except on PT tests, and I'll still try to scam in with my Bikilas even then.
Ryan
