Shoe Dilemma

[jschwab]

I am working out my shoe dilemma for my upcoming half marathon (11/21). I have only run up to 7 miles barefoot, and it will be cold, maybe wet and part of the course is worst than landscape gravel (very rough chip and seal that grabs at your soles) so barefoot is out.

My choices are Zems, Protons, water shoes, and VFF's.

Zems' seams still bug me sometimes over long distances, although maybe socks would help.

Protons are too hot, and my ankles are bigger now from being built up with BF running and they chafe.

Water shoes would be my number one choice as they are most pleasant, but I sometimes catch my toe and stub it pretty bad. This happened for the third time at the end of my last training run. It was completely black and blue - that kind of stub would drop me from a race.

For the VFF's, I am fastest in these and I have comfortably run a few of my long runs (ca. 12mm for ten miles) with no issues, but when I wore them for a 4 mile race, the speed had my toes pinched really badly - OK for a short race, but a dealbreaker for a half marathon. I was not wearing Injinjis for that race (I have some), but I am worried if I were I would have to deal with swelling and pinching from that.

Any thoughts? My only thought is Zems cannot get that running shoe developed fast enough

 

[pbarker]

jschwabI am running a half

jschwab

I am running a half marathon on Sunday Nov 14 and currently going through the same thing. I wanted to run it barefoot so most of my resent running in the last 6 weeks has been barefoot. The temp on race day is predicted to be ~ 25f, -4C. I have been doing some runs is socks when my feet get tender. So So So I will probably carry water shoes, wear socks and hope for better then predicted weather.

Stick with what you know works, nothing new on race day.



PB

 

[jschwab]

Your plan sounds really good.

Your plan sounds really good. My problem is nothing is working right now for race conditions. Either way, something's going to hurt.

 

[pbarker]

For long runs in VFF I have

For long runs in VFF I have been putting cream on my toes so there is less friction, and I would carry cream to reapply.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

that's a tough one.  my

that's a tough one. my advice is go with the lesser of the evils. if you're going to have an issue no matter what you do then you should make your decision based on which issue is going to bother you the least. the tough part is you really don't have enough experience to pull from in two of your shoes. The ZEMs and the vffs could potentially work just fine but without some testing you wont know. I like the idea of ZEMs with socks. The socks should take away any seam issues you have. I've had a few people tell me about that helping them.

 

[jschwab]

I think I am leaning towards

I think I am leaning towards the Zems, too. I have had successful long runs in those, too - they just slow me down and hurt eventually but not in a DNF way. The VFF problem is that the toes pinch into my skin, not that they chafe or rub - and that was on a completely flat course. Going faster on downhill has me a little concerned. It really is a running with speed issues - if I were happy with 12mm for the half, I would not even be concerned. I would like to run faster if I can. I just ordered some Injinji liner socks which are thinner than the regular ones - I might test those out and see how they do.

 

[Peanut]

I have been running in vffs

I have been running in vffs for a year.

The original pair I bought still are great and a little worn but I use them a lot.

I did buy a secong pair but had to return two before I found some that were good. Seems that the Vibram company got so much business so suddenly that it couldn't keep up with production and started to outsource more. This is what I heard from the running shoe store sales people. At that point they were having some quality issues. For example; one pair I tried on had a big seam flap, another had a wierd lump and several had bad shaping in the toes.

The store was in contact with Vibram and said they were returning a bunch of them from that batch. After trying on about 6 pair in my size at another running shoe store I finally found a pair that worked. My original are wonderful and feel very much like a glove. I really like my second pair . The feel is really good but still not as flexible as the original. So, after reading some of the comments I am wondering if the problem is the variation in construction.

Peanut

 

[sloutre]

Would it be possible to start

Would it be possible to start with the VFF and carry the Zems to switch in the middle of the race? Hopefully socks would help too.

 

[ajb422]

 I think socks and zems sound

I think socks and zems sound like the best choice. They make the zems alittle tighter for sure but there is no rubbing. I don't ever run with socks in them but whenever I wear them for work I put on socks on.

 

[Matt]

I like the ideas of Zems with

I like the ideas of Zems with socks. One thing I've noticed with my limited experience with Zems is that they are virtually weightless, so unlike other shoes, the weight won't slow you down. Also, depending on how you are feeling, they would be easy enough to take off, so you can stow them away and finish the last part of the race barefoot.

 

[ajb422]

 Oh and I forgot to add that

Oh and I forgot to add that with alittle practice zems are super fast to take on and off. During a longer runs I'll bring them for rough sections and it only slows me down by a few seconds to switch between bf and zems. So you could run the nice areas bf too and then put them on when needed.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Start off in your VFFs and

Start off in your VFFs and carry your water shoes in case you have to switch. You can probably attach them at your waist some how, so you won't have to worry about them and remain hands-free. Good luck, J!

 

[jschwab]

I like all these suggestions

I like all these suggestions of switching shoes. Oh God, Protons are so out of the question! I did a 6.4 mile run today in about 50 degrees and sunny and they were SO hot. I also still have a toenail fragment and that hurt after awhile so I need to look into having that surgically removed before the race. I thought of wearing the water shoes with duct tape over the part that "catches", but I like this idea of VFF's for the first half and then switching out for the Zems, mainly because I think the water shoes' heaviness would slow me down significantly. I can plan it out, too, that I don't switch them until after the really rough stuff that hurts like the Dickens even in Zems.

I was running today with a new running partner who just had a baby 6 weeks ago. She was wanting to go 12mm, but when I checked it seems we were doing much closer to 11mm. I felt like I was going very easy. Hmmm.... This race preparation is all over the place!

 

[miker]

J, my Bikilas (which fit a

J, my Bikilas (which fit a little tighter than my KSOs) do not allow me to wear any sock/liner at all. After a few miles, they feel like my toes are cramming into the toe places and it becomes uncomfortable. I have to stop, work my foot back in the shoe as far as I can, then run again. This usually fixes it for a short period of time. Then I have to do it again. I have never developed any blisters or sores from this, but it is definitely uncomfortable.

My KSOs, on the other hand, allow me to wear injinji socks. I had a couple of issues early on with the KSOs if I ran bf in them, but if I use the socks, I am just fine.

So I would probably look at the injinji liners you have coming, but it all depends on how much room you have in the toe area. But that's just because this is what works for me. Seems like everyone has an opinion, based on their experiences. That's what I love about this place!

Good luck w/your half.

 

[jschwab]

I've worn the socks with the

I've worn the socks with the VFF's, but not going race pace and not for more than maybe 10 miles? My toes fit fine, just worried about swelling at the race. I have short, little toes and the Bikilas fit fine - it seems to be a seam or crimping issue. I had little red welts between my toes after that 4 mile race which I never had for training runs. I might also mention I had a fever at that race, so maybe that was part of it? KSO's the toes were way too big - I had to give them away. I was so happy when the Bikilas came along since they fit my foot much better - they are definitely a snugger shoe.