Monday, November 07, 2011
My last run in my VFF for the season
Today was a stressful, tiring day. I do not know who thought that daylight savings was a good idea, but I doubt they had kids. My kids have not adjusted to the time change and I really haven't either. We were all awake before 6:30 this morning. After finishing school late and dealing with a sick baby and a clingy toddler, I was done by the time Kyle came home from work. I texted him and asked if I could get out and run as soon as he got home. Being the loving and very smart man that he is he was very supportive of me getting out and getting in a run. It was about 2C and falling as I left and it was getting pretty dark. I started out in my VFFs and my Injinji socks. I dressed warm in a t-shirt, base layer, vest, thermal tights, mitts, and my bondi band ponytail hat. I was warm and feeling good. I noticed two things about running in my Bikilas. First, when I ran on soft unpacked snow the snow stuck to the bottom of my shoes and I could feel very noticeable chunks of ice/snow under my feet. I had to stop and scrape it off. I also noticed that after about 1.5 miles my toes were getting numb. It actually felt like I was running on bricks of ice. I couldn't flex or wiggle my toes anymore. I headed home because frozen toes isn't my idea of a good time. I hit 2 miles by the time I got home and I was feeling great except for my frozen, and now thawing painfully, toes. I decided to do quick shoe change and head back out. I grabbed my new Deep See Beach Walkers, a pair of sock liners and a pair of running socks. All warmed up I headed out for some more. The shoes were great. Light and flexible but nice and warm. I could still feel the ground under my feet but I no longer felt like I was running on bricks of ice. I ran another 2 miles. I ran in ankle deep snow, over ice and along the path around the pond where I live. I was perfect. (not my running, I still need work), but the shoes did everything that I wanted them too. Me feet were warm and snug and I could still feel what I was running on. They worked very well in the snow and my socks didn't get wet. I slipped on the ice with them any time I pushed off instead of lifting my feet but anything short of spikes on ice is a recipe for slipping without great form I'm sure. I was quite surprised at how little slipping I did when I remembered to lift my feet. I am looking forward to many more miles in my Beach Walkers. I am sad to say that my VFF will now be stuck inside the house to be saved for chinook days and spring time.
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No matter how many times I've tried to run bf or in my vff's for the winter I never could. My feet were always cold. I'm just one of the die hards.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip on the Beach Walkers... I have often thought that water shoes would seem to be a good, inexpensive, minimalist shoe.. maybe they won't hold up forever, but the Deep See looks decent.. and at $23.99 on Amazon, not a huge investment to try out for winter running.. thanks!
ReplyDeleteJeff
Did your feet slide around in the water shoes? And did your toes hurt at all from rubbing in them? What are sock liners? I have VFF Komodo sports and I wear injinji socks in them. Minus 10 is the coldest so far, and my feet got wet but were reasonably warm. I like the grip on the ground with the VFF and worry that my feet will slide around inside the water shoes. I bought bikilas and returned them. Terribly uncomfortable and my baby toe was crying.... Try the Komodo sport sometime and get slightly larger to accommodate the injinjis. I can still wear my komodos bare which i do in warm weather. MT
ReplyDeleteMy feet didn't slip at all in the water shoes. They are snug with the socks in them. Sock liners are a very thin technical fabric, they are supposed to act as more insulation under your socks and keep your socks from getting wet from sweat. I will have to get Kyle to comment after he has run in his. He bought a size bigger so there may be more slippage. For me I felt good, I had enough room to wiggle and scrunch my toes but not so much as to rub my feet. I haven't run in them with bare feet but probably won't as i bought them a bit big to fit a pair of really big socks. I loved to look of the Komodo sport, I may have to give them a try. As for the injinjis, did you have to buy a size up in the socks? The ones I tried felt so tight I almost wonder if they made my toes feel colder.
ReplyDeleteNo problem Jeff, if you get them let me know how you like them. I've run twice in mine and both times it was great. I really liked running on the snow and ice. The snow felt so soft and just plain fun and the ice was a great challenge to keep my form good and lift my feet.
ReplyDeleteRobbie-Lynn, I can't find your email to write you! Can you email me? nkay71@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the feeling of running in the Beachwalkers. I know they're not the most attractive shoes but sometimes function is more important than fashion. ;)
ReplyDelete