New - Running Shoes

Its been almost two years now that I am running on thin sole shoes. I was inspired by the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. In this book he explains the benefits about barefoot running. He sites examples of special breed of tribal who can easily run 100s of kms without a sign of fatigue. One of the specialty of the tribe is that they use flat and hard soled shoes/sandals. This is in complete contrast of  modern day cushioned shoes.

2016 Mumbai Marathom

I was also fascinated by good cushioned shoes. I started my running with a moderate cushioned shoe. It really felt good and comfortable. Back then I was running only 3-4 kms daily. Things were going good and suddenly a book into my life as a gift - Born to Run. I also researched a bit and came to know about many ultra-marathoners like Milind Soman, Scott Jurek, etc who run barefoot or use very thin sole shoes. After reading the book, I decided to try out barefoot running. I was (and I am still) scared about the stones, blades, glass pieces etc on roads. It may cut through my barefoot and hamper my running. So I decided to go for least cushioned shoes, ie Canvas shoes. Good thing about canvas shoes is that as time goes by, the sole thickness keeps reducing because of the wear. This helped in smooth transition from cushioned shoes to almost barefoot running. I ran my first half and full marathon in these shoes. The pair requires a replacement every 2 to 3 months, depending on my run distance and speed.

Aqua shoes 50

After almost 2 years and using more than 8 pair of canvas shoes, I am now going for another transition. I am experimenting with Troibords Aquashoes 50. You can get it from amazon or decthalon shop. I bought one from Decathlon shop for 500 Rs. This is actually meant for use near beach or rocky slippery terrain. I decided to go use this for running, why? Because it has really thin sole, 1 mm only and small rubber studs in bottom for a firm grip. The sole is really flexible and gives me a perfect experience of barefoot running. Secondly it is ultra light weight. I haven't measured but it is too light. It has a fabric on it which fits tightly on foot and also takes the shape of your foot. Thanks to this fabric, my pinky finger injury is reducing. Weather you have a broad foot or flat foot or any construction, this shoe should fit. Also the fabric is netted, so your feet remains well ventilated. It is too easy to get into these non-laced shoes. Lastly, you can use this without socks.

Today was my third day with this shoe and so far all is well. I am doing almost 2 miles on flyover and 1 mile on flat road. I am assuming that I will be able to use one pair for 3 to 4 months. I would recommend this shoe for anyone wants to try going barefoot. Make a note - A slow and steady transition is required to go from cushioned shoes to these ones. Making an abrupt change will give rise to joint or calf muscle injuries. Drop in your experience, suggestions, feedback , queries or just a Smiley. I will be keep you updated regarding my experience with these shoes.

Keep Running and Stay Fit !