So I've been running either barefoot or in my Vibram Five Finger KSO's for over a year now and I was pretty excited when I heard about the new VFF Bikilas that were specifically made for running. Unfortunately, I heard about them many months ago from BirthdayShoes.com and learned I had a long time to wait before I could get my hands on a pair. My KSO's were holding up fine until about two weeks ago, when the worn down, paper-thin forefoot of the right shoe developed a small hole. I knew that if I kept running, the hole would exponentially get bigger and the shoe would tear to shreds in another couple of weeks. I'm doing the Brooklyn Half Marathon through the New York Road Runners this Saturday morning, and there could've been problems had the soles disintegrated mid-race.
LUCKILY, the new VFF Bikilas just hit the stores, and I was able to order a pair of the red and white ones online two days ago through CitySports.com (great store, by the way). Somehow, they arrived arrived today, even though I used the free shipping method (it's good to live in NYC - it's a major shipping hub.) I unboxed them and they felt a bit stiffer than my well-worn in KSO's. I was very skeptical about this since my goal is to find a shoes that will do the bare minimum of protecting my feet from the elements - the thinner the better. I did really like the color scheme, and thought the podded soles looked pretty cool.
I had to order a size larger than my KSO's since they fit a bit snug, but they actually felt a bit loose from when I tried them in the store two weeks ago. Uh oh. There's ample room in the toes, and the heel isn't as snug as I'm used to, which is my fault in ordering the M46's instead of the M45's. There was only one way to see if I had made a mistake in my sizing, and if all the hype surrounding them was warranted: I had to go for a run!
From being unboxed to the ten minute walk to Central Park, the Bikilas were only breathing NYC air for maybe 15 minutes before I took my first strides in them. The verdict:
...Wait for it...
WOW! While they may have felt a bit loose while walking around, they fit perfectly once I began running. The extra padding on the forefoot limited the feeling I had with the ground, which may upset some more hardcore barefoot runners, but it allowed me more freedom to "fall" froward as I ran (read up more about the Pose-->Fall-->Pull here.) I also felt I was using the ground reaction force and the natural spring in my foot to run more efficiently and faster, which felt awesome. I was a bit worried that the extra padding vs. my paper-thin KSO's would negatively affect my Pose form, so I made conscious efforts throughout the run to check in with myself to see if I was still "pulling" my foot off the ground and that my GCM (general center of mass) was landing over my forefoot.
My plan was to only run four miles at a moderate pace to train for the upcoming half marathon, but I just felt so friggin' amazing that I kept going for an extra mile, opting to include the southern tip of the Central Park loop instead of cutting across at 72nd St. My form felt great, my breathing was steady, and all I wanted to do was go faster and faster. It was an amazing feeling, very different than what I thought would happen (I'm pretty skeptical about new, hyped-up products.) I actually sprinted, straight-up sprinted, uphill for the last minute just to see how my feet would react, and let me tell you: it felt awesome! My form was perfect, and the Bikilas pulled up effortlessly from the ground. The five plus miles over the forty minute run (probably 7:45 or so pace) flew by, and I had an extremely fun time running them in my new shoes (when was the last time you had that much FUN running?)
I even stopped for a minute to talk to another runner who was wearing the green and white Bikilas. He only had good things to say about them too. I think Vibram may have a best seller on their hands.
By no means do I get paid to endorse VFF's (I wish I did), but take this review as you will. The more rigid forefoot might not be an improvement in the eyes of some people, but after just one run in them, I'm a believer. Good job Vibram Five Fingers!
If you live in the NYC area and are new to barefoot or minimalist running or just want to improve your running form, check out the running clinics over at Barefoot Benny Personal Fitness. Just because you're running barefoot or in VFF's, you may not necessarily be running in the most efficient way possible - your joints may still be taking a beating.
Please enjoy the pictures below of the unboxing and first time putting them on (I think my cat Brady likes them as much as I do!)
LUCKILY, the new VFF Bikilas just hit the stores, and I was able to order a pair of the red and white ones online two days ago through CitySports.com (great store, by the way). Somehow, they arrived arrived today, even though I used the free shipping method (it's good to live in NYC - it's a major shipping hub.) I unboxed them and they felt a bit stiffer than my well-worn in KSO's. I was very skeptical about this since my goal is to find a shoes that will do the bare minimum of protecting my feet from the elements - the thinner the better. I did really like the color scheme, and thought the podded soles looked pretty cool.
I had to order a size larger than my KSO's since they fit a bit snug, but they actually felt a bit loose from when I tried them in the store two weeks ago. Uh oh. There's ample room in the toes, and the heel isn't as snug as I'm used to, which is my fault in ordering the M46's instead of the M45's. There was only one way to see if I had made a mistake in my sizing, and if all the hype surrounding them was warranted: I had to go for a run!
From being unboxed to the ten minute walk to Central Park, the Bikilas were only breathing NYC air for maybe 15 minutes before I took my first strides in them. The verdict:
...Wait for it...
WOW! While they may have felt a bit loose while walking around, they fit perfectly once I began running. The extra padding on the forefoot limited the feeling I had with the ground, which may upset some more hardcore barefoot runners, but it allowed me more freedom to "fall" froward as I ran (read up more about the Pose-->Fall-->Pull here.) I also felt I was using the ground reaction force and the natural spring in my foot to run more efficiently and faster, which felt awesome. I was a bit worried that the extra padding vs. my paper-thin KSO's would negatively affect my Pose form, so I made conscious efforts throughout the run to check in with myself to see if I was still "pulling" my foot off the ground and that my GCM (general center of mass) was landing over my forefoot.
My plan was to only run four miles at a moderate pace to train for the upcoming half marathon, but I just felt so friggin' amazing that I kept going for an extra mile, opting to include the southern tip of the Central Park loop instead of cutting across at 72nd St. My form felt great, my breathing was steady, and all I wanted to do was go faster and faster. It was an amazing feeling, very different than what I thought would happen (I'm pretty skeptical about new, hyped-up products.) I actually sprinted, straight-up sprinted, uphill for the last minute just to see how my feet would react, and let me tell you: it felt awesome! My form was perfect, and the Bikilas pulled up effortlessly from the ground. The five plus miles over the forty minute run (probably 7:45 or so pace) flew by, and I had an extremely fun time running them in my new shoes (when was the last time you had that much FUN running?)
I even stopped for a minute to talk to another runner who was wearing the green and white Bikilas. He only had good things to say about them too. I think Vibram may have a best seller on their hands.
By no means do I get paid to endorse VFF's (I wish I did), but take this review as you will. The more rigid forefoot might not be an improvement in the eyes of some people, but after just one run in them, I'm a believer. Good job Vibram Five Fingers!
If you live in the NYC area and are new to barefoot or minimalist running or just want to improve your running form, check out the running clinics over at Barefoot Benny Personal Fitness. Just because you're running barefoot or in VFF's, you may not necessarily be running in the most efficient way possible - your joints may still be taking a beating.
Please enjoy the pictures below of the unboxing and first time putting them on (I think my cat Brady likes them as much as I do!)
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