When I was a kid, living in England, I was running daily in 'plimsoles' (plimsolls...). These have a very thin sole and consequently I learned to run with, what I have since learned is a forefoot strike. Even when, later, I was wearing somewhat thicker soled running shoes (here in Canada) my running technique did not change. However, when I did purchase a pair of much thicker soled shoes because that's what was recommended for running, I did not feel as though my running was efficient anymore. It seemed as though I was using much more effort to run due to all the squishy padding.

Possibly the body is programmed depending on what it has learned during the formative years. (I was basically 'ordered' by my father to run a couple of miles every day in order that my heart and lungs would develop appropriately to my growing body. I grew 7 inches in height in one year and then, mercifully stopped.)

At university I did notice that other people ran differently, i.e. heel strike and I thought I was doing things wrong but couldn't change without consciously trying to do a heel strike which was uncomfortable and inefficient.

“How fast would I run if I had no idea how far I would be forced to run today?” is an excellent guide for pacing oneself on long journeys…and I bet it corresponds closely to the threshold at which we start oxidizing significant glucose in addition to fat.

Would there be a way of testing this? It would be interesting to find out. I personally find that having no known endpoint makes tasks much, much harder. I heard somewhere that the US army has a fitness test based on an indeterminate distance.

ps.

vibram 5 toe are also too cold for winter cause the ground is too cold, as the sole is pretty thin.

anyway, i dont' wear "bare foot" shoes/sandals in winter (too cold)

I wear crocs on a daily basis. I have some that they no longer make with a cross strap over the top which don't bind or rub my very wide feet at all. Although the sole is much more padded than your minimalist shoe, I consider it an advantage, as I am a teacher and stand 7 hours a day on a concrete floor. The soles are very flexible and there is little rise in the heel. I love my crocs, and I don't care how ugly they are, they make my feet happy.

I think the picture of contrasting running styles was very interesting. When I was in middle/high school, I would run around in my yard for fun, always barefoot. I developed a classic barefoot running style naturally. When I was forced to choose a team sport I elected X-C as the lesser of evils, and rapidly developed a raging case of shin splints from running in the recommended sneakers. I distinctly remember the coach re-teaching me how to run, because I was doing it "wrong." I also developed a case of asthma and sat out a great deal. Hmmmmm......

I'm glad to see someone exploring the cheaper minimal options. I purchased a pair of Vibrams before I saw a discussion of cheaper options, and I wish I had saved my $80+! The Vibrams really only fit if your feet/toes are in perfect proportion and alignemnt, which apparently my big toes are NOT. I have had much better luck with cheap "water shoes". Also, I live in Wisconsin and winter temps here can easily approach zero for days on end--no way that Vibrams are warm enough for that! However, a pair of wool socks and water shoes work just fine for me, no matter how cold it gets.

Yes, the water shoes do wear faster, but I have had good luck repairing thin spots with Shoe Goo (you can find it online), which does even more to keep costs down for your footwear. So often I see discussions in running or "Primal" forums about minimalist footwear, and often I will post about these cheaper options, but it seems many times that people don't even want to consider anything but "real" minimalist gear, leading me to wonder if it's really about what minimalist shoes do for your feet or what minimalist shoes do for your image...

Anyway, interesting article!

I ran a half marathon in canvas TOMS with the arch support ripped out, but those aren't cheap and the fabric falls apart really quickly. I try to run barefoot whenever possible, but when I can't I've been using Onitsuka Tigers (Asics) Tai Chi shoes. I think it's the same shoe Bruce Lee and later Uma Thurman wore with the famous yellow motorcycle suit. Anyway they're not as cheap as the options mentioned here, but it's a real shoe with a thin, flat, and flexible rubber sole and real leather upper. I just wish the insole weren't glued in so strongly and the tongue were leather.

I tried a pair of the Vibram Five Fingers, and they were never comfortable. I then tried on various minimalist shoes at the mall and finally found one that is truly comfortable: Merrell Road Gloves.