My VFFs - My "Feet's" BFFs

I know, I know...

A post devoted to my Vibram Five Fingers.

But my VFFs really are my feet's (is feet's a word??) BFFs.

Photo taken with my phone.  Don't mind my dirty floor.  :)

Mr. Blue surprised me with a pair for my birthday this past summer.

His dad had been raving about his, and Mr. Blue's sister even had a pair.

I was super-skeptical.

I put them on for the first time and could barely stand them.  My pinky toes felt like they were in prison.  It was awful and after 15 minutes I had to take them off.  I did not give up though.  My pinky toes adjusted to being "way out there".  I got used to the way they felt on my feet.  A couple of weeks later we were in Yellowstone and the thought of walking around all of the boardwalks in my running shoes had my back screaming, "No!!!  NO!!!" (Does anyone else have a hard time wearing their running shoes for anything else besides running??)  My back won and I left my running shoes in the car, opting instead to wear my VFFs.

When our little vay-cay was over, and we had walked countless miles on the boardwalks, and I had carried kids several times on my back, my back said a big THANK YOU!  So did my feet.  Sure, I had a lot of people staring at my feet instead of the geysers.  Others gave me strange looks.  One boy walking behind us said to his dad, "Dad, look at her shoes.  How weird.  Do you think they are comfortable?  They look so strange!"  I didn't mind.  I knew my feet felt better than his.

I know they are not the cutest, most fashion-forward footwear on the planet, but I really don't care.  I love walking in them.  In fact, when it is warmer than freezing outside, I like to take the kids on a walk just so I can wear them.  :)  My piggies have never been happier.

Do you run in these things?  I'm sure you are asking yourself that this very minute.

Welllllll.....

I wish I could say that I have run in them more than I have.

I got them as I was training for the EPIC relay and didn't have time to condition myself to them.

Then I didn't do any running for awhile.

Then it was really cold.

(10 degrees outside with a thin sole and noooooo socks = very chilly - okay - COLD on the piggies.)

I have taken them out for a few short runs on days that are above freezing, and the sun is out.   (I usually run in around 5:30-6 in the morning.  Dark.)  And those runs have been awesome.  Every time I put on my new running shoes I wish I was putting my VFFs on instead.

The shoes I had last winter I loved.  Then there was a sidewalk sale this summer at the running shoe store.  I went and bought a pair of shoes - a 1/2 size smaller than I usually buy.  Mistake.  I knew I should have bought the bigger size, but in my defense I went two days after this and my brain wasn't working very well.  The shoes sat in a box for several months.  I just barely pulled them out about a month ago and I can't stand them.  My feet feel so, so, well, so confined.  My toes can't move.  It's driving me nuts.

So for V-day, Mr. Blue gave me a gift card to the running store.  (Perfect!!)  I have been reading about barefoot/minimalist running and I am so in love with it.  The benefits seem so great.  It's a lot of re-learning how to run, but that's exciting too.  

I'm hoping that between the new shoes and the VFFs my feet (and back, and knees) will be veeeerrrrrryyyy happy.

Oh, and guess what I found?

These and these for kids.

Seriously awesome.

Back to my feet's BFFs the VFFs.

I am soooo glad I tried them.

They are the best.

They are like heaven on my feet.

Especially when my feet are really tired.

Give them a try.

Even if you just wear them as house slippers.  :)