Monkey Shoes

(I like the black, but I imagined the road heat and sun blistering down on them.  I got the gray/palm ones.)

Vibram KSO's.  I ordered them.  Why?  Not sure.   Actually, a co-Peace Coffee Racing guy (at the time--I am a former PCR guy now, technically) was wearing them after a CX race last fall and I was instantly intrigued.  I didn't think about them again until I started thinking about my running aches and pains (hip, ITB).  I started scanning the web for solutions and frequently found explanations for the source of the problems, not the solution.  That source often was not only incorrect footwear, but too much footwear.  Its a theory.  They say that we are born to run barefoot, like a child does, leaning forward and running off the balls of their feet--thats how we're supposed to run (look at a pro runner--its not exactly the same, buy you'd get the gist of it).  But as we get older shoes get thicker, wider, and with bigger heels that it allows and almost encourages heel striking. Then we become lazy runners; small muscles in our feet, ankles, and legs eventually weaken because our footwear is too stable, too supportive.  Eventually, the weaknesses lead to failures of other areas. No, it doesn't affect everyone, but if you look at really fast runners, they are usually in racing flats, or shoes that are very minimal.  That's what Vibrams are--minimalistic.   Anyway, that's pretty much all I know about it at this point, but that was enough to sell me on the idea.  No, I haven't read "Born To Run" and decided to hop on that band-wagon.  However, I am drafting behind it...

These suckers are so hard to find that I ended up ordering them from a place called Mountain High Outfitters out of AL.  Its very important to try them on so I called literally every retailer in the Twin Cities and they are either out of them or they have random models and sizes.  Not the model I was looking for, and not in my size.  Authorized web retailers are backed up on them--some giving you an estimated shipping dates into 2011.  I think Vibram will eventually catch up on production by the end of the summer, but you never know.  I sent Mountain High and email confirming that they have the size range I am looking for and they replied within minutes suggesting I order two sizes and send back the one that doesn't fit.   I may just throw the extra pair on eBay.  There so few REAL Vibrams on eBay, and a million fakes, that someone could be looking like I was...