So I love technical gear. I admit it. It is a passion of mine. Before taking up a new hobby or interest I am usually sucked right in by the technical gear that one "needs" to be able to perform said activity. One of the things I love about running? All of the cool technical equipment. The shoes, the socks (who knew socks could be technical), the fabrics, I love it all.

I also love the idea of barefoot running. I have learned in my running to be a mid to forefoot striker and I am convinced it is the only thing that allows me to keep running given my weight. I also notice that the best pair of running shoes I have ever had were very minimalist (a pair of Nike Frees if you are curious). That got my interest up about the Vibram FiveFingers, http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/. I bought a pair of these shoes (?) last year and didn't have the guts to wear them for a run. I returned them the next day. I just could not get to the point of running in something so minimal.

I went back to their great website last night and low and behold they make a shoe specifically for runners now. They have added about 2mm more padding under the ball of the foot for the forefoot strikers and have redesigned the sole with a better pattern specifically for running. While I would not rely on them as my sole runner at this point, I definitely can't wait to give them a try when I need running shoes next time.

Don't fartlek so loudly that other people can hear you! Keep on running.