A great and touching story

By Paula, Foot Tools Owner

One of the rewarding parts of owning your own business is having the chance to meet and build relationships with some of your clients.  We have many people who come into the store, who all have goals and seek advice from us; what’s truly great is when these same clients come back afterwards and let us know how it went.

Recently, Stephen Barnes, one of our many friends and clients, sent us this link to his blog, sharing his first marathon experience with us!  Stephen, we are touched and honoured that you wanted to share your journey with us (and we are glad you like your Mizuno Precisions)!  Our thoughts are with you and your family with the passing of your father.  Surely, he was with you in spirit as you battled your way through to an amazing time of 3:34:15!

For an inspiring read (that might bring tears to your eyes, as it did mine), here is the link to Stephen’s blog: http://snail-male.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-first-marathon-qualified-for-boston.html

Common sense is needed when going to minimalist footwear

By John, Foot Tools owner

This minimalist footwear craze is just what running needs.  For decades now, companies have been pumping out heavy, stiff, controlling, jacked up heel running shoes.  Now the trend is towards lightweight, low profile, responsive shoes.  Who is wearing this new technology?  Younger runners who have not developed bad habits from long slow distances seem to be doing the best.  The Cross Fit crowd loves the low to ground technology for their squats, lunges and sprints.  Cross Fitters understand the importance of strength training and usually do low intense mileage.  Who is having problems adjusting to this new technology?  Older runners who do a lot of long slow mileage.  I had a client in this past week who has been off for over 4 months with an Achilles injury. He went from a 12.5 oz Kayano with a 12mm differential heel to a 5.5 oz Vibram 5 finger with a 0 differential heel.  Bingo!  Big injury.  Let’s hope his injury is not permanent and he does not need surgery. Don’t mess around with an Achilles injury, they are SERIOUS.

Here are some ideas on how to use and adapt to minimalist technology:

1. Start gradually. If you are currently wearing a heavy shoe like an Asics Kayano, Nike Triax, or Saucony Omni, at 12oz men and 10 oz women, then drop down a few ounces to lighter trainers.  Lighter trainers are more responsive and natural yet still have good cushioning in the heel area to minimize shock to the Achilles.  Lightweight trainers range from 8 to 10 oz for men and 7 to 9 oz for woman.  Mizuno makes two excellent lightweight trainers, the Elixir and Precision, and Saucony has developed a great series of lightweight shoes with the Kinvara, Mirage, and Cortana.  Saucony’s lightweight shoes have a low heel differential of 9mm compared to a heel differential of 12mm for Saucony Omni.  What is heel differential? It is the difference in the elevation of the shoe from the heel to the forefoot.

2.  Always cut down your mileage when adapting to lighter shoes. Try short run walks at first as your feet and tendons adapt to less cushioning and support.  After you have adapted to the lightweight shoes you may want to try the minimalist technology.  What is minimalist?  They are extremely light shoes with 0 to 3mm differential ranging in weight from 4.5oz to 8oz men and 3.5 to 6.5oz woman.  Used properly, these shoes are a joy and bring back the free and natural flow of running.  Used improperly, these shoes can turn a runner into an injury waiting to happen, like our friend’s potential long term Achilles injury.

Here is a list of minimalist shoes, available at Foot Tools:

- Vibram 5 Finger Bikila, an extremely natural shoe with 0 differential and separate toes.

- Saucony Hattori, beautiful 5.0 oz glove like fit (no laces) with 0 differential but a little more cushioning than Vibram 5 Finger

- Mizuno Universe, 4.5 oz – talk about light; it is great on asphalt for faster runners in 5-10 km road races

- Asics Piranha, you don’t even know this shoe is on your foot – 4.5 oz of pure joy.

- Adidas Feather, about 5.5 oz with some amazing cushioning for a shoe so light.

- The Inov-8 series, these guys are the masters with shoes between 0 to 3mm differential and weight between 4.5-6 oz.  The new Bare X Tallon is a must try on, with soft material and great tread for fast running and the demands of Cross Fit workouts.

When you start wearing this minimalist stuff, use extreme caution. Start off by finding soft training surfaces such as grass, rubberized tracks, sand, artificial turf, etc. Do short run walks of 5-10 min at first.  Try wearing them every other day.  Walk around in them before running.  It may take 6 to 12 months to adapt.  Some may never be able to wear them for long periods of time.  The younger and stronger you are, the easier it will be to adjust.  Remember we are all unique; some will adapt quicker.  Don’t rush and end up with a 6 month or permanent Achilles/leg injury. Have fun experimenting and be smart!

Shoe Reviews – Staff Favourites

The trusty staff here at Foot Tools aren’t just a bunch of people who know a lot about shoes – we wear them too!!  Here are some reviews on what we like to wear on our feet:

Patte – A.K.A The Long Distance Junkie

Long Runs~I mix it up between Saucony Ride & Mizuno Creation. Both offer good support for the long haul.

Saucony Peregrine Trail Shoe

Short Runs~ Kinvara by Saucony or Boston by Adidas.  They have enough cushion for my short fast runs.

Trails~New Peregrines from Saucony or The North Face Single Track trail shoes.
Both offer the traction needed for the trails as well as toe protection and are lighter than other trail shoes.

For this LDJ the most important aspect of my shoes is the ability to accommodate my orthotic which I need for severe metatarsalgia.  Saucony is #1 in my books with Mizuno a very close 2nd.

Patte the LDJ!

Jen P. – A.K.A The Fastest Woman Alive

Mizuno Wave Precision

Mizuno’s Wave Precision has been a great shoe for me. As a middle distance runner I do not rack up a lot of miles. The precision is a great lightweight shoe for the track with exceptional toe off for my faster workouts. It transitions nicely to the road with just enough protection between me and the road for my “long” runs. Without dragging around extra weight in my shoes, this lightweight neutral makes my runs more enjoyable. The precision also makes my track workouts faster with its great ability to transition the runner onto their toes and into their next stride. I would highly recommend the Precision to any runner looking for a great ride in a lightweight shoe.

Chris – A.K.A The Palette Pulling Queen

I have been wearing Adidas Boston 2 now for over 2 months.  I have run races up to 10k, on single track trails, on pavement, on gravel, in the sunshine but more frequently in the rain(crazy weather!), done speed work and trained long slow distance.  I have not been disappointed.  This lightweight shoe has responded to everything I’ve put it through.

The heel cup fits like a glove.  I have high arches and the midfoot accommodates that.  I also have a wide foot.  The toe box is the best fit I’ve ever found.  I’ve had shoes where the toe

Adidas Boston 2

box is too big causing me to lose a toenail from banging around.  I’ve had shoes too small causing blisters on the ball of my foot.  The material in the Boston stretches around the foot, fitting it tightly without rubbing.  Because I’m heavy for a runner, I don’t think I’d wear these shoes for a run longer then 10k as I start to feel the need for more cushion around that mark.

Overall I love the shoe and would recommend it to anyone looking for a neutral lightweight trainer.

Brianne – A.K.A Runs Fast When Talking

Saucony’s new lightweight neutral trainer, the Kinvara, has become my favourite go-to shoe.  This shoe has been extremely versatile for me and hasn’t let me down yet.  I have run distances up to 15km in the Kinvara, on gravel, trail and road, and I am continuously surprised by how cushioned the shoe is for the distance and terrain.  I am also a crossfitter and this shoe has provided good cushion, support and stability when weightlifting, box jumping, or whatever other challenges my workout is putting me through!

Saucony Kinvara

One of my favourite features of the Kinvara is the flexible mesh upper along with the breathability of the shoe.  I do not have wide feet, but when running my feet need to be able to expand and contract as well as breathe.  This shoe has been the first shoe I’ve found that hasn’t caused massive blisters when running more then 8km!  My post-race foot recovery has drastically improved!