I guess it was bound to happen…I sprained my ankle running last week. OK, this is a self-diagnosis because I avoid Dr.’s offices (who has the time?) Nevertheless, my ankle is burning and aching and VERY swollen. What happened? It was raining outside so I decided to wear my old sneakers.

Luckily, my sister-in-law is a physical therapist. She told me that the swelling in my ankle should  go away in two weeks. Two weeks? It is a good thing I started my marathon training slightly ahead of schedule to allow for something like this.

This injury, and the subsequent two weeks away from running, has spurred me to go ahead and purchase a pair of the Vibram’s. As I mentioned previously, my friend, and many barefoot running websites, books, and barefoot gurus, are saying that running shoes may actually be causing injuries. Now is the time for me to do a little research for myself.

Running Barefoot

I have run as far as two miles completely barefoot on the grass in my backyard (yes, this takes many laps), and I love it! Go ahead and call me tenderfoot, I am simply not ready to take these tootsies out onto the pavement without some protection. While I am waiting for my ankle to heal, I am going to purchase a pair of Vibram KSO. I decided on the KSO because it is very versatile, has some nice looking straps for a snug fit, and has mesh across the top to keep debris out. Vibrams are so popular right now, the local REI store near my house had exactly one pair of Women’s Vibrams in the store.

Buyer Beware

Whenever a product becomes ridiculously popular (such as our Acai and Resveratrol supplements) you need to be very careful when purchasing on-line. According to the Official Vibram Five Fingers website, fake products and trademarks are appearing on the market daily. Here’s how Vibram suggests avoiding counterfeits…

• Check the list of authorized Vibram FiveFingers® retailers and distributors on Vibram’s website

• Verify the website’s phone number, address, and contact information; many counterfeit sites won’t provide this information.
• Verify the stock list of colors and styles Vibram produces

And here is one more, counterfeit sites do not accept PayPal.

To tell you the truth, the prices at Vibram online and REI online (authorized retailer) were not significantly more expensive than other websites, so I will probably order from one of these.

I will be resting my ankle for one more week, then I will let you know how I like the Vibrams when I take them on the road. I can’t wait to try them!

Do you run in Vibrams? We would love to hear about it!