I've been running!
I haven't really wanted to confess this because it's my alone time, but I really have begun to crave the run.
I started out in Brooks Puredrift and had a really difficult time adjusting to the fit of shoes with so much padding and heel lift. I thought I could add insoles and make adjustments but inevitably I ended up taking my shoes off halfway through and carrying them.
I invested in Vibram Five Fingers since I was running barefoot most of the time anyway they seemed a logical choice for those uncertain terrains. They were good but I missed the connection I had with the ground.
Then came the hole! I found the one hole the dreaded hole that caused me to lose my beloved exercise for almost two years.
In the midst of all the crazy my heel now hates me pain I reDISCovered disc golf. It was the outlet to fitness I needed without the jolting of the run and I began to improve my health at the same time I gained strength in my feet again.
I started to jog to the next tee to get my running fix in small doses. I'd sneak away when kids were in school and hubby was working just to get in a few holes and a jog. But there was a problem.
And it's name was clay!
I couldn't go run my trails without wearing them home as Texas sheet cake on my feet!
It was unbearable until...
...GoSt Paleo Barefoots Anterra Sport with paws. These beautiful chain maile shoes made their entrance into my life and changed everything!
Anterra were what I was looking for they have a lightweight feel which I didn't anticipate. They breathe like no shoe I've ever worn! I could feel the earth beneath my feet again and the tickle of dew drawn grass in the morning.
Then there was the clay factor; they picked it up just like my other shoes had, but with a remarkable difference. I could now wade into the puddles and streams on the course and with a little swish and splash my shoes were CLEAN! I could run the trails without worrying about stepping in glass barefoot and I had incredible grip thanks to the paws application!
I began to do more running than discing in my Anterra and discovered that I had no foot pain in them like my fully padded running shoes! I was hooked and that was saying something. I began to seek opportunities to share with other guys at the park about my wonderful shoes. Disc golfers trying to remove clay from their shoes would get to hear how I never have to worry about clay anymore! Bloggers and ezines featuring minimalist shoe sources weren't safe from my great affection for my Anterra Batefoots!
Then came the most amazing email; Jörg, the brain behind the creation of my passion for maile-footwear asked a question that gave me chills. 'Wanna try the new paws?'
It was as if the heavens opened up and were singing behind me when I read those words. Me? The NEW paws? YES, YES, how soon will they arrive?
Two weeks!
The postman left a card in haste so he wouldn't have to walk to the door and I caught him! Well I literally ran him down at the opposite end of the road and claimed what has now given me the nickname 'crazy metal shoe lady' from my boys.
The difference between Anterra and Pronativ is remarkable.
Pronativ have more paws and for someone like me with double jointed Morton's toe finding a shoe that gives support and durability on the ball of the foot behind the second toe can be a challenge. These paws are perfectly placed!
These paws are perfectly placed!
Yes I said it twice because it bore repeating. They provide grip right where it is needed I can climb root laden hills with ease and descend slippery clay slopes without finding my way down on my gluteus maximus.
Pronativ are slightly heavier than my Anterra but not enough to make a difference in my stride or my launch from the tee pad. They are much better transitioning from the car to the trail in asphalt or concrete as the links don't strike the concrete as much as the Anterra did.
I've also noticed that the Pronativ are better able to inhibit the smaller thorns so common here in Texas. There isn't any shoe other than perhaps a wooden shoe that could handle the typical two inch thorns that hide on some of our disc golf courses but both versions of Paleo Barefoots do a better job of stopping them before they penetrate delicate foot flesh.
Are these for concrete runs? NO!
Are they for asphalt runs? NO!
Will you be alright walking/running on these surfaces for a short distance to get to natural surfaces? YES! Just slow down and use caution or remove your maile-footwear because your bare feet grip better on those surfaces than any man made material.
The big question, which one is best?
When embarking upon simple grass trails and maintained disc golf courses Anterra are a wonderful choice.
If your surfaces are a bit more rocky or multi-surface, say, sand to pebble to clay to shale Pronativ is a far better choice for extra grip.
Whichever you choose I can guarantee you'll have an experience that is unforgettable!
Want to learn more or get a pair for yourself?
portal.gost-barefoots.com
After clay
After squishy puddle
Knit4love and Knit4life
