Good Vibram-ations!

They aren't gorgeous and they make me look like a frog, but I have now jumped on the Vibram/minimalist shoe bandwagon.  I had been thinking and wondering about them for months.  Between reading blogs, magazine articles, and the book, Born to Run, my curiosity was piqued.  When I walked into my local outdoor outfitter last month in which they were having a huge sale, AND they just happened to have a pair in my size, AND my friend who works there highly recommended them, it seemed like the right thing to do.  Any excuse to buy another pair of shoes!  Don't make me count the number of pairs of shoes I have.  I'm not sure I can count that high.  It's a sickness.

They were easier to get on than I thought.  As long as you are paying attention to your toes, it's not an issue. I guess the message here is don't put them on if you are having to quickly escape out of a burning building.  It will take some time, and the flames might find you first.  I'm not really planning on running in mine, but thought maybe I could build foot strength by walking in them, doing errands, chores, and all of those other lovely things that I do everyday.  I wore them out to go do some errands the first day I got them, and about half way through I could start feeling my muscles in my feet getting tired.  Weird.  I was ready to take them off when I got home.

The two biggest problems I have found so far are...

1: It's hot on the ground here.  Remember, with temps at 100ºF+ here for a while (like at least 3 more months!), the ground outside is not a happy place.  I wore them outside at noon the other day for about 2 minutes and then raced went back in to change.  I'm sure this will work out much better in the fall/winter/spring.  Not now when you can fry an egg on the sidewalk.  I've never heard of this particular complaint from people about this shoe.  Maybe I'm just sensitive?

2: If I thought Crocs were the ugliest shoe ever, what are these?  I was listening to a radio personality who ran ask their guest, a fashion advisor, what she thought of Vibrams.  The fashion advisor told her that it was fine to wear them if you were running or working out, but wearing them to Target was a big fashion no no.  Oops.  I've never been known for my fashion forward sense.  And I had just bought them the week before to wear to places like Target.  I bet you have guessed by now that I own a pair of Crocs as well.  Actually two.

Anyone else have a pair of these crazy shoes?  Do you like them?  What are your thoughts on my plan to wear them just for building foot strength?  Or am I way off base here?