Today is a milestone day for me. In March I got a a pair of Vibram Fivefingers shoes, and have been building up my ability to function in them ever since. My goal on DailyMile has been to climb a mountain in the VFFs. Well, today I did it. Note my happy little feet in the corner of this picture of the monument on the top of Cowles Mountain.
I made the 950 foot climb in 36 minutes. Cowles is the highest mountain in San Diego county. This trail was perfect for the VFFs. It is mostly a dirt trail--not filled with sharp rocks which would have made the barefoot walk more challenging! As I have noted in other posts, the Vibram Fivefingers give you some protection, but they are a lot like really being barefoot since you feel everything under your feet.
The shoes performed well. I learned that it is easier to climb in Vibram Fivefingers than it is to navigate down a steep trail. First of all, because you're going down you naturally want to go fast. I stubbed my toe and that reminded me that I need to slow down and pick my way carefully. The other difficulty in going down is that steep, dry, dirt trails can be slippery, and today was no exception. VFFs can be slippery just like any other shoe. I slid just as much as in sneakers. I was not handicapped in any way by the VFFs. It was a great hike!
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