From Modern Allie at Allie’s Answers:

I just finished blogging about how I don’t buy shoes often when these babies caught my eye. After reading a Men’s Health article about longevity and barefoot running that a friend passed along to me a few weeks ago, I decided sneakers are severely overrated.

I spent a couple of weeks running in an old pair of these to see if barefoot running was something I wanted to do. I loved it, but my little slipper shoes ripped, and I decided to bite the bullet and buy a pair of Five Fingers. They are awesome Ugly, but awesome.

I used to run all the time. I loved it, but my knees and back didn’t. When you run in sneakers, the shoe forces you to land heavy on your heel. When you run barefoot, using correct form, you land softly on the ball of your foot and roll through to your heel.

After your first time out, your calves will hurt so badly that it will feel like you’ll never walk normally again. Don’t over do it! The next time you run should be pretty much pain-free all around. If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong.

I love barefoot running so much that I don’t mind at all that my new foot gloves look ridiculous. And while they probably aren’t the most eco-friendly shoe out there, being able to run pain-free means I can work out in my own neighborhood, instead of driving to the gym to use an elliptical machine.