Forefoot/midfoot strike

nope, are you new to minimalist shoes? if so you might just be doing to much too soon

I bought the vivobarefoot in the end and have run in them twice firstly just for 5 minutes and calves felt fine. 2 days later I ran for 15 mins which felt fine  at the time but boy do my calves smart now so gonna stick to what I have seen most barefoot running sites which is no more than 1 mile (less is the preference) and then only add a max of 10% per run with at least 1 day between runs. 

I have to be patience which I don't do well which is why I get injured a lot and stay injured. 

I've got the vivobarefoot trails, as nearly all my running is off road. I have occasionally run barefoot, but unless it's on grass, or nice soft woodland trails it can be a tad painful!

I quite like the vivo's and the grip, whilst not exactly a walsh PB, isn't bad. I ran in the heavy rain today, did ok going downhill on a bit of mud and wet grass.

It definitely does feel different though, almost as if you're running in moccasins.

@MW - Yeah they do feel pretty strange, even walking in them feels strange. Like converse but weirder.

@JL - Well from what i have read it says build up from 1/2 to 1 mile 10% when wearing the minimal/barefoot shoe. I think you can then run in your normal shoes after that but I am not sure about that part as would have thought it was you change in form that puts the strain on your calves?

Maybe someone can clear this up?

Ive just got some vivo's.  Did a couple of 1 mile runs in them, fine, then a 2 miler and I had the serious calf stiffness.  Still did a 7 miler then a 25 miler on the subsequent 2 days in my "normal" trail shoes with no ill effect.  The calf stiffness shouldn't stop you rinning,  especially if youre running in the shoes that youre more used to.

ive found that foot strike depends on stride length, for example we walk heel first, but sprint on our toes. As ive got slower (and heavier) I noticed my stride length shorten, thus causing pronation flipper footing and a wandering left leg that sometimes seemed to do what it liked, but adopting a sightly longer stride has encouraged mid-strike which has reduced the pronation and that juddering heel first feeling. To adopt on the toes well, Id say you need to be running quicker than 6min miles on average, and start spening times on kerbstones stretching and strengthening those calves

For now, I'd just use the minimal shoes for the odd shorter run and the cushioned ones for longer runs. Once you feel comfortable with that, start to increase the mileage in the minimal shoes gradually, Eventually, you should feel comfortable doing all your running in them.

If you continue with really bad pain whenever you wear the minimal shoes, it might be worth getting your gait analysed as their might be something not quite right there.

Ideally, once your running style has changed as a result of wearing barefoot, you would continue with that even in a cushioned trainer. There's nothing to stop you running with good form in a cushioned shoe, but the thinner soles on a minimal one almost force you to do it by making it uncomfortable to heel strike. Running in a cushioned shoe shouldn't automatically make you revert to your old way of running, but if you went back to them permanently, you might start to slip back into old ways.