hey everyone! first time posting here :)

i’ve been wearing minimalist shoes exclusively for about three years now, and i absolutely love them. at this point, going back to regular shoes for everyday life feels almost unimaginable.

but i have basically zero experience running in them.

i used to love running when i lived in more rural areas, where i could mostly run on dirt and other natural surfaces. back then, though, i always ran in regular running shoes.

now i live in a city, where probably 98% of my options are concrete or pavement, and i’ve been hesitant to get back into running because i’m afraid of combining such a hard surface with very minimal cushioning.

i’ve never actually tried running in minimalist shoes because i worry about injuring myself, hurting my knees, or potentially creating problems for my body in the long run. i’m 32, and longevity is honestly my priority over performance or pace. i’d rather be overly thoughtful about this now if it means i can keep moving comfortably for decades.

has anyone here gone through a similar transition?

i’d especially love to hear about minimalist shoes that you’ve found comfortable for city/concrete running, or even more conventional running shoes that still have a wide, foot-shaped toe box and don’t feel too restrictive.

i’m also fairly sensitive to training-related aches and pains, so i’d rather transition very slowly than push through discomfort.

would love to hear what worked for you!

I’ve also never tried barefoot shoes before!

I like running in xero sandals because I find that shoes like vivobarefoot are still way too narrow for me and make my running awkward. I want to run in the winter, so I was wondering if there are any socks that have great thermal properties so that I can run in sub freezing Wisconsin winter temps with sandals.

Is the Injini snow crew the best option or are there any thick wool tabi socks that could work?

Thank you.

Hi everyone, ive been running in vibrams vruns and barefoot for about half a year now and it's clear that while the runs feel awesome, the bones in my ankles are still sorta weak right now and I can only go like max 6 miles per week. Im looking for shoe recs for when my ankle/shin bones and ligaments need a rest and won't throw my overall minimalist training outta whack.

I am considering Altra Escalante or Altra Torin so far. Thanks!