Toe to heel drop - experiences?

[jessmarimba]

Just got the minimus trail as my "everday" shoe so my poor low back doesn't have to deal with a heel. I love them. It's like they were made for my feet. I haven't run in them yet and I don't know if I will but I had some gift cards for Zappos and they were on sale so I went for it. Best shoe decision I've made yet.

[yellow]

My road shoes, which I rarely wear, are a 10 mm drop. BUT! I also run in trail shoes with 10 mm drop (NB 101), 4 mm drop (Saucony Peregrine), and 3 mm drop (Inov8 X Talon 190). I pretty much love them all (well, I don't LOVE the road shoes but they are fine...for a road shoe) and like to switch it up. And, honestly, I can't really tell the difference between the NB 101 and Saucony Peregrine (other than the Peregrine has more cushioning, which makes it better for very long distances. The NB shoes make me feel really fast, though, because they are so low to the ground and light. Anyway, I digress.) I have some other trail shoes that are probably about 10 mm drop but I dislike them for other reasons (cuff is too high). I also ran in a 6 mm drop Inov8 for a couple of years until they changed the last (so it no longer fits properly--grumble).

FWIW, I am naturally a forefoot runner so my calves are always tight. That's the place where you'll probably notice the change the most as the shoe gets shallower (unless you are like me and have perpetually tight calves). Shallower shoes don't work for everyone. It's not a crime if they don't work for you.

[Selkie]

[QUOTE=yellow;619486
FWIW, I am naturally a forefoot runner so my calves are always tight. That's the place where you'll probably notice the change the most as the shoe gets shallower (unless you are like me and have perpetually tight calves). Shallower shoes don't work for everyone. It's not a crime if they don't work for you.[/QUOTE]

I suffer from perpetually tight calves as well. Does the shallower drop work better for you or make them tighter?

[yellow]

I suffer from perpetually tight calves as well. Does the shallower drop work better for you or make them tighter?

For me it makes no difference (seems I have a foot in which the bones don't glide correctly, which is partially to blame; we're working on it). But, for many folks, switching to a shallower shoe includes a period of calf adjustment (because the shallower shoe stretches the calf and Achilles more, for lack of a better term). Calf pain is a common complaint when going shallower. For most people, it gets better. I imagine that the shallower shoe will eventually improve calf mobility (for most), but I bet some of the folks on here who have decreased drop dramatically could chime in with their experiences.

[GLC1968]

I have never had any calf tightness or soreness issues.

When I switched from a typical stability running shoe (no idea of the actual drop) with custom orthotics to a minimal shoe (started with zero drop Vivobarefoot Evo's), it took me quite awhile to adjust in my calves. For the first few months, I wore medical grade compression calf sleeves for recovery just to be able to walk normally the next day! (I also gave up all heeled shoes at the same time - even for work or dress) It was about 6 - 7 months before all calf pain and/or tightness left me. Now, regardless of distance, I don't have calf problems again (just like before the switch). It is possible that part of my pain came from the move from orthotics to none, and not just the shoe drop issue.

I don't know how the experience would be different for people who do have calf issues to start, but it's possible they could be magnified? No idea...

[OakLeaf]

My calves are typically full of trigger points, but they were LOVING the short time I ran in the Altras. YMMV ... I've heard plenty of stories of people straining their Achilles, etc.

[jessmarimba]

I prefer lower-heeled shoes b/c of my chronic low back pain. But it's really, really hard to land flat foot or heel slightly first (like my PT guy is trying to train me to do) with less heel-toe drop. THAT makes my calves tight.

I prefer a midfoot strike, but he thinks that is causing some other problems, so I am being obedient and doing what he wants for the time being. I went from being able to run 10-13 miles to being able to run about 1 with good form.

[Selkie]

Sounds like we have the same calves!

I think I'll try to ease into them---maybe first run in them no further than a mile. See how it goes.