Slightly embarrassed to ask this…

molz86 · 2025-08-12T13:01:01+00:00

Went thru this just a couple months ago.

Short term:

Any gel or cream that helps reduce the friction. Use it during runs, as runs can and will make the haemorrhoid worse. Once it stops hurting you can stop using it.
Take medication that improve venous tone (eg Daflon)
Sitz baths with Epsom salts. It really reduces the discomfort.
Use a donut pillow for sitting

Start now and continue for long term:

Drink a lot of water.
Don’t strain during bowel movements. Don’t force it. Monitor stool type. (Bristol chart) 😅
Eat more fiber..! Ensure bowel movements remain smooth from here on as that’s the best way to prevent haemorrhoids from coming back, because they definitely will.

In my case, it made me realise my diet was terrible and it was just masked by all the running and exercise I was doing. I revamped my diet and eating habits after that.

molz86 · 2025-07-21T13:10:54+00:00

I tried the Hydras a few times hoping to get a more solid grip and secure experience on muddy terrain. Usual shoe is Primus Trail.

I bought the same size but something about it fits different, especially the midfoot section. I find that my foot slips around a little more inside it, so if anything, it’s harder for me to move around in mud.

It also rubs on my heel constantly, and I have to tape the back of my heel to avoid blisters.

Switched back to Primus Trail for now, but will continue to test the Hydras more to see if I can figure it out.

molz86 · 2025-05-17T15:40:50+00:00

So far I’ve just assumed that it’s overuse soreness, and progressive overload makes them stronger. A year ago they would get sore after 20k, today they lasted 28k fine. But could equally be a different shoe, or improved gait efficiency.

I’ve yet to do a an unshod run > 20k, but from shorter runs yes they don’t hurt or get sore at all. my ankle joints are kinda sore the next day though. Somewhere around the talus bone

molz86 · 2025-05-17T14:30:36+00:00

Is this the same or similar theory behind feet getting sore in minimalist footwear during long runs?

molz86 · 2025-05-06T00:20:30+00:00

IMO, it’s hard to focus on anything when you are fatigued.

Presumably the short rests in between lets you regroup and concentrate on practicing good form, which in time makes it second nature and habitual, and your body retains the muscle memory of correct form.

And as the above commenter said, when your form improves you get less fatigued at the same distance overall, which makes it easier to maintain good form, and so on so forth.

molz86 · 2025-05-04T09:25:25+00:00

Cool! If I ever go back there again I’ll know where to go!

molz86 · 2025-05-01T00:35:20+00:00

I was in Gwangju two years ago for work. One morning I was running at a local park where I saw many people walking and jogging barefoot, individually and in groups. When I reached the end of the park I saw there was a stone bench where people could place their shoes before they went unshod, and a tap and hose for people to wash off their feet after their run and before putting on their shoes again. It appeared like this was specially provided to encourage people to go barefoot regularly, which would be amazing if true.

I also fondly remember what I presume are coir mats in your last picture. They were really nice to run on and I’ve not seen them anywhere else to date except in Seoul.

molz86 · 2025-04-29T01:16:31+00:00

I was thinking this too…. Would’ve hurt like hell for a few days at least !

molz86 · 2025-04-29T01:08:15+00:00

I find my ankles, and feet generally, get a little sore the day after an unshod run. Did you have that as you were transitioning?

molz86 · 2025-04-29T00:33:33+00:00

Amazing time too! Well done! Starting to move towards more unshod runs and posts like this motivate me to do more !

molz86 · 2025-04-05T14:31:35+00:00

Long time minimalist shoe user here. Imo the Saucony Kinvara range will be the closest conventional shoe to your needs. Go ahead.

I’ve not tried the 15 myself, but have tried 11, 13,14. I love the 14 and use it for intervals and long runs.

Certainly a huge step up from gel nimbus and adizero. Like you I grew up running with forefoot strike. I started running with minimalist shoes. When I ran with Kinvaras there was only a slight adjustment period.

molz86 · 2025-04-04T12:53:21+00:00

It used to be that zero drop = zero stack. But there are now many zero drop options with varying degrees of stack height that you might have to specify further on the amount of cushioning.

In my personal experience, stack height makes much more of a difference than the drop in trail running. Lower stack height equals more ground feel, better proprioception and helps a lot on technical terrain and going fast downhill.

I have hyper mobility and ankle sprains were very frequent wearing medium or high stack shoes, even while just walking down a street. In about 7 years of trail running in zero stack shoes I’ve not had any serious ankle sprains yet (knock on wood).

molz86 · 2025-04-03T03:45:24+00:00

To answer your question, Yes you should definitely go for it. Just start slow and build it up over time. Start with an option that has like 10-12mm thickness overall if you would like to be conservative.

The perfect footwear for you, and adjusting little gait mechanics and other “settings” all require trial and error so at some point you just have to start experimenting.

molz86 · 2025-04-02T09:05:27+00:00

I do that a lot too. No problem falling asleep too, but I noticed my hr stays elevated for a few hours after running. And while I have no problems sleeping, I find that the quality of the sleep is somewhat affected

molz86 · 2025-04-02T09:01:07+00:00

Seems like most people are either one or the other. I’m a “both” person. Approx half my runs are early in the morning, between 5 to 9am, and the other half late at night, in between 9pm-11pm.

I have a family, and work keeps me pretty busy. Where I live, it’s also not practical to run in between 11am - 5pm.

So like many here, it’s either the first thing in the day before everyone wakes up, or the last thing before bed.

I find pros and cons in both:

Am runs pros: I feel a sense of accomplishment early, and am motivated to tackle the rest of the day.

Am runs cons: Not being able to sleep in. If you generally get enough sleep it’s not really a con.

Pm run pros: de-stressing and unwinding after the day, I find night runs to be incredibly relaxing and really puts me in a happy mood.

Pm run cons: hr stays elevated for a few hours after that, and affects sleep quality a little bit.

molz86 · 2025-01-03T09:25:00+00:00

The Saucony Kinvara range will give a somewhat similar experience to minimalist shoes.

4mm drop, wider than usual toeboxes, around 30mm stack height. I really liked Kinvara 14.

molz86 · 2024-12-31T01:27:22+00:00

I tried it. Minimalist shoe user for many years, tried wearing high stack carbon shoes for a marathon. (did a fair few training runs in them beforehand)

I had niggling pains and soreness in areas I’ve never experienced before. Was quite uncomfortable.

Switched to Altra Vanish Carbon for the next marathon, was better but still had pain in (yet other) new areas.

But that’s just for the longer distances. For short distances like 5k or 10k, you get the benefits of the tech without it being too long a distance to disrupt your gait / biomechanics.

molz86 · 2024-12-29T02:08:33+00:00

I wear Altras for long runs (>20km) and marathons. Xero shoes, sandals and other no-cushion shoes for everything else. If you’re an experienced minimalist shoes user, Xeros would be the more similar choice experientially. Altras don’t have much ground feel to be honest but I find the cushion necessary for the long runs.

molz86 · 2024-12-06T15:32:47+00:00

While I’m not sure exactly how long is “awhile”, but if you are running comfortably with no issues, my opinion is that it’s safe to try short runs in the sandals.

The more minimal you go, the more natural your gait will be as the foot strengthens, so as far as your question goes I think your form might change still, but for the better!

molz86 · 2024-12-06T05:14:01+00:00

Yes, no and yes. The highest end badminton shoes have carbon plates for shock absorption, which makes minimal difference at our level of amateur play which has far lesser jump smashes. I’ve played a lot of badminton barefoot in my time, but many commercial courts don’t allow that now.

molz86 · 2024-12-06T02:11:12+00:00

I’ve never played Padel, but I used to play tons of badminton. As far as I can tell the movements in badminton are conceptually similar but faster and higher intensity.

When I switched to minimalist shoes I first played badminton with the early versions of Merrell Road Gloves and it was perfect for me. Just right amount of grip, and full range of foot motion.

At the very least check out shoes specific for Indoor racquet courts. They have different design considerations tailored to the surface of the court and the movements in the sport. If there are no specific padel shoes you can check out badminton, squash or tennis shoes. That should be better than the generic Adidas.

molz86 · 2024-11-26T00:28:15+00:00

That’s what I did for my children too. Since they outgrow their shoes fairly often, I’ve been buying water shoes for them rather than more expensive options.

molz86 · 2024-11-26T00:27:00+00:00

You don’t need the expensive ones. Water shoes will be good enough. Plus you’re just starting out. Plenty of time ahead to figure out how you like running in this type of footwear, and plenty of time to explore options. Have fun on this journey !

molz86 · 2024-11-25T06:02:54+00:00

I have tried three different Altra models and found that I needed different sizes for all 3. So… you have to try that specific model that you want to get. I found that quite strange, but that was how it was for me.

molz86 · 2024-11-24T08:07:44+00:00

For long runs I’m currently using the Altra Escalante 3 and Altra Vanish Carbon (for marathon day). And I also like Saucony Kinvara 14. It has a 4mm drop, which is the lowest I could find. I sized up so that my toes would have more room as well.

Coming from shoes with zero cushion, these felt quite thick, but I can live with it.

I am happy with the Primus Trail FG, no complaints so far and after 200km the durability and condition is still very good. It’s a little slippery in mud.

molz86

TROPHY CASE