FiveFingers 7/7/09: Debut Run

I got the FiveFingers about a week ago: http://www.productwiki.com/vibram-fivefingers-classic/
Background: For those of you who don't know, i have a bit of a reputation for going barefoot around the office as much as possible. I have problems outdoors on gravel (OW) or asphalt (HOT). As a raft guide I was barefoot just about 24/7. it never really occurred to me to train barefoot, even though I'd much prefer it. So, when I heard of running in these I thought "Eureka!"
Test One
I put them on, but left the tag on, just in case. Putting them on is tricky -- you have to spread your toes out and coax them into each little toe-hole. If you have manky, knobby, knuckly toes and a freakishly long middle toe, this takes a little time. I found that if I slipped my finger in over the top of each toe and pushed down on the knuckle to flatten the toe out, it squished in nice and tight and comfy. Except, of course, the pinky toe of my right foot which has a mind of its own. Walking around in them, just around the house and yard, rocks. so comfy but without the usual hazards and annoyances. Test one: pass.
Test Two
Today I ran 3 miles then did 4 x 100 "strides" (kinda like 100m sprints) on asphalt. The better bet would've been to do the strides on grass, but I wanted a flast (flat/fast) surface. Again with the wiggling, knuckle-flattening, wedging... and of course the rebellious pinky toe that I'm naming Elvis for its flagrant wiggling and non-conformist ways. (Plus, it's kind of a sexy toe.
Stride 1 -- uh, yeah, i was chicken. It was nothing like a stride or a sprint. More of a trepidatious twinkle-toe-trot ala Fred Flintstones at the bowling alley. Also, the little twinge of tendonitis in the top of my right foot began acting up a bit, but it was bearable. The cool thing is that I could spread my toes and stretch my foot to remedy the problem (unlike with my running shoes).
Stride 2 -- better, something more closely resembling commitment, and the shoes are feeling fine. Absolutely NO heat from the asphalt (but I bet over a long distance you'd get toasty feet).
Stride 3 -- I wanted to go fast, but the only way I could do it comfortably was to modify my stride.... which is exactly the effect i wanted from the shoes. You just can't heel-strike with them for long, and certainly not fast. And to land mid-foot requires good posture, shoulders back, abs engaged, it was feeling good. I was mashing my toes into my shoes though, mostly just Elvis. I wiggled the fabric around to fix it.
Stride 4 -- still not perfect form. However, instead of looking straight down at the road in front of me in fear of little rocks that normally would hurt, I began looking further ahead... and then things really started lining up as I lifted my head.
I walked back to the office in them and it was all good. Still some practice needed in them for running, but that was expected and even desired. I bought some socks for them, I'll let you know how that goes when i use them. So far i've been going commando in the shoes. So, for walking around I LOVE them. For running, I'm going to continue adding them in bigger doses as my feet and legs strengthen. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a few more pair over the next few months. do you think they make them in a dress shoe???