I received a great comment on my previous post that I thought deserves a post of it's own in response.
Jason's comment was as follows:
What a great find regards V Billat. Some good stuff on that pponline site. Have read other V02 stuff on there but that was another level. Have been following your blog as I am experimenting with vibrams myself. Like all other blogs I have read, sore/stiff calf muscles are a right of passage as muscles that have been dormant re-awake. My own observation has been the distinct lack of joint pain following a run. Only doing 2 - 3 miles at a time. But when I go back to shoes my knees suffer for 3 - 4 days after.
1 question if I may. On your runs in the vibrams, how did your pace compare to running in shoes?
I ask as I seem to be clocking = or better than in shoes. I did not expect this or at least not yet.
First off, it's great hear there's someone else trying to run in the Vibrams, but more importantly, great news about the lack of joint pain after running in them. Sounds like nature may be telling you something there Jason.
The question itself is why I thought it best to provide a post of it's own.
I've not had a chance to do much in the way of distance as I was silly enough to switch to the Vibrams full time whilst I still had the remnants of an old injury, but for those runs I did get in, I found my Vibram times were mostly quicker than my shoe runs and with less effort too. I believe it's the way they encourage you to run, rather than the lack of weight, that is responsible for this.
I've found running in the the Vibrams seems to encourage a lighter and more fluid running style. I'm a forefoot striker so never really thought my running style was being affected by the braking effect commonly seen with heel striking, but switching to the Vibrams soon let me know I was experiencing some sort of braking effect (which may explain the shin splints and knee injuries I used to get in shoes) - running in my usual style just didn't feel 100% right - it felt quite jarring, so I had to adapt. It was this jarring and need for change that made me look into my running style and is what got me onto the POSE technique.
Running in the Vibrams provides instant feedback via your feet and you soon learn to adapt. I think it's this adaption that leads to more efficient and graceful running, which in turn leads to the quicker times with less effort.
Aaaahhhh... all this talk of running is killing me. I'm so eager to get running again, but I have to be patient: I want to be 100% sure all injuries have healed - I don't want to be stuck on this rower any longer than I need to be. The rower does have one advantage though: it's a great opportunity to shed the Christmas weight 
If you're running barefoot, or in Vibrams, let me know your experiences. It'll be great to see what other people's experiences are.
Colin
Thanks for the positive comments and for writing a specific response.
That is one thing I forgot to mention. Less effort. Does not feel like less effort at the time. However, when I download the Garmin 305 the heart rate is lower but times are same or better. Surprised but pleased.
Cheers Jason
just for the record my runs have been on pavements/roads.
I've been running in the VFF since July last year (08). I bought some as soon after reading about them in Trail magazine. I found the transition relatively easy and was very pleased when my calves got really cut pretty fast. It was the muscles in the feet themselves that seemed to take the longest to adapt, but about two months after I started I found that I really could move my feet in a way I had not been able to before - they felt strong in a new way I've never experienced before.
I've run 15 miles in them now, and the soreness afterways was as much from the distance as the footwear. I've now started to run completely shoeless - or at least I did start but then got carried away and lost the skin from the bottom of my big toes - just running again after a three week lay off.
Anyway, keep at the barefoot running, its great. Its always good to come across others who try mad stuff. So far I've converted one friend and had several strangers ask where to get them from. Its like a new world opening - so many people you'd never expect think barefoot is cool.
Hello Colin.
How are things going?
Jason
Jason: I've just posted a quick update. I was forced to extend my layoff by an additional 3 weeks as I somehow managed to hurt my lower back. Felt good to get out on my feet again today, sadly in shoes, but I'll be back in the Vibrams next week.