Way, way back in the early '70s my family moved from small town New Hampshire to the northwestern edge of the suburban sprawl of Oklahoma City. I was in 4th grade and the move was kind of a big shock to me and my sibs. Different weather, types of houses, culture, trees, dirt--it was red, different games at recess, you name it. Sports seemed to be a big part of school life and it seemed like a lot of the kids were generally more aggressive.
The ubiquitous footwear in gym class was these flimsy little black canvas shoes with 2 or 3 white stripes on the sides, a sliver of a white rubber toe box and thin (1/4") crepe rubber soles with no cleats. They had some toe spring but really it looked like the whole shoe was curved, although they mostly flattened out when stood in. They probably had a thin cloth lined foam rubber insole. They certainly would be called zero drop minimalist shoes by today's standards. I think people just called them track shoes. They looked almost disposable and there were binloads of them in TG&Y. You had to sort through the bin to find a pair your size--no boxes, they were joined at the laces holes with those plastic bead-like-chain zip ties, if I remember correctly. And what company made them? I don't remember a logo.
I think I was in 6th grade when I finally talked my mother into getting me a pair, not because I thought I'd be a track star or anything, but just because everybody else had them. The only problem was that I had always apparenty worn cushier shoes. No playing barefoot for me--my mother kept me in sturdy shoes. I guess, anyway. I honestly can't remember a single other sneaker I wore back then, although they might have been Keds or maybe Converse. I think we actually had to wear regular shoes to school and change into whatever sneakers for PE. When I ran for the first time in my new track shoes it hurt a lot. I'm sure I was heal striking. There were no warnings that came with the shoe on how to transition. No instruction at school on how to run. If you showed some talent you were given some special attention and put on the fast track to track stardom. I was not put on the fast track and I didn't run much in my track shoes. It seems to me though that I did play in them some, and when I was running around while playing, not single-purposely running, that I did adopt a more natural running gait. It could have happened, I tell you!
Anyway, after 8th grade we moved back to New Hampshire. Back to trees, four seasons, brown dirt and none of the flimsy little track shoes to be seen. Much later, after I got out of the Air Force, I drove through Oklahoma City and visited the old neighborhood. The second thing I did was to go into a TG&Y to look for those track shoes. There were none of course, just the modern, thicker heeled running shoes, though not the super thick soles of recent years.
For an early xmas present, I asked the wife to get me a pair of Stems, which she dutifully did. I may never have bought them for myself--I would have a hard time paying 90$ for less shoe. Right out of the box they had an intensely plasticky-chemical smell--reminded me of driving past Hendrix Wire and Cable when they're making cable. They fit good though. I usually wear 10 1/2 to 11, so I got the 11 to 11 1/2. They look like they have a very slight arch, but not enough to notice when they're worn. The sole at the heel is rounded, or cupped, and there's a little toe spring, but the rubber is very flexible and seems to comform to my feet. It is a slightly squishy rubber, but it would be a mistake to think that you wouldn't need to transition into them if you hadn't previously done any BF or min running.
But I started BF 16 months ago, and again last spring, so on my first run with the Stems on 12/1 I did 3.8 miles. It was maybe around 40 degrees, so I wore some wool/synthetic hiking socks. The shoes felt really good--a little cushy but still plenty of ground feel. I have Reynaud's, so usually I expect some toes to give me a little problem (even when I was in regular running shoes) until I get fully warmed up, which takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on the temperature. Lately it's been the fourth, then third toes on each foot that get chilly and this time was no exception. The odd thing was that after they warmed up they got a little hot/tingly, mostly on the left foot. At first I thought the Stems were causing my toes to cramp in there a bit as the toe line doesn't exactly match my foot, but after a while I tried and found I could lift my toes and stretch them out without hitting the end of the shoe. I think I just needed to get the right socks for the temperature as subsequent runs with "cooler" socks have been better.
Are they a replacement for the flimsy track shoes of yore? Are those what the slogans (primitive performance, back to our roots, ancestral footwear) imprinted in the rubber soles are referring to? Will we soon see binfulls of these at Walmart begging to be worn by schoolchildren? Probably not at that price. With the knit uppers and the slightly squishy soles they're more comfortable, at least in cooler weather. I don't know if I'd want to wear them for running in the summer, if I had to for some reason wear shoes. Even as breezy as they feel, the synthetic might be too warm, at least for my weird, circulation-problem feet. I did try them one warmish (about 50) morning without socks and they weren't bad. These are definitely the shoes I'll be running in all winter. I should say also that after drying them out over the heat register after a few runs that the smell has subsided quite a bit--much more tolerable now. And they are really light--just under 5 ounces each, measured on a digital scale at work.
All in all, I'm really happy with the shoes. I've run a total of 28 miles in them and worn them all day at work. My feet tend to get hot in shoes by mid afternoon at work and they got hot in the Stems, too, but I think I have to switch to cotton socks and have cold feet in the morning. Or switch to cotton after lunch.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Bucket Training
The past month has been so-so. Still wearing the huaraches with socks, which has been keeping my feet warm for the most part. One time it was in the 30s and the little toes nearest the cords got Reynaud-ic. On the other hand we've had some pretty warm weekends (except for the freak 2 feet of snow in October), but the road still felt too cool for me to go BF.
My soles have been losing their toughness although the pads still seem thickened. I've had a stiff left ankle for a few weeks now and I just started icing it. We'll see if that helps. When I run in the huaraches it seems I land harder now matter how hard I try to land softly--my feet feel a bit bruised after a run and a little like stumps during the run. The stumpy feeling could be from the cold.
This morning I started with the gravel bucket training. My "bucket" is a flat storage container (with lid to keep the cats out when not in use) from Target just big enough to get my feet in and move around a little. The gravel is about large grape seed size, but sharp. I did 6 minutes on the elliptical, 6 in the bucket and 3 reps of that. Feet feel okay now after showering and massaging with lanolin but at the end of the workout they were starting to feel pretty raw. Not worse than some of the gravel runs I did this past summer. It was also relatively easy to keep the heart rate down using the bucket. Maybe if I do enough I'll be able to do the whole workout in the bucket and it will translate into better cardio.
My soles have been losing their toughness although the pads still seem thickened. I've had a stiff left ankle for a few weeks now and I just started icing it. We'll see if that helps. When I run in the huaraches it seems I land harder now matter how hard I try to land softly--my feet feel a bit bruised after a run and a little like stumps during the run. The stumpy feeling could be from the cold.
This morning I started with the gravel bucket training. My "bucket" is a flat storage container (with lid to keep the cats out when not in use) from Target just big enough to get my feet in and move around a little. The gravel is about large grape seed size, but sharp. I did 6 minutes on the elliptical, 6 in the bucket and 3 reps of that. Feet feel okay now after showering and massaging with lanolin but at the end of the workout they were starting to feel pretty raw. Not worse than some of the gravel runs I did this past summer. It was also relatively easy to keep the heart rate down using the bucket. Maybe if I do enough I'll be able to do the whole workout in the bucket and it will translate into better cardio.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The cold mornings are here again. Yuck.
So all this month I've been wearing some kind of shoe; either the huaraches or the Zems. The Zems I did once with socks when it as in the upper 30s. That was a tight fit but it might've stretched out the bands a enough to keep them from pushing forward so much. They had felt like my heel was slipping off the back all the time and now that only happens on the up hills. Looking at the soles, though, it doesn't look like they'll last all that long. Maybe that means I have to run with absolutley perfect form. My feet soles seem to have toughened enough to withstand some slight shifting and the skin regrows continually; I guess I can't expect that from the Zems, therefore, perfect form is needed if I want them to last.
The huaraches are doing okay. I wear them with socks to keep my toesies from getting all Reynaud-ic. I think I prefer this to the Zems which make my toes feel a bit cramped, though in both I tend to land a little heavily, I think. My feet seem to be handling that for the most part as long as I give them 1 1/2 to 2 days rest.
Runs haven't been longer than 3.8 miles, mostly because of time. With daylight savings not ending until November 6th this year, the sunrise is not until 7:26 on the 5th. I suppose I could wear something more reflective and just run pre-dawn, but it's hard to get out of bed in the dark. I know, what a whiner; but I'm usually awake--I just use light as the cue to get up. Today I intend to run before dinner and it might get to 60 today. That'll be nice to be bare again.
The huaraches are doing okay. I wear them with socks to keep my toesies from getting all Reynaud-ic. I think I prefer this to the Zems which make my toes feel a bit cramped, though in both I tend to land a little heavily, I think. My feet seem to be handling that for the most part as long as I give them 1 1/2 to 2 days rest.
Runs haven't been longer than 3.8 miles, mostly because of time. With daylight savings not ending until November 6th this year, the sunrise is not until 7:26 on the 5th. I suppose I could wear something more reflective and just run pre-dawn, but it's hard to get out of bed in the dark. I know, what a whiner; but I'm usually awake--I just use light as the cue to get up. Today I intend to run before dinner and it might get to 60 today. That'll be nice to be bare again.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tooling Around
Last night's run was pretty good--3.8 miles before sushi dinner. My left calf soreness was totally gone and for a moment I thought my right calf was going start acting up but that passed too. Not much wildlife to see at that time of day. It's not a high traffic area by any measure but it was steady enough to keep the road clear.
I did encounter two cyclists going in the opposite direction and my first negative-ish comment. I gave a little wave as they passed and the second one barked out, "Put some shoes on!" Took me by surprise and I could only manage a, "Hey," in return. I've been trying to remember all the comebacks posted on BRS. I might be able to remember to yell back, "I don't need no stinkin' shoes!" next time, but I'll be wearing shoes or huaraches soon because of the cold. I'll probably most likely just ignore negative comments, but it is tempting to say something really snarky in return. It would have to be short and easily shouted like, "Tool!" I know, not very friendly, and could get me into trouble if the person is bigger than me. It is tempting, though.
I did encounter two cyclists going in the opposite direction and my first negative-ish comment. I gave a little wave as they passed and the second one barked out, "Put some shoes on!" Took me by surprise and I could only manage a, "Hey," in return. I've been trying to remember all the comebacks posted on BRS. I might be able to remember to yell back, "I don't need no stinkin' shoes!" next time, but I'll be wearing shoes or huaraches soon because of the cold. I'll probably most likely just ignore negative comments, but it is tempting to say something really snarky in return. It would have to be short and easily shouted like, "Tool!" I know, not very friendly, and could get me into trouble if the person is bigger than me. It is tempting, though.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Calving the Monkey
Last Tuesday's run was a good 3.8 miles until near the end when my left calf cramped up, about halfway up the leg, where the calf bulges. I had to stop and massage a bit but continued running very slowly the rest of the way. Did more massaging the next few days and by Friday it seemed all better but started acting up again as soon as I set out. I finished the run, about 2 miles, but had to do it with slower, shorter steps, and with more stopping to massage. All I could figure is that I must have not been relaxing my foot enough. Over the weekend I mostly just relaxed it and massaged a little. Any time I tried to work it though would be painful and pressing and rubbing, like with trigger point, just seemed to make it worse.
Finally on Sunday I did some slow stretches and that seemed to help a lot and really quickly, too. It makes me wonder--I've been reading a lot how on the BRS site that stretches are bad and so I've eased off doing them as much before running--could that be part of the problem? Do I need to stretch to loosen up and be relaxed?
So I did my usual stretching this morning and tried a very short run, about 1000 feet, just to see how thing were. It was still a little tight, but getting better. I might have been able to run a few miles with no problem but didn't want to overdo it. I'll try in the morning again if it's not too wet and rainy. Right now the calf feels totally better. Moo-oo.
According to Wikipedia, it is well known that monkeys have no calves and that that was once considered a sign of their inferiority. I'll try to remember my superiority the next time I overdo things.
Finally on Sunday I did some slow stretches and that seemed to help a lot and really quickly, too. It makes me wonder--I've been reading a lot how on the BRS site that stretches are bad and so I've eased off doing them as much before running--could that be part of the problem? Do I need to stretch to loosen up and be relaxed?
So I did my usual stretching this morning and tried a very short run, about 1000 feet, just to see how thing were. It was still a little tight, but getting better. I might have been able to run a few miles with no problem but didn't want to overdo it. I'll try in the morning again if it's not too wet and rainy. Right now the calf feels totally better. Moo-oo.
According to Wikipedia, it is well known that monkeys have no calves and that that was once considered a sign of their inferiority. I'll try to remember my superiority the next time I overdo things.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Bounce Free
Did a 4 1/2 mile run this morning--actually yesterday morning now. It was a good run. Feet were only moderately raw feeling afterwards and that was mostly gone by mid afternoon. Did the same run last Sunday morning but it was cold enough (40F or so) I had to wear the huaraches. No gazelle moment, though.
On Friday morning's run I had a gazelle moment. I should say that on one of the running videos, maybe on the Two Rivers web site, the guys appear to be running effortlessly over stone walls and through fields and such--like gazelles. It was about a 5K run, some dirt road, some modest hills. The last hill, about 1/2 mile from the end, I stopped to walk near the top to keep my heart rate from maxing out. When I started running again, with a fairly steep 3 feet or so more uphill, it seemed effortless, and the moderate downhill from there to home was a breeze. I had been really paying attention to form that run--lifting feet quickly, running low, etc, and afterwards I could feel it in my thighs. My legs were just a little wobbly the first few times going up/down stairs.
The turkeys I encountered on Friday's run seemed like they're getting used to me. Some were on the other side of the road and just moved onto the shoulder. Some ran off ahead of me and into the woods to my left. Perhaps it's obvious to note that there's no bouncing when the turkeys run. If I didn't see their legs they would look like they are gliding.
On Friday morning's run I had a gazelle moment. I should say that on one of the running videos, maybe on the Two Rivers web site, the guys appear to be running effortlessly over stone walls and through fields and such--like gazelles. It was about a 5K run, some dirt road, some modest hills. The last hill, about 1/2 mile from the end, I stopped to walk near the top to keep my heart rate from maxing out. When I started running again, with a fairly steep 3 feet or so more uphill, it seemed effortless, and the moderate downhill from there to home was a breeze. I had been really paying attention to form that run--lifting feet quickly, running low, etc, and afterwards I could feel it in my thighs. My legs were just a little wobbly the first few times going up/down stairs.
The turkeys I encountered on Friday's run seemed like they're getting used to me. Some were on the other side of the road and just moved onto the shoulder. Some ran off ahead of me and into the woods to my left. Perhaps it's obvious to note that there's no bouncing when the turkeys run. If I didn't see their legs they would look like they are gliding.
Friday, September 16, 2011
An Effortless Run
So last Sunday I finally tried a road I've been avoiding. I thought it would be too narrow with too many cars. Well it wasn't as narrow as I thought and on this Sunday morning between 7 and 7:30 there were only one or two cars. It turned out to be a great 3.8 mile run. The road felt really smooth. It seemed effortless even though that leg of the run was uphill all the way. On the return leg (different road) there was a short section dirt road that I also had avoided. That turned out to be fairly smooth also; almost no rocks on the tire paths, which made it close to firm beach sand. I did have some slight left calf tightness after about 3 miles, but it didn't last long after the run.
So what's the catch? I did the same run on Tuesday morning and it was so-so. It felt like much more work, the road was average smoothness, more gravel bits on the sandy dirt road, and I developed a new hot spot on my right foot--a pre-blister under the fifth metatarsal base (near the cuboid) near the end of the run. It had felt like a blackberry thorn or small cut but I didn't see or brush off anything. All I can figure is Sunday's run was so easy I lapsed in paying attention to form.
But I had been checking my form every few minutes on Sunday--lowering my body, lifting feet before the touch down. It didn't seem like much more than usual at the time. I guess that's all it takes.
So what's the catch? I did the same run on Tuesday morning and it was so-so. It felt like much more work, the road was average smoothness, more gravel bits on the sandy dirt road, and I developed a new hot spot on my right foot--a pre-blister under the fifth metatarsal base (near the cuboid) near the end of the run. It had felt like a blackberry thorn or small cut but I didn't see or brush off anything. All I can figure is Sunday's run was so easy I lapsed in paying attention to form.
But I had been checking my form every few minutes on Sunday--lowering my body, lifting feet before the touch down. It didn't seem like much more than usual at the time. I guess that's all it takes.
Monday, September 5, 2011
6 Points
So the Friday before last I did 4.5 miles and my feet were raw afterwards but still all better on Monday. Monday's run was 3.8 miles and there was lots of debris from the hurricane. It was a fun run and I did a few short segments at a faster pace--maybe two 100 to 200 foot segments on a slight down hill slope. No problems the rest of the day. The following day no problems until I took my shoes off around 6PM. As soon as I walked around my right foot started hurting.
The pain, which was 5-6 on the 1-10 scale, went from second toe, across the foot to lower outer ankle (between ankle and heel). It hurt a little on stepping but mostly on lifting the foot and no pain at all with no weight on the foot. By bedtime I had massaged (no pain with massage) and iced it and it felt a lot better. By Wednesday morning it felt pretty good so I did a 2.5 mile run to try it out. There was a little discomfort but felt good all in all. The rest of the day, at work, the pain came back though not as intense as it first was. I found it didn't hurt if I walked on my heel. I figured I better not run again until it got better.
Thursday it didn't start hurting until about noon. Friday it took 'til about 3. On the weekend, no pain at all so I did 3.8 miles again today (Labor Day). So far, so good. I'll see how it is in a few days. Seems like a lot of the overuse injuries take a few days to surface.
Wildllife count this morning: 11 turkeys and a 6-point buck. The turkeys didn't get off the road immediately but ran ahead of me for a few hundred feet and some flew off into the tree canopy. The deer looked at me for about 2 seconds, assessing the threat I guess, before bounding off into the woods. I wonder if my quiet footfalls made him think twice.
The pain, which was 5-6 on the 1-10 scale, went from second toe, across the foot to lower outer ankle (between ankle and heel). It hurt a little on stepping but mostly on lifting the foot and no pain at all with no weight on the foot. By bedtime I had massaged (no pain with massage) and iced it and it felt a lot better. By Wednesday morning it felt pretty good so I did a 2.5 mile run to try it out. There was a little discomfort but felt good all in all. The rest of the day, at work, the pain came back though not as intense as it first was. I found it didn't hurt if I walked on my heel. I figured I better not run again until it got better.
Thursday it didn't start hurting until about noon. Friday it took 'til about 3. On the weekend, no pain at all so I did 3.8 miles again today (Labor Day). So far, so good. I'll see how it is in a few days. Seems like a lot of the overuse injuries take a few days to surface.
Wildllife count this morning: 11 turkeys and a 6-point buck. The turkeys didn't get off the road immediately but ran ahead of me for a few hundred feet and some flew off into the tree canopy. The deer looked at me for about 2 seconds, assessing the threat I guess, before bounding off into the woods. I wonder if my quiet footfalls made him think twice.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Nails and newts and broken glass, oh my!
I did a 4 1/2 mile run yesterday morning. Feet felt pretty raw afterwards for most of the day, but by the end of the day at work they started to feel normal again. About 3/4 of the way through the run my feet started to feel seriously raw and I was wondering if it was worth it. The wet grass at home felt really good and I walked around in it for a few minutes. For recovery, it seems like just walking around gently helps. Every time I got up from sitting (at work) for a while they seemed to feel more raw than if I walked around for the same amount of time.
I actually saw some broken glass on the side of the road, too, and a rusty nail. The glass looked like bottle glass rather than windshield glass, so the shards may have cut if I stepped on them. It was mostly off the pavement but the few pieces that were on the road were easy enough to spot. So was the rusty nail, which was lying flat so wouldn't have punctured even if I had stepped on it. I have been a ground-looker since forever, though. I was always picking up rocks and things as a kid. Maybe the shoe runners who worry about glass never actually look at the ground.
Also on my runs there are things to watch out for not for my safety but for theirs. The red efts! They are usually motionless in the road and I always wonder if I should help them across. Are the paused because large objects (cars) have gone past and they're waiting for the coast to clear? If I help them across will they just head back out in the road again because that is where they want to be? Maybe they're afraid of broken glass. If I do pick them up will my sweat cause them distress? I pick them up by the tail tip if I do and try to be quick about it. Anyway, they're fellow barefooters so I say, "Hello, fellow barefooters!"
Other BFers I see on my runs are the turkeys, but they have no problems crossing the road except for somtimes they have trouble deciding which way to go.
I actually saw some broken glass on the side of the road, too, and a rusty nail. The glass looked like bottle glass rather than windshield glass, so the shards may have cut if I stepped on them. It was mostly off the pavement but the few pieces that were on the road were easy enough to spot. So was the rusty nail, which was lying flat so wouldn't have punctured even if I had stepped on it. I have been a ground-looker since forever, though. I was always picking up rocks and things as a kid. Maybe the shoe runners who worry about glass never actually look at the ground.
Also on my runs there are things to watch out for not for my safety but for theirs. The red efts! They are usually motionless in the road and I always wonder if I should help them across. Are the paused because large objects (cars) have gone past and they're waiting for the coast to clear? If I help them across will they just head back out in the road again because that is where they want to be? Maybe they're afraid of broken glass. If I do pick them up will my sweat cause them distress? I pick them up by the tail tip if I do and try to be quick about it. Anyway, they're fellow barefooters so I say, "Hello, fellow barefooters!"
Other BFers I see on my runs are the turkeys, but they have no problems crossing the road except for somtimes they have trouble deciding which way to go.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Beach Run
Let's see, this past week I made it up to 3.88 miles on one run. Feet were okay except afterward there's been a persistent minor pain in the area of the cuboid bone of my left foot--between the fifth metatarsal and the heel. Really minor pain--I only notice it after running and rolling my foot over a wine bottle makes it go away. After that long run I did shorter runs-- around 3 miles-- and one beach run.
We took a day off and went to Salisbury beach on Friday. It was a great day for the beach; a lot of people there and good weather. The water was fairly warm--I could have stayed in a long time. But I did go running and this was my first beach run ever. It was kinda fun dodging people and getting splashed by the surf. It was high tide and the beach at that time was had a fairly steep slope into the water ( more level at low tide) but that didn't seem to matter since the feet sank so much in the sand. I didn't encounter any rocks but the sand was a little on the coarse side. If I had run my usual amount my feet would have been pretty raw. As it was, I ran about 1.3 miles total (as figured on MapMyRun later) and my feet had a good scrubbing--very clean looking afterwards. I was there to relax mostly so I did the run in two parts, one after arriving and one after lunch and in each of those I walked briefly once or twice. I wonder if running on finer sand scrubs the feet as much?
After the beach we spent the night in Salem. Lots of witchy, spooky things to do there, but we went mostly to eat in the old jail. They jail was, until it closed in 1991 (I think) due to inhumane conditions, the oldest operating jail in the US. It has now been converted into apartments or condos and a restuarant called Great Escape. Afterward, walking back to our inn, I had to take off my sandals. They are tolerable for short periods but are tight in the toe area and really annoying when the toes are used to freedom. But the sidewalks and the streets in Salem are really rough. Sidewalks are cement but very gritty on top; some have small pebbles set in and some are just not smoothed over. Probably to combat iciness in winter, so what can you do? What can you do?
We took a day off and went to Salisbury beach on Friday. It was a great day for the beach; a lot of people there and good weather. The water was fairly warm--I could have stayed in a long time. But I did go running and this was my first beach run ever. It was kinda fun dodging people and getting splashed by the surf. It was high tide and the beach at that time was had a fairly steep slope into the water ( more level at low tide) but that didn't seem to matter since the feet sank so much in the sand. I didn't encounter any rocks but the sand was a little on the coarse side. If I had run my usual amount my feet would have been pretty raw. As it was, I ran about 1.3 miles total (as figured on MapMyRun later) and my feet had a good scrubbing--very clean looking afterwards. I was there to relax mostly so I did the run in two parts, one after arriving and one after lunch and in each of those I walked briefly once or twice. I wonder if running on finer sand scrubs the feet as much?
After the beach we spent the night in Salem. Lots of witchy, spooky things to do there, but we went mostly to eat in the old jail. They jail was, until it closed in 1991 (I think) due to inhumane conditions, the oldest operating jail in the US. It has now been converted into apartments or condos and a restuarant called Great Escape. Afterward, walking back to our inn, I had to take off my sandals. They are tolerable for short periods but are tight in the toe area and really annoying when the toes are used to freedom. But the sidewalks and the streets in Salem are really rough. Sidewalks are cement but very gritty on top; some have small pebbles set in and some are just not smoothed over. Probably to combat iciness in winter, so what can you do? What can you do?
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Maybe a trail run sometime.
It's August! I've been running exclusively barefoot for two months now, with about 35 miles total for July and individual runs up to 3 miles/5k. Sometimes, the day after a run, my left foot aches a little when I stand too hard on the forefoot. I still have callouses but they are mostly not painful anymore. I've been running every other day or so; sometimes two days in a row, sometimes skip two days. Soles feel a little raw the day after a run, which I'm going to attribute to the rough asphalt around here.
The road surfaces vary quite a bit. There's some fresh pavement on one portion of a road. It is mostly smooth, since it was rollered, but seems a little porous so there is some roughness. The worst is the road right in front our house, which is what the BFRers call chip seal or chip and seal. That's where they spray down liquid tar and immediately follow with coarse sand. They've done that all over but for some reason it's worse for the half mile section nearby. It's especially noticeable since the routes I take have a short, really smooth surface just preceding it.
Anyway, enough about roads. I've been considering checking out some nature trails around here to run on. There's something just down the road, and the former Temple Mountain ski area and Pack Monadnock. There's also a section of the Appalachian trail nearby, but I'm guessing that's not easily runnable. The part near the road looks pretty overgrown. I think I'd have to walk the trail first to see if it's doable. So I guess I'll set a goal of getting out on a trail before the end of this month.
The road surfaces vary quite a bit. There's some fresh pavement on one portion of a road. It is mostly smooth, since it was rollered, but seems a little porous so there is some roughness. The worst is the road right in front our house, which is what the BFRers call chip seal or chip and seal. That's where they spray down liquid tar and immediately follow with coarse sand. They've done that all over but for some reason it's worse for the half mile section nearby. It's especially noticeable since the routes I take have a short, really smooth surface just preceding it.
Anyway, enough about roads. I've been considering checking out some nature trails around here to run on. There's something just down the road, and the former Temple Mountain ski area and Pack Monadnock. There's also a section of the Appalachian trail nearby, but I'm guessing that's not easily runnable. The part near the road looks pretty overgrown. I think I'd have to walk the trail first to see if it's doable. So I guess I'll set a goal of getting out on a trail before the end of this month.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Determined to run
This past week has been good. Took Monday and Tuesday off due to being out of town. Could have run in Worcester, of course, but it was hot and sometimes I'll use any excuse to be lazy.
Usually I run in cotton; sweat shorts and t-shirts, sweatshorts are part poly, I'm sure. I've tried the microfiber polyester moisture wicking shirts but haven't been too impressed. They don't seem to keep me any cooler or drier. Today I tried a shirt I got on sale a few years ago at EMS. From NRS, it was intendeed to be used in water sports, I think, and I wore it on a rafting trip in Maine last summer. It was a bit cool then; cloudy and misty rain with temps in the upper 60s. The shirt was maybe too cool for that day, unless I was in the water. The shirt feels cool when I put it on even when not wet; very breezy feeling. So today was the first time I tried it for a run in warm weather (72 and overcast with scattered sprinkles), (I tried it under a long sleeve sweatshirt one winter but it was too chilly). A bit contradictory feelings--a relatively heavy fabric of tight fitting nylon/spandex, cool around the core but tight around the neck and elbow length sleeves. I didn't overheat like I thought I might, so overall I think I was cooler with the shirt. It seemed to hold a lot of moisture/sweat. There may have been a relatively high dew point this morning as having more wetness in the shirt didn't make it cooler.
Previous years, I haven't liked to run in temps over 60. This year I'm more tolerant for some reason. Maybe wearing no shoes cools me off a little more or maybe I'm more determined to run so I adapt to BF as soon as my body allows. Or maybe running slower, not maxing out the heart rate, makes the higher temps tolerable. I had slept decently overnight, but felt kind of drained by 11:00 AM, so had a brief lie down.
Usually I run in cotton; sweat shorts and t-shirts, sweatshorts are part poly, I'm sure. I've tried the microfiber polyester moisture wicking shirts but haven't been too impressed. They don't seem to keep me any cooler or drier. Today I tried a shirt I got on sale a few years ago at EMS. From NRS, it was intendeed to be used in water sports, I think, and I wore it on a rafting trip in Maine last summer. It was a bit cool then; cloudy and misty rain with temps in the upper 60s. The shirt was maybe too cool for that day, unless I was in the water. The shirt feels cool when I put it on even when not wet; very breezy feeling. So today was the first time I tried it for a run in warm weather (72 and overcast with scattered sprinkles), (I tried it under a long sleeve sweatshirt one winter but it was too chilly). A bit contradictory feelings--a relatively heavy fabric of tight fitting nylon/spandex, cool around the core but tight around the neck and elbow length sleeves. I didn't overheat like I thought I might, so overall I think I was cooler with the shirt. It seemed to hold a lot of moisture/sweat. There may have been a relatively high dew point this morning as having more wetness in the shirt didn't make it cooler.
Previous years, I haven't liked to run in temps over 60. This year I'm more tolerant for some reason. Maybe wearing no shoes cools me off a little more or maybe I'm more determined to run so I adapt to BF as soon as my body allows. Or maybe running slower, not maxing out the heart rate, makes the higher temps tolerable. I had slept decently overnight, but felt kind of drained by 11:00 AM, so had a brief lie down.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Barefoot, barefoot, barefoot
I'm up to 7 or 8 miles a week now and have done a few runs of about 3 miles. This is still the slower running I've been doing--about 10 min/mile, and walking some on the uphill sections. There has been some minor discomfort in my left mid-foot again; not during a run, just during the following day if I step too hard on my forefoot. It goes away immediately.
On yesterday's run there was a 1/2 to 3/4 mile section that was being repaved. It had all been dug up and there was what looked like coarse sand mixed with ground up asphalt packed down firmly. That was nice to run on where cars hadn't roughed it up too much.
I've been going about barefoot a lot, sometimes driving to work or other places and putting shoes/sandals on when I get there. I never intended to live the fully barefoot lifestyle but regular footwear is getting really annoying. The only shoes I've been wearing are the Keens without the insole and the NAOTs. The Keens can be a little hot--fortunately there is air conditioning at work or they would be intolerable. The NAOTs are okay but make my little toes curl under a little. Yesterday we went to a cookout--I went BF of course. Out 40 or so other people only one other was BF. I think I was getting some stares at first but nobody said anything. I'm going to say they were jealous and wishing the hadn't committed to shoes. I was amazed/stupefied that there were even some guys who came in jeans and boots, and even one with a long sleeve T-shirt. Temperature was in the 80s.
Also, I've been painting the house BF. It was a little rough up on the roof (very hot) but mostly I could stay in the shade--different level roofs so there was about 12-18 inches of shade to stand in. The tall aluminum ladder was comfortable enough--the tread on the rungs is mostly flat with grooves. The short ladder has closely spaced ridges, not flat ridges, and I had to wear my huaraches on it.
On yesterday's run there was a 1/2 to 3/4 mile section that was being repaved. It had all been dug up and there was what looked like coarse sand mixed with ground up asphalt packed down firmly. That was nice to run on where cars hadn't roughed it up too much.
I've been going about barefoot a lot, sometimes driving to work or other places and putting shoes/sandals on when I get there. I never intended to live the fully barefoot lifestyle but regular footwear is getting really annoying. The only shoes I've been wearing are the Keens without the insole and the NAOTs. The Keens can be a little hot--fortunately there is air conditioning at work or they would be intolerable. The NAOTs are okay but make my little toes curl under a little. Yesterday we went to a cookout--I went BF of course. Out 40 or so other people only one other was BF. I think I was getting some stares at first but nobody said anything. I'm going to say they were jealous and wishing the hadn't committed to shoes. I was amazed/stupefied that there were even some guys who came in jeans and boots, and even one with a long sleeve T-shirt. Temperature was in the 80s.
Also, I've been painting the house BF. It was a little rough up on the roof (very hot) but mostly I could stay in the shade--different level roofs so there was about 12-18 inches of shade to stand in. The tall aluminum ladder was comfortable enough--the tread on the rungs is mostly flat with grooves. The short ladder has closely spaced ridges, not flat ridges, and I had to wear my huaraches on it.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
What's stopping me?
Did 2 1/2 miles yesterday morning on a route I hadn't done shoeless before, at about 10 min/mile. Managed to keep my heart rate below 150 for the first 1/3 of it and that was all uphill or just a moderate incline. There was a section of freshly graded dirt road that seemed to go on forever but was maybe 3/4 mile. Freshly graded = no smooths tracks from car tires, so that was slow going. Then the dirt section went downhill too. Feet are okay today though, maybe some slight bruises.
I've noticed this past week my feet pads feel bruised more than usual and the only thing different is I've been wearing NAOTs to work. I only feel the bruises at the end of the day after taking off the NAOTs. I'm going to try not wearing them, but still keep up the running of course, to see if that goes away. The NAOTs have a thin leather covered, contoured cork footbed on a very stiff, foamy-looking sole. In the past I have found them comfortable but now I've also noticed my little toes get curled under a bit.
I really need to get busy and make my own perfect closed toe sandals to wear at work-- a flat and thin sole, a roomy toebox. I have the materials, so what's stopping me? Just trying to decide on a design, I guess. I should just make them and not expect perfection the first time.
I've noticed this past week my feet pads feel bruised more than usual and the only thing different is I've been wearing NAOTs to work. I only feel the bruises at the end of the day after taking off the NAOTs. I'm going to try not wearing them, but still keep up the running of course, to see if that goes away. The NAOTs have a thin leather covered, contoured cork footbed on a very stiff, foamy-looking sole. In the past I have found them comfortable but now I've also noticed my little toes get curled under a bit.
I really need to get busy and make my own perfect closed toe sandals to wear at work-- a flat and thin sole, a roomy toebox. I have the materials, so what's stopping me? Just trying to decide on a design, I guess. I should just make them and not expect perfection the first time.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Monitor Blizzard
So last fall I got a heart rate monitor to use on the elliptical over the winter while my foot healed. I haven't used it so much when running but I started using it all last week while trying to keep my HR down below 150, as mentioned in my last post. It hasn't been much of a problem but there have been occasional "burps" with device in that it sometimes reads about 180 - 210. I figured the strap was slipping down too low or my chest hair was getting long or something. Today it was more than occasional. After five minutes, it pretty much just stayed up high.
Well, I finally decided to get to the bottom of this when it struck me. The numbers I was getting were about the same as the cadence that BFRs aim for. Could it actually be? So I pushed the strap firmly onto my chest and sure enough the rate dropped to what it should be. I did this a few times just to be sure and tightened the strap some too. Still read cadence. I wasn't bouncing much at all but I guess it was enough to interfere with the monitor.
I may use it again to see if swinging my arms affects the rate but I probably won't use it much for running anymore anyway; I'd probably have to keep the strap super tight. I also have a pretty good idea now what my heart rate is compared to how I feel while running. I was breathing only through my nose and my HR got up as high as 170 going uphill, where I maybe had to gasp once or twice, and got back to 158 on level ground or slight downhill. Steeper downhill I've noticed it goes up, from the faster pace I suppose.
Well, I finally decided to get to the bottom of this when it struck me. The numbers I was getting were about the same as the cadence that BFRs aim for. Could it actually be? So I pushed the strap firmly onto my chest and sure enough the rate dropped to what it should be. I did this a few times just to be sure and tightened the strap some too. Still read cadence. I wasn't bouncing much at all but I guess it was enough to interfere with the monitor.
I may use it again to see if swinging my arms affects the rate but I probably won't use it much for running anymore anyway; I'd probably have to keep the strap super tight. I also have a pretty good idea now what my heart rate is compared to how I feel while running. I was breathing only through my nose and my HR got up as high as 170 going uphill, where I maybe had to gasp once or twice, and got back to 158 on level ground or slight downhill. Steeper downhill I've noticed it goes up, from the faster pace I suppose.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Aerobic Engine Maintenance
I read a really detailed description of aerobic and anaerobic fitness recently here and I'm thinking I could build up my aerobic "engine" more. At the low aerobic threshold you turn fat into energy but you also build up the "mitochondrial machinery" to do even more. The downside is that this is very efficient so you have to exercise a lot longer to burn the same amount of fat. But, by building up the mitochondria, you should be able to raise your threshold so you can run faster and farther. If I understand all this correctly.
So, with that in mind, when I upped my run to two miles yesterday morning I tried to keep my heart rate below 150 (I got a heart rate monitor last fall), which meant alternating about 1.5 to 2 minutes running with .75 to 1 minute walking. At 25 minutes it was a good workout. There were a few times on the hills where it jumped to 160, which are hard to avoid in here in Temple. There's about a 10 second delay in the monitor so I'll just have switch to walking earlier on the uphills. That 150 bpm is probably still a little high but it felt like an easy run so I'll see how it goes.
The slower run was also good for my feet. I had less callous pain the rest of the day. No doubt it will help keep me from overstressing my tendons and bones, too. All the info out there on the web says to take it slow and easy when starting out BF, and it felt to me like I was, but I guess it takes the really nerdy info for that to sink in on me.
Fan update: Went out Friday morning and that same guy passed again, only this time he made the sign through the rear window. It was a sign I'd seen before but didn't know the name of; pinky and thumb extended with the other fingers closed. The shaka sign has several different possible meanings but in this case would be a sign of approval, I guess.
So, with that in mind, when I upped my run to two miles yesterday morning I tried to keep my heart rate below 150 (I got a heart rate monitor last fall), which meant alternating about 1.5 to 2 minutes running with .75 to 1 minute walking. At 25 minutes it was a good workout. There were a few times on the hills where it jumped to 160, which are hard to avoid in here in Temple. There's about a 10 second delay in the monitor so I'll just have switch to walking earlier on the uphills. That 150 bpm is probably still a little high but it felt like an easy run so I'll see how it goes.
The slower run was also good for my feet. I had less callous pain the rest of the day. No doubt it will help keep me from overstressing my tendons and bones, too. All the info out there on the web says to take it slow and easy when starting out BF, and it felt to me like I was, but I guess it takes the really nerdy info for that to sink in on me.
Fan update: Went out Friday morning and that same guy passed again, only this time he made the sign through the rear window. It was a sign I'd seen before but didn't know the name of; pinky and thumb extended with the other fingers closed. The shaka sign has several different possible meanings but in this case would be a sign of approval, I guess.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The ground is my shoe
Still doing the Mon-Wed-Fri morning runs. Last Monday I had a case of food poisoning from the night before so I figured I'd just make a full deposit first and do a shorter run (1.5 mi). Everything went fine but my callouses were super sensitive the rest of the day and I was so tired I left work a little early, came home and slept for three hours. I must have been distracted enough to not pay much attention to form. Wednesday's run was a little better; my usual run (1.7 mi), callouses still sensitive. Friday I thought out the callous problem and tried not landing so much on the outside of my right foot and lifting my left big toe up a little more before landing. That was much better; callouses still there of course but just some minor soreness. That still leaves my Morton's toe callouses, which were still kind of painful. I should say that even on the really bad days of callous pain, the pain was gone the next day.
This week has been good so far. Monday's run was good. I tried a slightly different mindset. I was thinking something like, "The ground is my shoe and I ease my feet into and out of it with every step." This was an attempt to mitigate the callouses under my middle toes. It felt decent at the time but they were still moderately painful the rest of the day.
This morning I got my first thumbs up! from a passing motorist. Presumably for being bare foot. I haven't gotten any other comments or gestures that I'm aware of and that with greeting all of the people I meet who are also out and about. The run was okay, just trying to relax my feet. Started to get a twingeing tendon just above my inside right ankle about halfway through the run, which seemed to get worse the more I relaxed. Haven't felt that before. Feels fine after the run.
This week has been good so far. Monday's run was good. I tried a slightly different mindset. I was thinking something like, "The ground is my shoe and I ease my feet into and out of it with every step." This was an attempt to mitigate the callouses under my middle toes. It felt decent at the time but they were still moderately painful the rest of the day.
This morning I got my first thumbs up! from a passing motorist. Presumably for being bare foot. I haven't gotten any other comments or gestures that I'm aware of and that with greeting all of the people I meet who are also out and about. The run was okay, just trying to relax my feet. Started to get a twingeing tendon just above my inside right ankle about halfway through the run, which seemed to get worse the more I relaxed. Haven't felt that before. Feels fine after the run.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Late spring runs
This past week has been good. Ran Mon-Wed-Friday about 1 3/4 miles each day, all totally barefoot. Each time the rest of the day was okay but got better each time also. Just some hot spots where there are callouses. That's about where I was before my injury last fall, but this time has been more gradual so I should be okay. My route for this is about 3/4 mile dirt road and the rest pavement. The pavement has what they call chipseal; the roads were regular pavement but rather than put a whole new layer on, a coating of liquid tar is followed by a liberal coating gravelly sand. That was last done about two years ago, so it's not as rough as it could be. There was a very short but glorious section rounding the last corner of the run of very smooth tar. Last fall it was like running on porcelain. This spring most of the chipseal sand has worn off but so has that smooth tar spot the sand skipped. Wednesday's and Friday's run had a few puddles left from an overnight rain. Very nice to run through.
Some of the callouses are due, I think, to the condition called Morton's Toe. My second metatarsal is slightly longer than my big toe's metatarsal. This means, if you land on the forefoot too much, that bone gets all the weight first. Good form and extra gradual increases in distance and speed are key to dealing with it. Good form means lifting and placing the feet rather than pushing off and pounding, and landing more midfoot than forefoot, and keeping knees bent, and good posture, and, and, etc. The callouses are right along the arc of the second two metatarsal heads.
As for the other callouses, one is on the mesial posterior of my left big toe pad and the other is on the outside edge of my right little toe metatarsal head. I assume these are from slight differences in the way my feet move on the ground, which they shouldn't be doing with correct form. That's something I have to work on I guess.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Home made sandals
Since I have Reynauds syndrome I won't be able to run BF in the colder months. Even with shoes, unless I warm my feet and shoes up first, it takes about 15 minutes of running for my toes to come up to temperature. Even prewarmed, if it's really cold outside--say in the low 20s F or colder, my toes will chill out for a bit before I start to feel flush from running. But last fall when I started the whole barefoot thing, running in running shoes as it got colder just wasn't feeling right. That was about the time I came across http://www.invisibleshoe.com.
I knew from the start that I'd want to try something more than just the standard "huaraches," so I found the soling material available elsewhere on the web and some nylon cord locally. I did make a pair like their standard, but maybe I'm just too used to shoes. They felt really floppy, so I came up with an alternate lacing. To make them, cut them out as described on the IS site. The IS web site also has tips on sizing the holes for the cord you have. Basically, you want it to be a fairly snug fit so they don't loosen up on you. Mark and punch three holes on each side. The first set has one beside the big toe, between the ball of your foot and the pad of the toe; and one in the notch between the tip of the little toe and the fourth toe. The next two are just behind the ball of the foot and the corresponding area behind the little toe. The last two are just in front of the ankle.
For lacing, push each end of a 6 foot length of cord down through the first holes at the toes, then bring them up and cross to the opposite side and down through the next holes. You can put them on at any time to adjust the fit. Push them through on the same side for the third holes, but leave enough to loop around your ankle. Then they just come forward and are tied on the top of your foot with the knot of your choice. If your feet are much bigger than mine (just under 11" long) you may need longer than 6 feet of cord if you want a fancier knot.
I had tried crossing over for the third holes first but found the lacing seemed to slip off my heel alot. It could be that I didn't have them adjusted well enough. Also, it seemed that no matter how I adjusted the fit, my left foot kept sliding off to the left of the sole. That may have been due to how I was running but once I settled on the lacing pictured, both feet were staying relatively centered on the rubber. Once tied, the sandals can be slipped on and off at the heel. To put on the ones pictured, fold the big loops around where your heel would be as in the third picture and insert foot there. (Be sure to have a cat inspect the lacing.)
After you try them out and fully adjust them and see where your feet tend be positioned, you can trim them a little leaving tabs where the laces are. The tabs should lift up and keep the laces from being worn out too much. I found that at first they seemed fairly tight but after a few runs I didn't notice. I'm still doing fairly short runs (< 2 miles) so I don't know if they'll chaff much in the long run.
These helped to keep my feet warm for temperatures over 40F, for the short distances I was starting out with. For longer runs and temps above freezing I had to wear socks. I'll find out next fall and winter if I'll need anything warmer for the really cold temps.
Friday, April 29, 2011
First post
This blog is to chronicle the story of how I have come to run barefoot and whether or not I will continue. First some background.
I have run off and on since high school when I was terrible at it. In gym class no one coached you how to run. In the USAF, you had to "run" faster than 1 mile in 20 minutes to be considered in shape. At least by then I could run quicker than that. Sometimes if it was a cold morning, they let you do 1/4 mile in 5 mins. I had an overweight sergeant who walked the mile, or whatever distance, while smoking and he passed.
Recently, for two or three years my left shin had been aching and no changes to my running form helped. In researching online, barefoot running kept coming up and the low/no impact aspect seemed like it could help avoid injury. I hadn't gone barefoot much since I was 12 or 13 and even then I didn't run around without shoes. So last summer I started trying to condition my feet.
I did 3 or 4 weeks of just walking around the house and yard on nights and weekends when I could. Then i started running 25 or 50 feet at a time. I was still trying to keep up with my regular running with shoes. I had New Balance 790s, which were really light weight and didn't have a huge heel but still had some cushioning and heel height. By September, it just didn't feel right to be running in them, like bones had shifted a little and with the shoes they wanted to shift back. Also, I was going through all my regular walking around/going to work shoes and seeing if they could be worn without the cushy insoles I got for them. The bad news for me was that it was getting cold and I needed something on my feet due to the Reynauds.
Then, in the first or second week of October, after jumping up to 1 1/2 miles too quickly, within 50 feet of setting out one morning I got a sudden moderate pain in my left mid foot. At quarter mile it didn't get any better but it didn't get any worse either so I headed back, still running. I must've been really determined to run so I ran a bit in the old shoes, but still no better and maybe a little worse. Eventually I examined my foot and found the discomfort around the head of the 4th metatarsal. I could feel both ends of the bone through the flesh and push and twist it around without any pain, so it didn't seem broken, but still I'd need to rest it for a while. So much for having to deal with the Reynauds. I switched my exercise to the eliptical machine I got years ago when I had plantar fasciitis and gave up running. (That's a whole other story but got over PF with Superfeet insoles and rolling my feet over a bottle.)
In the mean time I discovered Invisible Shoes and the idea of making my own winter shoes was planted. I didn't buy the kit from them but found a soling supplier online, since I had some ideas I wanted to try.
1/1/11 was a warm day here in NH - in the low forties so I tried 1/2 mile in the IS. My foot had been feeling better but the discomfort came back, maybe not immediately but later that day. Finally toward the end of April I tried icing the foot and that seemed to be helping a lot. I started running short intervals in the IS with socks and got up to about 6 x 1200' before it started getting warm enough to go without socks and gradually add more time BF. Icing twice a day seems to help; once after a run and once in the evening. There's no discomfort while running, during these short distances anyway. The other thing I've noticed: I was probably running too much on my toes - not letting my heel land firmly - and landing a little too hard. There's definitely less discomfort if I really pay attention to those points.
So that's where I am now. I'm up to 1 1/2 to 2 miles three or four times a week and about half a run is in the huaraches and the rest BF. Now it seems all I have to work on is fine tuning my form to reduce blisters/callouses, which means concentrating on lifting and placing my feet and not shifting or twisting them while on the ground.
(Even though this is dated in April, most of it was written in late May/early June.)
I have run off and on since high school when I was terrible at it. In gym class no one coached you how to run. In the USAF, you had to "run" faster than 1 mile in 20 minutes to be considered in shape. At least by then I could run quicker than that. Sometimes if it was a cold morning, they let you do 1/4 mile in 5 mins. I had an overweight sergeant who walked the mile, or whatever distance, while smoking and he passed.
Recently, for two or three years my left shin had been aching and no changes to my running form helped. In researching online, barefoot running kept coming up and the low/no impact aspect seemed like it could help avoid injury. I hadn't gone barefoot much since I was 12 or 13 and even then I didn't run around without shoes. So last summer I started trying to condition my feet.
I did 3 or 4 weeks of just walking around the house and yard on nights and weekends when I could. Then i started running 25 or 50 feet at a time. I was still trying to keep up with my regular running with shoes. I had New Balance 790s, which were really light weight and didn't have a huge heel but still had some cushioning and heel height. By September, it just didn't feel right to be running in them, like bones had shifted a little and with the shoes they wanted to shift back. Also, I was going through all my regular walking around/going to work shoes and seeing if they could be worn without the cushy insoles I got for them. The bad news for me was that it was getting cold and I needed something on my feet due to the Reynauds.
Then, in the first or second week of October, after jumping up to 1 1/2 miles too quickly, within 50 feet of setting out one morning I got a sudden moderate pain in my left mid foot. At quarter mile it didn't get any better but it didn't get any worse either so I headed back, still running. I must've been really determined to run so I ran a bit in the old shoes, but still no better and maybe a little worse. Eventually I examined my foot and found the discomfort around the head of the 4th metatarsal. I could feel both ends of the bone through the flesh and push and twist it around without any pain, so it didn't seem broken, but still I'd need to rest it for a while. So much for having to deal with the Reynauds. I switched my exercise to the eliptical machine I got years ago when I had plantar fasciitis and gave up running. (That's a whole other story but got over PF with Superfeet insoles and rolling my feet over a bottle.)
In the mean time I discovered Invisible Shoes and the idea of making my own winter shoes was planted. I didn't buy the kit from them but found a soling supplier online, since I had some ideas I wanted to try.
1/1/11 was a warm day here in NH - in the low forties so I tried 1/2 mile in the IS. My foot had been feeling better but the discomfort came back, maybe not immediately but later that day. Finally toward the end of April I tried icing the foot and that seemed to be helping a lot. I started running short intervals in the IS with socks and got up to about 6 x 1200' before it started getting warm enough to go without socks and gradually add more time BF. Icing twice a day seems to help; once after a run and once in the evening. There's no discomfort while running, during these short distances anyway. The other thing I've noticed: I was probably running too much on my toes - not letting my heel land firmly - and landing a little too hard. There's definitely less discomfort if I really pay attention to those points.
So that's where I am now. I'm up to 1 1/2 to 2 miles three or four times a week and about half a run is in the huaraches and the rest BF. Now it seems all I have to work on is fine tuning my form to reduce blisters/callouses, which means concentrating on lifting and placing my feet and not shifting or twisting them while on the ground.
(Even though this is dated in April, most of it was written in late May/early June.)
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