After approx 20 years of minimal running- due to injuries and pain when I would try to pick it up again, I CANRUNAGAIN! Iam in heaven. I started running barefoot late in Dec, and am already up to more than 3 miles a day. Given that I hadn't been able to regularly do more than a half mile or so since the early '90's and I missed my long distance (half and marathon length racing, and lots of running on my own- 20-40 miles a week most of the time back then) running and the way I felt except for the injuries and joint issues.. and that I am already feeling many of the benefits.. Ican't imagine giving this up again soon. Of course this week I accepted a job an hours drive from home, but its not going to be a standard 40 hours a week- more like 24 most weeks... And there is a large park with trails and paths a block from the hospital I'll be working at.. so Iam hoping to be able to run there before I drive home once the weather warms up.
Right now, my biggest concern is that Ihave not been able to run outdoors or toughen up my feet at all.. Iam going to look for something to wear in the snow/cold weather soon.. but meanwhile, I will continue to run in the house, and am going to try to make it to the Ann Arbor Track Club for their indoor site next week. I know I probably won't get much distance that first day- Iwill need to toughen up my feet and have been warned that the track is a bit rough. I figure I'll get there, stretch, walk a few laps and then run until it starts to hurt, then walk some more and do some more stretching.
Hopefully I'll be back to running outdoor early this year- though weather seems against me still. If it doesn't let me outdoors early, I'll just keep up what I'm doing.
Interestingly- I walk barefoot all the time, have for years. I develop callouses in shoes and walking barefoot both. It seems that running barefoot is making those disapear. No complaints there.
Iam a sock knitter- I wear handknit wool socks a LOT, and walk around the house in a pair most days in the winter time. I hope that I find some minimal shoes I can wear a pair in for winter running eventually.
I have scar tissue between my toes, so no traditionally tied huaraches have ever worked for me, but I am thinking I will try something like I've seem with the cross foot tying done or maybe make something a bit different for myself- debating something that uses knit or crocheted material to be a bit more coverage on top of the foot to help hold them on and look nice.. but that will take some time to play with.
Professionally- I am a hospital staff dietitian with a private practice specializing in helping people with limited diets due to food allergies and digestive issues meet their dietary needs. That should make it easier for me to keep myself on the straight and narrow dietarily as well. I am finding that the simple fresh vegetable spring rolls that my daughter and I both love for snacks are a great after run snack, or a red grapefruit. I know that unless you are looking at super distances, most people don't need the electrolyte drinks, etc- and grapefruit is a good way to rehydrate. I won't look into electrolyte replacers specifically until I start running for more than an hour at a tme. And when I get there, I'll be doing short days offset by 2 or 3 longer runs a week, not long runs every day. for now, I am doing similar length runs daily and gradually adding to the time I am running.
Amie in Ann Arbor
Right now, my biggest concern is that Ihave not been able to run outdoors or toughen up my feet at all.. Iam going to look for something to wear in the snow/cold weather soon.. but meanwhile, I will continue to run in the house, and am going to try to make it to the Ann Arbor Track Club for their indoor site next week. I know I probably won't get much distance that first day- Iwill need to toughen up my feet and have been warned that the track is a bit rough. I figure I'll get there, stretch, walk a few laps and then run until it starts to hurt, then walk some more and do some more stretching.
Hopefully I'll be back to running outdoor early this year- though weather seems against me still. If it doesn't let me outdoors early, I'll just keep up what I'm doing.
Interestingly- I walk barefoot all the time, have for years. I develop callouses in shoes and walking barefoot both. It seems that running barefoot is making those disapear. No complaints there.
Iam a sock knitter- I wear handknit wool socks a LOT, and walk around the house in a pair most days in the winter time. I hope that I find some minimal shoes I can wear a pair in for winter running eventually.
I have scar tissue between my toes, so no traditionally tied huaraches have ever worked for me, but I am thinking I will try something like I've seem with the cross foot tying done or maybe make something a bit different for myself- debating something that uses knit or crocheted material to be a bit more coverage on top of the foot to help hold them on and look nice.. but that will take some time to play with.
Professionally- I am a hospital staff dietitian with a private practice specializing in helping people with limited diets due to food allergies and digestive issues meet their dietary needs. That should make it easier for me to keep myself on the straight and narrow dietarily as well. I am finding that the simple fresh vegetable spring rolls that my daughter and I both love for snacks are a great after run snack, or a red grapefruit. I know that unless you are looking at super distances, most people don't need the electrolyte drinks, etc- and grapefruit is a good way to rehydrate. I won't look into electrolyte replacers specifically until I start running for more than an hour at a tme. And when I get there, I'll be doing short days offset by 2 or 3 longer runs a week, not long runs every day. for now, I am doing similar length runs daily and gradually adding to the time I am running.
Amie in Ann Arbor
