Oops, I did it again! Yep. I ran barefoot today for my 2nd time. I would've done it sooner, but I've been feeling kinda' sick. My other reason is that I run outside and we've been smacked with a horrible, miserable heat wave...the kind that knocks the breath out of you when you step outside. I'm still not feeling a hundred percent--might be a sinus infection, but I was itching to try it again and see if running barefoot was as great as I thought the first time.
I decided to use the Couch to 5K schedule as an aid to keep me from overdoing it. Again, I carried my flip flops as an emergency back-up should my feet start hurting or there be a spot of burning pavement. I was able to walk and run barefoot the entire 35 minutes or so! My surfaces varied. I hit hot asphalt, smooth concrete littered with twigs and debris, grass, sand, dirt, and tree roots. My dear feet took it all without too much complaint, and no blisters this time!
CONCERNS:
--My heels are just a little sore, which tells me I am still striking too hard. So I need to work on that.
--Sometimes, as I run, I feel like a little piece of debris or rock gets embedded in the pad of my foot, but doesn't just fall away. This is very much like the way it feels when something gets in your shoe. I am not sure if this is happening because I am new and my feet bottoms are not toughened up enough yet, so small objects can get embedded in the soft tissue. OR does it mean I am hitting too hard instead of pulling away from the ground. OR is it just a "perceived" feeling and there really isn't something there, it just feels like something is there. For now, my solution has been to just run a few steps in the grass to sort of clear it away.
IN CONCLUSION:
There is currently no indication of either the usual shin splint pain or knee pain that always accompany my running. Whoopee! Right now, my plan (as long as my body says it's okay) is to continue with doing C25K program barefoot as my only running. Due to my history of injury with running, I don't want to do any running except barefoot running. However, I will also be doing my "Patio Workout," which is simply alternating intervals of body weight exercises (push-ups, crunches, inverted rows, etc.) for the upper body and core with cadio (vigorous jumping rope.) For the moment, I am still wearing my Brooks during this workout, but as my feet strengthen and toughen up I may try it out barefoot too.
I decided to use the Couch to 5K schedule as an aid to keep me from overdoing it. Again, I carried my flip flops as an emergency back-up should my feet start hurting or there be a spot of burning pavement. I was able to walk and run barefoot the entire 35 minutes or so! My surfaces varied. I hit hot asphalt, smooth concrete littered with twigs and debris, grass, sand, dirt, and tree roots. My dear feet took it all without too much complaint, and no blisters this time!
CONCERNS:
--My heels are just a little sore, which tells me I am still striking too hard. So I need to work on that.
--Sometimes, as I run, I feel like a little piece of debris or rock gets embedded in the pad of my foot, but doesn't just fall away. This is very much like the way it feels when something gets in your shoe. I am not sure if this is happening because I am new and my feet bottoms are not toughened up enough yet, so small objects can get embedded in the soft tissue. OR does it mean I am hitting too hard instead of pulling away from the ground. OR is it just a "perceived" feeling and there really isn't something there, it just feels like something is there. For now, my solution has been to just run a few steps in the grass to sort of clear it away.
IN CONCLUSION:
There is currently no indication of either the usual shin splint pain or knee pain that always accompany my running. Whoopee! Right now, my plan (as long as my body says it's okay) is to continue with doing C25K program barefoot as my only running. Due to my history of injury with running, I don't want to do any running except barefoot running. However, I will also be doing my "Patio Workout," which is simply alternating intervals of body weight exercises (push-ups, crunches, inverted rows, etc.) for the upper body and core with cadio (vigorous jumping rope.) For the moment, I am still wearing my Brooks during this workout, but as my feet strengthen and toughen up I may try it out barefoot too.
