Today, I most likely had my last run in below zero temperature, as the weather is changing next week and I have hurt my feet a little, so it is unlikely for me to run during the next week. The condition were, as follows:
- -6°C (from -12°C in the night) and 11 km/h wind, so around -9 °C windchill
- a closed blanket of old snow on the trail though the pavement was serviced
- the two lakes, I pass, were finally completely frozen (it was a very cold week, for the people who live here, of course. Nothing close to Canadian, Scandinavian or similar regions winter)
- a benevolent and protecting executive in form of the police department (not barefoot related)
- bright sunshine, besides the cold, it was again perfect weather for a walk
This time I was wearing almost everything twice and long pants. Therefore I don't have to get into details about my hairy legs, which I, to clarify, never have shaved. Agreed, after rereading my last post, I realized that there might have been some confusion in which some of my manhood might have been unintentionally lost in translation.
There isn't much to add anymore, I haven't already said. Many people were going for a walk with their small kids, dogs or not so young parents. Some noticed my barefootness, some didn't. The only different from previous runs, was that the two lakes were frozen and that there was already a TV crew taking interviews on the beginning of the lake related, I assume, to the few people walking on the not yet safely enough frozen lake.
I set the goal to roughly 9 km to break the 100 miles and additionally I decided to take everything I could get under my feet if conditions were favorable, which they were. So I took the long route of 13 km, like last week. The second smaller lake was frozen as well and for some reason many more people thought it was safer to go on the ice here than on the larger lake. Also the first opportunity for many to continue the unfinished ice hockey plays from last year's winter. On my way back from the fen I couldn't resist either, the sun was immersing everything in such a bright and joyful scenery, it was irresistible. The ice was only partly covered by snow, as the uncovered parts hadn't yet existed during the last snowfall. The latter were the best to run on. Sure it was a little slippy but it was not as conducting as the snow and was a welcoming change together with the sun shining directly into my face. Not sure if there would have been so many people on the ice, if they had known that large parts weren't frozen last week. Together with the dogs I had the best feeling of what was happening beneath my feet and I was also listening anxiously. But most important I felt safe not being the only one on the ice. An elusive safety. Very much the same I feel about my winter barefoot running when reading about other people experiences. Deep down somewhere inside of us, sits a little lemming telling us, despite common sense, that when others can do it, so can we. It might lead to water in a dessert when following the seemingly more experienced caravans of nomads , but it, as most lemmings would agree, can lead you directly into an abyss. Today, I only found water in a dessert, but the next time I hope common sense will be back again.
Passing the larger lake on my way back, I considered running on the ice again, but as the sun was also shining on the trail, I resisted. I already had my water! After I had only 1 km to go along the lake, I was hearing a helicopter approaching. Needless to say, what my and everyone else's first thought was. But luckily it only was a police officer or a public servant with some authority who decided to stop the nonsense of our inner lemmings. The police helicopter got as far down as it could without jeopardizing anyone on the lake, switched on a megaphone and politely but determined issued a warning that it is not safe to be on the lake and requested to leave it therefore immediately. What did the people on the ice do? Well, most left the ice, but there were some smarties who decided instead to pull out their smartphones to make a movie of the helicopter. I guess some have more lemmings than others.
Back home, roughly one minute in the warmth, I felt a stinging pain where the ball of my feet is close to the second largest toe on both feet. I sad down to take away any pressure from the damaged tissue and waited for the pain to subside. I hadn't any problems during the run, it felt fine; I did even stop to watch the helicopter without feeling overly uncomfortable. Still, running 10 km on snow and ice seemed to have desensitized the sole enough and freeze at least the upper part of the thick skin to seemingly create enough unnoticed friction for two big blisters. Both are not overly protruding, but the left one is red and still stings, throbs and hurts like "netherworld". I am walking like a ninety year old.
I am sure at least one of the many people, I have passed during my the last runs, might have taken a picture, but sadly I have none to my disposal. At least as long as I live I will not forget and as long there are lemmings inside of me, I will continue to run barefoot in winter like in summer, though maybe with a little more sense next time.