Mileage reporting 16th week 2014

It's been a rough weekend for my bare feet. For some reason, they just seemed extra sensitive to EVERYTHING. Plus, Saturday afternoon I went and backed into a log in the garden and it took a divot out of the upper part of my heel. The cold, gusty wind yesterday was incongruent with the sunshine and I got cold trying to work outside, so put my RunAMocs on. Today, Monday, I decided to brave the wind and go for my long run anyway, but on my smooth pond loop, due to the aforementioned issues. I double checked that trouble spot carefully and all seemed intact. It was just barely tender when I pushed on it, but the skin over it was leathery. So, I ran, but after about 7 miles, I stepped on something RIGHT THERE and drew blood. Not enough to leave on the pavement, thankfully. You know how folks talk. I still felt pretty good about running, though, so continued, even though I slowed down considerably the last couple of miles. I was thinking what a miserable example of barefoot running I am, but then I realized I was finishing mile 12 and that was something. Made it 13.2 miles total again. Then, I came home and ever so gently caught the end of one toenail on a pot in the greenhouse and the toenail split and bled. Don't tell the naysayers. Let it be known that I STILL prefer running barefoot!


OH wow, what an adventure. I'm really impressed you finished.
 
Wednesday did about 10.5km/6.5mi in just over an hour, weather in Brisbane is still very warm (it was about 20C/68F) in the morning
Today, back in Sydney, and had a wonderful 15km/9.3mi run, really fast (about 5'25"/km). It is very crisp here with 17C/62F
 
I stopped at a nature preserve on my way home and jaunted through it for about 3 miles of barefoot running. Felt pretty good, I really like the sensations of running over grass, dirt, mud, and rocks. So funny, it's a bit chilly today and I was out there in just running shorts and a plain white tee shirt. I ran past a woman hiking in the other direction who was bundled up in long pants, boots, and a heavier jacket. I just grinned like a madman realizing the disparity between the two of us: going in opposite directions and how much protection the two of us were wearing. It cracked me up some.

I finished up with 4x8s hill sprints on a steep grassy slope, then an easy jog back to my car. Lots of fun, felt rather happy with it all.
 
Nice 5 mile run at 4:45 am., 54 deg f., another big bright moon, clear skies slight breeze.
 
t-ST and yoga. so sad that our hot instructor is going to India for 3 months.
w-2hr run on trail bf. a little too much as i was in a bit of pain after and today.
th-ST
planning on doing ST on tuesdays and thursdays. running w, f, sat, s, maybe m. all depends on how i feel that day. don't want to get hurt and only reason i ran for 2hrs the other day was i didn't want to sit in my car waiting for my daughter when i was done.

oh, on that run i scared a lot of birds. i swear one of them even screamed. a squirrel, and a few people as well.
 
t-ST and yoga. so sad that our hot instructor is going to India for 3 months.
w-2hr run on trail bf. a little too much as i was in a bit of pain after and today.
th-ST
planning on doing ST on tuesdays and thursdays. running w, f, sat, s, maybe m. all depends on how i feel that day. don't want to get hurt and only reason i ran for 2hrs the other day was i didn't want to sit in my car waiting for my daughter when i was done.

oh, on that run i scared a lot of birds. i swear one of them even screamed. a squirrel, and a few people as well.

A squirrel and a few people screamed, too? Impressive! :D

So are you going to do shorter runs if you increase your frequency? Like back in the olden days? Dan would agree with me, that consecutive running days may lead to bad things...
 
Nice moon in clear skies, 5K at 26F no windchill but it felt colder for some reason. 99% of yesterday's snow melted by yesterday evening and the surfaces this morning were close to bone dry, except for one patch of frozen slush under a bridge.

Yesterday afternoon got in the CP but not the AM of my CAMP workout. Left it off till too late, and the Plyometrics and Core stuff is more important than the Agility and Mobility stuff.

This afternoon more minimalist ST, then tomorrow my first long run in a week or two. Funny but after just a few weeks off, I feel nervous about it.
Dan would agree with me, that consecutive running days may lead to bad things...
I think it depends a lot on the person, the pace and distance, but for me, running a 5K nearly every morning has been great so far. I'm totally hooked. I also really like the am run and pm st/camp schedule. I think the twice-daily metabolic boost distributed evenly over 24 hours is starting to burn some of my winter belly fat away. Plus my energy, mood, and concentration are improved.

Namaste everyone! Time for some pseudo-yoga and stretching.
 
Let's see, Tuesday was a slow 6.5km with the work people and Thursday morning was a very enjoyable 11km on the beach at 6AM. Rest day today, and tomorrow I'm running a small local fun run called the Sheepwash Classic to raise money for a school. 8km, but mostly on gravel tracks so I'll be wearing the dreaded shoes. This time around I'll go with my Merrell Bare Access 'basketball shoes' because they match the all red silly outfit I'll be wearing, complete with red sweatbands, wristbands, knee high socks and a huge pair of novelty red framed sunglasses. I'm hoping to beat last year's time, but it's really just a run for fun.
 
I think it depends a lot on the person, the pace and distance, but for me, running a 5K nearly every morning has been great so far. I'm totally hooked.
I agree. I am fine everyday running as long as I keep the pace and distance down. I have a tendency to push too hard though so for me because of my own bullheadedness it's best if I just run 3-4 days a week, and for the most part non-consecutively. Maybe as I lose weight and get more fit that will change.
 
I agree. I am fine everyday running as long as I keep the pace and distance down. I have a tendency to push too hard though so for me because of my own bullheadedness it's best if I just run 3-4 days a week, and for the most part non-consecutively. Maybe as I lose weight and get more fit that will change.
Yah, there isn't just one way to do it. As you know, this week I switched from a 5-to-6-days-per-week ST routine, in which I focused on specific body areas, to a 3-days-per week routine in which I work the whole body each time. With the latter, the intensity is way up, so I need a day of recovery. With the former, I was able to go 5-6 consecutive days no problem, because I never worked the same area two days in a row.

With running, I'm still doing the 5Ks at mostly easy pace. Tomorrow I'll try a longer run of about 7.5 miles, then the next day either no running or just two miles. Right now, this feels right for me; a little running everyday, then, depending on how well my legs tolerate it, a longer run on the weekend. Eventually (next week, next month, next year?) it would be nice to get up in the 10-15-miles range for my long run, and do some fartleks/hills/intervals/tempo once or twice a week on the weekday runs, but only if it doesn't interfere with my ability to run 5k every morning. It's just such a great way to start off the day. The one-mile run-commutes don't have the same effect.

I also need energy left over for the CAMP & FLEX stuff. A few weeks ago I got kind of pissed off at myself when I noticed it was getting harder to get down on and up off the floor while playing with the kids. I need to limber up! That stuff should be at least 30% of my weekly fitness regimen I figure.
 
Ya Lee, I was noticing the same thing about trying to get up off the floor, but recently have had success in it getting easier to play with kids, not to mention just daily moving around. I really seem to have kicked whatever was sending my PF into overdrive. I don't hurt everyday (except when starting new exercises, bumping up weights, etc...) like I used to. I think for me running every other day except for those weeks when I run 4 days (two days are consecutive these weeks) seems to be helping my legs and feet feel much better. For the next year I should be able to keep a fairly good workout schedule now as the VA has approved me for voc-rehab and it looks like I am going to get an opportunity to try to get into a radiology/mri program. It will take me a year to get the pre-req's done (only 5 more classes than what I already have, but 3 of them have to be taken consecutively) before I can even apply for the program. So far in the pre-reqs that I have done already I have straight A's, so that will hopefully help me to get accepted. I do need to find a hospital setting though where I can volunteer or work though, at least on a temporary basis because that also helps getting accepted into the program. Kinda funny how the degree and cert I currently have is so far off from what my aptitude tests say I should be doing.
 
Hi everyone! Wow, I've been away a long time. I've been active and barefoot, but I've not been running much over the last couple of years which is the reason for my absence. I recently signed up to do a charity event called the Ultimate Hike in late June -- a 28.3 mile one-day hike raising funds for childhood cancer research. Since I'm starting to rack up some BF miles (hiking instead of running) I thought it would be nice to join back in with the group here. Hope that's OK. Nice to see so many familiar faces still active here. Thanks for holding down the fort!

Here's my activity reporting starting with last weekend.
Sat 4/12: Indoor rock climbing (with shoes, required by gym) and outdoor barefoot bouldering
Sun 4/13: 5 mile hike, 300' elevation change, 12 pound pack
Mon 4/14: 2 mile easy hike
Tue & Wed: crazy overtime at work, no time to play
Thu 4/17 (yesterday): 11.25 mi hike (my longest yet). Carried 12 pound pack for the first 8 mi, then dropped off the pack for the last loop.

Here are a few pictures from last weekend.

Bouldering at the park last Saturday.
small_3.jpg



Sunday's hike -- an unexpected chance to play on the rocks again. So fun!
small_1.jpg



At the highest point of Sunday's hike at Occoneechee Mountain with the Eno River in the distance behind me.
small_2.jpg
 
35 minutes of high intensity running in my vff speeds. I tried to run the one super steep program on my treadmill (up to 12.5% on two spots and the first probably little over a quarter of the run was all at 5% or higher) and was able to run the majority of it but once it got over 8-9% I was walking. I think I averaged a 10:15 pace or so even with the walking (at a 3 mph pace...) and slow running at the beginning. I was dripping sweat so bad I looked like I had my own rain cloud over me. Surprised I had that kind of energy in me after doing ST yesterday... There were parts of the run that I was actually able to run at a 7:30 pace for a minute or so (yes I know that's not fast to some of you folks, but for me it is). No exercise for me tomorrow, unless you count clamming at the coast exercise that is. ;)
 
Hi everyone! Wow, I've been away a long time. I've been active and barefoot, but I've not been running much over the last couple of years which is the reason for my absence. I recently signed up to do a charity event called the Ultimate Hike in late June -- a 28.3 mile one-day hike raising funds for childhood cancer research. Since I'm starting to rack up some BF miles (hiking instead of running) I thought it would be nice to join back in with the group here. Hope that's OK. Nice to see so many familiar faces still active here. Thanks for holding down the fort!

Here's my activity reporting starting with last weekend.
Sat 4/12: Indoor rock climbing (with shoes, required by gym) and outdoor barefoot bouldering
Sun 4/13: 5 mile hike, 300' elevation change, 12 pound pack
Mon 4/14: 2 mile easy hike
Tue & Wed: crazy overtime at work, no time to play
Thu 4/17 (yesterday): 11.25 mi hike (my longest yet). Carried 12 pound pack for the first 8 mi, then dropped off the pack for the last loop.

Here are a few pictures from last weekend.

Bouldering at the park last Saturday.
small_3.jpg



Sunday's hike -- an unexpected chance to play on the rocks again. So fun!
small_1.jpg



At the highest point of Sunday's hike at Occoneechee Mountain with the Eno River in the distance behind me.
small_2.jpg


We actually have a Barefoot Hiking section under Forums now!
 
  • Like
Reactions: peacekaren
I ran past a woman hiking in the other direction who was bundled up in long pants, boots, and a heavier jacket. I just grinned like a madman realizing the disparity between the two of us: going in opposite directions and how much protection the two of us were wearing. It cracked me up some.

I have been noticing that this time of year, too. It's almost like we are getting a preview of spring they are missing.