Barefoot!
Last night I got to the chance to run for the first time since the race. My calves had just about finished complaining, and the shins were still asleep, so I headed over the gym for an easy 3 miles.
I spend 15 minutes soaking in the hot tub to ease the pain in my back I’ve been getting lately. It started on the drive home from Grandma’s house and its been pretty constant since then. It low and on the left side, almost right on the back top edge of my pelvis. Its wierd and painful. I think it either came from the drive, or when I tripped on the trail. Either way, it hurts.
I spent alot of time stretching and things were pretty tight. It felt good to stretch it out again too. None of the stretches hurt my back, just one of the ITB stretches where I pull my knee to my chest, but it only hurt when I lifted my knee, not really during the stretch itself.
I did a short warm up lap on the track and then I decided to take the shoes off and do a few laps barefoot. Let me say that if you are heel striking, you know it right away barefoot. It was tough to get my stride correct so I wasn’t hitting my heel. And it was kinda funny because instead of the soft clop clop of shoes, there was a splat splat of bare feet. :)
Even stranger was that without shoes my feet looked really tiny, like I was wearing the next size smaller. Odd.
So I ended up running a mile barefoot. I didn’t time it but I’d guess it was between a 9 and 10:00 pace. Feet felt fine, no pain or soreness. The indoor track has a hard rubber surface so that may have helped a bit. I’d like to try another run on grass or maybe asphalt when it warm. The asphalt run would have to be alot shorter than a mile.
I ran the last 2 miles on the ‘mill at a 9:00 pace with 1% incline. It feels like a good pace now for the easy runs on the ‘mill.
I need a new plan. I have no plan right now and it makes me edgy. I have a 5K on June 5th, which I want to run so I need to put something together to figure out how I will do this. I’d like to try and get my 7:00 pace goal on this one. It a little ambitious but that makes it fun. :) Gotta go look at Higdon’s 5K plans and see if I can use part of one, because the time is too short for a full one I think.
I’ve got folks coming in from all over this weekend so its likely I won’t be running again for a couple days. It also means I may not be blogging for a couple days too. And chocolate Friday may get canned again. :( Loser = me. If the schedule wasn’t so tight tomorrow, I’d have the guests help make chocolate and take pictures, but not everyone likes their picture on the web.
Lastly I want to say thanks to everyone for the congratulations on the race. The support has been wonderful and it has made such a difference in my training. Thanks!!!! :)
April 28th, 2005 21:39
way cool on the BF running Jon. More to come? Myself, I love it.
April 28th, 2005 23:36
Yeah Jon - you know, your times really stand out to me now as I think back about entries from a while back, especially the pace, really wonderful improvements - you’re the inspiration Chocolate Man!
April 29th, 2005 00:13
Have a great weekend with your people,, relax and enjoy.. Your running and blogs will still be there when they leave :)
Heather
April 29th, 2005 07:25
Where is my Chocolate Friday? Oh - it must be like 7 a.m. there because of the time zones… Could you please wake up at 1 a.m. every Friday so that I could read the C.F. while sipping my morning coffee :)
April 29th, 2005 07:55
On the other hand, when the crowds get to be too much, and you need to get away from them for a little while, “I need to go out and run” can be a good excuse to get away and let the head clear.
April 29th, 2005 08:10
And I am SURE the other gym patrons LOVED you for that.
EW!
April 29th, 2005 09:34
bummed=me
i will miss chocolate friday.
but that barefooted running is nifty cool. bet you can’t get the Nike Brothers to try it too..
April 29th, 2005 11:34
Congratulations on your PR! You really are ready for Detroit.
Enjoy your weekend with the family. No problem about missing out on Chocolate Friday. You have to do what you have to do!
I need to try a 5K or 10K race some time.
By the way, you are getting fast!
April 29th, 2005 13:21
Good for you on the barefoot running! Enjoy the weekend. And I agree with Brendan: I think I became a runner to get away from my in-laws! :)
April 29th, 2005 14:51
Oh, and be careful running barefoot in the grass. I once sliced open the bottom of my foot on a pop-top (that’s how old I am) running barefoot in the grass. Cost me a summer’s running. You probably won’t run into a pop-top, but broken glass or construction debris is always a possibility.
April 29th, 2005 17:27
When I lived in Africa I was forever jealous of the amazingly fast kids that raced through grass, over pavement, through rocks, over each other, through streams etc. barefoot. They always looked…happy… Go bare feet, go!
April 29th, 2005 19:14
Your entry reminds me of an article I just read in May 2005 Runner’s World. Ken Bob Saxton has run 35 marathons (make that 36, as he just completed Boston)… all barefoot. Thought you might get a kick out of his website - http://www.runningbarefoot.org. There’s even a song about running barefoot. (Perhaps you should write a song about Chocolate Running?) Well, it sounds cool, but until they come up with serious proof that barefooting is better for your feet, I’ll stick to wearing my Saucony’s. Especially in the winter snow! Run on, Jon.
April 30th, 2005 02:44
I remember a runners world article recommending an occassional barefoot run.
No chance of my big hoofers for feet looking smaller
April 30th, 2005 06:54
I love to go barefoot running or walking. I am always keenly aware how tender my feet are every spring when they come out of their warm winter shoes and start wiggling in the clear air. It takes me a week to toughen them up again so that the occasional pebble, stick or worse won’t puncture the calloused sole. Break ‘em in before that grass run where who knows what is in there.
May 1st, 2005 06:00
Sorry about the back pain. Is it the same as the pain you had before? Maybe more PT? Hope you are having a great time this weekend:)
May 1st, 2005 08:00
Amen on the barefoot showing how much of a heel striker you are…pick me. All these years I’ve focussed on getting super cushioned shoes to compensate…running different is a better idea but WAY harder than new shoes. You totally don’t get to call yourself a loser Mr Incredible…the grace and determination with which you face everything in life (or at least the stuff you blog about) shows nothing of the sort my friend. Enjoy your company and revel in friendship…we’ll see you when you return. :)
May 3rd, 2005 10:51
Yep running barefoot is great for your soul, sole, whatever!