Back in the Saddle

After last week's mess of a training week (thanks to my overzealous speed work) I'm really ready to get back in the saddle and continue my barefoot training adventures. Saturday I went for an easy 8k and used the last kilometer to truly run barefoot on the pavement. Holy crap. It felt like sandpaper on the soles of my feet. Every tiny pebble was felt and I found running pretty tricky business when the pavement changed into concrete blocks. When I slipped my VFFs back on for the last half kilometer my feet felt like they were going into some heavenly slippers that made the ground soft and smooth again. Again it amazes me how disconnected we become from the earth beneath us when we put our feet in shoes.

Yesterday I took my daughter out for our customary Sunday romp in the jogging stroller. It was pretty hot so my run turned into a walk/run with a playground break in the middle. I do use the playground time though to strength train while my daughter runs around. I find I can do alot of upper body conditioning if I just use the equipment around me. By lunchtime we were both ready to head back home. I found my feet were a bit more sore than they have been lately. It's like the little bones in my feet are being flexed and strengthened in a way they haven't been used to in a while so they kind of "cramp up" a bit. I find stretching and bending my feet helps. On a happier note my calves seem to have gotten with the program and no longer feel like they did when I first started running 3 years ago!

After supper last night we all went down to Fisherman's Cove, grabbed a couple of ice cream cones to celebrate the last weekend of summer and walked around the boardwalk. My daughter and I took off our sandals after walking on the beach-and into the ocean as my daughter decided would be fun-and we kept them off as we finished walking around the big loop. As I passed one elderly man he said, "oh look, that girl must be religious." I guess he meant my barefeet since I must have left my habit in the car!