Saturday, November 14, 2009

Saturday Morning

Distance 8km [total: minimalist 36km: Barefoot 57km]

Usually on a Saturday, by time I get out of the door to go for a run it can be from 10.30am onwards, but with this bout of hot weather it was prudent to make the effort to get out earlier.
I got down to the beach at 8am and already parking was scarce, the beach can get pretty crowded from first light.
The temperature was already 27C and heading up, its high for the day was about 39C.

I ran down the beach, a distance of about 3km, the turnaround point was the river then back for 4km and 1km on the road back to the car.

After running without shoes now for about 2 months I don't think I want to go back to put my feet in the prison of running shoes.
In the past it is not something I have spent much time considering, I just had not made the connection between all the injuries and the shoes.

My calves are feeling much stronger these days and I am looking forward to trying a bit of speed work over Christmas.

On the last kilometre I chose to run down a path alongside the beach, this path is stony gravel, it was an interesting test.
I ran with short strides fairly gingerly, the stones do press into your feet but not too badly.
Half the job is mental, it's the fear of stepping on sharp stones that makes it more likely that you will step wrong.
It was like the fear I had when I first took my shoes off to run, mainly because I hadn't done it before so had no idea what to expect. I had visions of Achilles tendons snapping, it didn't happen.

Neil

1 comment:

  1. Hello Aristiono,
    Thanks for your comments on my running blog. It is a new experience for me and I'm writing this as an online diary of my transition to a simpler way of running.
    I shall check out your blog as well

    Regards

    Neil

    ReplyDelete