I’m way behind on this thing. After the marathon, I took a couple weeks off/easy just to recover. Two weeks after the race, we had a local 5K that I ran in VFFs. Since the race I’ve run in my VFF’s all the time except for a couple runs where the ball of my foot started to hurt, which switched to my Frees for those runs. My plan is to spend the next 19 weeks training for another marathon-Lewis and Clark. I’m hoping to do it all in VFFs or water shoes (finely crushed gravel is the last 13 miles). VFFs are already getting a hole in them, and dang it they just don’t feel as comfortable anymore. Plus the smell…oh my gosh. I left them in the locker room (I run at lunch when I can) after running and at the end of the day went to get my stuff. I walk over to pick them up and start wondering what the heck is that smell? Throw my shoes in my gym bag and get to the car only to realize holy cow it’s my shoes. It really wasn’t a problem until I wore them during a slight rain a few weeks ago. Ever since then they’ve smelled like a wet dog. Soaking in vinegar helped but there’s still a little foot stench to them.
Total weekly miles: 19
Running sessions: 5
Total barefoot miles: 1
BF sessions: 3 (lose the shoes the last .25-.5 miles)
Surface: asphalt
Runs in minimalist shoes: all
Weather: 85-90 with 70% humidity
Feet condition: right foot is perfectly fine. Left…I’m getting a nice sized blister on the edge of my second toe. I keep focusing on how I push off and notice that my left foot kind of twists every step. They’re definitely getting more rough though.
Overall I’ve noticed my right foot feels great barefoot. My left one I just can’t figure out. I’ve tried ignoring it and letting nature take its course, I’ve tried slowing down, speeding up, focusing entirely on lifting…still working on this one. I’m still in the early phases so maybe it’ll get better with time. The only comments I got this week was from couple AM’s at work. “So I saw you running in like, some little slipper things. Those weren’t real running shoes. Doesn’t that hurt your foot?” My answer was something along the lines of well, no they actually feel pretty good.
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