Week 10

• Total weekly miles

 3 ish miles.

• Number of running sessions

4.

• Total weekly barefoot mile

3ish miles

• Number of barefoot running sessions

4.

• Running terrain

Flat circuit outside my house on pavement.

• Ground surface of barefoot runs

A mix of smooth and rough pavement and road.

• Runs in minimalist shoes, e.g. Five Fingers.

None.

• Weather for barefoot runs (rain on road?)

All dry, some chilly.

• Condition of skin on feet — hotspots, blisters

Good.  No issues from running, although my toes began to go numb a couple of times due to the cold.  Went walking in my Mocs during the week, about 3 or 4 miles with no socks.  I had a couple of hot spots from walking because I usually wear socks with my Mocs.  Without the socks, my soles rub a little on the footbed in the shoe.  They were fine once I stopped, if a little tender.  No blisters. 

• Interesting/amusing comments received during the week: e.g. ‘You’ve got no shoes on!’

No comments.  I’m starting to think that the people around where I live are either very polite or completely disinterested in what goes on around them! 

• Treading on nasty things: e.g. glass, thorns, poo — how you dealt with any

I think I jinxed myself by praising the cleanliness of the pavements around my house.  This week, I’ve had to dig out a small shard of glass and a thorn from different parts of my foot.  Both were fine after the extraction process, although the process required no small degree of flexibility in my ankle…  I was contemplating constructing a complex assembly of mirrors and magnifying glasses when removing the glass shard, it was right on the outside of my foot, just below my little toe and almost impossible to see/reach.  Very inconvenient place to be digging around in the skin of your foot with a needle and tweezers…

• Changes in your running style that you’ve noticed.

Not sure about this actually.  I noticed that when I got tired towards the last stretch of my usual route (which is also slightly downhill), I was heel-striking slightly on my left foot.  I shortened my stride, increased my tempo and bent my knees more, which seemed to solve the problem.  So obviously, my form isn’t perfect yet by any stretch of the imagination.  But that’s the good thing about finally being able to run these slightly longer distances, you have time to tweak your form as you go along.  When running half a mile or less, you’re back at home almost before you notice any issues. 

• Injuries incurred, or reduction of existing symptoms.

None.  My feet still feel fine, no other problems. 

• Useful tips and nuggets of info you’ve picked up along the way.

None this week I think.  Maybe stretching my ankles more would help a bit…  Increased ankle flexibility can only be a good thing when trying to dig debris out of the soles of your feet!

This week, I’m going to try 3 or 4 runs of 1 mile each.  The big mile barrier has arrived!