- Total weekly miles
3.25 miles.
- Number of running sessions
3.
- Total weekly barefoot mile
3.25 miles
- Number of barefoot running sessions
3.
- 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 chilly, one wet.
- Condition of skin on feet — hotspots, blisters
Good. Again, some numbness in my toes when running in the cold. However, they started to warm up slightly as the run went on. I’ve read about this, apparently the initial cold causes vaso-constriction, so less blood gets to your feet, causing them to get cold/numb. Continued exercise past the 5 minute or so mark causes vaso-dilation, so more blood makes it into the feet, warming them up. Seems as good an explanation as any! I’m running the sort of distances now that I’m still running past this 5 minute mark, so my feet warm up towards the end of my run. That’s positive for me, as hopefully it means I can run for longer as the winter draws on without needing to wear shoes.
- Interesting/amusing comments received during the week: e.g. ‘You’ve got no shoes on!’
Still no comments.
- Treading on nasty things: e.g. glass, thorns, poo — how you dealt with any
I must have picked up all the crap in the neighbourhood with the soles of my feet last week. No problems this week! Touch wood…
- Changes in your running style that you’ve noticed.
I think I’m running smoother than I was. I think I’m starting to find a comfortable style for myself now. We’ll see.
- Injuries incurred, or reduction of existing symptoms.
I felt a twinge of TOFP the other day in my right foot (same foot as before). I’m not sure why. My first run this week was 1 mile, which I completed with no problems at all. I followed it with a run of 1.25 miles a couple of days later. I felt fine during and after this run. The following two days I spent on my feet, either standing around or walking in my minimalist shoes with very little chance to sit down. When I got home after those two days, that’s when I noticed the TOFP. Very annoying, very worrying. I don’t want to stall at 1 mile. I’ve already had a couple of setbacks in my barefoot transition (my first bout of TOFP, the exploding toe incident), and to get stuck at 1 mile because of more pain would be really annoying. I took a couple of days off, and went out again today for an easy 1 mile. Touch wood it will be fine tomorrow.
- Useful tips and nuggets of info you’ve picked up along the way.
None this week.
Next week I think will be a consolidation week. No increases in mileage beyond 1 or 1.25 miles. I think (hope!) the TOFP is just reminding me not to get ahead of myself.
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