Week 21

• Total weekly miles

9 miles.

• Number of running sessions

3.

• Total weekly barefoot mile

1 miles.

• Number of barefoot running sessions

2.

• Running terrain

Mostly flat, on a mixture of pavement and mud.

• Ground surface of barefoot runs

Pavement and earth trails.

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

RunAmocs on all runs, removing them for about half a mile each on 2 runs.

• Weather for barefoot runs (rain on road?)

Damp and slightly muddy on trails.

• Condition of skin on feet — hotspots, blisters

The blisters continue to heal slowly.  Barefoot running has been limited because of them and the fact that it’s been cold and wet here.

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

No comments, lots of looks though.  I think that there’s slightly more awareness of minimalist/barefoot running in the UK now than even 6 months or so ago when I started.  There have been articles in running magazines, newspapers and mentions on the TV, so maybe it’s greater awareness that’s making more people look, rather than “ooh, look at that weirdo!”.

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

No problems this week.

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

Still midfoot landing, so no real changes.  I do find that when I remove my shoes, I slow down and I run more lightly.  So my shoes, even minimal ones like RunAmocs, definitely do affect my running style.  Maybe this is just the added protection from the sole of the shoe that allows this.  I think I need to try and up my barefoot mileage anyway.  Once I’m running further and faster barefoot, then I can think about the effect shoes are having on me more.

• Injuries incurred, or reduction of existing symptoms.

No injuries apart from the blisters and they are healing.  Still getting calf stiffness after my long run (4 miles again this week), but that only lasts a day or so.

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

I don’t usually wear socks when I run in my minimal shoes.  But I found this week that wearing socks when you have blisters helps a lot, they allow my feet to move around in the shoe with less friction, and therefore less aggravation to my blisters.  Without the socks, I could feel the dead skin over the blisters pulling at the healthy tissue, which was pretty uncomfortable.  I think I’ll continue to wear socks over the next couple of weeks while the blisters clear up.  Not much of a tip, and pretty much useless if you already wear socks, but there you go!