Week 22

• Total weekly miles

12 miles.

• Number of running sessions

4.

• Total weekly barefoot mile

1 miles.

• Number of barefoot running sessions

1.

• Running terrain

Mostly flat, on a mixture of pavement and mud.

• Ground surface of barefoot runs

Pavement.

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

RunAmocs on three runs, Vivobarefoot Evos on my long run because of pouring rain.  Much as I love my RunAmocs, they aren’t much cop when it’s really wet out.

• Weather for barefoot runs (rain on road?)

Damp and slightly muddy on trails, but nice and dry on pavement.

• Condition of skin on feet — hotspots, blisters

Blisters are healing.  No other injuries.  I ran a mile barefoot with no discomfort or pain, so I think my sole conditioning has come back.  Barefoot running was limited this week by the cold temperatures and the wet conditions.

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

Nothing.

• 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.

No changes.  I ran continuously further barefoot this week than last week.  I think that running that far barefoot really ironed out the little issues I had with my form.  I intend to try and run at least one continuous mile barefoot each week from here on, obviously depending on the weather and temperatures.

• Injuries incurred, or reduction of existing symptoms.

As last week, no injuries, just calf stiffness.  I expect that this will be a more or less permanent feature of my running since I’m aiming to run at least one half marathon this year, so it means that my long run distance will increase week on week.  If or when I reach a plateau at which I’m comfortably running a consitstant distance each week, then I expect the calf stiffness will go away.

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

There are three weeks to go before the 10km race I entered.  I’m pleased with my progress, I ran for 5 miles yesterday with very little discomfort or tiredness at what I think was a pretty reasonable pace.  I’m still running by feel, so I have no idea what sort of time I took to run that far.  I do know that I could have quite happily carried on for at least another couple of miles at the pace I was running, so that can only be a good sign.

I remember feeling very frustrated early on in my transition that I was stuck running such short distances, and being unable to up my mileage by any significant amount through fear of injury.  However, I think I’ve reached a point now where I can pretty much increase my distance at will (within reason) and the limits I face are down to my fitness rather than worrying about my feet, soles, TOFP etc.  So if there is anyone out there reading this who is contemplating transitioning to barefoot/minimalist running, or is transitioning and is at that ‘frustrated’ stage, stick with it!  You will be able to run far again!  Although I should say that ‘far’ is entirely subjective!