Over 60 Now -- Adding Some Asphalt

I forgot to mention after Wednesday's run that I added a little asphalt section to my run.  I added about a 1/4 mile of asphalt, which today I extended to about 1/3 mile.  I cannot believe that the asphalt is starting to feel fine.

I ran 1/10th of a mile short of 3 miles today.  So I think I'm ready for my little 5K event this weekend.

About this 5K:  The official word about the event is that it is  "USATF certified, partial double loop, out and back on paved waterfront paths."  However, I saw a photo from the 5K course last year, and some people are walking on a section of wooden planks. Here's a picture of that.  The wooden part looks like it goes on for a long time.  In fact, I just checked 3D Google Earth Map and I can see a very long section of boardwalk.   I think I'll bring my Vibrams for that part.  Now I wish I had put those Vibrams back on at least one time over the summer.  Maybe I'll just run in my Tevas over those wooden planks.  I'll only use something if the planks are not smooth and look splintery.

Daffodil Improvement
I experimented with the turnaround spot I wrote about in my last post, the spot where my dog Daffodil started going a little nuts last time.  It is a big circular area and I usually circle to the right.  Today I decided to circle to the left to break the association she has with that corner.  I kept my mental energy going forward, as if I was not going to turn around, and then when I got to the corner, I circled clockwise, instead of the usual counterclockwise.

She did get a little excited -- but the "old" kind of excited -- and jumped up once, but did not bark annoyingly.  I gave her a little freedom to lead and she settled down immediately.

For today, that did the trick  She was way less out of control,  but I did have to let her run ahead of me, and that can be problematic over time if she starts to think she's in charge of the run.  It was the best I could do for today, however.  I'll keep working on it.

I have taken advantage of the fact that she's trying to go faster.  I let her pull me, so I can have that falling feeling better.  Instead of the motivation to move my feet being to propel myself, I am letting Daffodil pull me so I have to lift my feet to keep from falling.

Stronger Feet
Even though I read in the books that my feet would adjust; even though other people had done it; and even though I could even feel improvements from run to run, I have to admit that I do feel absolutely amazed at the way my feet have adjusted and grown and developed over the past summer.  It feels like something of a miracle to me.

At the beginning of the summer, my feet would start to ache toward the end of the day and I had to wear something in the evening.  There was no way I was going to do any extra barefoot whatever on the same day.


At the free beginner barefoot workshop I took at the beginning of the summer in Central Park with one of the barefoot running book authors,  Michael Sandler, he had told us that we would have to rest our feet in between for the foot muscles to build.  He had told us that the feet would need recovery time, just like any other body part that was being strengthened and getting workouts.  He had even recommended -- for those starting out -- the use one's old supportive running shoes as a way to rest the feet in between barefoot workouts.  (Although I did not find them restful, but hurtful, because the arch bump in the shoe kept bothering me.)

But he had also said that once the feet were conditioned, go ahead and barefoot around the house and wear flip flops, etc...

Well, even though I was told it was coming, I am marveling that I have now reached a stage where my feet feel good on the same day as I ran. Yes, they feel good enough to walk around barefoot.  The pads on my feet have become more cushion-y and I don't feel like I'm walking on my foot bones any more.  Yesterday I vacuumed in my bare feet.

And today I stood through an hour voice lesson just an hour after I had got back from running 3 miles barefoot.  Early on in the summer when I had only run a mere Barefoot Mile, it would be a bit tough to stand through an entire voice lesson on the same day a couple of hours later.  It is so amazing to get to this point where my feet feel good and up to the task.  It was so worth going through the trouble over the summer.  I wonder what will develop next in this barefoot adventure? (Hint:  Keep checking this blog because I've signed up to participate in a very exciting event in the beginning of October.  I shall save announcing that for another blog post.)