Barefooting Fail

After my last barefooting attempt, one week ago, the tops of my feet hurt.  It seemed like I had maybe over done it.  Since then my right foot has been fine, but the joints behind my second and third toes on my left foot have been a little sore.  So, tonight after a pretty easy two miles, I ended up at the high school track and thought I would just play it by ear and stop if it started to hurt any worse, and hurt worse it did!  I got around the track once, but it was painful.  I could barely stand to land on my left foot.  So, it looks like I'll be taking a little time off from my barefoot running.  At least until this stops hurting all together.

Still hot (but the track was not)

Updated view of the feet!  Definitely have a few blisters going.  But all-in-all I'm feeling great.  It was another hot night, so I still took it easy.  Just 2.5 shod miles, and another 2 miles unshod at the track.  Only this time I went much later in the day and the track was not so hot :).

The tops of my feet hurt a little, and this was really the reason for my stopping after 2 miles.  Everything else felt great.  I feel this may be a sign that I'm not being consistent enough with my barefoot training, and that tonight may have been a bit too much.  However, I'm also wondering if I am not landing too far up on the balls of my feet.  Reviewing the blisters on my feet this seems to support the latter diagnosis.

I will see how the tops of my feet feel in the morning before I start thinking about it too much.

Don't you know that it is hot, hot, Hot!

Thursday evening our power went out at around 5 o'clock.  Not too surprising with how hot it was.  However, after 30 min of sitting around in a hot house we decided that we might as well go for a run.  We tried not to push it in the near 100 degree heat, and so after a slow 2 miles I ended up back at the high school track for a little barefooting.

Did I mention the heat?
     ...near 100, check

and the time?
     ...about 5 in the late afternoon, also check

and a high school track... in the heat... late in the afternoon... without shoes...

Not a well thought out idea :( to say the least.  I made it around the track 5 times for 1.25 miles.  However, my feet were burnt.  I spent the next several days hobbling around, trying to tread lightly on the roasted balls of my feet.  Skipped my Saturday morning run.  Yeah, that bad.

I did notice something as I ran around the track, feet tingling of melted flesh.  It was a really hard run!  I was winded and my calves hurt, even though my distance was half of what I had done comfortably three nights before.  I had to really push to get just that 1.25 miles in.  A much different scenario than had been the case through other barefoot endeavors, thus far.  I came to realized that running is really easy, UNLESS your hurting, then your body and mind do everything they can to shut you down and stop the pain.  Like if you're repeatedly smashing your heal into the road, or running barefoot around a scorching track surface.  Then you do things like trying to speed up to get it over with, or alter your stride to relieve the pain, or slouch over to... well I'm not really sure why we slouch but if you ever run the last couple miles staring at your sneakers, you know what I'm getting at.  We were born to run, and for those of us who are struggling through the miles each time, we are doing it to ourselves.  If we just make a little more effort to follow our instincts and run how we want to, not how we're told, we would all be astounded at just how far we could go.

Another run tonight, currently 94 degrees (heat index of 104) at 6:30.  I think I'll wait another few hours before I head out. :)

More Iskiate and another 2 barefoot miles

Tonight was my first run since going on vacation last week.  I just wanted to take it easy and get in some relaxing miles.  I started off with 2.5 shod miles which ended at the high school track, where I did 2 miles barefoot, and then ran the remaining 1 mile home.  My feet are a little sore, the calluses having gone a little soft in their time off, but all-in-all it was a good run.

 I also made another attempt at chia fresca (or iskiate).  This time I used:

• 15oz of water
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons of honey (approximate)
• 1/4 fresh squeezed lime
• a pinch of salt

and instead of stirring it I shook it well in a water bottle, let sit for 5 min, shook again, and drank.  The honey made all the difference enhancing the sweetness, and brightening the flavor of the lime.  I was very hesitant with the salt, not wanting to overpower the rest of the ingredients, but my caution was for not as there wasn't the slightest hint of it.  Success!  I do need to look that I'm adding in some electrolytes or glucose to help replace what will be lost during my run, but I think I've got a good start.  No more Gatorade for me!  (Except the two in the fridge that I need to drink ;)

Iskiate

I finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall while on vacation this last week.  If you enjoy running you have to read this book!  In the story McDougall talks about several foods, eaten by the Tarahumara Indians, one of which is a drink called iskiate (pronounced iss-key-ahh-tee).  It outlines a simple recipe in the book, and I found more info at the No Meat Athlete.  This drink is supposed to be nature's Gatorade, times 10, and it's very simple.  It consists of chia seeds partially dissolved in water.  Now after a tall glass of it, on a sleepy Saturday afternoon, it certainly has my attention.


Though, this was not all success.  I was unsure as to if I would prefer the more or less gelled version so I did my best to split the difference.  I flavored the drink with a little lemon juice, let it sit about 8 minutes, and then down the hatch.  The flavor was lacking to say the least.  I had only the slightest hint of lemon to start, and nothing after the first couple of gulps.  The more gelled the chia seeds became the less palatable the texture was.  I was unable to finish the whole glass, however, I made it through all but the dregs.  I think in the future it may be better as a smoothie.  Frozen strawberries, yogurt, and chia seeds all blended together, this sounds like a better plan.  I also just found a post out in the inter-tubes suggesting a substitution of lemonade/limeade instead of water.


I'll experiment further and report back with my findings.  Tomorrow, I plan to attempt the pinole recipe.  We'll see how that goes *crosses fingers*.