Over the holidays I finally got rid of all of these for good. And I traded them for:
These.
My bare feet are my favorite. That really surprises me. I didn't expect it to be so much fun. Yesterday's weather got me really excited for spring to get here. I can't wait for bare feet weather again! 45 degrees yesterday! No hat, no gloves, no socks!
The socks work really well when it's dry and I just need some insulation from the cold. The gorilla gloves are really fun to wear and unless it's really cold or there's slush or snow, they're my shoes of choice. But I love my Evo II's. If I wear socks they have kept my feet warm even in 5 degree weather. But they fit me much better without socks. I took the insole out from the first day and they have great ground feel. They are mostly water resistant, however I have come home with wet feet when there's been lots of snow. And the bright pink Newton's... well, they were the first shoe I bought after deciding that I wanted to change my form to a mid or forefoot strike. I like them. They just don't have the same ground feel that the other choices provide. I kind of wish I had done a little more research and just started barefoot like I should have. But I'm sure they will have their place. Maybe for some heavy duty hiking, I don't know. Maybe they're still good just to have in the rotation.
I just have to say a few words about these socks. First, they are super comfy. I do my laundry around these socks. I would wear them every single day. Second, the reason I bought them is because they are wool. I bought them in late summer thinking that they were keep me warmer in the winter. However, after it started to get cold this fall, I started wearing them when I couldn't go barefoot. They are superb. Third, they have a lifetime warranty. While this is awesome, I don't think I could in good conscience ever say that they wore out because I ran in them on asphalt roads. This pair has probably 20 miles on them. There is a tiny bit of wear, but hey, seriously? That is awesome! I told the lady at the running store what I had been doing and she thought it was great. She was going to use it as another selling point. They were a good Christmas gift for lots of friends and my in laws and myself. I have a small addiction with these socks.
Just for fun, this is a picture of me getting ready to cross the finish line at the Salt Lake Marathon in 2008. What's really good about this picture is the guy right in front of me in bare feet. I remember thinking that he was one tough guy. We ran on a closed section of the freeway that hurt my feet inside my shoes. I didn't know how he did it. I didn't know anything about barefoot running then. But it was my first introduction to the idea. Maybe that will be me someday.
That brings me to my last topic. I am signed up for the Ogden Marathon on May 21st. If I had known back in September what I know now, I would not have signed up. I would have taken this year off from any races and just worked on my form and building up the mileage slowly. I would have done quite a few things differently. Sadly, that does not change the fact that I am signed up and am going to run it. I just don't know what kind of footwear I am going to be sporting. I know I can't do it barefoot. I'm pretty dumb but not quite that dumb. I'm not sure if the Evo's would be too warm or if they would just be too snug after that many miles. The gorilla feet might work. I did get a small blister on the side of my foot yesterday when I wore them without socks. I guess I need to just body glide my entire foot? Maybe all of this will get worked out in the next couple of months through training. I guess I'll just have to do my 20 milers in each shoe and decide from there. Thoughts? Opinions?
O.k. This is really the last topic. A couple of weeks ago I sped home in my gorilla feet and ended up with some top of the foot pain that went away. I'm sure it was because my form got off because I sped up. So my question is: should I even attempt speed work for this marathon or should I bag it and just focus on good form? I could do hills instead of speed work. I just don't want to be injured again. That is my main goal. I have already decided that I won't worry about time and just focus on having an enjoyable day. I want to be relaxed, finish feeling good and strong. What do you think?
Monday: 6 mile run in Evo's
Tuesday: 4 mile run in Evo's (5 degrees), cycling class
Wednesday: full body weights, 4 mile run barefoot on treadmill
Thursday: 4.5 mile run in Evo's, cycling class
Friday: full body weights, 1 mile run barefoot on treadmill
Saturday: 15 miles in Evo's
wow, that's a lot of shoes! :)
ReplyDeleteI think it sounds like a good idea to try 20 miles in each and see which feels better. I wouldn't worry about the speedwork for now, but rather focus on good form. I think you can do that marathon!
ReplyDeleteAre you planning on Ragnar this year. Will you do it barefoot if you do?
I am fascinated by barefoot running, and really looking forward to following your training and experiences. Thinking this may be a way to break my chain of running injuries. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing a guy at my first marathon that was running barefoot and I thought it was THE CRAZIEST thing! Now I've got a crazy barefoot friend :-)
ReplyDeleteGoes to show me I should never judge. Never Ever Ever judge :-)
Today's crazy is tomorrow's normal!
I don't quite understand why people think it is SO crazy to run barefoot. We are born barefoot. I think it sounds fantastic. I would love to start making slow changes toward a more minimal shoe and some barefoot running as well. I know that I need to take it nice and slow because I tried switching to a lighter, lower profile shoe and wound up with a stress fracture. I should have eased into it. My mistake.
ReplyDeleteI would say ditch the speed if you're main goal is to remain injury free. :) That's just my humble opinion.
Great post!
It is funny that what used to be natural is a head turner now.
ReplyDeleteThose socks are certainly worth consideration. I have been afraid to run in sock because I thought they would disintegrate after a couple of miles.acy
Hi! I found you through Hungry Runner Girl! I just started eating healthy and am training for my first half in April. I'm definitely interested tosee how your barefoot running goes!
ReplyDeleteSo cool you're transitioning to barefoot running!
ReplyDeleteI don't dare give you advice on speedwork though as I don't wanna steer you wrong.
Best of luck with the training!
45 degrees? I'd be happy with half of that around here. : )
Good idea to try it out on some longer runs first.
ReplyDeleteYou can do speed work BUT you must be sure your not overstriding while trying to run faster, Just keep your feet underneath yourself and turn them over quicker. You can do this in your vff's or something minimal. If you wear a more traditional shoe you prb will be overstriding. JMHO
ReplyDeleteJust found you from Hungry Runner Girl too. LOVE that you are running barefoot. I started back in August and was able to run a half marathon barefoot in October. I don't have any advice on speedwork, but I love that you traded in your shoes for the real deal!
ReplyDelete