Wow, God is good!
I hope everyone had as nice a week as I did running barefoot. I got in another 6 miler on Monday (only 48 hours after my first ever 6) and the feet felt fine. I did have a slight couple of hot spots on the ball of each foot but nothing major. I also noticed a slight TOFP on the right foot, which should have made me think twice about running even further on Wed. but did I? Well, yes I did think about it and at my mile 3 point, I decided to go for my first ever 8 miler! The feet still felt pretty good when I got back and I really enjoyed the 5 min ice bath this time. However, I was disappointed that I was feeling the start of two small blisters after this one...but the thrill of having gone a full 8 miles did feel pretty special. I had to take a picture of my dirty foot this time. The TOFP was a little more noticeable now, and I was glad I wouldn't be running again until Saturday. The full Thurs and Fri off felt good and I got a massage on Friday and was kind of amazed that the normal hamstring and ITB tenderness wasn't as prevalent as in months past. 
On Saturday morning the feet were feeling fine so I set off for a "6 maybe 10" in perfect weather. I did my first 6 mile loop to see what the day would bring. I was a little aprehensive since I'd done so many miles already this week, but this first loop went really well. At the 5 mile point a large group of bikes past me with lots of smiles at the crazy barefoot runner and an "Ouch" comment from the gal in the back of the pack. When I got back to the house, I was amazed at how good the feet felt and decided to go out for a 4 mile loop (with option to cut to 3.1). I again re-evaluated at the decision point and although I was getting tired and the right foot "hot spot" was more noticeable, I decided to go for the whole enchilada! The last mile was downright painful and straight into about a 15 MPH westerly headwind. The wind combined with a couple of slight uphill sections, had the balls of both feet screaming by the time I reached the house again. And yes, I did end up with a blister on the right foot again...for some reason my right foot isn't "learning" as fast as the left! But I figured now was the time to push it a little, what with great weather and about a 2 week break coming. Yes, I'm off to Honduras on Monday for a two-week mission trip with 26 others from 6 states on a church building project. I've never been there before, so I'm not "planning" to get any runs in ...but there are several other runners on the trip so maybe I'll get in a recovery run or two. Now its off to MacGregor Park with Megan (my 11 year old barefooter) to do the 1.7 mile loop probably walking only and definitely with me in the Vibrams. Talk to you all in a couple of weeks.
Happy Trails!
Barefoot Dan Lutes
Total Barefoot Miles for the week = 24 Miles
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