Try a Golf Ball Exercise for Strong Bare Feet

Happy Halloween Barefooters,

I have enjoyed the restful month of October but have found it challenging to keep the feet fit.  My mileage is WAY down in an effort to get to the starting line healthy for this Saturday’s Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis.  All my runs this month have been short in an effort to “do no damage” to the feet -- callous pads, bones & tendons -- between now and race day.  I also put at least 2 rest days in between all runs, usually more.  I have been increasing my use of the “golf ball exercise” in between workouts.  The method is pretty simple.  I place two golf balls on the floor in front of me.  Then, from a seated position, I pick up one golf ball (with my toes) and place it in the opposite hand, and then pick the second ball and place it in the other hand – right to left, then left to right.  I repeat at least five times or more until the toes get tired, alternating which foot goes first each time.



Golf Ball Exercise



This can also be done from a standing position, although it requires a bit of balance.  I think using a seated position allows you to really concentrate on the flexibility of the toes without worrying about falling over.  I also try to alternate which toe is directly over the ball to give the entire foot a workout.  This is best done right after a shower when the toes are nice and clammy to give you good grip.  Some of you may need to start with smaller items, although some may be able to do more.  I know of some barefooters who are able to pick up racquetballs, tennis balls and even baseballs.  But heck, start with marbles if you have to…anything to give the toes a workout and then work your way up to the larger items.



Icing feet and ankles after a barefoot workout



Another helpful method for reducing recovery times after your barefoot runs is the use of ice.  After every barefoot run, I give my feet an ice bath.  Here you can see my favorite method:  two five gallons buckets filled about 4-5 inches deep for about 3-4 minutes.  I’m usually sitting on the edge of my hot tub during the icing, so it mentally helps me to go longer, knowing I’ll be jumping into the 98 degree hot tub right afterward.  I then usually ice the feet for about another minute after getting out of the hot tub as well.

I hope you find these tips useful.  Please say a prayer for me this Saturday morning at 8am for the start of the Monumental Marathon.  I’m still very worried about being able to do this distance and especially on these “less than ideal” surfaces.  If all goes as planned, and of course, God willing, I will run almost as far on Saturday as I’ve run the entire month of October…definitely not my most aggressive marathon training regimen to date!  I’ve also found myself praying A LOT about the weather forecast and so far it looks to be dry, although a slight chance of showers crept back into the forecast just this morning.  Still, I feel fortunate to be running in Indy and attempting my first ever barefoot marathon.  And my heart and prayers go out to the New York Marathoners as their race this weekend is still up in the air at this point due to Hurricane Sandy.  God Bless you all on the east coast as you dig out from this massive storm.  Wherever you are at the moment, take some time and count your blessings!

Enjoy the Trick or Treating Tonight,

Barefoot Dan

October Mileage:  31 miles

 (Week 1 = 11, Week 2 = 6, Week 3 = 11, Week 4 = 3.1)

20 Miler in September - Is the marathon in reach??

Hello Barefooters,

I hope you're all enjoying the more Fall like temperatures that have finally arrived.  It is nice to be able to run in the cooler temps and enjoy the changing of the leaves.  I've had an extremely low mileage month with one exception...a 20 Miler on September 13.  Since then, I have wanted to do some more shorter runs, but have been sidelined with a nagging ankle injury after my two latest long runs.  Since the 20 miler I have run only 4 times, the longest was a 7 miler this past Tuesday, (see map below from Garmin download), but ever since the ankle pain is persisting, so I will continue to take it easy for at least another week.  After that, I hope to start up again slow and with low mileage, but want to save myself for the marathon on Nov. 3.  And I must say, the marathon is still "up in the air" at this point.  I really need to be feeling much better by race-day to attempt such a distance.  A couple of days ago, I went to down to Indy and drove the course (or most of it) to check out the surfaces I would be running on.  Wow, was I disappointed!  While there were a few smoother than expected areas, the vast majority of the pavement would be considered rough cracked asphault (some of it was worse than what I ran on in Honduras last year!)  A particularly annoying section will be the mile or so on 38th Street which is rough slotted concrete.  Oh well, the marathon is still 5 weeks away, so I have lots of time to psych myself up and pray for a nice dry Saturday!  Please God, it HAS to be dry or there will be no way to survive these rough surfaces if they are at all wet!  Also looking for the ankle to start feeling a lot better with additional rest days and not TOO much atrophy with all the low mileage to come in October.  The theory will be no more long runs, i.e. -- chances to get hurt -- between now and race-day.  At this point in my training and ramp up, if I get hurt now, it needs to be DURING the race, and not before.  Looking forward to a restful month of October...and maybe some Indy street repair!!

Be Careful Out There!

Barefoot Dan 

September Mileage  --  Week 1 = 8, Week 2 = 24, Week 3 =  6, Week 4 = 7

Barefoot 18 Miler

Hello Barefooters,
I hope everyone is enjoying the transition to Fall and the back to school season.  Typically, I don't like summer coming to an end, but in this case, I've had enough of this super hot weather.  While it is still warm, it's now much easier to find good barefoot running temps in the mornings.  I've really enjoyed the month of August and continuing to increase my per run mileage.  The first weekend I turned in my first ever 16.25 mile run, on my course which goes straight up Anthony Road all the way to the Tipton County line and back.  This is also the course I hurt myself on back in February so it was nice to once again conquer it instead of it conquering me.  After each long run, I'm still taking a lot of time off to give my feet time to recover.  I take as many as 5 days off after a long run and then may only do 1 or 2 miles that first day back.  In fact, I only ran 10 times this whole month which is really pretty low, but again, rest has been the key to my ability to increase my per run mileage in hopes of running a Fall marathon this year.

Also in the month of August, construction began on the installation of a new concrete driveway at my house.  I say "began" because the project has been ongoing for 2 weeks now and is still only about halfway done.  But, I'm not complaining...it will be NICE when it's done.  I will enjoy being able to start my barefoot runs right from my porch instead of having to walk the gravel drive out to the road.  While recovering from my 16 miler, I ran an ad hoc 8.33 miler on some new roads around my house.  I call it "ad hoc" because I actually was only out to run a 3.1 and it felt so good I went for the 8.33. 

The new road was actually a repaving of Hinkle road just 1 mile east of my house.  The super smooth road was an absolute pleasure to run on, but was also not so great as I got back on Hwy 38 to run it home.  The 2 week old asphault, while nice and smooth, had deposited little bits of tar all over my soles which then allowed me to pick up every little rock and glued it to my feet!  I had to stop 3 different times to brush off my feet since the little rocks just wouldn't fall off on their own.  I'll avoid that road for another few weeks until the asphalt cures a little more!

Then that very next weekend, I ran my first ever 18.35 miler!  Woo Hoo!  This was also on the out and back to Tipton Co. Line with an extra Deming loop added on.  I felt really good but almost didn't do the extra loop due to some TOFP (Top of Foot Pain) in the left foot.  It was way up high, almost in my ankle, but way far away from my earlier 2nd metatarsal issues so I wasn't too worried.  But I did the loop anyway to get the mileage.  After the run, I felt I had JUST taken myself right up to the limit, and then stopped.  Sounds great!  But over the next 48 hours I realized I had overdone it once again.  Then, when I went out on Thursday for a test 1 miler, I still felt pain, so I've continued to take more time off.  During this down time, I had two business trips, one to New York and one to Austin TX. 

I was happy not to run in NY but actually had plans to run in Texas, until I got to the river walk area and found the pavement scorching hot.  Here is a picture of this beautiful area of downtown Austin.  I kept my sandals on the whole time and just walked the pathway.  Luckily, this week I started back up running and today (Friday, Aug. 31st) got in a 4.21 miler and feel like normal training can resume next week with no problem.  On a side note, it looks like my annual 42 mile ride to Purdue for the first home game of season will not happen tomorrow due to incoming rain from Hurricane Isaac remnants, blowing in later tonight.  This will mark the second year in a row that my ride has been rained out!  Oh well, there's always next year.

Well, everyone enjoy your cooler Fall temps and stay safe out there.

Barefoot Dan

August Mileage = 65 miles (weekly mileage:  21, 9, 28, 1, 6)

Low Mileage, Yet Longer Runs

Hello Barefooters,
Is everybody enjoying this record breaking hot weather?  Here in Indiana, I've had to begin my runs right at daybreak just to keep them cool enough to complete them before the sun gets too high.  Still, I've really appreciated the flexibility that summer affords since there is no snow or ice to contend with!  It's easy enough to avoid the heat of the day at 3pm.

I've now begun to increase my "per run" distance while still keeping my overall mileage down.  This month I ran a 12 miler, a 10 miler and even a 15 miler (first ever!) with little or no damage to the feet. I am still resting at least one day after each run.  And I take even more time off after the long runs.  Recovery is beginning to take less and less time and my 10 miler was actually only 5 days after my first ever 12 miler!  During this rest period, we took a short family vaction over to Springfield IL with the family. 

Here is a picture of the whole family posing along with the Abraham Lincoln family!  And I even got in a short run on that trip around the sites in downtown Springfield.  It's always fun using the Garmin in a new location to see the new running route on the computer once I download it.  Speaking of the Garmin, I had to send the watch in for repair due to a power issue.  I will say that Garmin Corp. has excellent customer service and the RMA process, start to finish, took only and week and I'm pretty sure I got a brand new unit returned to me...and it works great.  

Then 10 days after that 10 miler, I ran my first ever 15 miler...actually 15.35 miles.  This was a Deming loop along with an out-and-back on Anthony Road (same basic route I hurt myself on back in Feb.)  It was great to "survive" the run on that course while the earlier injury was in the back of my mind the whole time.  The next day we took off for Beverly KY on a mission trip to Red Bird Mission with the whole family and 25 of us from Christ United Methodist Church in Westfield, IN.  This was a week long mission trip and was an absolutely awesome chance to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.  We saw tremendous growth as a group and as individuals as well helping the folks of Southeastern KY...a very poor region indeed.  God is good! 

Here is a picture of our entire group  (Team Red Bird).  We ranged in age from 11 to 81.  While I didn't really expect to run at all this week, the roads were in surprisingly good shape, so I actually ran three different times on and around the Red Bird campus.  One of the days I ran with my daughter Megan (in her socks) and her friend Paige (barefoot!) for a 1.07 mile barefoot run around the campus.  I'm still not sure if I converted Paige or not.  She said afterwards the bottom of her feet sort of burned.  But then later that same day she told me that they felt really good and stimulated.  So maybe she'll give it another try later on.  It is very common for first time barefoot runners to experience a completely new "feeling" as the bottoms of their feet begin to "wake up" to the world around them.  This is the really cool (and addictive) part of barefoot running.  It just makes you feel good!  We all made it back safe and sound to Indiana and I rounded out the month with a short run yesterday.  Looking forward to some cooler temps next month and to continue to increase my long runs in pursuit of a November marathon (maybe).

Stay safe out there and watch out for HOT PAVEMENT!!!

Barefoot Dan

July Mileage = 59.07 miles (weekly mileage:  17, 12, 19.5, 9, 1.6)

Barefoot in Bangkok, Thailand

Hello Barefoot Runners,
This has been another eventful month.  I'm happy to report a good amount of increased mileage.  I actually turned in two of the longest runs since my foot injury (8 miles and 10 miles) and the feet feel pretty good.  Slow and steady comeback has been the key.  I am also still employing the "at least one rest day" philosophy between runs which has helped tremendously.  The key once again is to let the skin on the bottom of the feet dictate both the length and speed of the run.  Once the blisters or "hot spots" start, you should consider your run complete and live to run another day.

At the end of the month, I was able to take a business trip to Thailand.  My first day there was a Sunday and a rest day.  I booked a temple tour of Bangkok and was happy to find that BAREFOOT was the rule at all the temple sites.  And even though I wasn't running, it felt good to explore the different surfaces in the temples barefoot...from hot, to cool...from smooth marble, to rough concrete, to plush carpet.  It was a cornucopia of barefoot stimulation which felt great after flying for 24 hours the day before.  It's amazing how stiff and cooped up your feet can feel after swelling up at 36,000 feet for hour after hour on these long flights.  It was good to get "grounded" the day next walking around barefoot.   This next photo shows me (barefoot of course)  along with my new found friends Bob and Margo from Sydney Australia.  They too were there on business and enjoying a free day before starting the work week on Monday. 

Bob works in the weather industry and is an "ex-runner" due to some chonic injuries earlier in his career.  I told him that I thought he would be great candidate for the changeover to barefoot running.  He has been doing a lot of biking as it is "easier on the legs and back."  I think so many of us out there have given up on running altogether due to injuries caused (in my opinion) by our poor choice of running attire -- i.e. the "best" shoes money can buy!  So if you're reading this and THINKING about trying it...well...it's time to take the next small step and actually TRY IT!  What's to lose?  Except your diginity.  Life is too short to be worried about some out of shape smart aleck driving by and shouting something about forgetting to put on your shoes before you went out the door!  Nowadays, that kind of stuff just makes me smile as I run!

The rest of the week in Thailand was pretty much non-stop meetings and dinners with customers and suppliers.  This meant each night not arriving back at the hotel until way after dark.  So all-in-all, not too conducive for barefoot running.  So it really was truly a recovery week after my 10 miler on Wednesday the week before I left.  I got back home last night and woke up this morning (Sat. June 30) feeling fine and went out for a short 5K.  It had been raining earlier so the pavement was a little wet in spots but not too bad (and Indiana really needed this inch of rain as we are in one of the worst droughts on record).  And once again, it really felt great to "do something" in the first 24 hours after a long flight.  Plus it was a great way to get in a little mileage before the end of the month and not have to turn in a ZERO week!  Still looking forward to slowly increasing my mileage over the next few months with my eye on the Monumental Marathon in November (barefoot?...maybe...we'll see how this "slow but sure" training method works out)

Well, keep up the good work out there and enjoy those early morning runs ('cause the pavement is too hot if you wait much past 8am!...at least here in hot & dry Indiana)

Barefoot Dan

June Mileage = 34.55 Miles

Week 1= 14, Week 2= 7, Week 3= 10, Week 4= 3

Barefoot Quarter Marathon

Hello Barefooters,

Hope your summer is starting off well.  I have been enjoying getting back into it slowly.  Trying my best to keep the feet fit while not overdoing it.  My key to the month of May has been to never run two days in a row and always have a good rest day (or 2 or 3) afterward.  The highlight of the month had to be my Quarter Marathon for Relay For Life on the track at Westfield HS. 

The Relay was run on May 18th and brought together teams from all over Hamilton County (Indiana) to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  A couple of my girls and I decided to take the "UP ALL NIGHT" Challenge so I was able to wait until 2am to run my self imposed Quarter Marathon (6.55 Miles) on the track.  I was blessed to have my 11 old daughter Megan run with me for the first 2 miles.  She then alternated running/resting each quarter mile lap.  Oh, and did I forget to mention, Megan also did it barefoot!  Using this method, I was able to get in my 6.55 miles and Megan got in 4.25 miles.  This was a full 26+ laps on the rubberized track.  Time was just over one hour, so this was a good first test of the foot since the injury in February.  The cool part was the reaction we got from other walkers and runners on the track that night, very uplifting and encouraging.  We even inspired Nick, a shod runner, to kick off his shoes and run the last couple laps of his 4 miler with us.  I warned him to take it easy since the first barefoot run can be painful afterward.  He seemed to do fine, but I'm sure his calves were screaming the next day. 

I had a small blister on the ball of each foot (I think from the rubberized surface of the track) and Megan had some extremely sore calves for about a week after.  Here is a picture of my foot afterwards, hard to see the blister due to all the dirt from the track.  To get our legs back we did a couple hikes on the trail in MacGregor Park as recovery.  I continued taking it easy the rest of the month and won't begin increasing my mileage until mid summer, God willing.

Oh, and the Relay did raise over $100K and our individual team, Christ UMC Holy Rollers, raised over $10K for Cancer Research.  It was a good fund raising year overall despite the shaky economy.  And, it's never to late to donate:  Here is the link to Barefoot Dan's Fundraising Page.

Well, enjoy the summer and watch out for hot pavement!

Barefoot Dan

May Mileage = 42 Miles
Week 1= 5, Week 2= 9, Week 3= 12, Week 4= 7, Week 5= 9

It WAS a stress fracture!

Hello Barefooters,
I finally found out a few days ago that my injury was indeed a stress fracture.  I was in my doctors office for another issue and requested a follow up X-ray from the one taken back on Feb 15, two days after I hurt my right foot.  Sure enough, the new X-ray showed a healing/healed stress fracture and here is the photographic proof.  (The round "bulb" around the 2nd metatarsal is the healing fracture.)

  I took a few extra days off afterwards, waiting for the radiologist to confirm that it was healing properly and there were no new fractures.  Still, even after getting the "go ahead" to resume normal activity, I've been thinking differently about my foot and will really be taking it extra easy for a few weeks more.  As a result my running mileage is very minimal for the month, however I did begin doing some barefoot walks and even got my wife Linda to do a few with me.  I don't think she will become a barefoot runner any time soon, but it was nice to be able to share with her some of my passion for the barefoot lifestyle and it's benefits. 

The month began with our annual Spring Break trip to FL to visit my dad and stepmom in Sebring.  On the way down we passed through Altanta, GA where we met this barefooter (a nice dog and his owner which, while not a runner, was wearing Vibrams).  We stopped off for two days in Orlando and visited Islands of Adventure and the famed Harry Potter World (my daughters' favorite part).  Eventually, we made it down to Sebring, where I did get in a long hike, starting around Lake Jackson but turned back in the early morning rain.  It was probably for the best as I would have probably gone too far on the healing foot and would have regretted it.  I went barefoot for about 3 of the 8.43 mile hike, and enjoyed this first test of the foot in any significant barefoot capacity since the injury happened (and afterall, it was still Lent and I was still on my self imposed hiatus from running).  When we got back from FL I started back up barefoot running and took it very easy.  The first week, I did a couple short runs from the house and then tested the foot on the Jackie Sanders Miracle Mile with the Club Kokomo Roadrunners for a one mile race.  I took it very easy and still came in 12th in 7:52.  Before the race Charlie Skoog honored me with the presentation of the President's Award from 2010 for running a marathon in all 50 States.  This had been a joint award to both Earl Strong and myself although I had been unable to attend the award dinner back in Feb 2011.  Even though this was a year later, it was still quite an honor to recieve this plaque from Charlie and the Club.  The next week was a business trip to CA and I went out for a quick 2 miler before dinner the first night I was there.  The trouble was, it was 84 degrees and while I knew the pavement was hot, I didn't know I was getting blistered until is was too late and this was the result:  large blood blisters on the balls of both feet as well as the big toe of the left foot.  I guess the feet were both a little tender from being in my shoes flying all day, and also I may have been a little over confident and enjoying the bright sunny day a little too much.

I've definitely had blisters before, but not heat blisters like these, although they are very similar.  These were very unexpected and very painful as well, since I had to walk around in dress shoes the next couple of days.  They are still intact now (two weeks later) as I have been taking it extremely easy since then, as my mileage totals indicate below.  I hardly consider my self a runner these days as much as a healing patient!  But I'm sure when this is all said and done, it will have been a great learning experience.  And lastly I can't conclude without relaying my GOOSE ATTACK story.  As I mentioned, Linda and I had been doing some evening barefoot walks as I recooperated.  These walks were done out our back door and down and around the pond at the bottom of the hill on the back of our property.  One one particular evening, we encountered two rather agressive geese which came swooping in from the south and sort of trapped us on the back side of the pond.  After shouting and screaming like a couple of ninnies and shaking fists and throwing sticks, we escaped around the pond and were on our way back up the hill toward the house.  We were panicked but thought surely the worst was over. 

We stopped to assess the situation and laugh about it a little although our hearts were still racing.   At this point we were a good 100 yards from the pond and the geese were on the far side.  Suddenly, one goose took off and flew across the pond making a beeline for us, honking all the way.  He swooped in and grabbed my shirt and pulled as I ran away and swung my arms around my head (like a little girl).  I'm sure it must have been funny looking, and it's a good thing Linda wasn't recording or I'd be quite a YouTube sensation by now.  All we can figure is they must be nesting somewhere around the pond although we haven't found a nest, eggs, or any baby geese.  All I know is we don't do our walks around the pond anymore without a broom or stick or something in hand to swing in self defense.  It makes for an exciting walk!

Keep running out there barefooters.  Hope to have more progress to report in May.

BF Dan

April Mileage = 9 miles

Week 1 = 0, Week 2 = 5miles, Week 3 = 3.5miles, Week 4 = 1mile