Barefoot in the Dark!

Good Afternoon Barefooters,



"Icing" feet in snowbank after run



I'm happy to have run 19 days during the cold and snowy month of January.  However, with only a total of 40.2 miles, you can guess some of these runs were pretty short.  The weather just has not been conducive to longer runs but I have enjoyed pushing the limits to see what the feet can take with respect to temperature, and they have responded very well.  My longest run was just yesterday with a full 7 miler on the soggy pavement after strong overnight thunderstorms but with a "warmer" temperature of 49 degrees.  And then just this morning was my shortest run of the month at only a quarter mile in the 22 degree fresh snowfall. I guess I just wasn't into the cold today after the brief warmer temps the last few of days.  On the plus side, the snowy weather makes it very easy to ice the feet afterward by just stepping into a snowbank at the end of the driveway as I finish my workouts!  My coldest run of the month was on Jan. 22 when it was 10 degrees and I ran just half a mile.  Later that same week, I experienced some mild frostbite after a run of 0.6 miles in fresh snow and 19 degree temps.  It was a very mild case and after 48 hours or so I was back to normal.  I was even able to run the very next day although it was still a little tender.  The moisture was the key.  10 degrees, if dry and sunny is tolerable, but a wet 19 degrees is a recipe for disaster.  

Muddy Fun on the Oakbrook Valley Trails



The most fun and challenging run of the month was the 5K Night Flight Race at Oakbrook Valley in Kokomo.  This was a trail run at night which made headlamps or flashlights a neccessity.  My 12 year old daughter Megan ran with me wearing shoes, while I ran it barefoot of course.  It was actually a very warm day (for January) at 54 degrees with heavy rain predicted for soon after the race.  We were able to wear shorts and singlets which is very rare for a race in January!

Checking out the headlamps

 in the daylight befor the race



Megan and I had a blast running in the mud using our headlamps, although I was a little worried about stepping on something in the dark.  It turned out not to be much of an issue at all.  Other than a couple of scrapes on the tops of my feet, mostly from branches or small saplings on the trail, the bottoms of the feet came out just fine.  The rain, however, did come a little early so we got pretty wet in the last half mile.  It just made for more sloppy fun.  I really felt light on my feet and quite frankly enjoyed not dragging a pair of heavy mud-caked shoes around the course like everybody else.    

Muddy Feet with some scrapes



Yum...chili!

Being barefoot freed me up to bound around the course without having to worry about the mud "sucking" off one of my shoes as I ran.  Afterwards we got to enjoy the post race feed which included several different kinds of chili and other goodies.  This was the first year for the Kokomo Road Runners Night Flight race but I think it might become an annual tradition for us since it was so much fun.  I always like being able to run with one of my kids.  It was also nice to see all of my Club Kokomo buddies and get a race in so early in the year.  The rest of the month has been pretty cold and snowy so the training has been a little on the "light" side.  However, I am doing well in making an effort to get back to a daily routine when possible.  Back in my shod days, I would train 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday, and take Sundays off.  But, for the last year and a half, with barefooting, I have been only training every other day so this has been a big adjustment going back to daily running.    

"Amazing Grace" Wind Chimes



I have also continued to enjoy the daily aspect of training following the passing of my father at the end of last year.  Running is such a great stress relief.  Friends and family have been very supportive through it all.  My Disciple Bible Study class helped tremendously by giving me a sympathy gift of "Amazing Grace" wind chimes which I hung out by our hot tub.  Now as I soak in the hot tub after my barefoot runs, I'm able to reminisce about my Dad as I hear the wind through the chimes.  Hopefully the weather will begin to warm up soon and I can get in a few longer workouts, as I train for a race or two later in the year.  The return of dry pavement will be nice as well.  Still, I do thoroughly enjoy the 4 different barefoot seasons here in Indiana.



Stay Warm Barefooters!

Barefoot Dan

January Mileage = 40 Miles

Week 1 = 0, Week 2 = 6, Week 3 = 15, Week 4 = 5, Week 5 = 14





500 Miles Barefoot in 2012

Happy New Year Barefooters!
I hope everyone is enjoying their barefoot accomplishments over the past year.  I certainly have enjoyed getting more into barefoot running and also completing my first ever barefoot marathon last month.  I was really surprised to be able to continue to keep up my mileage after the race.  My secondary goal was to get to 500 miles for the year and with the mild weather in November and early December it wasn't too difficult.  I did several longer weekly workouts in early December and peaked with a 12 Miler on 12/12/12.
 I may have actually overdone it a little on the 12th, since I had just done a 10 miler on the 10th.  Afterward, I had quite a bit of pain in the left foot and sort of gave up on the 500 mile goal even though I only needed another 14 miles at that point.  That following Friday on Dec 14, my Dad passed away from a massive heart attack, just a few days shy of his 79th birthday.  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  Even though Dad had seen his share of health issues over the past several years, he seemed healthier than ever the two times I had just seen him in November.  His death came as a big shock to the whole family.  It was somewhat cathartic to complete my 14 miles over the next few days to take my mind off everything.  I'm sure that Dad is in Heaven and that has definitely made it more bearable.  I ran a 10 miler on Dec. 20th, just two days before the funeral which got me just over the 500 mile point.  The weather turned snowy the next day, so it has been a good time to take a break from running to rest up and recover.  Running is definitely a blessing when going through hard times.  The physical activity gives such a needed release of the stress we build up without even realizing it. 

Uncle Dan with Joshua-2 and Timothy-3mo



My family is now on a trip out to Virginia to visit my brother-in-law David, his wife Beth and their family.  They have two boys, Joshua Jay-2yr, and Timothy Ford-3mo.  While here, we have enjoyed travelling out to see Mount Vernon and also visited the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian.   I toyed with the idea of doing a little barefoot running out here, since the weather is so much better than in Indiana which now has about a foot of snow on the ground.  But I still haven't run a step and think I will just continue to rest and recover.  At this point I'll just save my miles for January...and training for the Mini Marathon...which will be my first Mini in 4 years and of course my first ever barefoot half marathon(unless I get a wild hair and do the Sam Costa in March).  It will all depend on how much "hibernating" I do during the next few weeks back in Indiana.  The wet salty roads won't be too inviting so I may have even more rest than I really want, but we'll see.


Visit to George Washington's home - Mt. Vernon, VA



I'm not big on making (or keeping) new year's resolutions but I do have a goal of incorporating even longer and more frequent barefoot runs into the schedule.  I really enjoyed learning over the past year what the body can really do, and look forward to even more discovery next year.  If there are some of you out there who never tried barefooting or tried it-overdid it-and then gave up, I invite you to give it another try this coming year.  Just go slow, do small distances and let your body be your guide.  Your feet are the two best running coaches you could ever ask for so if you give it a try...LISTEN TO THEM!



Happy Barefooting in 2013,

 

Barefoot Dan

 

December Mileage:  60 miles (included two 10s and a 12)

 

2012 Mileage:  500 miles

Marathon Recovery

Hello Barefooters,

 I have truly enjoyed the month of November.  As you know, I started off the month with my first ever barefoot marathon at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on Nov 3rd.  Since then I have just been taking it easy and running only what feels comfortable.

The feet have really been recovering nicely.  I have been amazed at how much I've actually WANTED to run since the marathon.  I guess I thought now would be the time to slack off and not be too motivated since the marathon goal was now acheived.  But it seems like just the opposite has happened.  With this big psychological barrier out of the way, I now feel free to go out and JUST RUN...and that feels really good...to just go out and not worry about the miles, or the pace, or even the weather that much.  To just go and run whatever feels good that day and then call it quits.  Well, that lasted a couple weeks and then by the third week, I put in a 20 mile week (two 7 milers and a 6 miler)...which is now considered "high mileage!  It was great to run that high of a weekly mileage but then I did have to back it off the following week and only did 9 this week including just 3 this morning. 



INDY STAR:  At least MY FEET made it into the local paper!



About halfway through the month I received my marathon photos and put together a little slide show.  Most of these photos are from that slide show (sorry, I haven't figured out how to post it in the blog).

I was also happy to learn that my photo (or at least my feet) made it into the Indianapolis Star (Newspaper) but it may have just been on their website...here is that photo.

Now that I've had a little time to reflect and recover, I did go ahead and sign up for the Mini Marathon in May 2013.  I've actually run this half marathon 17 times, but this will be the first attempt barefoot.  I'm thinking about the Sam Costa Half Marathon in March as well, another annual favorite. 



"Floating" above the brick street just seconds
away from the finish line.



If the temps aren't too hot by the Mini in May, I might be able to start adding in some speed by then!  I've also kind of mapped out the rest of the year and have set my sites on running a "500 Mile Barefoot Year" in 2012.  Right now I'm at 435 miles, so it is definitely within reach if the weather stays halfway decent in December. 

I had my annual physical today, and got a clean bill of health.  I sat and reminisced with my doctor about the low point of my year back in February when I came limping in to him with my stress fracture.  I told him I still blamed it on the Vibram Five Finger run the week before and think I had definitely overdone it with the shoes.  I HAVEN'T RUN IN THEM SINCE!!  And acutally, that was my only Vibram run in this calendar year.  So, for all practical purposes, I'm now fully converted to barefoot and have no plans to return to shoes of any kind, at least not in the near term.  Not sure if I want to keep doing long distance runs, but it certainly does feel good to know that I can at any time if I want to.  As you barefooters know, it's pretty much all in your head!

So for now, I'll just keep doing what feels natural and stay connected with the earth...one footfall at a time.

Stay Safe,

Barefoot Dan

November Mileage:  63 Miles

Week 1= 26.2, Week 2= 1 , Week 3= 7, Week 4= 20, Week 5= 9

First Barefoot Marathon Ever – DONE!!

Hello Barefooters,



Pre Race Carbo/Protien Loading Breakfast



I’m basking in the glow of my first ever barefoot marathon while nursing my sore feet from today’s Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.  I started off the day early with a couple big plates of French Toast and bacon, knowing I would need lots of energy for the 4+ hour marathon (much slower than my shod pace)…and little did I know, it would be slower than that!

The day started off cold but dry although I knew by the radar that the rain would definitely be moving in later.  I just kept praying that I could at least get the first half in dry, since wet pavement is a definite “no-no” for us barefoot runners.



Pre Race Photo Op



The gun went off and I purposely held back, opting to stay in the warm lobby of the parking garage a few extra minutes.  That is the joy of having chip timing:  you can determine your own “start” time and mine happened to be 9 minutes after the gun went off.  (By the way, the chips were in the bib number which made my special purchase of a Velcro ankle band chip holder completely worthless, which I bought thinking I wouldn’t have any shoelaces to tie my chip to!)  Anyway, the 9 minute delayed start allowed me to slowly get my feet under me and concentrate on a relaxed running form which is so critical to proper barefoot running.  I also allowed space between runners to allow me to see the pavement directly ahead.  I really enjoyed these early miles and passed many people even though I was only moving at about a 10-11 minute pace.  The amazing thing was all the comments people made about my bare feet!  I knew from my training that a lot of people would comment, but it was almost over the top…everything from “@#%! You’ve got to be kidding” to “Ouch, does that hurt” to “Forget your shoes?” (the classic) to “Hey are your feet cold?”  For the most part I responded back, and talked about barefoot running and even asked them if they knew some of these Indy streets were actually warm?…it felt really good to run by one of those in infamous “steaming manhole covers” because the pavement was actually warm, sometimes hot!  But after the first couple miles I started cutting the conversations short or just giving a quick thumbs up when the comments keep coming.  Otherwise I was not going to be able to concentrate on my form.  At mile 8 we turned onto 38^th street which I knew would be a “bear” due to the slotted concrete.  I was able to jump up onto the slightly smoother concrete median to get a little relief…trouble was, there were broken beer bottles and other debris to avoid.  Pretty bad when your only choice of running surfaces is sharp slotted concrete or broken glass…oh what to choose, what to choose! 



Garmin download of my run



Still all was going well, when the light rain started.  It stayed light at first but was a warning of things to come.  I cranked my mile pace to ~9:50 between miles 9-12 and passed the half marathon point in 2:15, but then things started going downhill.  Between 13 and 14, we passed through a VERY rough section of Broadripple and my mile pace slipped back above 10 min/mile.  The pavement got a little better but was still pretty rough until we jumped back onto Meridian just past mile 14.  This 2 mile section was nice and smooth but did also have a pretty good incline and the mile pace slipped into the 11s.  The tour through Butler University was scenic but again, rough pavement!  At Mile 18 we entered the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art to a downpour mixed with sleet.  The official photographers on the IMA wooden bridge told me I was the only barefooter they had seen today (although one lady had told me that there was a “Barefoot Mark” here today.  The pavement at the IMA was smooth but short-lived and soon we were back on the rough Indy streets in a total downpour.  This continued until we rejoined Meridian with “slightly” smoother pavement at Mile 23 and the rain subsided.  Linda and the girls just missed seeing me finish (my time was 5:08) but we did meet up later at the baggage tent.  It felt soooooooooo good to get my warm DRY shoes on and I was surprised that I didn’t have huge blisters. 



Minimal Foot Damage - All Things Considered



I do have a fairly good blood blister on the ball of the left foot but the right foot (blister wise) is fine.  I do have some significant inside ankle and TOFP (Top of Foot Pain) on the right foot, so I’ll be on some major Ibuprofen for the next couple of days.

After snapping a few photos, we went to Subway for lunch and I felt much better inside the WARM restaurant…although I still couldn’t stop shaking the whole time we were in there.



Happy and Warm in the Subway



I must say, I am very pleased overall, since I had many doubts that I would ever be able to do this distance (and some of those doubts were about Noon today!)  It is truly amazing what the human body is capable of.  If you haven't already done so, I urge you to take the time to appreciate the design of our human bodies and the painstaking thoroughness that our creator took in knitting us together. 

I told Linda afterward that I did more praying today than during any other marathon, ever.  I seemed to constantly be asking for calm nerves, avoiding injury and strength to get through the “next mile.”  Most were “breath prayers” like Phil 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who give me strength.  And He definitely provided today…I could not have done this without Him. 

God is Good!  All the time!



Freezing Cold -- But With My Girls (Sarah, Rachel & Megan)



I hope everyone out there gets the chance to experience a barefoot marathon at least once in their life!

With Feet Propped Up,

Barefoot Dan

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)