Good Riddance Polar Vortex!

Hello Barefooters,

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm out there!

Makin' Tracks! - in a Snowy January

It has been a brutally cold end to January with the nasty visit of the Polar Vortex over the last few days.  Thankfully this was a short visit which will be over soon.  The first couple weeks of January were actually "mild" by comparison with above normal temps in the 30's and even 40's which allowed me so get a couple of 35+ mile weeks without even switching over to afternoon running.  But alas, the more normal January temperatures returned along with snow in the 3rd and 4th weeks of January so I started doing the majority of my running in the afternoons after work.  The short days this time of year make this an additional challenge in order to still run in the daylight.  As you know, my preference (weather permitting) is actually to run in the dark early pre-dawn hours with a headlamp.  And even with these chilly January temps I was still able to run 6 of my 21 days with the headlamp in the morning when the traffic is lightest.

My two longest runs of the month were on the first two weekends with a 12 and then a 15 miler.  Many of my weekday runs were shortened due to cold or snow where I recorded 5 runs of less than 1 mile.  You might ask why even record something less than a mile, but for us barefooters, it is essential to "take what you can get!"  And for me I always try to avoid logging a ZERO unless I absolutely have to.  All things considered, I was very happy to have only 6 ZERO days this month.


Those cold days off gave me some extra time to think and plan some races for the first half of the year.  After running NO marathons in all of 2018, I went ahead and signed up for 2 full marathons already this year, both races I have been itching to do for some time.  First will be the Carmel Marathon on March 30 in Carmel IN, right next door.  I have wanted to do this since it's inaugural race some years back but never did, either because I didn't want to have an "Indiana repeat" for the 50 States thing, or because the schedule already conflicted with something else, usually Spring Break.  It still falls on the weekend before Spring Break but this year we have decided to stay halfway local in Indiana for that week.


The second marathon I'm signed up for is the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati OH on May 5th with my running buddy Earl Strong from Kokomo.  As most of you know, Earl and I have run dozens of marathons together over the years, including the Boston Marathon and the Space Coast Marathon to finish up my 50Sub4 challenge, so I think we were sort of overdue.  Earl has done the Flying Pig several times but for me it always conflicted with the Indy Mini (always first weekend in May) so I'm glad to finally get to experience this nearby race.


If any of you runners out there want to do either the Carmel or Flying Pig race with me please let me know.


I'm hoping the months of February and March will allow for some good training runs since this is kind of early in the year to be in peak training shape for a marathon...especially barefoot.  One month later, my family and I will be travelling to the Holy Land with a group of 18 "pilgrims" from our church.  Looking forward to possibly getting some barefoot runs in the "footsteps of Jesus!"  My inspirational barefoot running mentor Barefoot Rick from Missouri has run the Jerusalem Marathon several times so that has always been in the back of my mind as a future challenge...maybe someday!


Stay Warm!


Barefoot Dan


January Mileage = 111 miles...all outside and all barefoot, of course!

2222 Barefoot Miles This Year

Happy New Year Barefoot Runners!

Wow, what a year!

This was another year of big miles for me.  The 5th consecutive year with more than 2000 barefoot miles.  However, it was also only the 3rd year of the last 26 in which I did NOT run at least one marathon.  Actually the only big race of the year was the Indy Monumental Half Marathon last month.  With my annual total of 2222.22 miles, I have now run a total of 13,461 barefoot miles which is more than half way around the world (although counting both shod and unshod miles I've run around the world over one and a half times.)

When the weather started getting cold early in November I was afraid I might not be able to finish out the year over the 2000 mark but then the weather improved greatly over the last few weeks.  I was actually able to do a pre-dawn 12 miler this past Friday to help boost my totals toward my newer goal of 2222 and allowed me to finish off with a 3.5 miler today (Saturday) and still completely take off completely on Monday (New Years Eve) as we will still be up North in Howe IN celebrating with Linda's side of the family.



Lutes Family Christmas 2018

I haven't really decided on any other running goals and have really enjoyed just continuing to rack up big barefoot miles without any extraneous goals related to marathons.  That being said, I do think I will try to pick out at least one "destination marathon" and use it as a vacation within the next year.

I continue to be astounded at the amazing healing power God has given me within this human body.  I continue to thank Him and pray for continued protection from any health issues or other injuries especially from barefoot running.  So far, so good, since barefoot running seems to continue to "help" any and all of my running injuries and actually gives me more stamina, not less.  And for the six year, I'm still continuing to drink a veggie/fruit/nut/seed smoothie each morning ahead of my run and recently added bee pollen to the mix thanks to a recommendation from my wife Linda.


Hopefully the warm weather will continue into January and February although I think we are probably due for some colder, bone chilling weeks which will probably suspend some of my outdoor activity.


I hope you all enjoy continued barefoot success and


Have a Healthy and Happy New Year!


God Bless You,


Barefoot Dan


Dec Monthly Mileage - 160.38 miles
2018 Annual Mileage = 2222.22 miles

November was a cold one...but 2000 miles acheived

Yes, November was a cold one

Hello Barefooters,

Snowy 6 Mile Run on Nov. 19

I hope you all survived your November.  It seemed to get a lot colder a lot faster this year so hopefully you are already well ahead on your running distance goals for the year.  I hit my 2000 mile mark already (on November 17) so now I can just continue to pad my total...although if the cold weather keeps it up, I may not pad it by much!

Cold Indy Monumental Half Marathon

I started off the month by running the Indy Monumental Half Marathon with my team from Christ UMC Westfield, "The Running Angels."  We raised a lot of money for clean water in Africa and had a lot of fun doing it.  It was a cold morning and I really should have been able to run faster but for whatever reason, I just didn't have another BPR (Barefoot Personal Record) in me this year.  The cold weather seemed to only affect me while waiting around at the start, but once I got going the feet were fine.  I "borrowed" a guys sweatshirt he was throwing away at the start line and stood on it instead of the 35degree pavement for the last 5 minutes before the gun went off. 

"Sprint" to the Finish!

I quickly got into my pace for the first few miles but then everything started to ache and the pavement seemed MUCH rougher than year's past, especially the last 6 miles or so.  As a result I actually finished well of my BPR pace by about 7 minutes but still ended up with a halfway respectable time of 1:50 for the half.  We enjoyed the warm World Vision tent at the end as well as an annual tradition of post race brunch in Westfield.

The rest of the month was pretty cold as well and I spent most of it in Indiana.  However, I did have a business trip to Livonia, MI this past week and got to enjoy some snowy weather up there.  I just "slugged out" and ran on the hotel treadmill all 4 days in Michigan instead of braving the cold, but then did a nice 5 miler outside today back here in Indiana at a comparatively balmy 39 degrees.

We enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving right here at home this year and didn't travel too far other than to downtown Indy to watch the lighting of the tree (first time I've done that since I was about 10 years old).  Everyone stay safe out there and enjoy the Holiday Season with family and friends.


God Bless,


Barefoot Dan
(November Mileage = 128miles)

Brrr...Winter is Coming

Hello Barefooters,

The leaves are turning and starting to fall...


Before you know it the snow will be flying...yuck.




On Broadway!

Well, let's hope not but it looks like the last of the good weather is behind us for a while.  This bone chilling rain today looks like the start of a long winter.  I've been getting some pretty good longer runs in this month even though it started turning colder.  As always, its the moisture that determines how cold of weather we barefooters can run in...and so far, not so bad.

 

Barefoot in Central Park

Every week this month I was able to run a 40 or 50 mile week so I was able to keep the higher average going.  I started off the month out in New York City with my daughter Megan on some college visits.  We enjoyed the city and went to her three favorite fashion colleges while there.  We ate some really good food and even got to enjoy a Broadway Show (Phantom of the Opera).  I ran each morning and actually ran all the way to Central Park one morning and witnessed the setting up for a 10K race later in the day.

The following week I went to Fargo North Dakota and it snowed while I was there so I opted for an 8 mile workout on the hotel treadmill (dreadmill!)  Back in Indiana the weather continued to hold out a little while longer so I continued my longer runs all the way into Westfield each morning and got to keep using the Midland Trace Trail as well.


This weekend will be our long anticipated Indy Monumental Half Marathon Race with my team from Christ UMC, "The Running Angels."  We have 12 people on the team and are looking forward to a nice race on Saturday.  I'm hoping for dry weather since it looks like temps will be down in the 30's.


Oh well, keep running out there and enjoy the Fall,


God Bless,


Barefoot Dan
(October Mileage = 225.81miles)

Cool Running

Hello Barefooters,


I absolutely love the cooler temps in the Fall for running.

16 Mile Barefoot Run in Late September

I have been continuing to rack up some pretty big miles during September and continued my "Just Go Out and Run" theme from last month.  I have also continued my exploration of many "new" routes which are near my house but for some reason I never ran.  My new theme mainly is to run south (toward the congestion) instead of north (toward the cows!)  But actually, the time of day I run, primarily between 4 and 6 am, there is no congestion and actually very little traffic.  I have continued my runs into Westfield most days continuing on a portion on the Midland Trace rail trail which runs east-west from Westfield to (almost) Noblesville.

I actually ran 10 days of the month at half marathon distance or beyond.  Just this morning I ran a 16.13 mile "extended" half and completed my third biggest month of the year at 246 miles.  This course is my new favorite half marathon training course with an added 1.5 mile out and back from Gray Road to the Hazel Dell Shelter on the Midland Trace.  A couple of times this month I even met up with my running buddy Gary Adams and my biking buddy Mark Gordon while out on the Midland Trace trail.  

 

 

 



Pool Closed 2018

The temperatures have been absolutely awesome (usually mid 50s) with low humidity and this allows for longer runs and quicker recoveries.  Since I closed up the pool on Labor Day, I can't jump in the pool after my run.  But now, the hot tub feels "REALLY NICE" after I start getting chilled during my daily post run ritual of recording of times and distance and comments in my spreadsheet.  I think Fall really is the best time of year for most runners, would you agree?

I also have continued to recover from last months onset of inflammatory bursitis around my left knee.  I continued to run through this injury even with the higher mileage although the first week of the month the mileage was down (only 42 miles!) specifically because of this injury.  The next three weeks were 58, 75 and 65 miles respectively.  I don't think in shoes I ever recovered as quickly from this overuse injury.  But either way, I'm glad it's gone...Praise God for the amazing healing power of the human body!

Barefoot Round Trip from Sparks to Reno - 2 days in a row!

Travel has been light this month which is nice but I did have a trip out to the Reno-Sparks NV area in the 3rd week of the month.  Each of the two mornings I was there I ran all the way from my Sparks hotel to Reno (about 5 miles) along 4th Avenue.  As always I was running in the very early AM which was definitely a necessity as this road is extremely busy during the day and is one of the main surface street connectors between these two towns.

Riley Hospital Color "Run"

One of the fun things Linda and I did was the Riley Color Run although I did not do it barefoot and actually didn't even run it either.  We walked the 5K course around the Carmel High School campus while being pelted and squirted with colors to change our white shirts into tie-died.  It was great fun and for a good cause which was actually Carmel Dance Marathon in support of Riley Children's Hospital.

Not Barefoot - But Colorful!

I'm looking forward to continued nice weather in October and even more half marathon training runs each morning as I continue to prepare for the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon on Nov. 3rd.

God Bless and Enjoy the Wonderful Fall Weather!

Barefoot Dan


September Mileage = 246.2 miles

"Just Go Out and Run!"

Greetings Barefooters,

Just Go Out and Run -- This was my mantra for the month of August!

Return on Mules via South Kaibab Trail

Rave Run
at Grand Canyon

I really enjoyed this month with the warm weather and "mostly" dry conditions.  I was able to get in some great long runs in the mornings.  I racked up two of my biggest weeks of the year and also my second biggest month of the year.

Barefoot Sunrise Run at Grand Canyon

I woke up on Aug. 1 at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  I decided not to do a barefoot trail run that morning on the advice of the park ranger the night before who warned us about scorpions on the trail after dark.  I didn't want to swell up and miss my mule ride back out of the Grand Canyon so I opted for the ZERO day.  Back up on the rim the day we left I got in a "Rave Run" to see the sunrise over the Grand Canyon on Hermits Road out toward Hermits Rest. 

We then left Arizona for Colorado and stayed in Durango two nights.  I got in two nice longer (albeit rainy) runs down the main drag in Durango each morning.  While there we boarded the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge railroad for the round trip scenic passage.  However, due to recent forest fire in the area (and the subsequent mudslides) the first 13 miles of track were washed out or mudcovered.  So they bused us the first few miles ad we caught the train at Rockwood...still a very nice scenic ride through the woods.

Durango to Silverton Train Ride in Colorado

Once we got back home I started really cranking up the miles in the morning, turning in back to back weeks of 85 and 88 miles.  This second week even included a business trip in which I got in two consecutive days in Defiance OH of 12 and 16 miles.  Even when back home I started exploring new roads and trails I hadn't run fairly near my house.  I'm now incorporating a newly paved section of the Midland Trace Trail in my morning run.  This trail almost completely links Noblesville and Westfield together but stops just short of Noblesville.   


Then lo and behold, the following Monday I did yet another 16 miler on this trail and an old running injury reappeared.  My left knee started aching and swelling as I re-developed inflammatory bursitis around my knee-cap.  I haven't had this in over 8 years!  But here it was.  This is more of a nuisance injury than anything but is indeed an overuse injury so time to back off (a little).  I am able to run through this but the first couple of days were very painful and VERY low mileage.  With many answered prayers, it is slowly healing and I am back up to an 11 mile run just this morning.  This time I included a headlamp run through the wooded trail at Washington Woods Elementary School but ended up regretting that one due to about a hundred COBWEBS!!  I will continue the exploration of new roads and trails in the next few weeks as we transition into Fall and some cooler temps.  It will feel good to start soaking in the hot tub again after my runs instead of a dive in the pool.


Happy Labor Day and God Bless,


Barefoot Dan


August Mileage = 283.7

July Vacations

Hello Barefoot Runners,
It has been a very busy month in July (mostly vacation!)  yay!!




Lunch in Benton Harbor on the way up north

I started off the month with friends up in Northern Michigan (Elmira/Gaylord area) at a friend's buddy's cabin.  We had a great time relaxing, four wheeling and spent one day going up to Mackinaw Island on the ferry.  I got in a little barefoot running while there, although the pavement (if you can call it that) didn't really allow for any long runs.

While back at home and working briefly, I kept up the higher daily run mileages and we had our nephews, Timothy and Joshua come stay with us the week before we left on our second vacation for the month.  We had fun taking the boys to the county fair, the Indy Zoo and our church fish fry.  On some days we went swimming in the pool, camped in the backyard and they even helped me cut down a tree in the front yard.  

They had a good Indiana experience and we really enjoy having them come stay with us.   We had Linda's Mom and Dad come down on Saturday as Dave and Beth (aka parents of Timothy and Joshua) came back from their 10th wedding anniversary vacation in CA.  We got to celebrate Linda's Mom's birthday a day early and then left for our two week vacation on the following Monday.

Heading across Route 66 in OK, TX, and NM

Lutes at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo TX

And what a vacation is was (and still is).  I'm sitting in Grand Canyon Village typing this blog having just ridden the Mules up out of the Canyon from Phantom Ranch.  But let me start at the beginning.  We left Indiana and headed for an overnight in Tulsa.  I got in an interesting barefoot run the next morning around the Asbury Campus before we left for Oklahoma City and the Murrah Federal Building Memorial.  This museum was very well done and brought back to life this terrible tragedy from 1995.  From there we headed to Amarillo TX and had dinner at the Big Texan.  This is the home of the 72 oz. free steak...if you can eat in in one hour...we saw one guy fail while we were there!  After an eight mile barefoot run around the Amarillo shopping mall we left for the Cadillac Ranch, a strange "sculpture" of ten half buried (vertically) Cadillacs in a farmers field which people are free to spray paint as they feel inspired!



Albuquerque Metro
Run



One Week in Grand Canyon

Then we headed for Albuquerque and had lunch in Old Town.  The next morning we headed to Arizona and stopped along the way at the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Monument.  I had stopped at both of these some 31 years ago when I first moved to CA and was on my way out west.  The monuments were just as I remembered them, but it was nice to now be able to share with my family.  From there we headed to Flagstaff and then to the Grand Canyon to start a four day camping experience at the Mather Campground on the South Rim. 

I got in several nice barefoot runs from the campground each morning and we hiked the many trails around the South Rim during those camping days. 

We even headed over to Grand Canyon West one day to experience the Skywalk which is a huge glass shelf over the canyon along with other side attractions on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.



We came...we rode...we conquered!
Awesome Trip!

After finishing our camping adventure we checked into the Maswick Lodge on the South Rim before starting our two day mule ride to the bottom of the canyon.  This was definitely the experience of a lifetime and once again, I feel very blessed to be able to share it with my family.  We rode down the Bright Angel Trail to Phantom Ranch, where we enjoyed a steak dinner and accommodation for the night.  We attended two different ranger programs while there and my daughter Rachel and I hiked out to the "Silver Bridge" over the Colorado River in our flip flops.  The next day we ascended back up the canyon via the South Kaibab Trail.  I'm sure the girls and I will remember this experience for the rest of our lives.

Now we are checked back into the Maswick Lodge and will stay one more night before heading to Durango CO and a trip to Silverton on the narrow gauge railroad.  (We just got a text that part of the railroad washed out so they will be busing us 13 of the 45 mile trip - one-way!)  I'll tell you more about that one in next months blog.  In the meantime, everybody keep up the barefoot running and enjoy this beautiful summer we've been blessed with.

Happy Barefooting,

Barefoot Dan

July Mileage = 230 miles