Did a couple of little trail runs barefoot and in the vibrams, single-track trails through bushes, stairs, and some very mild rock climbing around the Presidio and above Baker Beach, stuff to keep me changing direction a lot, hoping that my form would have to correct itself when more was demanded of it in short bursts and if I gave it the freedom to be corrected. After 2-3 of these, I noticed that I'd started landing on my left foot different than seemed intuitive (even after watching those videos I posted a few weeks ago) landing on the inside of my foot as much as possible right behind the big toe. It's more accentuated in the vibrams but barefoot, it still feels like the outside of the foot is touching ground first with the ball behind the big toe taking almost all of the weight. My heel either doesn't touch the ground at all (most of the time) or just barely with every step. The arch feels like it's being stretched out and the bones feel bruised at first, but it goes away after a couple runs. I still get small blisters, but I don't mind them much.
I noticed this just happen on it's own to my left foot, so I've made my right foot match. It feels awkward and my calves are the muscles most sore when I'm running now, but they also recover quickly and don't usually hurt while running (trotting, really), only when walking after a run.
When I figured out my knee wasn't hurting, I ran 4 miles, just cuz. It felt great. A few days later, my wife pushed me into 9 miles. Then 3.5 while pushing a stroller with 2 kids. Then we did 5.5 yesterday while pushing the stroller. Not fast, averaging 10-11 minutes a mile. We're both just happy we can run at all (considering that an 8 minute run just 13 days ago had me limping for several hours). It's becoming our new hobby of choice, and we get to do it together as long as the kids are ok inside the stroller.
A word of caution for hopeful trail runners: If you see a plant that looks like this, and you brush up against it, it will start to itch like crazy one week after the encounter and last for 2 more weeks. Yes, this is my second occurrence of poison oak since being here and I know the exact moment I got each. Not out of ignorance, just accident, there's tons of it here.
Here's my running log since hearing about barefoot-style running and getting hopeful.
Date Length Notes
1/27/2010 0.6 BF, blood blisters, rainy, poor form, first run
2/4/2010 0.6 vibrams in rain
2/6/2010 1
2/6/2010 1
2/13/2010 1
2/14/2010 0.5 w/ Em, stroller
2/15/2010 2 BF, bruised feet bottom
2/15/2010 0.25 BF, KNEE PAIN, minor blisters
2/20/2010 2.5 BF, no pain, blisters
2/24/2010 5 BF, knee pain near end, blisters (not painful)
2/25/2010 0.5 walked 1 mile, strained peroneous brevis tendon
3/6/2010 1.25 BF on sand, Baker Beach, knee hurt after 1 mile
3/25/2010 1 DR, used vibrams, knee hurt after .5 miles, limped back
3/26/2010 1 trail ran w/ Vibrams in Monte Cristi, no pain
3/28/2010 2 trail ran, walked, climbed around BB, BF & VFFs
3/30/2010 3 VFFs, hiked, climbed, ran around BB, use inside of left foot=no pain
4/1/2010 4 jogged, VFF's around BB and Lincoln, no pain if landed behind big toe
4/2/2010 1 slip-on Vans, no knee pain, soreness on walking
4/3/2010 9 pain only when forget technique !!!!! some walking and a pit-stop
4/6/2010 3.6 jogging stroller with kids, no pain if technique good, barefoot last 1/4mi
4/8/2010 5.5 vibrams and BF at end, no pain, just sore calves, recovered by next a.m.
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