Barefoot Running Blog Past Entries

January 22, 2012 (Sunday) [13.1 miles]

Carlsbad Half Marathon 2012. This is my first barefoot repeat race, and what a difference a year makes. I was 14 minutes faster, and finished in with a BF PR at 2:16. I saw less people wearing VFFs, and more running barefoot (OK, two others). For some reason, all the lines (potty, gear pick-up, etc.) seemed to be much longer this year than last. I guess with 8500 registered in the Half, there just lots of people. Weather was cloudy, but not too cold. I tried to take advantage of the painted lines as much as possible, as was actually on pace to finish in 2:10 at mile 9. Of course I knew the end was going to be tough, and I was going to have to slow down. Not sure if I'll do this race again next year.

January 19, 2012 (Thursday) [3.2 miles]

I was planning on running last night at the track, but as I was going down the stairs after work, my right ankle was a little sore. It seems as if sitting all day at work makes the ankle hurt more, since in the morning, it felt fine. For first mile of this morning's run, I could feel a little soreness in the ankle, but eventually the last mile was pain free. I've been foam rolling the peroneus brevis muscle hoping that it will relieve the tightness on the tendon. This is similar to the IT band issue I had before which has been corrected.

January 15, 2012 (Sunday) [10.0 miles]

With the race coming up, I was taking no chances with my right ankle. The problem in likely one the peroneus tendons just above the ankle bone. A slight tenderness, but no swelling. A few days rest didn't help a whole bunch, so on Friday, I decided to go for a 30 mile bicycle ride to see if it got worse (it didn't). By Saturday, the tendon was less sore, but not 100%. On this morning's run I could feel a little pain once in a while, but it didn't slow me down much. I used my watch to time my mile splits, since during the last race, I had troubles remembering which button did what. Most of the splits were lengthen by pull-ups, restroom, or drinking fountain, but on the non-interrupted splits, I was about a 10:30 pace, even at then end. That about the pace of my best Half last year at AFC.

January 10, 2012 (Tuesday) [3.2 miles]

My right ankle was a bit sore last night, so I wasn't sure if I could run this morning. The pain is slight, and feels as if a tendon is rubbing on the outside ankle bone. I'm not sure how I injured it, since I felt fine after Sunday's run, and on Monday I went swimming. We'll see how it feels tomorrow.

January 8, 2012 (Sunday) [11.1 miles]

With the Carlsbad Half Marathon coming up in just a few weeks, I decided I'd better review the course again. Last year, I met up with a running group that starts at 7:30 a.m. from a park that is right on the race course, just over 2 miles from the start. I got there early, and ran to the race course start, and got back in time for the group meetup. From there, I continued south on the race course, and turned around about a mile shy of the race turnaround point. On the way back when the asphalt was starting to get rough again, I was beginning to feel some tenderness, much like in the race last year. Because of my earlier completion of the last segment, I was pretty much running about the same place and distance as in the real race. I hope to finish stronger than I did last year, but it's still a rough course, so I'll really need to have good form the last four miles. As a bonus, we had the opportunity to have an expert of running mechanics and injury recovery, who joined us during our run and provided running analysis after we have coffee. Dr. Dawn Liu gave the group some tips and even evaluated our running form and provided us some helpful feedback.

January 4, 2012 (Wednesday) [3.5 miles]

Great track workout tonight. I discovered I could go faster by keeping the same cadence, and leaning forward more to naturally increase my stride length. I think I had been increasing my leg turnover to go faster, which is not very efficient. My right ankle seems to have recovered fully from a few weeks ago, which made have been a result of injecting track workouts into my routine. Hopefully I've adjusted, only time will tell.

January 3, 2012 (Tuesday) [3.2 miles]

Despite the cold and darkness, I still enjoy the early morning runs the best because of the solitude. Since I already signed up for several Half Marathons this year, I need to continue my long runs and higher weekly mileage to maintain my endurance.

January 2, 2012 (Monday) [4.6 miles]

I wanted to do something different for first run of the new year, so even though it's Winter, in San Diego that means warm and sunny. I went out to the beach at low tide and did a few loops on the beach. I could feel some of my muscles cramping that I would not on a normal street run. The beach sand was hard packed, so I hardly made any footprints. No obstacles except for a few mussel shells. Apparently kelp takes a break during winter.

==== 2 0 1 1 ==== (1100 miles, Max 17.3) ====

I completed the Triple Crown of Half Marathons (Carlsbad, La Jolla, and AFC), and did a bonus Silver Strand Half in November. The lack of injuries may it easy to maintain a Half Marathon distance, although it wasn't until near the end of the year, before I could run that distance every other week, and occasionally consecutive weekends. I did manage to run a half marathon distance (or more) every month this year. My trail running has improved, and I can now run over rocky sections that I had to walk before. I completed an Olympic distance triathlon in October, with a very difficult barefoot run that was partly on trails.

December 31, 2011 (Saturday) [12.0 miles]

I decided to just run for fun today for the final day of 2011. I've been so focused on getting faster the past few weeks, that it was taking the enjoyment out of the runs. Instead of my usual route, I went out about 5 miles, knowing that I never have any troubles going for at least ten. I didn't feel as strong as I expected I would, even with a few days rest, and a Powerbar for breakfast. I ingested an energy gel at around mile 9, but that didn't seem to help a whole bunch. I was hoping that I could near my longest run this year at 17, but my body just didn't feel good enough. At least the weekly mileage is back up to 25, and I was able to complete over 100 miles this month (first time since July).

December 28, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.2 miles]

Wore some jersey gloves this morning to keep my hands warm. I was interesting to look back a year ago to find that I also cut my foot around the same time. Must have something to do with the cold temperatures making my foot more likely to get cut. Speed seems to be about the same. Main different is recovery time, as I'm running more frequently.

December 27, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.2 miles]

Winter is finally here. Maybe not as cold as other parts of the country, but I wore a long sleeve top this morning. Concentrated on speed, even though it was still dark. The cut on my left foot has not healed, and the super glue didn't seem to hold the skin together very well. No blood or pain when running, but I can feel if something gets into the crack.

December 26, 2011 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

I was thinking I might be able to go ten miles this morning, but after mile 4, I knew that it wasn't going to happen. I need to increase my weekly mileage, as it has been dropping the past month. Maybe more frequent shorter runs, and faster runs, so that I'll do well in the Carlsbad Half Marathon, now just 26 days away. I was hoping that I would be able to finish under two hours, but my speed does not appear to be getting much faster the past few months.

December 24, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Pretty cold this morning at 37°F, so I waited until the sun was up a bit to keep me warm. About mile 3, I felt something on my left foot, that didn't seem to go away. I eventually stopped and looked at it, and there was a little blood just behind my forefoot pad. I scraped the area to get whatever was there out, and wasn't sure if I complete my long run today. After about a mile, I didn't feel any pain, so I finished my ten mile run as planned. After my shower, the cut seemed to have healed itself, as there's only a slight mark where the skin was damaged. I guess I got the rock/glass out before it could do any more damage.

December 22, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

Waited for the sun to rise before starting, but a few of my toes on my left foot ended up numb for the first mile. Maintained race pace for the entire run, and really felt it in my muscles in the end. After my shower, I noticed a little pain on one of the toes that were numb earlier. It appears the toe nail got jammed into the toe nail bed, leaving a slight red mark under the nail. I guess the numb toe didn't let me know it was getting injured. Must remember to curl up my toes if they ever get numb again.

December 21, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.2 miles]

The top of my right ankle is getting better. I was hurting the last week or so when I would stretch it by sitting on my pointed feet. Last night, the pain was much less, so it's almost back to 100 percent. I'm not sure if the track workouts had anything to do with the pain, but I thought I'd take a break from the track this week, and instead did my early morning run.

December 20, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.2 miles]

I was planning on running Monday, but my resting heart rate was slightly elevated, so I took a rest day instead. Another early morning run, flashlight in hand.

December 17, 2011 (Saturday) [14.3 miles]

Not as many runs this week, but the rest is welcome. Since I pretty much completely all my milestones for the year (1000 miles, monthly 13.1+) there was no pressure to stress myself. This morning run was unique in the fact that I pretty much woke up, and was out the door running. No breakfast, and fueled only by water for the entire run. I could easily get away without eating anything on a short run, but normally on a longer run, I would have a PowerBar before I started. My muscles were definitively running out of fuel, as there was slight cramping, and some fatigue. My heels on my feet ended up a little sore, since it was hard to maintain the light bounce the last few miles. Pace wasn't great, under a 13 minute mile, but given the conditions (lack of fuel), not too bad.

December 14, 2011 (Wednesday) [4.5 miles]

Rain for the past few days, plus my right ankle still not feeling 100% made for many days of rest. My ankle felt good at tonight's track workout, but I could tell I wasn't running as fast as I normally do. I bundled with with long sleeves and gloves, since last week, my hands ended up dry and cracked.

December 10, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Much warmer this morning at 40°F, and sunny. I had a little company this morning when two large white dogs approached me, and were trotting alongside me. They seemed to be very friendly, but the owner was nowhere to be seen. The dogs tagged with me for about a half mile, and stopped at a good spot in the canyon. I expected to do only 10 miles this morning, as the top of my right foot near the ankle has been a little sore the past week or so. Not sure why it hurts, since the area hasn't given me much problems in the past. Seems to hurt more as I try to curl up my toes. I have been concentrating on curling up the toes during runs the past few weeks, so hopefully the muscles just need more strengthening. Picked up the pace slightly since I knew the run was going to be shorter, clocked in at 11:48 minutes per mile.

December 7, 2011 (Wednesday) [4.0 miles]

Nothing exciting at the track workout. When I started I could really feel my bottoms of my feet striking the surface. Focused on form, and felt much better.

December 6, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.2 miles]

The morning temperatures are getting much colder. I started at 4 a.m., and it was 37°F. I wore a long sleeve top and gloves, which kept me warm during most of the run. As the morning progress, the temperature continued to drop, and the during the last mile, my hands were getting numb. It was 36°F (2.5°C) when I got back.

December 3, 2011 (Saturday) [14.3 miles]

Today's run bumps my yearly total miles over 1000. I've never run 1000 miles in a year, ever. I was getting a bit tired after the first 10 miles, but then used my emergency GU gel to give me a boost. Seemed to work great, as I was able to maintain my 12:30 pace for another 4 miles. Felt great at then end. Not great enough that I'd want to run more, but a good strong, fast finish. I am now carrying an iPhone on my runs, so I was able to use the stopwatch to measure my 10 mile split and finish time. Not that I am concerned about time, but I do want to make sure that I don't slow down too much, especially at the end of a longer run.

November 30, 2011 (Wednesday) [4.0 miles]

I should have no problems reaching 1000 miles this year. With tonight's track workout my 2011 mileage is 99.1.

November 29, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.2 miles]

I was planning to supplement my headlamp with a handheld flashlight, but after I locked up the house, I realized I forgot my headlamp. Let see how a flashlight only works. I actually turned off the light most of the time, since the streetlamps gave off plenty of light. I actually felt pretty good during the run, and since I left at 4 a.m., time wasn't as much of a concern. It was very quiet this morning, so quiet, that no cars passed me from the back, and only one from the front.

November 28, 2011 (Monday) [3.2 miles]

Early morning runs are the best fit for my schedule, so I'd better get used to running in the dark. Although I could probably run in total darkness, I still like to have a headlamp, just in case there happens to be a broken bottle out in the middle of the street. The light also makes it easier for car drivers to see me.

November 26, 2011 (Saturday) [5.4 miles]

San Diego has received some weekly rain for the last month, but the trails in Los Peñasquitos Canyon are open, so I thought I'd get my monthly trail run in before the month ends. There a short 4.5 mile loop that I have done that crosses the creek twice via a small bridge, so I don't have to ford the stream. The trails were still muddy in sections, and often times I could not find a dry part of the trail, and had to squish through the mud. I am getting much better at handling the rocky sections, as I was actually able to run through many parts where I had to walk before. There's still one section at mile 3 where I had to walk. I felt great at the end, that I ran on the asphalt around the park after my trail run. I think I stick to this 4.5 trail for a while, until I can master running the entire loop without walking any parts. Here's a link to my run.

November 24, 2011 (Thursday) [10.0 miles]

I thought I might be able to go 13 miles this morning, but since there's plenty of weekend due the Thanksgiving holiday, I decided not to push myself too hard. A strong finish, but since I started out so slow, I ended averaging just a 12 minute mile. Not sure what I'm doing the rest of this weekend, but I haven't done any trails this month and the month is almost over.

November 22, 2011 (Tuesday) [5.0 miles]

Still trying to find a time to run with the short daylight hours. Took a long lunch, and ran down at the beach. As I started my run on the street, I noticed the tide was low, and spent the last two miles on my return on the hard packed beach sand. Strange running on the beach, and leaving no footprints. There were footprints, mainly from shoes, but my light steps left no marks.

November 19, 2011 (Saturday) [14.2 miles]

To simulate consecutive Half Marathon race weekends (due up in April 29-May 6), I ran today's long run at a faster pace. The first 10 miles was about an 11 minute per mile, but the last 4 slowed to a 13 minute mile. Overall pace was 11:45, good enough for 2:35 Half Marathon finish. My legs were pretty sore when I finished, but it's good to know I can recover from a Half in a week to do another.

November 16, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.5 miles]

Pretty much recovered from Sunday's race. Pushed the pace a bit faster than last week, and was sweating more. More rain predicted this weekend, but that won't stop me from running. I signed up for the San Dieguito Half Marathon in February next year, just four weeks after January's Carlsbad Half.

November 13, 2011 (Sunday) [13.1 miles]

It was raining most of the day on Saturday when I went to picket up my race number, but the forecast for race day was sunny and warm. When I woke up this morning to get ready, the moon was shining bright, so I knew the rain was done. I looked around for other barefoot runners (they are easy to spot), and I saw a girl with the D-Tag on her ankle with no shoes. This was her first Half Marathon race, and we ran together for about 7 miles until she had to stop and use the porta-pottie. We were running about a 10:30 pace the entire time, which is pretty easy since the beginning part of the course is straight and flat. I picked up the pace slightly while on my own, but at mile 8.5, the course turned on to residential streets, and bike paths, and patches were pretty rough, and I was not able to maintain the faster pace. The last turn to the finish gave a clear view of the finish line, but it was still about a half mile away. I again picked up the pace, even though the surface was a bit rough, then at the last 200 yards, it turned really rough, and I had to slow down. Final time was 2:21:54. Not as fast as AFC a few months ago (2:17), but given the road surface was not as smooth as I though they would be, I held up pretty well.

November 9, 2011 (Wednesday) [4.5 miles]

Warmed up for two miles on the track with a few faster strides on the straights. Tonight's workout included some lunges, which really made my quads sore. Next run, Silver Strand Half on Sunday, most likely with rain.

November 8, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

My first cold morning run in a while, 43°F when I left just before sunrise, and 42°F when I got back. The last mile through the canyon was so cold, my hands became numb. I wore a sleeveless short, but should have gone long sleeve. I'll adapt. Last year about this time, I ran shirtless at 34° F on the day after Thanksgiving.

November 5, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Although the rain stopped late last night, the roads were still pretty wet this morning. I spend most of the run with wet feet, and had to concentrate on keeping good form to avoid wearing out the softer skin on my soles. I decided to do my ten mile route in the reverse direction to allow the tougher parts more time to dry out. The dirt trail around the park was muddy in several section, and I left quite a few barefoot mud impressions along the way. Those footprints won't last long, as there is more rain forecast tomorrow. There's even a chance it may rain next weekend during the Silver Strand Half Marathon Race. One of my fears last year was that there would be rain during my first Half Marathon. Now that my form has improved, I no longer have to worry.

November 3, 2011 (Thursday) [3.1 miles]

A bit sore from the track workout, but not so bad that it would keep me from running. The hill at the last mile was pretty tough, muscles were getting pretty tired by then. Tomorrow's rain should clean up the streets for my Saturday run.

November 2, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.0 miles]

Back to the track. A few faster sprints on the straight away, and some steady ten minute per mile pace sets. Let's see how I feel tomorrow.

November 1, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Recovered pretty well from the weekend run, and decided to do my usual 6.5 miles after work. The last half mile was pretty dark, and I had to feel my way home.

October 30, 2011 (Sunday) [4.8 miles]

With Halloween tomorrow, I figured I'd better get a run in this evening even though I had only 31 hours of rest from my last run. I was expecting to only complete 3 miles, but things felt good, and I was getting thirsty. The closest water stop would take me about a mile further out of my planned route. I was pretty tired the last mile, so maybe I shouldn't have veered off the plan. Oh well, I ended up setting a one week distance record of 32.4 miles.

October 29, 2011 (Saturday) [14.6 miles]

Finally able to get the weekly mileage back up over 20, after several weeks of lower mileage. My normal routine is to do my long run two weeks before a race. I wasn't sure how far I would go, but after the first ten miles, I knew it wouldn't be much more than 13. Kept the pace slow (3 hour Half Marathon speed) and was able to keep the pace to the end. Not my greatest run, but it's nice to know that even if I don't feel great, I can still run a Half Marathon distance. Winter track workouts at UCSD begin this week, so I'll be adding a bit of speed work to my workouts.

October 26, 2011 (Wednesday) [6.5 miles]

The evening run started out pretty good, the beginning downhill felt better than one a few days ago. Every once in a while, I'd feel a little twinge in my right knee. Never really felt this before while running, so I was trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. Perhaps the faster run a few days ago, tweaked some out. Since the pain didn't occur frequently, it was hard to determine what changes in my form did any good. After about 4 miles, I figured it out, I was touching down my right foot down too far forward. After that, I was OK, and was able to complete my run without any problems

October 24, 2011 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

Finally getting back to my regular running routine. It's always nice to start the run with a fast downhill glide, as that is a good indication my body is in tune. Average pace was 10:45, which is the fastest I gone all month. Yesterday, I re-visited the run race course of the triathlon I did a few week ago, since I was already in the area. I was wearing my Branca sandals (similar to Invisible Shoes), and ran the rough section to see how much difference it would have made if I did wear something. It does, big time. I'm still amazed I ran this section barefoot.

October 22, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Woke up late this morning, and didn't feel really great. The fog was heavy this morning, with visibility really low. I spend more time on the sidewalk than usual for safety reasons, as many cars did not have their headlights on, and it was difficult to see them until they were really close. I imaged that I would be hard for the drivers to see me as well. After about 5 miles, I felt better, but was still running at a slow pace. I figured that I could complete ten miles, but no more. My weekly mileage has been down the past few weeks, so I want to build back up slowly.

October 20, 2011 (Thursday) [3.3 miles]

Just another quick run in the evening. Getting dark earlier each day. Things will change when Daylight Saving Time ends in a few weeks.

October 19, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.3 miles]

Legs have been sore the past few days, so I wasn't going to stress them any more than needed. Felt much better this morning. The Silver Strand Half Marathon in just over three weeks away, so I need to plan my upcoming long runs. The bruises on my arches from Sunday's race don't hurt as much, but are still there. Hopefully I can run long this weekend.

October 16, 2011 (Sunday) [6.2 miles]

Chula Vista Challenge Olympic distance Triathlon. 1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K run. My first Olympic distance Triathlon, running barefoot. My goal was to just finish. Before the race started, I was talking to a TriClub member who ran barefoot at last year's Solana Beach Sprint Triathlon, and he was going to do the run in Invisible shoes. The run course was advertised as partly on trails, and he didn't want to run barefoot, unless he knew the course. I figured I could handle anything, so I ended up being the only barefoot runner. After I dismounted my bike, I could immediately feel that my forefeet was numb. The run started immediately on a dirt path, but was pretty smooth. After about a 100 yards, the trail ended, and we were running on the sidewalk. The feeling in my feet started coming back, but my leg muscles were sore from the hilly bike ride. About a half mile into run, back on the dirt path, only this time the rocks were a bit courser, but still comfortable. I thought to myself, OK, this isn't too bad, I should be fine. Then about a half mile into the run, things got worse, the rocks were chunks of small crushed granite, and scattered such that there was no smooth spot to step. Then I looked to the right, Grass, relief. But is only lasted about a 100 meters, then the side of the path was bark mulch, not better then the rocky path I was already on. I shorten my stride, and went into rough trail mode, since looking ahead, it didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon. After about 500 meters, the path finally ended, and we were back on the street. Well, I was on the street. A parallel path of smoother dirt was the actual course, but my feet really needed a rest. At this point we enter the Olympic training center, and the path turns to a paved trail. Nice, but there are lots of little rocks that have been scattered from the side on to the concrete. Looping around the training center the surfaces changes, from dirt to paved, and back several times, and I take every advantage I can to run on the smoothest surface possible. Since I didn't know the course, I had to be prepared at anytime to run on something rough. Just before mile 4, we go around the Olympic torch, and run along the brick paver path, which is candy for my feet. With about a mile left, back to the dirt trail, and it looks as this is how the course will finish. As I get close to the end and see the finish banner, I see the last 100 meters are on the grass. Sweet.

October 13, 2011 (Thursday) [3.1 miles]

It was 90°F this afternoon when I left, and although I took a rest day from exercise yesterday, I didn't feel strong enough to go very long. Tapering down for the Triathlon this Sunday.

October 11, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

My legs were still sore from the hard weekend workout (bike and swim, too). I started out running, hoping that after the first mile I'd feel better... NOT.

October 8, 2011 (Saturday) [17.3 miles]

It amazing what a few days of rest will do. Not only did I take a few days off from running, but exercise in any form. The extra days were probably good for my foot as well, since there was a small cut in my skin from digging out a rock earlier in the week. After completing my ten miles that brought me near home, I felt as good as when I started, so I attempted a second loop, knowing that I could cut it short if needed. The dirt trail around the park didn't feel too bad after 14 miles, but I knew that I should not be pushing myself much further than my last long run. I estimated about 17 to 18 miles as I was finishing up my run, and I was still moving along at the end, feeling great. Average pace was just under a 13 minute mile.

October 4, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.2 miles]

Some light rain this morning, but the streets dried up by noon, so I was able to get a quick lunch break run in. More rain expected tomorrow, and Thursday morning. Hopefully by Thursday after work the street will be dry. If not, I'll just run when it's wet, but not as long.

October 3, 2011 (Monday) [3.1 miles]

I'm finding that my recovery time from the long runs are decreasing, or maybe because 13 miles isn't that long anymore. I felt good and fast this afternoon, blazing down the hills. I'll try running again tomorrow, since today's run was short.

October 1, 2011 (Saturday) [13.9 miles]

As I was finishing up my run today, my neighbor was asking me if I was training for anything. I answered, "I'm just running for fun". That kind of sums up my current running agenda. Yeah, I'll do a race now and then, but no need to train for it. Now that it's October, I have completed a long run of at least 13.1 miles for 12 consecutive months. I don't see why I can't keep this up, since I'm not getting any injuries that keep me from running.

September 29, 2011 (Thursday) [3.1 miles]

Woke up a bit late this morning, despite going to sleep early. That's my body's way of telling me to take it easy. Instead of just taking the day off, I choose to go for a short run. I tried something different this morning. Instead of running against traffic (and blinding headlights), I ran with traffic, and took advantage of the lights behind me to light the road. I should probably attach my red blinker light on my back side if I choose to do this more often.

September 27, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.2 miles]

Only 3 cars passed me this morning. One thing nice about starting at 3:45 a.m. Sure beats the after work traffic.

September 24, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Not sure if it was the faster pace earlier in the week, or the moist roads this morning, or a combination, but I didn't feel as enthusiastic this morning. Rocks felt like they were sticking to my skin easier, and my feet were more sensitive than usual. Maybe the skin doesn't shield as well when wet, and allows the rocks to get closer to the nerves. I managed to get in 10 miles, but very slowly. I also had some pain in the top of my left foot, and some tendon pain on the right foot just above the ankle. The runs the past week have been anything but normal, so I'm sure my body is just adjusting.

September 22, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

I was not fully recovered from Tuesday faster run, so I kept it slow and easy. When I was just about to exit the dirt trail around the park (mile 5), I could hear a runner with his dog coming up behind me. Since the trail is not very wide I decided to pick up the pace as to not get in their way. As we were headed out of the park (me on the asphalt, him on the sidewalk) I noticed that he wasn't going that much faster, so I decided to catch up and run beside them. The dog must have wanted to catch me as well, because as I kept increasing the pace, they continued not far behind me. I had to turn about 500 meters outside the park, so I kept my lead as if in a race to the finish. I guess we all got a good workout. Even after I turned, I still was keeping a good pace, and forgot about how slow I felt at the beginning of the run. Oh my way home, there were 3 toddlers playing in their yard barefoot, then a ball went into the street, and one of the boys ran to get it, barefoot and full speed.

September 20, 2011 (Tuesday) [7.3 miles]

With the last week of summer, the weather is starting to be more like autumn. I did another after work run, since it's been dark and foggy in the mornings. The trail run over the weekend really strengthen my legs, and improved my form. I went a bit further than I planned, and the last few miles, I kept increasing my pace. Since I didn't look at the clock when I left, I don't know how fast I was going, but it felt great, so it doesn't really matter.

September 18, 2011 (Sunday) [6.5 miles]

My first organized event for the for the California-San Diego Chapter of the Barefoot Runners Society. Five total people (an one four legged friend) attended. Turns out all of us live in Mira Mesa, where the event was planned, and most just ran in. We ran as a group on different terrains, with total mileage was around 2 or so. Afterwards, since I drove my car (I had to carry all the wavier form, and need a vehicle to post the signs), I ended up driving to the other trail head for a 4.5 run in the canyon.

September 17, 2011 (Saturday) [1.5 miles]

Barefoot Eco-Runner Henry Sanchez has been visiting San Diego the past week, and I had a chance to run with him to the start of the California Coastal Cleanup. Henry is running from Argentina to Alaska to bring awareness and education of protecting and reforesting our planet. If you wish to help his cause please donate at tacolist.com

September 15, 2011 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The last aquathon for this year has the best conditions ever, except for the water temperature. Not only was the beach wide because of the low tide, no one else was on the beach since school is back in session. My hands were a little blue after the swim, but after a mile of running they finally looking normal again. I forgot to fill my water bottle with fresh water before the race to rise off. The left over salt cause a bit of chafing on my legs. I finally broke a sweat about a half mile from the finish, so I knew my core temperature was back to normal.

September 13, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

It's been a while since I ran consecutive days. Now I remember why. When I started out, I wasn't sure I could even go a mile, but as I warmed up, I felt better. Of course I knew I shouldn't run very long since my body was use to more time off, so I kept it short.

September 12, 2011 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

A Monday run? With the short weekend run, I didn't need much recovery time. The aquathlon is this week, and this weekend is an organized barefoot run, so I'm not sure if I can get a long run in. I plan on running tomorrow as well. I did run after work, and the warm asphalt felt great. Sure beats running in the dark.

September 10, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

Taking a break from the long distance running this weekend, and kept the run short at ten miles. I found out there were still entries to the Silver Strand Half Marathon in November, so I signed up. It think the original link I used was last year's, so of course it was sold out. The run is about as flat as you can get, since it's mostly on man made ground dredged up from the bay. So that would be 4 of 6 Half Marathons in San Diego I would complete this year. I'll probably do the other two next year, just to try out the course.

September 8, 2011 (Thursday) [6.2 miles]

It's been hot during the day this past week, so a run before sunrise actually sounded nice. As I was going around the well lit park path, there was a section where the lights were off, so I clicked on my head lamp to see better, and boom, all the lights in the park went out. Not sure if this was coincidental, or there was some photo sensor I triggered.

September 6, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Tropical moisture resulted in a very wet morning. I don't mine running when it's wet. I don't mine running in the dark. But dark AND wet, sorry. I ran after work, and it was hot (94° F) and humid, but it was very sunny. The water stops at the parks felt good. I didn't even bother with looking at the clock when I left, I knew this was not going to be a fast run.

September 3, 2011 (Saturday) [16.6 miles]

I was planning on doing my long weekend run on Sunday, so I rode my bicycle 20 miles yesterday. My legs weren't as rested, but I decided to see how far I could go today. As usual, the first 10 miles was easy. I brought some energy gels (GU) as an experiment on fueling during a long run. I had one at mile 7 and another at 13. They appear to work, as my muscles stopped cramping about 5 minutes after consuming them.

September 1, 2011 (Thursday) [6.2 miles]

Another early morning run before sunrise. I do like the fact that hardly anyone is awake, but I could do without the occasional car headlight. Afternoon runs are pretty heavy in traffic, so that option isn't much better. I'm looking forward to the weekend run, in daylight.

August 30, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.2 miles]

Left just before 4 a.m. this morning. There was suppose to be a full moon, but the cloud cover made it invisible. I picked a very flat and clean route, but away from most cars, in fact it wasn't until mile 3 that I confronted my first blinding headlight. Just shy of 100 miles this month, 99.0.

August 28, 2011 (Sunday) [12.5 miles]

Felt great at the beginning of my run, and was able to go down the hills quickly. At mile 10, I was only slightly off my pace last weekend at the AFC Half. Maybe I should have stopped there, but I wanted to see what I could do. I thought about going more than 13, but I could feel my muscles cramping slightly, so I cut it short. Overall pace was just under a 12 minute mile, so those last 2 miles were pretty slow.

August 25, 2011 (Thursday) [5.5 miles]

My legs felt as if they are back to normal, but due to scheduling conflict my run was done after work near the beach. I met up with my running partner, and we headed up the coast on the street, appropriately named Ocean Front. My legs felt pretty good coming back, and I thought I might run more than my planned 5 miles, but then the last half mile we decided to run back on the beach sand. The sand was soft, and since I wasn't used to running on this surface, I could really feel my unused muscles getting a workout. After that, I didn't feel a need to go further. Overall, I think I'm recovered from Sunday. Let's see how far I can go over the weekend.

August 23, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

My muscles were pretty stiff after Sunday's race. I went for an easy spin ride on my bicycle on Monday to keep my legs loose. This morning, they felt much better, and I went for a run during my lunch break. I felt as if I could go 6 miles, but cut it short due to time constraints. Hopefully I should be back to my normal training schedule by Thursday, but the real test will be this weekend, where I hope to run at least ten.

August 21, 2011 (Sunday) [13.1 miles]

Felt great this morning, got on the first bus, and was at the start 2 hours before gun time. Rested on the benches (lying down) for a half hour, and used the porta-potties several times to rid my body of excess liquid. The one thing I remember about this race (22 years ago) was that the cold morning tends produces more waste liquid than normal. As I was waiting for the crowd to clear, another barefoot runner approached me and was waiting for the same thing. We ended up running together for the first 5 miles. The downhills turned out to be the best part of the race, as I felt I was just coasting down the hills picking up speed. One water station was near the end of downhill, but I was going too fast to get any water. The water stations were frequent and well stocked, so I never had to worry about getting thirsty. Great surface most of the course, with only a few rough sections. I didn't really focus on speed, and even stopped at the OMBAC setup where they were grilling up some cheeseburgers right on the race course (about mile 11). The burgers weren't ready yet, and I had finish the race. Not that I actually would have eaten it there, but I may have carried it to the finish line just a few more miles. Great strong sprint finish, and as I glanced up at the clock I saw 2:31. I stopped my watch after finishing, and looked at my time, 2:17. Whoa, that's only 2 minutes longer than my last Half Marathon (La Jolla) in shoes back in 1993.

August 18, 2011 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

Go slow, go easy. Sections of the beach on the Aquathlon run were cover with sharp broken seashells, but I kept my landing light, and carefully planned my steps allowed me to get through without any difficulties. I concentrated on keep my form, but the soft sand makes it difficult as it provides little feedback (except for those seashells). I took ten minutes longer than last month to finish. I think some of that time may have been in the somewhat longer than normal swim. I ready for AFC, bring it on.

August 16, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Felt kinda of strange running when the sun is out. The sun really helps produce shadows on all the rocks on the road. It's been a long time since I ran in the afternoon. Heavy traffic, bright sun, and lack of energy. Not the greatest combination for running, but all I wanted to do was get medium length run this week without injuring myself. I've dug out a few rocks in my heel the past few weeks (no blood), and I don't have any time left to heal, so I'm watching every step carefully. The rest of the week is already planned out, 3 miles on the Thursday Aquathlon, then the Sunday AFC Half Marathon.

August 13, 2011 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

I kept is slow and easy and completed my ten mile route without any problems. The tightness in my leg muscles is slowly going away, as I have been stretching and foam rolling throughout the week. To avoid any possibility of injury this week, I will do my Tuesday run in daylight (after work, or during lunch), and take it easy on Thursday's monthly Aquathlon. Speaking of Aquathlon's last month's results were made available, and my run average was 9:20 minutes per mile. At that pace, I could complete a half marathon in 2 hours. I'm not sure what to expect for the AFC Half Marathon next weekend. I haven't run the course in 20 years, and remember little about the road surface. It's so far from my home and in a heavy traffic area, that I wasn't able to plan a training run on the course. Oh well, I can pretty much handle anything, and since my last Half Marathon race (La Jolla Half in April), I've complete the distance 6 times in training. I just wanted to finish the race under the 3 hour cut-off and complete the Triple Crown series. As long as I don't injure myself, I should be fine. I've completed 15 miles in 3 hours, so 13.1 should be like a barefoot walk in the park.

August 11, 2011 (Thursday) [3.9 miles]

My leg muscles felt tight at the start, and never really loosen up, so I cut the run short. With the race coming up in only ten days, I must remember to take it easy. The official number of entrants for the AFC Half Marathon is 8300, which will be the largest race I've done recently.

August 9, 2011 (Tuesday) [7.0 miles]

Left even earlier this morning and decided to mount the light on my head as it was designed. The shadows of rocks were not as pronounced, but the steadiness of the light made a world of difference. Pretty good pace despite the fact that most of the run was in the dark. A strong finish at a pace that would allow me to finish a half marathon in 2:30. A slight pain near my right knee (possibly the IT band) didn't feel quite right at the beginning of my run, but after 3 miles was fine.

August 6, 2011 (Saturday) [14.2 miles]

With the AFC Half Marathon coming up in a few weeks I will have to start to taper down the mileage. This weekend would be my last long distance run before taking it easy next weekend. I did realize that I completed a 13.9 mile run last weekend, but my body seems to have recovered quickly, so 14.2 today. I was so happy when I was able to complete a 13.1 or longer run every month since November, and a few months ago it was every other week. Now consecutive weeks? Without any injuries, my body just gets stronger every day.

August 4, 2011 (Thursday) [7.0 miles]

Another attempt at a dark early morning run. I tried mounting the light on my hips, and the light twisted less than my waist, but about the same as my chest. Still had to hand hold the light for the dirt trail. The further the light is from eye level, the more pronounced the shadows. I tempted to buy some cheap LED lights to mount on my ankles (gotta have two to be balanced). A flashlight mounted on my forearm (Spiderman style) might work too. I didn't have as much energy this morning as a few days ago, but it's nice to start and finish early, and not have to rush to get to work.

August 2, 2011 (Tuesday) [7.0 miles]

A new short route today. Actually the last part of my longer route, so I'm familiar with the terrain. Still have a hill, but later in the run instead of the beginning. Also have a stop in the park (though a different park) for pull ups. Several reasons for the change. There is some construction in progress where the street is covered by steel plates. To ease the sharpness, asphalt patches are packed along the edges, which result in little pieces of loose asphalt all over the place. Not too bad to negotiate with daylight, but not in the dark. Since most of the run was going to be in the dark, I wanted a better lit route, and more side streets to avoid the dreaded automotive headlight blindness. I'm still trying to figure out how to light my way. I have a 21 lumen LED headlamp to use, and last time the head mount wasn't ideal, as it did not create many shadows, and tilting my head to use my cap brim to shield the car lights caused the light to point in the wrong direction. I tried mounting the light on a race number strap around my waist, but it wasn't stable enough for a steady beam. I moved the strap to my chest, like a heart rate monitor, and it was much better, but still twisted up and down a little. On the road, the slight movement still allowed me to see my path, but when I started around the dirt path around the park, I had to hold the light in my hand to allow me see clearly. Once there was enough daylight, I was able to pick up the pace, and even had a few intervals where my legs accelerated for no apparent reason. Oh, I forgot to mention that after yesterday's bicycle ride (21 miles) I got back early, and decided to see how well I could run after a bicycle ride. I wanted just to run around the block, but ended up running a mile. Yeah I'm still in triathlon shape.

July 30, 2011 (Saturday) [13.9 miles]

The last run of the month, and another 100 mile month this year. Because there were 5 weekends this month, I managed to run three training runs over a half marathon distance. With the AFC Half Marathon only 3 weeks away, I need to start planning out my weekend runs. The trail run last weekend really wiped out my legs this week, so no more trail running until after the race. I can probably run 10 miles on the weekend before the race, but no longer. I've been doing pretty good this month at recovering from the longer 13+ mile runs, but it seems to take about two weeks. At the start of today's run, I didn't feel all that strong, but it's nice to know that even if I don't feel super great, I can still complete a half marathon. I'm at the point now where I can pretty much sign up and complete any half marathon that comes up. No need to train, I'm already in shape.

July 28, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

I woke up earlier than usual this morning, and decided to run in the dark (about an hour before sunrise) using a LED headlamp to light my way. It's amazing how little I bounce, as the light beam stayed steady. On coming cars were my biggest problem. Their headlights lit the ground as they approached, but after they passed my eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness again. I expected that since I left early, that I would have more time to run longer, but I didn't feel all that strong, and spent most of the time on the sidewalk to avoid the cars and debris that I couldn't see very well. Yesterday after my morning bicycle ride, I ran about 100 meters to see if I could still transition from bike to run, and I had no problem except I didn't have time to run long. I'll need to start incorporating some brick training soon for my upcoming Olympic distance Triathlon in October.

July 26, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Great run today, and pretty fast (10:45 pace). I liked how I went past the rabbits feeding on the grass in the park, and they didn't even run. Either I'm getting really silent on my landings, or they are getting used to seeing me. I miss running when the sun is shining bright, it makes it so much easier to see the rocks in the road. The mornings have been cloudy nearly all summer now.

July 23, 2011 (Saturday) [10.3 miles]

Back to the trails. After I crossed the creek (foot bridge), there was a sign stating Waterfall 1.8 mi, to the left. I was planning on going right to do a loop. It's been years since I been to the waterfall (and by bicycle), but I knew the 1.8 miles was pretty smooth. So off I went. I was thinking of crossing the creek at the waterfall, but I forgot that crossing consists of stepping on large wet boulders. Trying to do this barefoot would likely result in injury, so I just heading back on the same trail I came in on. It was nice to see my barefoot tracks that I left on my way in. At the end of the canyon trail is a restroom and water stop, and I rinsed off my feet before heading home on the last part of my trail loop. I could really feel my legs getting tired, as it was difficult to get through the rough sections. I ended up walking up most the the trail head entrance, as it was pretty steep and rocky. I've been down the trail head twice, but never up. Normally I would exit the canyon at the far end, and run back on the street. Today run was about 65% trail, which is the furthest I've run on dirt (beach sand not counted). Most of the surface is actually pretty smooth, but when it gets rough, it's tough. I still have not mastered running through the larger hand sided rocks, but the gravel is OK as long as my muscles are fresh.

July 21, 2011 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The beach run during the Aquathlon was great, being 4 hours after the high tide, so plenty of smooth beach to run on. Of course it was crowded with people as we are in the peak of summer. My run started out freakishly fast, as my cadence was as high as if I was running downhill. I decided to maintain this I long as I could, and after the turnaround at the pier, I could feel I was slowing a bit. By the first lap (1.5 miles) I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep up the speed, so I took it easier on the second lap, with and finished with a sprint.

July 19, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

I'm really starting to enjoy the downhills as my maximum cadence is increasing. I did feel the effects of my weekend workout as my legs were quite heavy, and it was more difficult to maintain a light touch. I just realized that this coming Thursday is the TriClub Aquathlon. I was just getting comfortable with my training schedule, and forgot to plan this in. Still hoping to get a trail run in this weekend, let's see how I feel on Friday.

July 16, 2011 (Saturday) [16.1 miles]

To combat the energy problem on my long runs, I decided to eat a Powerbar for breakfast. I would traditional have a Powerbar on race morning when I participate in a Triathlon. It seemed to work, as I felt great during the entire run, averaging a 12 minute mile. I'll need to work on my speed before I decide to run another Marathon, as I don't want to spend over 5 hours on a race course. Now that the AFC Half is coming up next month, I have to plan my training runs leading up to the race. Just four more weekends of training. Maybe one more long run (13 plus) two weeks before the race, and a shorter 10 milers to work on speed the week before.

July 14, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

I wasn't expecting to run very fast this morning, as I left before daylight (about 10 minutes before), and was dependent on the street lighting and the occasional car headlight to light my way on the start. The starting downhill actually felt very good, and I was able to maintain a fast cadence the whole way. On the up hill, I could really feel the effects of the 20 mile bicycle ride the day before. I am thinking about an Olympic distance (10 K run) triathlon in October. That would give me 2 months after my Half Marathon race in August to train.

July 12, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

I was thinking on running yesterday, but after my 40 mile bicycle ride on Sunday, my body was telling me to take a rest day. I started out kind of slow this morning, but seemed to pick up pace the longer I was running. The dirt path around the park didn't seem to slow me down, and I ended up finishing with a sprint. Average pace was under an 11 minute mile. My feet never felt better, I think the trail running over the weekend really helped my form.

July 9, 2011 (Saturday) [7.9 miles]

It been a while (April 23) since I last ran on the Los Peñasquitos Canyon trails. Since I already got my long run in this month, I won't have to focus on distance until next month's AFC Half Marathon in 43 days. I brought along my Fuel Belt this time, so I could carry some water, just in case it got hot. Surprising, the trails seemed to be much easier than the first time. Even the last section where I had to stop several times to complete it a few months ago, I was able to get through it without breaking stride. As I was exiting the park, I thought about turning around and going back through the trails again, but decided I'd wait for another time and let my feet recover. On the way back home, I stopped by another park to use the restroom. This park also had a dirt path around the perimeter, and I thought I'd try it out. There were several muddy sections, but I just ran through them. Mud actually feels pretty good. I rinsed them off in the sink before I exited the park to head home. My muscles were pretty sore as I neared home, so no extension on this run today.

July 7, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

My left calf was still a bit sore this morning, but felt much better than a few days ago. After a few miles my legs were feeling better, and I was able to pick up the pace. Now that this route has become a regular, I wanted to give more details on the terrain. The first half starts our pretty smooth, then begins the downhill (about 70 feet) into the canyon on a much rougher surface. At the bottom is starts to go up again almost immediately. At the top of the hill at mile 1, the asphalt is a very smooth, newly paved section, about 500 meters. Then the route gets to the main street where I run in the bike lane until the park just after mile 2. The surface is mostly smooth, with a few rougher sections, but much smoother than the other side of the street where I return later. The park has a smooth concrete surface, and a pull up bar where I stop briefly to do one set of around ten or so. Just before I exit the park (mile 2.5), I stop at the drinking fountain for a quick sip, before heading back on the other side of the street. Two miles on the main street in the bike lane, which is fairly rough, but mostly flat with on small drop and rise of about 20 feet at mile 4. The entrance to the next park occurs at mile 4.5, where there is a dirt trail of about 800 meters. The sprinkling system tend to get parts of the trail wet in the morning, and one section is quite muddy. I usually avoid the mud by jumping on the grass, but today I didn't want to break my stride, and took about 6 steps through the mud, leaving a set of barefoot tracks. At the end of the trail at mile 5, another stop for water before exiting the park on the asphalt (the dirt trail only goes part of the way around the park). At this point I head home, but if I want to run long (10 plus), I head off to the next park another 2.5 mile away. Last year, I wasn't able to run the route on the asphalt, and spend most of the time on the sidewalk. I've come a long way since then.

July 5, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Still recovering from last Sunday's long run, and yesterday's 30 mile bicycle ride, my legs felt heavy, but I felt I could do my 6.5 mile route if I went slower. I spent more time on the painted bike lane line than I normally would, as it was more difficult to maintain a light landing with tired muscles.

July 3, 2011 (Sunday) [14.2 miles]

A new month, and another opportunity to extend my consecutive monthly long run of 13.1 mile or longer. Last weekend's long run was cut short, but today I felt much better, and knew that 13 wouldn't be a problem, but how far could I go? My muscles were getting pretty sore at mile 13, so that pretty much ended the run. My legs were pretty trashed at the end, and my overall pace was about 12:30 minutes per mile.

June 30, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

My legs were slightly sore from yesterday's 20 mile bicycle ride, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to go as fast as Tuesday's run. I had to stop a few times to brush off some rocks off my feet (one a big chunk of glass). Because it was a clear sunrise, part of the run was looking into the rising sun and it was difficult to see debris on the road. As I approach home, I felt good enough for a sprint finish. Looking at my cell phone, I realized that I finished at exactly the same average pace of my last run at just under an 11 minute mile.

June 28, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Felt really good this morning, fast on the downhills, and fast on the dirt trail. Overall pace just under an 11 minute mile. I wish I had more time to run longer, but I had to get ready for work.

June 26, 2011 (Sunday) [10.0 miles]

I thought that with a few days of rest that I should be able to run long without any problems. My muscles were hurting as I approached mile 9, so I knew today was not going to be very long run. Even afterwards, my leg muscles were pretty sore. Maybe I took too much time off.

June 23, 2011 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The Aquathlon swim was extremely flat, and I went pretty hard, but used very little kicking (one nice thing about using a wetsuit). The first lap of the run was much better than last month, as the sand was much smoother. There were a few uneven areas due to water erosion, since it was only a few hours after the high tide. By the second lap, I was getting pretty tired and my pace was slowing. It had to concentrate on keeping good form, as the sand doesn't provide the necessary sensory feedback as the harder ground.

June 21, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

With the Aquathlon on Thursday I decided to get a run in today, even though I ran yesterday. I was taking especially light steps, since I didn't want to get another rock in the gap in my skin. The skin is pretty back to normal, but I'm not taking any chances. The dirt trail seemed very easy today, probably because of my lighter steps.

June 20, 2011 (Monday) [4.0 miles]

In an attempt to minimize the debris that stuck to the surgical tape on my last run, I tried duct tape instead. The first half mile was great, no rocks were getting stuck, but then the tape fell off. I guess duct tape isn't as flexible as the thinner surgical tape, and all the sheer caused the the tack to loose hold. I probably didn't need any tape at all, and the fact that I complete my run anyway kind of showed that.

June 18, 2011 (Saturday) [11.4 miles]

I probably should have not run last Thursday, or at least tried to protect the area void of skin. I guess went I woke up in the morning, I completely forgot about the wound. This is not the first time where a previous gap in the skin leads to an embedded rock that gets pushed down further to the point of bleeding. For this morning's run, I put a round piece of surgical tape over the area. The only problem was that the rocks kept getting stuck on the tape, and I had to brush off the tape several times. But it appeared to work, as no rocks got caught in the area. I didn't eat breakfast before running, and I noticed the difference near the end of my run. I had thoughts of maybe even going further than last week's log run, but with dropping energy levels, and cramping muscles I decided to call it a day.

June 16, 2011 (Thursday) [2.0 miles]

As I started out this morning, it was drizzling a little, but the streets were dry. About a half mile into the run, I felt a little pain in the area where I dug out the rock yesterday. I stopped to inspect it several times, but didn't see anything. Since this pain didn't really go away, I knew that there was a rock that had worked it's way into the skin and was being pushed deeper ever step. Too bad I was already a mile from home when I realized this. After I go home, I had to dig pretty deep to get the rock out, then it started bleeding.

June 15, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.6 miles]

Since I just ran yesterday, I decided to go for a faster shorter run this morning (10:30 pace). After I got home and showered, I did my usual foot inspection, and found an embedded rock on the soft part of my foot just below my thicker forefoot pad. I was able to dig it out without any bleeding, but this left a slight depression in the skin. In the evening, I attended the RunBare talk with Michael Sandler (co-author of the book Barefoot Running) at REI. I had first met Michael back in April 2010 at his first RunBare Talk at REI SD. I hung around afterwards, and we when on a short run (half mile) close to the store. It was nice to hear I had good form, especially from a more experienced barefoot runner. It was interesting running at night, as I did step on a few rocks that I probably wouldn't have if it was daylight. I was maintaining an especially light step know that I would encounter the unseen.

June 14, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

During today's morning run, I left just as there was enough daylight to see. About 1.5 miles into the run when I turned on to a major street, I saw a couple of runners about 200 meters ahead. As we were running in the same direction, I noticed that their pace was about the same as mine. I decided to pick up the pace to see if I could catch them. I had about 1000 meters before I turned into the park, and I was closing the distance, but as I got to the park the gap was still about 50 meters. The rest of my run felt as if I was running at a slower pace, and in the end the average pace was the same as my previous two 6.5 mile runs, 11:30 minutes per mile.

June 11, 2011 (Saturday) [14.9 miles]

I have now completed over 1000 miles barefoot with the longest single run so far of nearly 15 miles. The run felt great the entire time I the only reason I cut it short was due to time constraints. I tried sprinting to the end, but couldn't get my legs to move fast enough. Even after the run, I felt refreshed and wanted to run more. Pace was a good 12 minute mile, finishing in exactly 3 hours. Who knows maybe I'll run again tomorrow since I'll be at the beach anyway. A good recovery run on the sand would a great way to top off the week.

June 9, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

Repeat Tuesday run, same pace, strong finish.

June 7, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Hard to find time to run now since I started a new job. A quick run in the morning at a faster 11:30 pace. Kept the dirt trail in the park on my run to make sure my form is still good.

June 4, 2011 (Saturday) [11.4 miles]

My first 30 mile week in 23 years (when I was training for a marathon)! Of course Monday was Memorial Day (I measure a week starting on Monday), but 31 miles in six days is quite an accomplishment. I kept a consistent pace of about 12:30 throughout the run, and was considering completing another 13+ mile run, but decided that running longer would end up not being fun. The Rock'n' Roll Marathon and Half is tomorrow, but I didn't sign up even though I actually could have easily finished the half. I am considering doing the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon next year, as June is a good month weather wise.

June 1, 2011 (Wednesday) [5.8 miles]

I was planning on swimming this morning to give my legs some more rest from the long run on Monday, but there wasn't any soreness, so I decided to run anyway. I wasn't expecting to go far, since I just rode my bicycle the day before, but everything felt good, and the pace was pretty fast. Yesterday's bike ride was an easy recovery workout, and it was made even easier when my front derailleur cable broke early in the 20 mile ride, and I was forced to use the smallest chainring of a triple. Basically this meant I could not pedal fast enough to get my speed over 12 MPH. Maybe the high cadence helped my legs recover better.

May 30, 2011 (Monday) [13.9 miles]

The half-marathon-a-month continues (since November last year) even though I didn't think I would be able to this month. I think the four days off from bicycling kept my legs fresh. I also made sure to concentrate on my form, and spread my toes to widen my landing pad. The last few miles were pretty tough, mainly because my leg muscles were getting sore in different spots. The sun was shining bright, so the warm asphalt kept my feet dry. Pace slowed down near the end, but overall under a three hour half.

May 28, 2011 (Saturday) [6.0 miles]

The rest day was nice, but my muscles were still a little sore this morning. The first few miles felt good, and I was able to run downhill at speed, but eventually my leg muscles couldn't lift well anymore, and I had to abandon my attempt to go long. The AFC Half Marathon is still over two months away, so even if I don't get a 13+ mile run in this month, I have plenty of time to prepare.

May 26, 2011 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The Aquathlon took place at high tide, so the run was much more difficult as the sand was uneven, covered in seaweed, and wet. Not my best time, and my run didn't feel all that fast. My ankles took a beating as well as my soles since I scuffed my feet several times. I will be taking a rest day (from any exercise) on Friday, so hopefully I'll feel good for Saturday's run.

May 23, 2011 (Monday) [7.3 miles]

It's taking time to get back to my half marathon distance. I have also been bicycling and swimming quite a bit the past few weeks, so there are less rest days as I have had in the past. When I was training for the last two half marathons (January and April), swimming and bicycling took a back seat. Hopefully my body will adapt, and I can set my sights on a half Ironman distance triathlon sometime in the future.

May 21, 2011 (Saturday) [7.7 miles]

My legs were definitely feeling the effects of bicycle riding the past two days (31 + 25 miles). My feet didn't enjoy the dirt trail, so I knew I wasn't going the ten mile route today. There were a few sections after mile 6 that felt good enough to pick up my pace, and I felt good enough at the end to have a sprint finish. My weekly mileage is finally back up over 20, first time in five weeks. The monthly TriClub Aquathlons begin this week, so I will have to schedule my runs around this Thursday.

May 18, 2011 (Wednesday) [4.5 miles]

Not the greatest run today. Many factors may have contributed to my lack of energy and sensitivity of my feet. I rained yesterday and this morning, so I had to wait until the streets dried up to do a lunchtime run. Because the wind was so strong, I had to layer up more than usual. For some strange reason, everything seemed to stick to my feet today, and I had to stop to brush stuff off several times. Most of today's run was sidewalk, as the asphalt felt rougher today. I will rest a couple of days from running, as Friday is Bike-to-Work day.

May 16, 2011 (Monday) [10.1 miles]

I was a bit sore on Sunday morning, so I went for a swim instead. Rain is forecast for tomorrow, so the extra rest day would allow me to attempt a long run today. At mile 5 (after the short dirt trail around the park) things felt good, so I knew I would be able to go at least 10. I thought I might be able to go further, but as I got closer to home my feet were starting to get more sensitive. I attempted to go one more loop around the block were I arrived home, but stopped when I felt that it would do more harm than good. After showering, I noticed a little blister on my third toe on my right foot just along the nail line.

May 14, 2011 (Saturday) [6.9 miles]

My legs felt strong this morning, so I ran at a faster pace. I felt so good at the end that I when around the block again. Pace was 10:30 minutes per mile. Hopefully I feel good enough tomorrow to be able to run again.

May 12, 2011 (Thursday) [5.7 miles]

Felt pretty tired this morning when I started my run, maybe it was the 20 miles bicycle ride yesterday. The top of my right foot was starting to hurt during the last mile, which is odd since I normally never have any pain on the tops of my feet. It doesn't look as if I'll be running long again for a while, as I think my fitness level has dropped since last month.

May 10, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.0 miles]

Felt much better this morning with little soreness in my muscles, but did not feel strong after 3 miles, so I knew I wasn't going to run long (10+) today. I will focus on getting the weekly mileage back up over 20, then I should be strong enough for a long run.

May 8, 2011 (Sunday) [3.1 miles]

Felt good this morning, so I went out for another run. Normally I won't run consecutive days, but since yesterday's was short, there's nothing to recover from.

May 7, 2011 (Saturday) [3.1 miles]

I think last Sunday's IBRD run that was entirely on a smooth concrete path strained some muscles around my right Achilles tendon. Although last Tuesday's run felt great, there was some soreness in that area even before I started the run, but since it went away during the run, I went longer. My theory on my injury is that because of the lack feedback from the ground, my stride changed, and those muscles were not used to being used so long. Normally I would spend most of my runs on rougher asphalt, mixing up different surfaces along the way. I was icing the area most of the week, but it was only today where it felt good enough to run on, but not too long. I've been swimming and bicycling more this week to allow the running muscles to recover. The AFC Half is 15 weeks away, so there no rush to up the mileage, but I have been completing a long run of at least 13.1 miles each month since November last year, so hopefully in the next 4 weeks I'll feel good enough for a long run.

May 3, 2011 (Tuesday) [7.4 miles]

My muscles were still a little sore this morning, so I wasn't sure how far I could go. After a few miles they started to feel better. I concentrated on lifting my legs from my hip, which I haven't been doing since I completed the Half Marathon a few weeks ago. My feet felt much better throughout the run, and I only stopped because my muscles were getting tired. Hopefully I'll be running my 10 plus mile training runs again.

May 1, 2011 (Sunday) [4.2 miles]

Met up with other barefoot runners today for International Barefoot Runners Day down at Mission Bay. I got there a little early, and warmed up for a half mile or so. I think the last time I ran around Mission Bay was about 20 years ago. The concrete walk/bike way is nice for barefoot running, and the group of 7 runners ran about 3.5 miles together. I was actually quite nice to run with a group without have all that noise from shoes drowning out the conversion. Hopefully the group can meet up again in the near future.

April 29, 2011 (Friday) [3.1 miles]

Started the run not feeling strong, but sometimes after warming up things feel better. Not today. Maybe I should rest a few days to allow my legs to fully recover.

April 27, 2011 (Wednesday) [5.2 miles]

Not sure why I'm not able to complete my longer runs. This is my second attempt this week, but had to cut it short because things didn't feel right. Hopefully Friday's run will be better. I think the trail run on Saturday really took a lot out of me, or maybe I'm still recovering from the La Jolla Half.

April 25, 2011 (Monday) [4.8 miles]

I was thinking I could run at least a 10K today, but my feet and legs told me to cut it short. I think I need some more rest from the trail run I did a few days ago, as trail running uses more variety of muscles than on pavement. At least the sun was out today, and the warm asphalt feel good.

April 23, 2011 (Saturday) [6.7 miles]

I decided to try out the new trailhead into the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve from Camino Ruiz Park. The 1.5 miles on the street was a good warm up before the trails. The path to the main canyon trails is about 3000 meters and a very narrow single track, with lots of low hanging tree branches. So in addition to watching where I step, I also have to watch above. There is one part of the trail that goes through a tree which had two branches forming a V. There is also a steep section that is lined with decorative concrete blocks (the kind used for screen walls) laid flat to hold some dirt. I ran the south part of the canyon trail east to the exit. Normally I run the north trail (e.g. back in August 14, 2010), so this was a new experience. I remember from the past when I Mt.Biked the trails, that the south trail is rougher. The end of the trail was about 1000 meters of dirt mixed with various sizes of gravel with such high density that there was no smooth dirt to step on. I had to stop and rest several times, as my lower leg muscle were getting sore. The last 100 meters I had to walk since I was too tired, and I still had 4 miles to get home. Total trail distance was about 2 miles.

April 21, 2011 (Thursday) [6.5 miles]

Slowly building back up the mileage. I was thinking I might do a long run on the weekend, but after today's run, maybe not. My leg muscles still feel a bit heavy. I think I'll try the trails on the weekend to spice things up a bit.

April 19, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

There was some lingering soreness on the top of my left foot, but this didn't seem to cause any problems during today's run. I think I strained it on the downhills of Sunday's run, since I wasn't accustomed to running downhill so much, or so fast. My legs were a bit sore on the slight uphill today, but I think I'll recover faster than I did after the Carlsbad Half in January, since my barefoot form is much better now.

April 17, 2011 (Sunday) [13.1 miles]

It was a bit foggy this morning, but that meant that is wasn't so cold. I arrived at the finish to catch the 1st bus to the start at 4:30 a.m. I didn't get much sleep as I couldn't find my race belt that I normally use for my race bib. I ended up pinning the number to my shorts, since I don't wear a shirt. My IT band started acting up around mile 9, and other muscles started hurting as well, so I wasn't able to beat my Carlsbad Half time, but only added 5 minutes with a finishing time of 2:35:10. The hills were tricky mainly because I had to maneuver through all the walkers. I took it really easy on the downhills, especially the big drop at mile 10. I'm looking forward to the AFC Half in August to get the Triple Crown this year. When I got home to take a shower, I opened my drawer to get some fresh clothes, and behold there was the race belt.

April 14, 2011 (Thursday) [3.1 miles]

Easy 5K before the race. Weather should be great (no rain or drizzle) on Sunday.

April 12, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Taper week. Keep on the rough stuff to make sure my form is still good.

April 10, 2011 (Sunday) [4.6 miles]

One more week before race day. Covered the last part of the course using a one-way two-car method. I started in the morning at about the same time as I'd be on the course on race day, to get a feel for the sun angles. The course mile marks are clearly painted on the roadway, so it'll be easy to check my pace during the race. The downhills are still hard, so I may have to take it easy to avoid getting injured before I finish. The weather forecast for Sunday looks great. Low temperature should be in the upper 50s, with a high of 70° F. I think the only part of the course I have not run barefoot would be the first 1.5 miles. I just remembered that I ran miles 1.5 to 3 last year in September.

April 7, 2011 (Thursday) [4.6 miles]

Covered some more of the race course today, miles 7 to 9. The only parts I haven't run barefoot are mile 0-3, and 9-10. I ran through the super rough section again (at mile 7), but went through pretty quickly, now that I know it only about 100 meters. There are rough sections, but most of the course is pretty barefoot friendly, so the only hard part would be going downhills at speed.

April 4, 2011 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

With my long distance training complete, I can now concentrate on my speed. Today's run was at race pace (11 minute per mile) on the roughest surfaces I could find, which also included the dirt path around the park. I ate breakfast 2 hours before the run, but the faster pace would probably works best on an empty stomach. On race day, there would be about 3 to 4 hours after eating, as I have to drive to the finish, take the shuttle to the start, and hang around for a while. I haven't yet experimented with anything but water during a run, but for something as short as 13 miles, I don't seem to need anything extra. Breakfast does help on long runs, so I will definitely eat before the race.

March 31, 2011 (Thursday) [8.6 miles]

A nice warm spring day and necessary recovery run tempted me to head to the beach. The low tide was at 2 in the afternoon, so I started my run near noon. Even though today was a weekday, it's also spring break for some students, and a holiday (Cesar Chavez) for others. Parking was a bit difficult, but I managed to park a few blocks from the beach. I decided to head north past the rocky tide pools into a secluded beach area. The wet, algae and barnacle covered rocks were a bit tricky but once past them I was rewarded with a wide, flat, and uncrowded beach. I continued north until the next set of rocky cliffs and turned around. About a mile from my finish I started to feel some tenderness in my feet. After I got home and mapped out the route I ended up running much more than I had planned.

March 29, 2011 (Tuesday) [14.3 miles]

A good two days of rest from any exercise did some good. I tried something different this morning; I ate breakfast (OJ, banana, oatmeal) an hour before I started my run. I normally don't eat before a run, because in the past (with shoes) food does not settle in my stomach. I guess the smooth stride of barefoot running doesn't jiggle your inners, so I didn't have any problems. The extra energy seems to help as I wasn't as fatigued after mile 10. I picked up the pace on my way home, and decided to go around the block again to add an extra third of a mile. Pace was just under a 13 minute mile, which is well under a 3 hour half marathon. I'm glad I was able to get one last 13+ run in this month before the race. Since November last year, I have run at least one 13.1 or longer run each month. It's now safe to declare that my left Flexor Digitorum Longus muscle is 100% healed.

March 26, 2011 (Saturday) [9.7 miles]

It was cloudy and cool this morning, but the streets were dry. Some more rain is predicted tonight, so tomorrow morning looks to be wet. If I was to get my run in this weekend, today would be the day. My legs were still tired from my bicycle ride on Thursday, but after a mile into the run things felt better. At about mile 7, I was wondering if I could go longer than 10 today, and then it was starting to drizzle. After a few more miles, the streets started to get wet, and the skin on my feet was getting moist enough for every little rock to stick on it. The last mile home required me to use my 'wet' stride. Next week's weather looks sunny and warm, so maybe I can get one more long run in before the race.

March 23, 2011 (Wednesday) [6.6 miles]

The rain showers never really stopped yesterday. The sun would come out and dry the streets, then another shower would wet them again. I decided to take another rest day as my left Flexor Digitorum Longus was still sore when pressed. The sunrise was clear this morning, but that also meant the temperature was cold (41° F). I decided to run at a faster pace to see how my muscles would hold up, and save the long run for this weekend. I was able to maintain a 12 minute mile pace even though much of the run was in the street. Looks like I am fully recovered from my injury 2½ weeks ago.

March 20, 2011 (Sunday) [10.0 miles]

My injured left muscle wasn't sore this morning, so I was thinking things would go good today. I concentrated on lifting my legs from the hip, to keep me from pushing too hard off my toes. I was noticing that my right leg had the same muscle soreness as my left, but it never broke. I always thought that is was tendonitis for the last few months, until I realized that there are muscles in the lower leg under the Achilles tendon. Three more training weeks to go before the La Jolla Half Marathon, so hopefully I can get one more long run of 13 or more within the next week, since I will want to taper down a few weeks before race day.

March 18, 2011 (Friday) [5.4 miles]

My injured muscle didn't give me many problems today, but I wasn't stressing it either. I tried out the dirt trail around the park to extend my run, and as I was exiting I noticed that the trail head into the big canyon was open. It had been closed for several weeks after all the rain we have had. I tried out the beginning portion about 800 meters, but it started to get pretty steep and rocky, so I decided to try again when my legs are fresh. I had already ran 3 miles at this point, but if I go directly from my house it would only be about 1.3. Rain is predicted again in a few days, so the trail will be closed again for a while. My injured muscle started to hurt again near the end of my run so I tried to change my form to lessen the stress. I found that if I lifted my legs using the muscles in my upper leg, my feet didn't have to work so hard. Another ah-ha moment. Maybe this is why the muscle got hurt in the first place. I have been flexing my toes to help lift my leg, when I should have been using the muscles from my hip. Not much soreness after the run, so hopefully I can squeeze in a run on Sunday between the rain showers.

March 16, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.2 miles]

My injured muscle is starting to feel better, so I started slow and easy to let it warm up in hopes that I could go longer today. There were a few twinges of pain, but I need the muscle to be 100% by next month, so I had to remind myself to go slow. I decided to go short and see how if feels the next day. I picked up the pace a block from home, just to test the muscle, and it held up pretty good. A bit sore afterwards, but if it feels good tomorrow, I'll run again.

March 14, 2011 (Monday) [3.0 miles]

I can't remember how long it takes for a muscle to heal from a strain. The last muscle injury I had years ago was a torn calf, and that took over a month to heal. I was able to run longer today, but I could still feel a little tightness in the muscle. On the last mile home I had to ease back since this muscle was getting sore again. I think if I had eased back the first time, the muscle wouldn't have been injured so bad. Now I know better.

March 12, 2011 (Saturday) [1.3 miles]

Last Sunday's run really did some damage. There a muscle under my Achilles tendon called the Flexor Digitorum Longus that I strained on that run. There was a little redness about 2 cm in diameter that spread to the entire muscle (2/3 of lower leg) the next morning. This muscle's tendon passes under the foot, and is used by the four toes (not the big toe, which is a different muscle called Flexor Hallucis Longus) for gripping. This appears to be a barefoot only muscle since there's no need to grip with your toes in shoes. The redness went away by Tuesday, but the muscle was still sore. I tried running on the track on Wednesday, and the first 100 meters felt good, but then the muscle started hurting half way around the track, so I walked across the infield and called it a day. In the beginning of today's run, the muscle was slightly sore, but after the first mile when I was warmed up, there wasn't much pain. I decided to stop early, and see how the muscle recovers. With only four more weekends before the La Jolla Half all my muscles need to be in prime shape.

March 6, 2011 (Sunday) [10.0 miles]

I thought that with some extra days off today's run would be easy. I guess all this weekly mileage is starting to take it's toll. I increased my miles this week up to 27 with only three runs. Tomorrow is a chance of rain, so perhaps next week's mileage won't be as high. My left Achilles was sore the last mile, so it was hard to land my foot correctly, and my right IT band was starting to get tight. I did my rough asphalt route at about a 14 minute mile, which is about a minute faster per mile than the last time I did it. La Jolla Half is only six weeks away, so I need to start planning my runs leading up to the race. There are still two sections of the course I have not covered.

March 2, 2011 (Wednesday) [7.3 miles]

March last year marks the first full month of continuous barefoot running. Since that time I have run every week without any major injuries, and completed over 700 miles in those 12 months. For today's run, I did some Fartlek training to spice things up a bit. The speed work was done on the sidewalk, but I did try an interval on the dirt trail around the park, but this quickly tired my muscles, and I could only go about 300 meters, before having to reduce my speed. The last two miles home were difficult as my muscles were trashed and it was difficult to keep proper form. I even found myself heel striking (more of a roll from heel to toe), and had to correct myself.

February 28, 2011 (Monday) [10.2 miles]

I set a monthly mileage high for this short month at 90 miles. I was finally able to complete my rough course and still be able to handle the dirt trail at mile 8. My previous attempts always fell short, as I never felt good enough to handle the dirt, and took the short way home. The rough asphalt is still tough on the feet, but I am able to run comfortably as long as I slow my pace down. It's strange that during the first two miles my feet didn't feel that great, but after I warmed up, everything was OK. I guess with stiff muscles, my form is really bad.

February 24, 2011 (Thursday) [14.0 miles]

With rain predicted the next few days, I decided to do my long run today. Instead of beating up my feet at the start (they are still a bit sore from a few days ago), I decided to go back to my previous long run plan that I did last year. Basically, go slow and easy on the sidewalk for the first 5 miles. Today was also a fitness test, as I should be in better shape than I was before the Carlsbad Half last month. Even when running on the sidewalk, I kept my light touch and good form, which allowed my feet to recover from between the times of the rougher asphalt. I also discovered that if I spread my toes to make my foot wider it both provides a greater contact area, and makes the skin deform less. I estimate about half the distance today was sidewalk, but I did set a new long run distance at a pace that would get me a 3 hour half marathon.

February 22, 2011 (Tuesday) [8.9 miles]

I am continuing my rough asphalt training while increasing my distance, but the rough asphalt is so hard to run fast on. This training will pay off, as I am learning to perfect my landing. I am already noticing that my feet react quicker when I step on an occasional rock, and there is less pain lingering. In the past, the pain may last up to a half mile, now it's just a few steps.

February 20, 2011 (Sunday) [6.2 miles]

The streets were still wet this morning from the rain last night but the sun was shining. I figured that by noon the streets would be dry, and they were. I covered the last 3.1 miles of the La Jolla Half course, which includes a few hills. The surface was actually pretty smooth, as least compared to the chip and seal Carlsbad course. I was able to figure out how to go downhill faster, but still have a light foot landing to minimize impact. By lowering my hips closer to the ground I was able to increase the cadence and still maintain a nice quiet step. Only problem was that this uses a different set of muscles, and I could really feel the muscles starting to cramp after a while.

February 17, 2011 (Thursday) [8.7 miles]

The first round of rain has passed, and today is nice and sunny. There are a few wet spots out there and the streets are clean. The next storm arrives tomorrow, and may last the entire weekend. I tried to run another 10 miler, but my muscles weren't up to it, so I cut it short. Training is so much harder when you don't allow yourself to bail out and run on the sidewalk. I remember in the past, I would end the runs with sore feet, and had to run on the sidewalk to minimize the pain. I'm just short of a 20 mile week (my week ends on Sundays), but maybe the rain will break long enough for my to get a short run in, or maybe I'll just run in the rain.

February 15, 2011 (Tuesday) [10.0 miles]

I tired something different today with my foot landing. Instead of the whole forefoot coming down at once, I had the outer side come down first. I could not do this until now, since I did not have the dexterity to move individual parts of my foot. So the forefoot actually rolls side to side before my heel strikes, and the slapping sound that I had made before is minimized. With the rain coming back for the week, I will have to time my runs between the storms. I was surprised I could run so far today, given the hill workout a few days ago.

February 13, 2011 (Sunday) [8.4 miles]

Finally back up to a 20 mile week. I ran miles 3 to 7 of La Jolla Half Marathon course, which includes a 500 ft climb in just over a mile. This is probably the longest, steepest climb of the course, and although sections of the road were rough (sometimes extremely rough), I made it to the top without much problem. I went down a different less steep way on the return trip, because I wasn't sure if I was ready to handle extreme downhills yet. The views of the ocean are just spectacular, but I must remember to keep an eye on the road, as I got a bruise in the middle of my arch when I stepped on a rock.

February 10, 2011 (Thursday) [5.2 miles]

Looks like it will take a while to get the distance back. I was hoping to go longer today, but cut it short because my muscles were still a bit sore from the run a few days ago. I am running on more hills and staying on the asphalt, so that may be a factor in the slow gains. Before, I would take it easy on the sidewalk the first half of a long run, but that ends up giving me a false sense of confidence. The rougher surfaces require your muscles to work more since you can't get lazy without feeling the pain.

February 8, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Slowly building back up the longer distances, but now on rougher surfaces. I hope to be able to get up to 10 miles again soon. The city did their monthly street sweep a few days ago, so there is very little glass and loose rocks in the streets.

February 6, 2011 (Sunday) [7.7 miles]

I was hoping that I didn't lose too much of my fitness the past few weeks, but fitness fades fast when you rest too much. Now that I know how rough it can be on a race course, there's no excuse to use the sidewalk during training unless for safety reasons. There were sections of the asphalt on my training route that I would find uncomfortable, and end up using the sidewalk to save my legs to go longer later. With the memory of the chip and seal at Carlsbad still fresh in my mind, I found that any asphalt around my neighborhood is just fine. I have been concentrating on landing my foot under my body, and near the end of my run, my legs were just getting tired, but my feet wanted more.

February 3, 2011 (Thursday) [4.8 miles]

I wanted to run earlier in the week, but I had a cold that killed my energy levels for a few days. I am now concentrating on form, and staying off the sidewalk. I found that much of the noise made from the slap of my foot could be eliminated if I don't extend my leg forward. The leg extension is an old habit of a heel striking shod runner. I ran on the dirt path around the park at around mile 3, and I was actually able to hold a good pace. That dirt path is much smoother than the rougher asphalt I encountered in the Carlsbad Half course. I'll spent the next few weeks working up my weekly mileage again before running on the La Jolla Half course.

January 30, 2011 (Sunday) [4.6 miles]

I just felt this need to go back to the Carlsbad course again this week. Actually it was kind of nice having coffee after the workout the past few weeks with the group talking about the upcoming Carlsbad Half, now I can talk about the race itself. The asphalt really is rough. I think if I had to do it again, I would actually run repeats of this rough section, since I haven't found such conditions elsewhere. My legs muscles seem to be recovered, and I can start running longer again. My next race is the La Jolla Half Marathon, which I have done 4 times before with shoes in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1993. The race is point-to-point, so it will take a while to try out the entire course. Hopefully I can work up my long run to around 15 before the race.

January 26, 2011 (Wednesday) [2.5 miles]

My quads were still sore several days after the race, but they felt good enough for a light track workout, or so I thought. I usually warm up about a mile, but after twice around the track my legs were feeling very heavy. Some laps felt better than others, but I could tell I wasn't in the best form. Perhaps a few more days of rest, and I'll try running again. I pretty sure this week's mileage will be much lower.

January 23, 2011 (Sunday) [13.4 miles]

Race day. I forgot how a group of 8,500 runners looks like. I got to the race early, and watched the 1,500 Marathon runners start, at 6 a.m. in the dark. The half marathon race start was in waves, and I started way in back, about a third of a mile from the start. Since I already checked in my warm up gear (and flip flops), and had to barefoot it some extra distance. The 2:30 pace group was up at the beginning, but I started at the back, so that I could get a clear view for each of my steps. First mile split was 11:20. The rough section I encountered last week, was not much better in the middle of the street, so I just toughed it out for two miles, until the newly paved section, where I was able to pick up the pace. At about mile 8, I caught up with the 2:30 pace group, and sped ahead, knowing that I would probably have to slow down again when the asphalt got too rough. The rough stuff ended up hurting too much, that I ran on the painted bike lane line. My quads ended up too sore at the last mile (and the street was rough too), and it looked like my 2:30 time was in jeopardy, but I managed to finished at 2:30:53, with the last mile at a slow 14 minute mile. I only ran into one barefoot runner who was struggling because she had only trained on the sidewalk, and I thought there was another, but he was carrying his shoes for the last few miles due to chafing. At least a half dozen were wearing VFFs, at least in my wave. Looking back at my splits, at mile 8, I was on target to finish at 2:18, and at mile 12, 2:27.

January 20, 2011 (Thursday) [3.1 miles]

Nice slow 11 minute miles. Next run Carlsbad Half on Sunday.

January 18, 2011 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

Take it easy, that's my goal this week. OK, a short easy 5K run this morning. Only problem is that as I progressed into the run, my split times for each mile dropped: 10:35, 9:44. 8:36. Weather forecast for race day, Sunny, high 70°F, low 49°F, just perfect for barefoot, shirtless running.

January 16, 2011 (Sunday) [9.0 miles]

I started my run this morning at the Carlsbad Half start area, and ran to the park to meet up with the Sunday run group I ran with last week, which is about 2.5 miles from the start. After a 15 minute rest, I proceeded down the street of the race course. Sections of the bike lane were pretty rough, but the center of the street looked smoother. After a little while, I got tired of the rough stuff, and ran on the beach sand for about a mile. Another hour rest for some coffee and socializing, then I headed back on the race course to get to the finish. I missed a turn, but was able to find my way back, and my feet felt fantastic at the end. Now I have to carefully plan my run days leading up to the race. This week's total was the highest ever at 25 miles.

January 13, 2011 (Thursday) [9.6 miles]

I'm almost back to my fitness level of last month. The cut on my left foot is pretty much healed, there is still a little depression, but since it is not on a high pressure area, and didn't really give me much problems today. The pace today was 11:55, but actually felt slower. I will likely finish the Carlsbad Half Marathon in less than 3 hours, but will probably save the 2:30 barrier for La Jolla Half, or AFC Half later in the year. The end of my middle toe on my right foot is a bit sensitive (actually started feeling that way after Tuesday's run), but no blister. The key to going long is to keep proper form and light steps. As my muscles get tired, it's hard to keep good form. I must remember this important rule during the race. Hopefully this Sunday, I'll be able to try out the beginning and end of the race course.

January 11, 2011 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Just 11 more days until the Carlsbad Half. The long range weather report calls for sunny skies, let's hope that doesn't change. I would still like to do a longer run of around ten miles before the Half, but I am running out of time. My last training run will likely be a 10K around Wednesday or Thursday. So if I want to do a long run, it would have to be within the next five days. I started feeling the little spot that's healing about mile 5, so I kept it short today. The pace wasn't bad, about a 10:45. My muscles aren't quite in shape, since I've kept things easy for the last few weeks while my cut was healing. I think the first priority it to allow the wound to heal, and not get any new injuries. There was plenty of glass on the roads today, so I found myself running a lot on the sidewalk.

January 9, 2011 (Sunday) [4.6 miles]

The athletic tape wrapped seems kind of tight yesterday, so this morning, I decided to wrap it a bit looser. When the foot presses to the ground, it actually expand in diameter quite a bit. I tried several times to find the correct wrap tightness that would allow my foot to expand without feeling pressure, but the tape kept coming loose and exposing the area I was trying to protect. I was meeting up with a running group in Carlsbad and didn't want to spend anymore time with the tape. I decided that I'd just run without any tape and see how far I could go. I was able to find someone running at a pace I found comfortable, and he was planning on going about 4 miles or so, so we just talked the whole time. I had no problems with the healing cut, since there was no slit to trap any dirt or rocks, just a small depressed area.

January 8, 2011 (Saturday) [1.0 miles]

Just a quick test run to see how the athletic tape will hold up on a run. I wrapped my forefoot area this morning, and spend most of the day walking with it to see how comfortable a wrapped foot would be. In the afternoon, I tried a quick mile run, and it held up pretty good. One of my concerns is the back edge of the tape doesn't stick to the skin around the arch. When I took the tape off, there were a few little rocks there but none worked their way to the injured area. As my skin is healing, the depression is getting slightly larger in diameter as more dead skin cells develop. There no pain when I apply pressure, so tomorrow's run should be OK, as long as I don't get the tape wet.

January 5, 2011 (Wednesday) [3.0 miles]

Warm asphalt is so nice. The rain is gone, the sun is out, and the streets are dry. The cut on my left foot seems like it was healed, but about a mile into the run, I noticed some more pain in that area. The cut left some missing skin that made a nice depression where dirt and rocks could accumulate. I decided to cut the run short, because my legs were still sore from the bicycle hill workout yesterday. After my shower, I had to dig out two small rocks in the depression, and now it's bleeding. The good thing is that my pace was just under a 10 minute mile, and I wasn't even trying to run fast.

January 2, 2011 (Sunday) [3.1 miles]

I haven't been to the Wednesday track workouts in several weeks due to the rainy or wet conditions. This coming Wednesday doesn't look promising, so I decided to do my own speed workout. I did my slightly hilly 5K route, and actually wore my watch and timed my splits. The first two miles were at 9:45 minutes per mile, and the last mile which has the hilliest part was down to a 10:10. Finish time was 30:40 for an average of 9:54. I think the hardest part was running downhill at a faster pace. Normally I would take it really easy on the downhills with short strides, and a slower cadence, but with the clock running I tried to maintain the same stride. In the end, my left foot had a few hot spots on the front of my normal forefoot pad, and I must have stepped on something sharp behind my forefoot pad because the skin cut slightly, but no blood.

==== 2 0 1 0 ==== (571.8 miles, Max 13.4) ====

My first year of barefoot running. My main goal was to complete a sprint distance triathlon. It took two months to run a mile, four month to run 3 miles. Ran 13.1 miles for the first time in years. I was amazing how I could increase my distance each month and not get injured. Tried trail running for the first time, and loved the challenge.

December 31, 2010 (Tuesday) [11.7 miles]

A nice clear sunny morning, temperature at 36°, brrrr. I had to run fast to stay warm, but the faster pace really took it's toll on my muscles around mile 9, where I had to slow slightly. Finishing pace was an 11 minute mile, but the first part of the run felt as fast as my last shorter run (10:20). An 11 minute mile is good for a sub 2:30 half marathon, so I think I should be able to hang with the 2:30 pace group at the race.

December 28, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

A bit cool this morning, but that always make me run faster. I spend most of the time on the asphalt except for those few spots near a pothole where there is scattered, loose rocks everywhere. Best pace so far for this distance, a 10:20 minute per mile. If I can keep up that pace, I'd finish the half marathon in 2:15. At the end, I sprinted towards the end, with a very strong finish.

December 24, 2010 (Friday) [12.0 miles]

The rain is finally over, at least for a few days. Rain is predicted next week as well. My 20 miles weeks ended at 8 weeks. This has been my longest break from running since May. I figured with the extra days of rest, I could do another long run, but my legs didn't cooperate. In fact I was so determined to run long that I took a long loop away from my house after 9 miles. At mile 11 though, I had to walk, and my legs just didn't want to move. My feet felt fine, but after walking more than running, then walking slower and slower, I called in for backup, and hitched a ride home instead of trying to finish off the last mile. The nice thing about the run was that there were many sections that were still wet, and lots of runoff that I could not run around, but my wet feet didn't have any problems. The frequency of the rain this season increases the chance of wet streets on race day, now only 29 days away, but I'm ready for it.

December 18, 2010 (Saturday) [1.0 miles]

Today was an experiment more than anything else. I just purchased a four bottle (7oz each) FuelBelt and was anxious to try it out. The streets are still wet from the drizzle and light rain that will be the pattern for several more days. I haven't run with only a day rest after a long run. But the main reason for today's run was that I was just short of logging 20 miles this week(only 19.9) after my last run. I was planning to go about 2 miles this morning, but cut it short when I realized that my legs were still stiff, and my form was not a smooth as I would have liked. The FuelBelt was nice once I adjust the belt pretty tight to keep it from bouncing, but at three pounds fully loaded I could definitely notice the extra weight. The wet roads made it easy to see the small rocks in the road, and the air temperature was a nice 59°F.

December 16, 2010 (Thursday) [13.4 miles]

A little rain this morning, but it finally dried up enough for me to get a long run in. The next five days are likely to rain as well, so I have to squeeze in a run when the streets dry out. I started out at pace that I thought I could maintain for the entire run. I did pretty good until the last mile, when my muscles started to cramp slightly. I maintained good form throughout the run, so the bottoms of my feet actually felt good the whole time. I used a different route, and really didn't know how far I was going. My initial estimate was 14 mile or more, but it ended up being the same as my last longest run. At least I was able to finish under three hours.

December 13, 2010 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

Still trying to find the right balance of speed and distance to get me through the upcoming half marathon at optimal performance. I have found that if I go faster, then my feet take more of a beating, and start getting more sensitive earlier. If I go slow, then, well I just go slow. I felt more tired than usual this morning, so I just went at the half marathon pace, just under a 12 minute mile. I could have easily run longer, but it just felt good to finish a run without grimacing in pain at the end. A rather large storm is approaching this weekend, so I'm not sure when(or if) I'll be able to do my long run this week. Actually some extra rest wouldn't be bad either, since I have been logging at least 20 miles a week for the past 7 weeks. I need to figure out how I want to taper a few weeks before race day.

December 10, 2010 (Friday) [10.0 miles]

I ventured further from my home than before, heading out over 4 miles away at the start of my run. I started out at a comfortable fast pace, but by mile 8, my feet were starting to feel the ground more, and I had to slow my pace way down. It's always nice to try a different route once in a while, to be prepared for the unexpected. The extension route included a little trail off the side of the road, but once I saw a broken bottle in the dirt path, I decided that the bike lane was a better choice. It's hard enough finding a place to step with all the rocks, and I'm sure there's more glass in the dirt then I could not see. Also along the route were several sections of pine tree lined sidewalk. I noticed some shining objects that look like glass directly under each tree. After about the fifth tree, I thought that maybe this wasn't glass, since every single pine tree had these underneath. I stopped and touched one with my finger, and it stuck. Now I have a sticky pine sap finger. I was careful not to step in too much of the sap, as this would allow other objects to cling to the bottom of my foot. After my run and shower, I had to use alcohol to remove the dirt infested sap residue. Average pace 12:50 minute per mile.

December 8, 2010 (Wednesday) [4.0 miles]

Great track workout tonight, which also included some bleacher work. It was interesting to see the fog form in the middle of the grassy track. A slight breeze would move the cloud (less than a meter high) over the lanes, and when the wind was calm again, another cloud would form. One section of the track was slightly wet, but I was able to handle it without any problems. Jumping down the concrete bleaches (seat part, double step) was a bit tricky, but I was able to lower my center of gravity before taking the leap to avoid a hard impact. My pads are back to the thickness before my barefoot rain run a few months ago, so now I'm ready for any condition at the Carlsbad Half, now 44 days away.

December 6, 2010 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

A cloudy morning, so I waited until just before noon to get as much sun as possible (not much). I went as fast as I could on the sidewalk sections, and even though in the end I wanted to go further, I decided that speed was most important. After calculating the time, I averaged a 10:55 minute per mile. A different set of muscles were sore than my slower runs, so the faster pace definitely did some good.

December 3, 2010 (Friday) [13.4 miles]

A bit warmer than normal this morning at 42°F, but I still was worried about my hands getting cold. I tried using some disposable Nitrile gloves at the start, and they seems to help. When I took them off at mile 5, they were totally wet from my sweat. Since I already met my distance goal a few weeks ago, I didn't need to go so easy in the beginning. My hamstrings were starting to feel sore after mile 10, but I felt I could push them a bit more today, since I didn't do my normal Wednesday track this week. The pads on my feet have been getting thicker from all the daily gravel training I did the last week, so I was able to go faster through the rougher sections, especially the dirt path at the park. Overall pace was just under a 14 minute mile, so it looks like I won't have any problems finishing the Half Marathon next month in under three hours. Big milestone with today's run, total miles barefoot is 500.

November 29, 2010 (Monday) [6.6 miles]

With all the emphasis on distance, I completely forgot about all the foot conditioning I used to do by walking on the gravel around my house. I did this in preparation for trail running, which I haven't done in several months. So from now on I'll make a daily routine of spending a few minutes walking on the gravel. Today's morning run was slightly warmer than last Friday. Even though the temperature was 37° F, it was windy, and since I left less than an hour after sunrise, the ground was still cold. My feet were slight numb most of the run, but I could still feel things on the ground. I concentrated on picking up the pace, which also kept me warmer. I felt as if I was running much faster than last week's 10K run, but the pace was only about 10 seconds or so faster per mile.

November 26, 2010 (Friday) [10.0 miles]

I woke up early at 3:30 a.m. to get to some of the Black Friday Sales. The temperature was 36° F. The sunrise was very clear, so I decided to get an early start on my run at 7:30 a.m. Although the sun was shining bright, the temperature when I left was 34° F (1° C). The first part of my run was OK, until I when down into the canyon, where the temperature was near freezing. By the time I got up out of the canyon, my hands were numb, and my thumbs had no feeling at all. My feet actually felt fine the entire time. The sidewalk was cold, and I tried to run in the sun as much as possible. My muscles still felt sore, and in particular my left calf was getting tired. The good news was that my IT band gave me no problems at all. I guess all those form roll exercises are working. When I finished at 10 a.m. the temperature was still only 50° F.

November 24, 2010 (Wednesday) [3.5 miles]

I'm a bit behind on today's entry. The workout was shorter intervals (one lap), in which I was doing about a 9 minute mile pace. Much cooler tonight than previous weeks, lots of people wearing caps and long sleeves. Friday's morning forecast is pretty cold.

November 22, 2010 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

A little break in the rain today allowed me to get a run in, and there is a chance of showers tomorrow. The temperature was 43° F (6° C) this morning, so I waited until the sun warmed (and dried) things up a bit. Wet potholes tend to get more damaged, as I found several times where I had to move to the sidewalk to avoid the rock debris. My muscles were still a bit sore from last week, but I tried to increase my pace as much as possible, and ended up with about a 11 and a half minute mile. My goal now is to finish the half marathon in under 3 hours (13:44 per mile).

November 19, 2010 (Friday) [13.1 miles]

As I started out this morning, my feet were already sensitive, so I wasn't sure how long I would be able to go. I concentrated on minimizing the time my feet were on the ground by using quick light steps. Although this takes more muscle energy to perform, my feet really appreciate it. Because of the upcoming storm, the sun won't be coming up today, and made for perfect running weather. Why I brought sunglasses, I'm not sure, as most of the time they were on top of my head. My pace was rather slow, over a 15 minute mile (yeah, I was out for over 3 hours), but I kept good form throughout the entire run, and in the end my feet felt fine. Some of the muscles in my right leg were starting to cramp during the last few miles, but I glad to get to the intended distance goal. At least after this run, I have no problems walking afterwards.

November 17, 2010 (Wednesday) [3.5 miles]

The extra rest seems to have made a difference as I was running much faster on the track than before. My resting heart rate is back to normal, as I have been taking a break from swimming and bicycling. Hopefully I can finish my long run on Friday, as the rain may not let up until late Monday.

November 15, 2010 (Monday) [6.5 miles]

My heart rate was still elevated this morning, but it's getting closer to normal. I spend the day at the San Diego Zoo yesterday, and did lots of walking in shoes. I may have to get some a pair of VFF for times where I don't want to go barefoot or use flip-flops. It sure felt good to take off the shoes and socks before the drive back home. My legs were slightly sore this morning, but I wanted to run today to allow rest before the track workout on Wednesday. Rain is predicted again for the weekend, so I'll be doing my long run on Friday again. Hopefully I'll feel good enough to extend my longest run to 13 or more miles. The 20 miles weeks are beginning to take their toll, as my legs seems tired all the time. No time or energy for bicycle rides either.

November 12, 2010 (Friday) [10.0 miles]

Just before getting out of bed this morning I measured my resting heart rate and it was elevated, a sure sign of over-training. I took a day off from exercise yesterday, so this was unexpected. My leg muscles were still a bit sore as well. I started my run knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to go as long as I wanted. I actually felt better after about 4 miles so I decided to take the 10 mile route. When your muscles get tired, your form falls apart, and every little rock hurts. Tired muscles don't respond as quickly, so it's hard to react to the initial contact of a foreign object. The last half mile home was painful, but I tried really hard to keep proper form. My goal is to increase my long run each week, but it seems as if I can only increase every two weeks. I have to come up with a plan to make sure that on race day, I'm totally ready.

November 10, 2010 (Wednesday) [3.5 miles]

The track workout last week seems to have helped my speed, so I'll continue to incorporate the workout into my training. I am posting this entry the day after, and my muscles were pretty sore when I woke up this morning, as the workout also included some form and strength exercises. The half marathon is now just ten weeks away, so I'll need to be careful not to get any injuries to allow time to recover. So far, I haven't had any major issues since I started barefoot running, and have not had to rest more than a week.

November 9, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

After my feet recovered on my last long run, I noticed that my left heel was still sore. Upon examination, it appears to be a small bruise just over a millimeter in diameter. After a few days I was able to walk on it, but it rained on Monday, so I got an extra day of rest. Now that daylight saving time is over, the sun is rising early again. This morning was 47° but the sunrise was clear, so the sun warmed me up. My feet were slightly numb for the first few miles, but once the sun warmed the ground, they felt better.

November 5, 2010 (Friday) [12.6 miles]

With the chance of rain this weekend (again), I decided to do my long run today. I really concentrated on keeping good form, and treading lightly with silent steps. I even walked up the hills to stretch out my legs, as my iliotibial band on my right leg seems to cause problems on the outside of my knee after longer distances. The occasional walk/stretch seems to have worked, as I was able to go much further today.

November 3, 2010 (Wednesday) [2.0 miles]

For the off-season, the TriClub of San Diego moved their evening running track workout from the dirt at a local High School to the lighted UCSD track which is a textured surface. Running fast on dirt is much harder than on a solid surface, so now is a perfect time to get some much needed speed work in. When I first got to the UCSD track, I saw a young lady on the track team running barefoot. The first thing I noticed was that there was a distinct slap as her feet hit the surface. I did the same thing when I first started running barefoot. Over the months, I was able to refine my form to where I was completely silent. As I started my first warm-up lap, I fell into a state of bliss. The surface has just the right texture to provide a good feel of the ground. Sidewalks tend to be too smooth, and asphalt tends to have more debris. As I came around the second turn of my first lap, I increased my speed to power pass another runner. Unfortunately, my form started to deteriorate, and the slap of the feet became pronounced, and he could hear my coming up from behind. OK, I guess I need some more work. So for the evening's workout, I concentrated on being silent, as no sound is a good sound.

November 2, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.0 miles]

I been running my 6 mile route for quite some time now. It has a nice mix of surfaces, that allow me to test my feet. Today my legs felt good, but my soles of my feet were pretty tender. The thickness that I miss the most is the part on my forefoot. I think that this is also the part that wears the most when I am going fast. With no rain in sight for at least the next week or so, I am free to run on any day I feel up to it.

October 31, 2010 (Sunday) [6.0 miles]

The sky was clear this morning making for a nice sunrise. I would definitely need the sun, as it was 48° F when I started my run. When you can see your breath in the air, you know it's cold. I didn't need much recovery time from my last run, so I pushed the pace, mainly to keep warm. I tried to stay on the asphalt as much as possible, but Sunday mornings are popular for cyclists and other runners, so I found myself jumping back and forth from the sidewalk to the street, depending on what was free. I was able to sprint to the finish as I felt strong. Not a bad October, I logged 83 miles, even though I ran less days than last month.

October 29, 2010 (Friday) [9.5 miles]

The weather forecast for Saturday morning is a chance of rain, so I decided to do my long run today. I had to cut it short because my legs didn't hold up. Sunday's weather should be nice, so maybe I can get one more run in before the month ends. Only 85 more days until the Half Marathon. I have to remain injury free, and keep the weekly mileage up.

October 26, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.0 miles]

It was just before noon before the sun came out and warmed everything up. I prefer running on the warm asphalt, with the sun shining. The area on my left heel where I gouged out a rock on my last run was very sensitive, and I was landing more forefoot than normal. Of course this put more stress on my arch, and after a mile it was starting to cramp. I was examining my foot strike, and noticed that I probably strike my heel harder than I should, which explains why I am developing a callus on the back part of my foot. You'd think that after all these months that I would have a perfect stride, but I'll take more time for everything to fall into place. Still working on getting my thick pads back, but at least I'm getting my legs conditioned to the miles. A good faster run today, just under a 11 minute mile pace.

October 23, 2010 (Saturday) [11.5 miles]

I wasn't sure if I would be running this morning because of all the morning drizzle we've been having. It ended up being a pretty nice day, with the sun coming out later in the morning. I decided to use my clear glasses instead of my darker ones because I didn't think the sun would poke through. At least my hat was able to shield out the sun. With softer feet, I concentrated on running lightly, even on the sidewalk. Previously, my thick pads allowed me to get sloppy on my running form, especially when the surface in smooth. I had to stop more often that usual to brush off my feet, and one time had to pry out a rock near my heel because I kept feeling something there. Pace was about a 13:15 min per mile, so I was out there just over 2.5 hours.

October 21, 2010 (Thursday) [6.0 miles]

The rain has been steady most of this week. The streets were wet again this morning, but by lunch time it was dry enough for me to run again. With thinner skin on the soles of my feet, I concentrated on treading lightly. I tried to stay on the asphalt as much as possible to provide feedback on my running form. The sidewalk always feels so nice, but it also allow your form to get sloppy. I could really feel my feet getting sensitive during the last mile. My after-run inspection revealed a small cut on my left heel, and several little rocks embedded in my skin. I will stay away from the wet running for now. I want to have some nice thick pads by January.

October 17, 2010 (Sunday) [8.3 miles]

The past few days started with a drizzle in the morning, making the streets wet. Usually by afternoon, the streets would dry up. Sunday's forecast was the best chance of dry street in the morning, so didn't run Saturday morning and elected to run today. The drizzle was even heavier this morning, and the streets were very wet. I figured by afternoon, the street would dry up. Wrong. The drizzle continued all morning, and into the afternoon. The weather forecast for the next several days was rain, so I started my run at 1 p.m. in the drizzle, and with very wet streets. I wasn't sure how far I would go, so I picked a relatively flat route at the start. After the first mile, things felt good, so I went out further to attempt my five mile route. At mile 4, I still felt good, and was thinking maybe I could go ten. My normal long route has a half mile of dirt trail around the park where I do my water stop. I skipped it today, because running on wet dirt didn't seem like a good idea. At mile 6, I started to notice my feet getting sensitive, and realized I'd better return home. I ended up running 8.3 miles, and a 11:20 pace, which is much faster than I would have gone on my long run. After my shower, I inspected my feet, and found that my thick pads were worn down pretty good. Normally on a dry run, there is no wear. The good news is that even if the streets are wet for the Half Marathon in January, I stand a pretty good chance of finishing. I'm not sure how long it will take to build up my soles again, but I think I'll wait until later in the week when it's dry to run again.

October 14, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The beach was covered by giant kelp, which made the run more of an obstacle course. The swim was nice, as it was very flat, and I somehow avoid the larger patches of kelp. Just after I started running, my left Flexor Digitorum Brevis Muscle (arch) would cramp once in a while. It was probably due to the exposure of the cool water, and lack of movement, as I seldom kick while wearing a wetsuit while swimming. I ended up just taking it easy on the run, and running in and near the surf as there was less kelp there. Kelp is both hard and slippery, so I avoid it like rocks on a trail. Afterwards, the only soreness was in my shoulders from the swim.

October 12, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

Same route as last week, only much slower. Felt pretty strong at the last mile, and picked up the pace to the finish. I'm not sure how hard I want to go for Thursday's Aquathlon (last of the year), since I don't want to stress my body.

October 9, 2010 (Saturday) [10.5 miles]

I was just thinking that if I did my long run tomorrow, then I would be able to do 10 miles on 10/10/10. I could even start late, and finish at 10 a.m. My left Achilles was pretty stiff after Tuesday's faster run, so I've been icing and foam rolling it until if felt good again. My average speed continues to decrease as my mileage goes up. I estimate about 13.5 minutes per mile for today's run. The nice thing was that in the end, I felt pretty good, with nothing really very sore. I was thinking of going longer, but didn't want to injure anything that would take extra time to recover. Last week's run was really pushing my body, just to get to the magic 10 mark.

October 5, 2010 (Tuesday) [6.5 miles]

The first winter storm arrived this week, so I wasn't sure if I could get a dry run in today. Modern technology is wonderful, as I checked the radar and found that the next rain cell won't be arriving for a few more hours. The streets are very clean after some light rain yesterday. I started out at a faster pace, and was able to maintain it for the entire run. I even felt good enough to sprint at the end. Final result was about a 9:30 per minute mile. My left Achilles was a little tight after my run, but everything else felt good after my "short" 10K.

October 2, 2010 (Saturday) [10.0 miles]

With a few days of rest, and no soreness anywhere, I knew that if I was going to complete 10 mile, today would be the day. The last two mile were pretty tough, but I manged to complete the route. My left Achilles tendon is a bit sore, as are the bottom of my feet, but overall, I feel pretty good for running almost two hours.

September 29, 2010 (Wednesday) [6.8 miles]

Felt pretty good this morning, but not enough to do my long 10 mile run. I will rest a few days, and see what I can do this weekend. My right ankle is pretty much healed. I felt a little pain at mile 2, but it didn't last long. The top of my right foot was a bit sore through today's run, which is one of the reasons I cut my run short. I need to start planning my training for the up coming Carlsbad Half Marathon in January. The race is on my 50th birthday, so I couldn't resist celebrating by doing a race. I'm not ready for a full Marathon, but half is within my range.

September 27, 2010 (Monday) [5.9 miles]

Today should be hottest day of the year (100 plus), so I started out at sunrise, and the temperature was already 68 degrees. Still wasn't sure if my ankle was 100%, so I played it safe again today. Actually the soles of my feet were hurting the most near the end. I'm not sure if this is because I was sweating more and my skin on my feet were more moist, or just because I haven't been running as much the past few weeks.

September 25, 2010 (Saturday) [4.0 miles]

I had this nice ten mile route planned out today, but wasn't sure if my legs would hold out. After about a mile or two, I realized that my right ankle needed more time to heal properly. The pain was not as much as Tuesday's run, but I knew that if I pushed too hard, then I would be sore again. I decided to cut my run short, and head back home. Strange though, the pain went away on the last mile home.

I was looking back at my running training (in shoes) a few years ago, after I torn my left calf in March of 2007. After few months of rest, I was back to running 3 to 4 miles once or twice a week. By June, my long run was up to 6 miles, and July 10 miles. By October, 13 miles. Then in November, something didn't feel right in right knee joint, and the pain was enough to keep me from running for a month. After that, I could only go 5 miles before starting to feel the right leg hurting again. The usual cause of injuries are either too much, too fast, or too soon. So far this year, my injuries have been minor, only requiring a few days of rest. I'd like to keep it that way. I must remember to listen to my body.

September 21, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.4 miles]

With summer ending in a few days, I can really notice the different in available daylight. I went to work early this morning in the dark and drizzle, then waited until the weather cleared up before I started my run. The clouds and mist were very persistent, things didn't clear up until 3 p.m. Not much street to run on, since there is lots of traffic in the area (it's near a large shopping center). The sidewalk was very clean, with a few sections of cobblestone sidewalk. A few miles into my run, my right ankle felt as if I was getting a shin splint. It was not very painful, so I just finished off my planned run. On later examination, the Tibialis Posterior tendon just above ankle is a little sore, so it's not the traditional shin splits I developed in the past when running with shoes. Perhaps I strained it on Sunday's trail run. No inflammation or swelling, just a little tender to the touch. We'll see how it feels in a few days.

September 19, 2010 (Sunday) [4.4 miles]

Since I just ran yesterday, I didn't think it would be good to go for a long run today, so instead I hit the trails again. I waited for the fog to clear before leaving home to drive down to the trail head. The first mile is a mix of rocks and dirt, and a little tricky to maneuver, but after that, it's pretty nice. I headed out to the last point I did last month, and when just a bit further before turning around. I did notice some barefoot prints on my way back that were not mine, but could not tell if they were from VFFs, or actual real feet. Everything was going pretty good, but once I got about a mile to the start, that's when the terrain got rougher, and my feet more tender. Walking barefoot doesn't really help, so I was still making running movements, but not moving very fast. One problem when you're on the trail it that there's no sidewalk to give your feet a break. Although this canyon does parallel a street, it's only from mile 1 to 2. I won't mind waiting a month before taking on the trail again.

September 18, 2010 (Saturday) [3.1 miles]

A easy group run (though a very small group) this afternoon down by the beach. The best part was afterwards when you can put your feet in the cool ocean water. The route is also part of a half marathon I want to run in April of next year.

September 16, 2010 (Thursday) [5.5 miles]

The increased pace a few days ago seems to have worked. I actually ran slightly faster today, but with less effort. Today's run was after work, as it was extremely foggy this morning.

September 14, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.2 miles]

Knowing that I can complete at least 5 miles without any problems, I increase my pace for this morning's run. It was nice to see a clear sunrise for a change. I skipped my usual pull up stop at the park, and took a quick water stop, and managed about a 10 and a half minute pace. I actually don't like wearing a watch on my wrist, so the timing was by looking at the clock at home when I started, and when I finished. My feet were pretty tender near the end, so the faster speed definitely took it's toll.

September 12, 2010 (Sunday) [9.2 miles]

I think my pace has been getting even slower on my long runs. I'm not too concerned yet, but I estimate maybe as slow as a 12 minute mile. The good news is that I have been able to increase my maximum distance a little more each week. As long as I am able to keep my running form, it doesn't matter what my speed is. The last mile was pretty tough today, as the soles of my feet were starting to get more sensitive. I didn't have to finish on the sidewalk, as I have done earlier this year, but I really don't feel like staying on my feet the rest of today.

September 9, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

One of the problems with training longer distances is that you run at a slower pace. If you train slow, you run slow. Even though the conditions were near perfect at tonight's Aquathlon, I only managed to run at a 9:07 minute per mile pace. The nice thing was that the second lap was only one second slower than the first lap. I was pretty much going all out, and with a low tide at a new moon, the beach was flat, fast, and debris free. Without having to worry where I was stepping, there were a few times near the end where I was closing my eyes to focus more. My best pace on this course was several months ago where I managed to run a 8:40 average. Given the effort I put in, I was surprised to discover the time was much slower than I felt. Maybe I should mix in a few sprint intervals in my shorter runs, so I don't become too slow in the future.

September 7, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.2 miles]

I'm going to have to change my schedule soon, as I was just reading the newspaper this morning waiting for enough daylight to begin my run, and ended up getting to work much later then normal. The aquathlon coming up on Thursday is a mere 3 miles. I haven't run this short since last month's aquathlon. With no injuries, I should be able to pick up the pace, and have a good fast run.

September 5, 2010 (Sunday) [8.5 miles]

I was hoping the fog would break this morning so I could watch the sunrise, but it didn't until long after my run was over. I was beginning to feel like I had to cut my run short, because I was starting to feel little aches in different parts of my legs, but once I started concentrating on keeping proper form, everything felt better. This is one of those "ah-ha" moments. After years of running in shoes, which mask nearly all feelings while running, I finally figured out why I couldn't keep running longer distances consistently. As your body gets tired, your running form starts to deteriorate, and without proper running form, you are more likely to cause damage. Maintaining proper form is the key to keeping injure free, and when running barefoot, you get immediate feedback if you are not running correctly.

September 2, 2010 (Thursday) [6.7 miles]

The route running home from work was not as clean as I thought it would be. Even though I stayed mostly on the sidewalk, the area next to the sidewalk was often dirt, and there were many places with little rocks covering the concrete. Traffic was heavy, as you would expect in an industrial business area. One nice thing was that much of the route was shaded by trees, so I didn't have to spend too much time in the sun. I hydrated before I left, so there wasn't a need to stop for water anywhere. Not that I could, the first chance was at mile 5 and the local park, and I figured I was already close to home, and wasn't very thirsty. It was kind of strange coming home, and my car was not in the driveway. I'm not sure if I would do this again, since I like running in the street, and there wasn't much opportunity to do this until I was close to home.

August 30, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.2 miles]

A few weeks ago, I tried running after work even though I swam in the morning. I tried it again today, and did much better. Now that my mileage is up, I have to get more creative in finding time to get my runs in along with my swim and bicycle workouts. As summer ends, the daylight is shorter, so I may have to start running at work during my lunch break. I was even thinking about running home from work, 6.7 miles. I'd ride my bicycle the next day to get my car.

August 28, 2010 (Saturday) [7.8 miles]

When running barefoot, you can't take your eyes off the road. As I was crossing the street and getting back on the sidewalk, I stepped on a rock on the front of my left heel that really hurt. I was landing nearly all forefoot for a mile until the pain subsided. Of course this occurred about 2.5 miles into my run, so I was wondering if it would keep my from my long run. Eventually the pain went away, and I was able to complete my long run. I used the sidewalk more than normal, but found out that if you run too much on the sidewalk, your feet does not get that tickle you get running on asphalt. The feeling of the road is actually what makes running barefoot so much more fun. My legs were pretty trashed near the end, so it was a good workout. A few days of rest is earned.

August 26, 2010 (Thursday) [5.1 miles]

It is so much nicer seeing where you are going. Last week I started a run in the dark before sunrise. This morning I waiting until there was some daylight before I left. It was only a day after the full moon, so I could have run under the moonlight, but I relaxed reading the morning paper before my run. With no more muscle injuries, I am starting to feel the soles of my feet getting a good workout, as my weekly mileage and minimum distance are increasing.

August 24, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.0 miles]

A nice easy route to the park where there are some pull up bar. This is my first barefoot run to this park since it's over 2 miles from my house, and I have been keeping close to home. Now that I have a good base and no injuries, I am free to venture further from my house without worrying that I won't be able to make it back. I only did 6 pull ups, since I am swimming tomorrow and don't have time to recover if I do too many.

August 21, 2010 (Saturday) [4.8 miles]

With Thursday's long run it was hard to keep the mileage down this week. I added some speed work on the slight downhills on the sidewalk, to spice things up a bit. This week's distance is 15 miles, a 15% increase from my previous longest mileage week. My legs and feet felt great today, so I think I am fully recovered from past injuries.

August 19, 2010 (Thursday) [7.4 miles]

A got an early start this morning, in fact it was still dark, and I had to wear my sunglasses on the top of my cap until the sun came out. The run really felt good, and my calf did not give me any problems, so I end up going further than I had planned. My feet were pretty sore afterwards, and I had to dig out three small rocks embedded in my skin. Only one drew a little blood as I pried it out. One problem with doing a long run on a weekday morning was that I got to work later than normal. Oh well, if it feels good, go with it.

August 16, 2010 (Monday) [3.1 miles]

I was thinking of taking the day off from running to give my feet a chance to recover from the trail run on Saturday. I when swimming in the morning, but when I got off work, the sun was shining bright, and the temperature was 82 degrees. My legs were feeling great, so I decide to run anyway. The asphalt was very warm, and the new sections that were really dark black were much warmer. I suppose if I actually stopped on these sections, that I wouldn't be able to keep my feet still without feeling them burn. No pain in my calf, but my quads are a bit sore. So I guess my feet are finally tough enough to handle the heat, maybe I should try walking on hot coals next.

August 14, 2010 (Saturday) [4.6 miles]

I really felt like doing something different today, so it's off to the trails. See the route here. I had to drive my car to the start, and parking was crowded due to the various soccer games in the morning. I wasn't sure how far I could go, but I knew the trail paralleled a street, so I could always have an outlet if my feet complained too much. The rocky parts were tough, but the sandy parts were really nice. I have ridden my Mt. Bike on these trails many times, so I knew that the terrain is flat, and not too rocky. There is one small section that is about 50 meters long that is course gravel which is difficult on a bicycle. I really couldn't run through this part, but sort of walked gently over it. I got about two miles in when I figured I should turn around, and headed up to the sidewalk to let my feet recover. After a mile of sidewalk I started to feel the tightness in my left calf, but my feet felt better, so I was ready to get back on the trail. The trail is popular for the high school cross country team, as there were dozen of runners out in the morning. My calf actually feels pretty good after the run, though my feet are extremely warm from all the extra work. Big milestone today, I have logged over 200 miles of barefoot running.

August 12, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

The Aquathlon went great. My run was only about a 9 minute mile, but I had a really good swim. The sand has returned, so there wasn't any exposed rocks as in previous months.

August 10, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.0 miles]

A little test run before the TriClub Aquathlon. My left calf is still a little tight, but not much pain. I took it easy today since I want to be in good shape for Thursday. The three day rest was hard, since I really enjoy running. If all goes well, I can do my long run on Saturday.

August 6, 2010 (Friday) [3.1 miles]

I took an extra day off in hopes that the will help my left calf. The bike ride yesterday felt good with no soreness in my left calf. This evening's run started on OK, but after a mile, I could feel a little tightness in the left calf. I was hoping to run a little longer, but decided to cut it short, and not push it too hard. The weekend is coming up, so if I want to go for a long run, I'd better rest up.

August 3, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.0 miles]

The weather is finally starting to warm up. I enjoyed a quick run on the warm asphalt after riding my bicycle home from work. My left calf is still a bit sore from Sunday's run, but not enough to keep me from running (just not as fast or hard as I would want).

August 1, 2010 (Sunday) [6.4 miles]

My Friday out-of-the-way bicycle ride home from work left my left calf sore (it was only 20 miles). I decided to rest on Saturday by swimming, in hopes that my calf would feel better by Sunday. I started out today's run OK, but about mile 3, I could feel that my left calf was not 100%. At mile 4, the soreness was going away, so I decided to go a bit longer today. My left calf is still sore, but not damaged, so some rest and massage, and I should be better in a few days. Now that I broke the 10K threshold, I am setting my sights on increasing my mileage in hopes of finishing a half-marathon distance.

July 29, 2010 (Thursday) [4.2 miles]

I will be adding a rest day between runs, as that seems to work best for me. It interesting to see the little black rabbit droppings (along with the rabbits too) along the dirt trail around the local park this morning. It's sparely spread, so I didn't have to step on any. I will searching out some trails to practice my off-road running, but I may have to ride a bicycle or drive there, since most of the trails around my house are narrow, rocky, and hilly.

July 27, 2010 (Tuesday) [5.1 miles]

With the triathlon behind me, I am now free to try experimenting with longer distances, and different terrain. Still waiting for the weather to get hot. San Diego's has had it's coolest July in decades. I am wanting to try running on hot asphalt but it hasn't been hot yet.

July 25, 2010 (Sunday) [3.0 miles]

The dismount area for the bicycle portion was like 200 meters away from the transition area, so the barefoot run started early, as I removed my feet from my bicycle shoes to allow them to dry off near the end of the bike ride. My feet were quite moist during the bicycle portion, as they started wet from the swim, and I was sweating during the bike. The transition from bike to run went very fast, but there wasn't any split time for the transition in the race results. There were four TriClub members who ran barefoot, only one who I actually saw on the run course. The spectators were very encouraging, probably because they already saw at least two women and another guy running barefoot before me. The road conditions were actually smoother than what I had been training on, so I had a great run averaging a 8:44 minute per mile pace. Compare this to what I did in the Solana Beach Triathlon five years ago with shoes at a 9:50 pace. I was able to pass up several guys in my age group, and finished strong.

July 22, 2010 (Thursday) [4.1 miles]

After finishing my 3.1 miles this morning, I decided to go for another mile even though the drizzle was starting to get the ground moist. I could feel my soles getting wet, and could feel small rocks sticking to my feet. I tried swiping my feet several times, but the softer skin kept picking up more debris. After I got home I noticed the bottom of my feet were very dirty from the asphalt. A good shower will clean all that off, so I thought. It turns out that my skin was moist from the moisture on the street, and the skin is stained a tint of asphalt color. I'm sure the color will go away as the skin wears down, or the next time I swim.

July 20, 2010 (Tuesday) [3.8 miles]

The daylight length is getting shorter. I had to start my run a little later this morning to allow for the daylight to appear. I have been noticing that I recover much faster from stepping on things than I have in past. I remember several months ago, after I stepped on a small rock that the spot would hurt for the rest of the run. Now, it's just a minute or so. I'm still trying to take it easy before Sunday's Triathlon. I will probably get one more run in this week before then (likely Thursday).

July 18, 2010 (Sunday) [4.2 miles]

It took a few days for my hamstrings to feel better, so I rested my legs more than normal. My feet are definitely getting used to running in the dirt path around the local park, and I will begin my trail running after the triathlon next Sunday. I also did nearly the entire run today on the asphalt, and my feet felt great afterwards.

July 15, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

This evening aquathlon was a final test before my upcoming triathlon in 10 days. Since I was recovering from a sore left calf, I took the first lap of the beach run easier than normal to see how my muscles felt. The final few 100 years was a sprint to the finish, thanks to some of the other people around me. Afterwards, my hamstrings were sore, but my left calf was not, so I am finally fully recovered.

July 11, 2010 (Sunday) [2.1 miles]

One thing really nice about going barefoot, it that you never have to worry about loosing your sandals at the beach, because you don't bring any. A day at the beach; the weather could be warmer, but then there would be more crowds. I ran on the sand until my left calf started hurting at bit, then waited for the sun to come out before swimming in the ocean. I have to remember to take it easy because there's only two more weeks left before my triathlon. I probably won't run again this week until Thursday for the TriClub Aquathlon.

July 08, 2010 (Thursday) [2.2 miles]

The morning marine layer have been particularly strong the past few days, resulting in a light drizzle, and some moist (slightly wet) roads in the morning. I decided to run during my lunch break at work, and tried out some off-road trails at the turn around but only for about 500 meters or so. The sun didn't actually show up, but at least the drizzle was gone, and the roads were dry. My left calf is still not 100 percent, but only slightly sore after my run. I guess the real test will be next week at the TriClub Aquathlon.

July 06, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.0 miles]

Time to ease back in the intensity. I'll probably run every other day, until next month. I did manage to run entirely on the asphalt this time, so my feet are OK, I just need to condition the rest of me.

July 04, 2010 (Sunday) [2.4 miles]

After swimming about a mile in the ocean this morning, I ran down the cement boardwalk with my wetsuit still on to warm back up. Once warmed up, I was able to run down the beach for a short run. My left calf was a bit sore afterwards, but hopefully it will feel better tomorrow.

July 03, 2010 (Saturday) [1.0 miles]

The extra rest day did wonders. I ran a quick mile after bicycling 20 miles, and my left calf was feeling OK.

July 01, 2010 (Thursday) [3.8 miles]

After Monday's run, my left calf was a little sore. This may have been from running up the hill too hard, or just because I have been running too much in general. I was able to bicycle and swim the past two days, and my left calf felt good this morning. My feet enjoyed the time off, as the beginning part of my run today felt great. About mile 2, my left calf was getting a little sore again, so I'll likely take tomorrow off from running. I have just three more weeks to stay injury free before my triathlon.

June 28, 2010 (Monday) [2.0 miles]

Day 5 of my consecutive run days. The strong marine layer today meant that the sun didn't come out, which makes it more difficult to see what I am stepping on. My feet are getting pretty good at reacting to the things I step on, so it's not as much of an issue anymore. I am learning to scuff my feet on the payment to loosen some of the debris that gets stuck in my skin, so I don't have to swipe with my hand as often.

June 27, 2010 (Sunday) [4.2 miles]

When running on the dirt trail today, my feet were a little more sensitive, so I used the sidewalk on my way home. The last half mile home I started running on the asphalt again, and it actually didn't feel too bad. I did another loop around the block to make my run over four miles. Today is my first time I ran four consecutive days in a row, let's see if I can go a full seven days (or more).

June 26, 2010 (Saturday) [2.5 miles]

This week I was able to run 6 of 7 days. I found a good use for the sidewalk, speed work. After a shorter swim this morning at the YMCA, I found the smooth sidewalk around the business park easier to run on than the beach sand. I performed several interval sprints, and my lungs were definitely feeling the workout.

June 25, 2010 (Friday) [2.0 miles]

I could probably run every day of the week if I keep my distances short enough, and if I could find the time. Now that the daylight is longer, maybe I can actually do that. I was able to stay on the asphalt this run, so my feet are getting used to the rough stuff.

June 24, 2010 (Thursday) [1.0 miles]

It's amazing how quickly the foot can react when stepping on objects to reduce the pressure. A quick run after my bicycle ride home, and I stayed on the asphalt the whole time, even stepping on a few smaller stones that would have causes pain a few months ago. I am getting comfortable stepping on the half-inch gravel around my house. Maybe I can hit the dirt trails this weekend, we'll see.

June 22, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.0 miles]

I was thinking of running the same workout as yesterday, but after a mile of asphalt, my feet told me to get on the sidewalk. I was able to finish the last quarter mile on the asphalt, so my feet weren't beat up too bad. The run was after my bicycle ride home, so it's a bit harder. This is my third week of three back-to-back days of running.

June 21, 2010 (Monday) [2.0 miles]

In continuing my toughening routine, I did my usual canyon route on 100% asphalt. A little rough down the hill, but I can feel my feet reacting better to objects I step on.

June 20, 2010 (Sunday) [3.8 miles]

No more Mr. Nice Guy. I spend as much time away from the smooth sidewalk as possible (less than a half-mile). Even when running in the bike lane, I avoided the smooth painted white line. Along with the dirt trail, today's run was rather brutal on the feet, so I wasn't able to run as long as I normally would.

June 17, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

Near perfect swim conditions at the Aquathlon today. The beach run was a little rocky (where did all the sand go), so I had to be more careful watching my steps. I somehow missed the "run out" timer, so the official run pace was exactly a 9 minute mile. I normally take about a minute for the transition, so if you factor this in, my actual pace was more like a 8:40. I may have to do some speed work to improve my run times for the upcoming triathlon (now five weeks away).

June 15, 2010 (Tuesday) [1.0 miles]

Nothing exciting, just a quick run after my bicycle ride home. I've been toughening up my feet after my run by walking on the gravel around my house. The 3/8 inch gravel is no problem now, and I am getting used to the 1/2 inch gravel. Not sure when I will try out the trails, but pretty soon.

June 14, 2010 (Monday) [2.0 miles]

My right calf was a little sore from the run yesterday, but my feet feel great. I did my usual 2 mile loop down into the canyon after work today. The weather is nice and sunny, and the warm asphalt feels good.

June 13, 2010 (Sunday) [5.2 miles]

I was planing on running after my longer bicycle ride home on Friday, but by the time I got back, my legs were trash, and there wasn't much sunlight left in the day. So with an extra rest day and stronger legs, today's run looked promising. I ran on the half-mile dirt trail in the local park which I first tried back on May 7, but this time it was in the middle of my run. My right knee joint which has given me problems in the past when I was running with shoes started hurting slightly after about four miles. The pain was not as sharp as before and didn't keep me from running. I remember in the past, the pain was so sharp, I had to stop and walk.

June 10, 2010 (Thursday) [3.9 miles]

A day of rest does wonders. I wasn't sure how far I would go today, but as I kept looping out and then towards home several times, I ended up running the most mileage since May 14, when I got a blister on my right forefoot. That blister is mostly gone now, and the skin underneath is nice and leathery soft, instead of the hard callus that was there before. All I need to do now is avoid another blister before the Solana Beach Triathlon, now about six weeks away.

June 8, 2010 (Tuesday) [1.0 miles]

Today's run marks three consecutive days of barefoot running. I kept it short because I rode my bicycle hard up the hill after work today, and my muscles are a little sore. I will take a rest day from running tomorrow for my usual Wednesday swim.

June 7, 2010 (Monday) [2.2 miles]

The skin around the calluses in the middle of my forefoot are finally soft enough that I can pinch the area without too much pain. Before, it was too hard and thick, and it would feel like needles poking into it if I tried to pinch it. I am massaging the area to loosen up the connection between the compressed skin and the nerves below. The skin on others area of my feet are getting thick, but remain pliable and soft.

June 6, 2010 (Sunday) [2.7 miles]

Big milestone today, I have now surpassed 100 miles of barefoot running. I ran this morning with a small group from the Triathlon Club of San Diego training for the upcoming Solana Beach Triathlon. It was a nice coastal route in Solana Beach, and one of the runners was also barefoot. The route is popular for running and bicycling, and I got my share of comments from some people about my lack of shoes. Actually I did carry my flip-flops as hand weights, in case my feet decide to complain, and I was too far out, but didn't have to use them. Running with something is your hands make swiping your feet a bit harder, maybe next time I bring a small fanny pack.

June 4, 2010 (Friday) [0.3 miles]

Another run after bicycling home from work, but my feet weren't feeling up to it, so I just went around the block. I think I will rest a day before running again.

June 3, 2010 (Thursday) [2.0 miles]

I was checking out (poking is more descriptive) my blister last night on my right forefoot, and it popped, and blood spilled out. Unlike my left foot last month, the blister was red, instead of black, which indicates the blood is still alive and fluid. There's still good skin under the blood layer, so the release of the blood actually felt pretty good. After the blister was drained, there wasn't any more blood, so the pocket was pretty isolated. The blood layer is pretty thin and meshed up with skin, unlike the left foot which left a rather large depression. The left foot is all healed now, the last little bit of blood colored skin was scraped off during my last run. I wasn't sure how my right foot I would feel today, but after riding home from work on my bicycle, I decided to see how if felt. Obviously pretty good, since I went 2 miles.

June 1, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.1 miles]

After spending the whole day wearing shoes at work, it feels good to take them off. Because of the heavier commuter traffic, I decided to take a trip down into the canyon behind my house. As I was going down, a guy (shod) was passing me on the other side of the street. I picked up my pace a bit to try to keep up, but it's hard to run downhill barefoot as it adds greater pressure on each step. By the time we got to the bottom (only 70 feet of elevation change), he was about 10 meters ahead. OK, let's see how strong he is going up. Running uphill barefoot always feels good, as each step is very light. Just before the elevation levels off, I was able to pass him up, and continued to pull away until I turned a couple of blocks further. I guess the competitive nature in me came out, but it felt really good. I was originally planning a longer slow run, since I just ran yesterday, but a good sprint workout is good too. Wednesday is swim day, so I take tomorrow off from running.

May 31, 2010 (Monday) [2.4 miles]

This was my longest barefoot run after a bicycle ride, though the ride was rather short, only 21 miles. When I started the run, I wasn't sure how long I would go. As the run progressed, I felt better and better. Let's see how my feet feel tomorrow morning, maybe I can run again.

May 29, 2010 (Saturday) [1.9 miles]

Keeping the runs short until the triathlon, now seven weeks away. I planned out several extension routes that I can use if I feel good near the end. I didn't use any today, but I concentrated on more of the rough asphalt that I may encounter on unfamiliar routes. I would normally run so long that I would need several days rest, but that actually does more harm than good. I really need to wait until my feet get stronger, and the old calluses on the center of my forefeet get less pronounced. That particular area tends to be the most sore after running, even in the past when I ran with shoes. The pads on the outer area of my forefoot are getting thicker, which are good indicators that pressure is spreading over the entire forefoot, rather than just the center where the callus resides.

May 27, 2010 (Thursday) [2.0 miles]

Another quick run before work. I extended Monday's route by looping out just before I normally go home. I will be keeping close to home so that I can cut it short if I feel the need. I finished reading Michael Sandler's Barefoot Running book, and would recommend it to everyone, even those who have already been running barefoot for years. Here the link to order your own copy.

May 25, 2010 (Tuesday) [1.0 miles]

A quick run after riding my bicycle home from work. I wanted to go more, but after the first few hundred meters, my feet said keep it short. I stayed mostly on the asphalt, and could feel a little tenderness afterwards. Swim day tomorrow, I need a rest from running anyway.

May 24, 2010 (Monday) [1.8 miles]

Just a quick run in the morning before I head into work. I got a new job last week, so I have to adopt a new routine. The blister on the ball of my right foot is still there, but doesn't hurt much when I run. Normally it will take about a month for the blister to come up to the surface as did the left foot, which is nearly gone now. I have a triathlon coming up in 8 weeks, and I want to be injury free. I think I will start doing short, but more frequent runs until the race. Speaking of races, in the Aquathlon last week, I ran a 9:06 pace for the first lap (1.5 miles), but slowed the last half. The pace for the three miles ended up at 9:14 minute per mile. Not bad for me, that's the fastest timed-run I did in over 15 years.

May 20, 2010 (Thursday) [3.0 miles]

It's been a while since I ran. Mostly due to the fact that I got a blister under my callus (this time on my right foot) that is taking it's time to become less sensitive. I have been reading Michael Sandler's Barefoot Running book, and I realize now that I should have cut my last run short when I had the chance. Running should be about enjoyment, not distance or speed. When running barefoot, your body gives you great feedback as to how far, long, or fast you should go on any given day. I did the TriClub Aquathlon tonight,and had and a pretty good run. The swim was rather tough, since the swells were just large and frequent enough to make it difficult to spot the target buoys, and I ended up swimming longer than I had to. By the time I started running, I was nearly wiped out physically. I maintained my form as best as I could, and managed to finish under 50 minutes with a personal best record for the course. I was actually passing people on the run, something I rarely have done in the past. It will be interesting to see my run splits which should be available in a few days.

May 14, 2010 (Friday) [4.5 miles]

I much prefer running when the sun is shining bright. Not only does this warm the ground (and me, too), but it makes is easier to see objects on the ground. I had to wait until nearly noon before the clouds departed. The cut on my foot I had last week is pretty much healed, so I'm back in the running.

May 11, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.5 miles]

The San Diego Union-Tribune ran a story about barefoot running in today's paper. You can read about it by going to this link. A few of the guys at the YMCA were commenting about it this morning, since they know I run barefoot. The weather today was cloudy, and I miss the warm ground on my feet. My soles were still a little sensitive from my last run a few days ago, so I took it easy and short. The TriClub of San Diego is having it's first aquathlon in a few weeks, and I am excited to see how fast I can run on the beach. I also sent in my registration for the Solana Beach Triathlon which occurs on July 25. I am still working on a way to bicycle barefoot, and hopefully will come up with a nice solution soon.

May 9, 2010 (Sunday) [4.3 miles]

About three weeks ago (April 19) I got a small blister on my left foot under my callus. The skin builds and wears in layers, and now the blister layer which is now just dead blood cells is finally working it's way towards the surface. Since the blister layer doesn't stick with the skin, I have a small depression in the middle of my callus. There's new skin under the blister layer, so there is no pain from this deformation. About a mile into my run today, I spotted a broken glass bottle in the road, and was careful not to step on the large pieces. I managed to step on a small piece that go lodged near my heel, but I just brushed it away with my hand. The rest of my run was pretty uneventful. After my shower, I noticed that the area where I stepped on that small piece of glass was a little dark. I examined it closely, and discovered a very clean cut about a 4 mm long. The dark color was dried blood (and probably some dirt too), and as I dug out the area to clean it I was able to get it to bleed again, which helps cleanse the area. After a thorough washing with Hydrogen Peroxide, I put some surgical tape on the area to keep the skin tight. Then I noticed that my finger had a cut on it as well, but it was only the very top layer about 1 x 10 mm, so I just trimmed off the loose skin and realized that I should be more careful around glass. Next time I encounter broken glass in the road, I will keep my distance, as automotive traffic tends to spread pieces of all sizes everywhere. There's no pain on the cut, and the area isn't under a lot of pressure, so hopefully it will heal in a few days for my next run. If not, I'll just run with the tape over the area.

May 7, 2010 (Friday) [0.7 miles]

Since I already got my long run in this week, I decided to try something different. I rode my beater bicycle barefoot, after wrapping up the pedals in a old rubber inner tube to cushion the sharp grippers on the pedals. The park is about 1.6 miles from my house, and has a dirt trail around half the perimeter, this is the same park I have been running to recently, but I always stayed on the sidewalk. I could really feel the little rocks, as they are hard to avoid, since it is a dirt trail. I was initially thinking I might do an out-and-back on the trail, but when I got to the end, I decided not to. There was a little puddle of water on the sidewalk from the morning watering just at the end of the trail, so I rinsed my feet, and returned back to my bicycle, running on the sidewalk. This was a good experiment, both the trail running, and the barefoot bicycle ride. I am thinking of doing the bicycle portion of my upcoming triathlon barefoot, since my bicycle shoes are starting to constrict my toes. I will have to shop for some pedals that are more barefoot friendly. Barefoot bicycling feels nice too, the air flows through your toes and keep your feet dry.

May 5, 2010 (Wednesday) [4.0 miles]

I just finished reading Born To Run by Christopher McDougall, and realized that I can probably run another marathon with a little bit more training. Of course I'd be running barefoot, but this distance doesn't seem as improbable as I once though before. This morning's run was on a nice sunny day, with the black asphalt warm from solar absorption. Just after the first mile, as I was waiting to cross the street, I saw a lady running with her two large dogs that was heading on my chosen route. After the light turned green, she was less than 50 meters ahead, and her pace appeared slower than mine. I had to go out into the street to pass her, and as I merged back onto the sidewalk in front of her, I could hear the dogs picking up the pace. For the next mile, I ran faster than I normally would, until we all reached the park where we split off on different paths, and I stopped for some water. I can tell that my body is getting used to running barefoot, as my last run was only a few days ago. Normally I would require several days of rest for my feet to feel good again. I may end up running three times this week, but will probably try a short dirt trail running later in the week.

May 3, 2010 (Monday) [4.0 miles]

I had a dream a few nights ago where I was running barefoot. I guess I'm at the point where I can call myself a barefoot runner, as my form has improved to the point where there is little discomfort during my runs. Of course that's only if I run on clean surfaces. I am thinking of trying trail running, to see how well I can handle the different terrain. It was hard to keep good form and speed this morning after swimming over a mile, but I need to get used to this (running tired) for my upcoming triathlon in a few months.

April 29, 2010 (Thursday) [4.0 miles]

The faster pace during my last run felt so good, that I thought I try the higher cadence for the entire run. It was easy to keep up the pace for the first 3 miles, but I was starting to get tired the final mile. I didn't bring a watch, but according the time I left and came back, I was running faster than a 10 minute per mile pace, which for me, is actually very good. No additional signs of wear on the soles of my feet running at the higher speed, so I think I will continue with the light, fast steps from now on.

April 26, 2010 (Monday) [3.7 miles]

Very nice run this morning even though it was a little foggy, but not enough to get the ground wet. The first few miles were totally painless, and I knew that it was going to be a good run today. I did the same route as last week, but did the extra loop that I wanted to do last week but didn't feel like it. The section was a little debris ridden, as it is on a major street with buses, trucks, and plenty of driveways into strip malls. Even though I was watching my step, I still managed to step on a few small rocks, and had to swipe them off with my hand. The final 100 yards near the YMCA were clean, and I increased my cadence real high. Wow, it felt like I was flying above the ground as my feet were in contact with the sidewalk just briefly each step.

April 22, 2010 (Thursday) [3.9 miles]

It's been raining the past few days. There was a little break this afternoon that allowed the sun to come out and dry the street, so I decided to go out for my run before lunch. More rain is expected later this afternoon. Today's run takes me to a local park where there is a drinking fountain. This park also has a nice dirt path around it, but since it just rained this morning I decided not to get my feet all muddy. I concentrated on keeping the proper form that was emphasize in the RunBare talk. Swing the arms high, it drives the feet higher. Keep the body straight, keep the cadence up, push off the toes. There's a trade off between distance and speed, your feet pads have limited thickness. The faster you run, the quicker your pads will wear out (more friction). Surface conditions are also important, and your should adjust your stride to minimize impact and wear. I avoided the dreaded section of asphalt that torn up my feet last week, and spend more time on the sidewalk. As the weather warms up (not this week) I hope to also try out running when the asphalt gets hot, as that is suppose to toughen up your feet as well. I had to finish up my run on the sidewalk, as the extra distance started taking it's toll. Once big difference today when I examined the soles of my feet, my left big toe callus showed no sign of wear. Actually there's not much callus there anymore anyway. Also, because of the rain this morning, my feet were actually pretty clean when I got home.

April 20, 2010 (Tuesday) RunBare Talk

I attended the Barefoot Running Presentation at REI (Kearny Mesa) last night. Micheal Sandler and Jessica Lee (co-founders of www.runbare.com) were both present, and Micheal talked about his background and why you should be running Barefoot. He gave lots of tips on form and why modern cushioned running shoes are bad for you. I was hoping to purchase their new book "Barefoot Running", but since it was such a hot item they did not have any extras for sale. I briefly looked over a copy they had on hand, and was impressed with the content. Looks like a great book for anyone interested in going barefoot. I will review the book further when I get my own copy. During the talk, I realized that I was born to run barefoot. Micheal pointed out that when most people start out, their calf muscles get very sore, I never had that problem, as my calf muscles are strong and Achilles tendon extremely flexible. A high cadence is also necessary for running barefoot. Quick short steps limited the impact on each step. I have been bicycling for years, and have no trouble exceeding 200 RPM, so quick steps are very natural. Afterwards, I met with some other Barefoot runners who attended, and it was great to connect with them. I can't wait for my next BFR to apply some of the tips Micheal advised.

April 19, 2010 (Monday) [3.3 miles]

Took some extra days off to let my feet recover from the last run. I got a small blister from the last run under my large callus on the ball of my left foot. Not really painful, but not pretty, since it's a darker red color. I noticed this area before being slightly red in past runs, but it always cleared up in a few days. There's no danger of the blister breaking open, since the callus is still somewhat thick. I ran again after my swim this morning, and had to get more creative in planning a route, since my mileage now exceeds the simple loop around the area without having to cross any major streets. The route is quite nice, as it allows me to adjust the length depending on how my feet are feeling. I was originally planning to go an extra 0.4 miles, but didn't feel comfortable going the extra distance. There was some rain and wind last night, so there were plenty of sidewalk that was covered with tree debris. I adjusted my stride over these (slower and shorter), and was able to pick up the pace for the final 100 meters of sidewalk before heading into the finish at the YMCA. You can view the route by going to this LINK. I will be attending a barefoot running presentation tonight by Micheal Sandler at REI, who just released a new book called "Barefoot Running". I will do a follow up on the presentation either on FaceBook or on my Blog (or both). I will hopefully purchase the book as well.

April 15, 2010 (Thursday) [3.5 miles]

Interesting run today, started good, ended not so good. This was basically the same route as Tuesday, with a little extension at my normal turn around. There is a portion (about a quarter mile) where the asphalt is newly paved, but not smooth, and has small (mostly less than a mm) pieces scattered everywhere. On Tuesday, I couldn't run on this section, and had to move to the sidewalk. Today, I was able to run on this section for about 80% before I had to move to the sidewalk. I'm not sure if running on this rough surface caused any problems, but the final mile of my run was rather difficult because the soles of my feet were very sensitive. I spend more time on the sidewalk than the street at the end, and there was no way I could sprint the final 300 yards like I normally do. Today's run also came after only one day off, but the beginning of the run went fine. Now that my distances are up, I will probably cut back my running days to twice a week, or mix up short and long runs.

April 13, 2010 (Tuesday) [3.1 miles]

Took some extra time off from my last run due to other commitments. Today's route was one of my most popular ones with shoes, a nice 5K with a little hill work. I even sprinted the final 300 yards like I normally do. Now that I reached my 3 mile goal, next level, 5 miles.

April 9, 2010 (Friday) [2.9 miles]

Good run today, I was getting tired and sweaty at the end. I wanted to point out the difference between a callus and tough skin, since my calluses are starting to shrink and may not be present much longer. After a BFR the callus will have a noticeable wear mark, and a white color from the worn skin. Normally the bottom of your feet will get black from the asphalt, but not show any wear. Calluses are hard, not flexible, and have no feeling. Tough skin is thick, but pliable, and still has feeling. I will avoid posting pictures of my feet, since I don't think anyone is interested in seeing my feet. Total for this week is 7.4 miles.

April 6, 2010 (Tuesday) [2.5 miles]

I started looking at the calendar for upcoming sprint distance triathlons, since it looks as if I can reach my 3 mile goal within a few more weeks. I finished the Solana Beach Triathlon five years ago, but was struggling through the run because I didn't have a solid run base at the time. This year's race is on July 25, so there is plenty of time to get ready. If I continue my 10% increase per week, I should be able to complete a 10K by that date. Today's run went well, I ran right after my swim at the YMCA again, still dripping wet. My feet dried off pretty quickly, and I avoided the grass this time because when I started my run, I saw someone picking up after their dog, and wondered how much residue was left on the grass. I was pulling burclover (they have those sharp ball shaped seed pods) weeds yesterday, and thought to myself that I would really hurt to step on those if they were hidden in grass. No more grass running, unless it's really, really short and you can see what you are stepping on.

April 4, 2010 (Sunday) [2.0 miles]

Even though my feet were a little tender after my run yesterday, they felt OK today, and since it might rain tomorrow, I decided I was ready for another attempt at back to back BFR days. I used the same route as last week(3/29), but this time concentrating on light steps. I did encounter a few things stuck in my feet, but just brushed them off, and I was OK. It's very important to have clean feet, you don't want to push any objects further into your skin on every step. My feet actually felt better afterwards today then after my run yesterday, probably because today's run was much shorter.

April 3, 2010 (Saturday) [2.6 miles]

Now that I have a pretty good base, it's time to add some variety. When starting out, I been trying to find the best (smoothest, debris free) routes to ease my feet. Now that my distances are longer, it's more difficult to watch every step to avoid stepping on things. The best defense, is to step lightly on each and every step, as if you were running on gravel the whole time. Today's run is the longest barefoot run on pavement and close to my goal of a 5K. I didn't do a longer beach run this week, since I am trying to condition myself for any surface that may come up in a real race. Total weekly mileage is 6.8.

March 31, 2010 (Wednesday) [2.2 miles]

I was thinking about my injury last run, and it probably happen as I was running down the hill into the canyon. That was my first time running down a hill barefoot, and I think the extra pressure on my foot due to gravity was enough to allow the rock to embed itself. Next time, I will shorten my stride even more on downhills to lighten the load. Today I tried something different. I ran right after my swim at the YMCA this morning. The route is super flat, and in a newer business park development. That means super smooth sidewalks, and a few areas with grass borders. The surface of the grass is extremely soft, moist, and felt good. It was interesting to look back after leaving the grass back to the sidewalk and see bare foot tracks. The nice thing about running at the YMCA is that I can soak my legs in the jacuzzi afterwards, and there's one less shower to take.

March 29, 2010 (Monday) [2.0 miles]

Took a different route today through the canyon, but still on pavement. This is a route I often took when running with shoes or walking, since is very scenic with tall trees, and a small drop into and out of the canyon about 70 feet in elevation. I felt something sharp on my right big toe in the middle of the run, but it went away on the next step. A few times I felt the it again, but didn't think anything of it until I was done. That's when I noticed that there was some blood mixed in with the dirt. A quick rinse showed that there wasn't any more bleeding, but there was a black speck on that spot. Afterwards, I examined the area, and used a tweeter to try to clean it some more. To my surprise, there was a scraping sound when I touched to spot. I had to dig it out since it was lodged in my skin pretty good. As you can see from the picture, it wasn't that large, but very sharp. Also during the run, I saw a patch of eucalyptus seeds on the sidewalk, and decided to run through it. I then had to stop to pull out a seed that was lodged in my forefoot. No blood, but a little damage to the skin. OK, I guess my feet aren't as tough as I thought. No bandages required, so I should be able to run again in a few days.

March 26, 2010 (Friday) [2.1 miles]

Took an extra day off (I have been running every other day most of this month) after the beach run on Tuesday, since my forefoot needed more time to heal. Now that my minimum run is longer, I don't have to run as often. Today's run was the longest on pavement since my first run which results in blisters. No blisters today, or hopefully in the future, as long as I increase my mileage slowly. This week's total is slightly up from last week at 8.5 miles. I don't plan on running much more than ten miles a week until maybe late summer. The calluses on my feet are shifting from my 3rd metatarsal bone to my 3rd and 5th. The 3rd is usually the most tender after my runs, and shows the most noticeable wear marks. My big toe calluses are decreasing, but still present.

March 23, 2010 (Tuesday) [4.6 miles]

Caught the low tide at it's lowest, so there was a little more beach to run on. I had to park further away today so the run included an extra tenth mile on pavement at the beginning and end. I could really feel the tenderness in the forefoot when I hit the hard sidewalk at the end. I can definitely feel my calf muscles got a good workout. The sand run doesn't really help my form, but I use it to strengthen my running muscles. There's nothing like hard pavement to give you good feedback on your foot strike. I would recommend to anyone who is starting out barefoot running to limit the amount of time in shoes or softer surfaces, which only encourages old habits.

March 21, 2010 (Sunday) [1.8 miles]

Same route as Friday, though it was much easier this time. For this week, I will continue to build up my base mileage.

March 19, 2010 (Friday) [1.8 miles]

The cooler asphalt in the early morning is definitely easier to run on than the afternoon. I can feel my pace increasing, though I am not timing any of my runs just yet. I have to remember to increase my street run distance slowly, to avoid injuries. Lately, I have been feeling so good at the finish, I want to go more. Total for this week is 7.6 miles.

March 17, 2010 (Wednesday) [3.8 miles]

The weather is too nice today to not go to the beach. Low tide was at 4 this morning, so I need to get an early start to avoid swimming instead of running. The water temperature is about 56° F (13° C), still too cold for me to swim without a wetsuit. I begin my run just as the sun is rising. The air temperature is comfortable 65° F (18° C). I run several loops for a total of almost 4 miles. In the past years when I run barefoot on the beach, I have noticed that my heels are a little sore afterwards. For today's run, the soreness is more in my forefoot and toes. I guess the barefoot running in the street is changing my foot strike for the better. I stop during the first loop to rinse off and check my feet, since I was noticing that my toes felt a little numb. No damage, so I complete another loop. I suspect the numbness is from the cold sand and water (I splashed a few times). I only stop because my leg muscles are starting to get sore. This is my longest run since May of last year. I feel so good today that I could run again tomorrow, but I will rest another day in preparation for a longer street run on Friday or Saturday.

March 15, 2010 (Monday) [1.0 mile]

The weather is like spring today, 75° F (24° C), sunny, little wind. After riding my bicycle for 20 miles without socks, I feel good enough to try running back-to-back days. Even though my feet are moist, they quickly dry on the warm asphalt. I have to finish the run on the sidewalk as I can definitely feel that the skin could use more time to toughen. No blisters after the run, but the soles of my feet are very tender. I will definitely take tomorrow off from running.

March 14, 2010 (Sunday) [1.0 mile]

My foot alignment is definitely changing for the better due to all this barefoot running. My calluses didn't bother me much today during my 70 mile bicycle ride this morning. In fact, I felt so good, that I ran barefoot for a mile right afterwards. When I was running this morning, one of my neighbors was asking how long I have been running barefoot. I stopped and talked with him, and he was saying that he tried barefoot running before, but he was having problems with sore heels. I said that he wasn't doing it right, and that running barefoot is a totally different than with shoes, it's like learning how to run all over again. I suggest to any one who wants to start running barefoot, throw out your shoes. The only way you are going to learn to run correctly is if you get rid of your old habits, and that won't happen if you continue to use your shoes. I am starting to enjoy the feelings in my feet so much, that I am even driving my car barefoot.

March 12, 2010 (Friday) [1.0 mile]

I was thinking of running longer today, but my soles were quite sensitive even before I started my run (probably due to the long bicycle ride yesterday). I thought that if I started running things would feel better, but they didn't, so I kept it short, only a mile today. This week's total is 3.5 miles, so the weekly distance is slowly increasing. Now that spring is almost here and the temperatures are warming up, I am thinking of running longer on the beach again to strengthen my running muscles.

March 10, 2010 (Wednesday) [1.5 mile]

I can start to see positive results on the soles of my feet, as my large calluses are starting to thin. As my feet get stronger, and my running style improves, I expect to be rid of those calluses that I have had for over ten years. My feet are starting to toughen up all across the bottom, and stepping on debris does not bother me as much now. I still want to increase slowly because if I get injured, that would delay my running program. I felt good after my 1.5 mile run, and may consider running back-to-back days soon.

March 8, 2010 (Monday) [1.0 mile]

Still cool and cloudy today (59 degrees F), but the streets are mostly dry. Using Gmaps Pedometer, I mapped out a new one mile loop which turns out to be very clean. The skin on my toes are finally starting to thicken up, and I felt so good at the end that I wanted to go more. The weather the rest of the week should be nice, so there shouldn't be any problems running three times this week.

March 5, 2010 (Friday) [1.0 mile]

Rainy weekend coming up, so I need to run today. Used a different route, an out and back, instead of my usual multiple loops. My pupils are still dilated from the Ophthalmologist appointment this morning, so it's hard to see clearly. I run mostly on the concrete sidewalk to go a little easy, since this is my first time I am running barefoot three days in a week. Also, since I can't see as well it's a little safer. I encounter a few sections with broken asphalt (i.e. loose rocks) that are difficult to run through, but finish without any injuries.

March 3, 2010 (Wednesday) [1.33 mile]

I have been noticing that the asphalt seems to be rougher on one side of my block versus the other. This could also be from the elevation, as there is a 18 foot gain away from my home. To test my theory, I decide to run counter-clockwise today (I normally run clockwise). I found out that the asphalt is indeed rougher on one side. Going counter-clockwise is actually better, since the smoother asphalt is at the beginning instead of the end of the loop. The first few laps feel good, and I add another loop today, but the last half of the loop, I run on the concrete sidewalk as a precaution. The 4th toe on the right foot (the one that had the big blister on my first barefoot run) is a little tender, but no redness.

March 1, 2010 (Monday) [1.0 mile]

Still running around the block. I will continue keeping the distance to a mile, but increase the frequency up to 2-3 a week (roughly every other day). I am keeping an eye on my toes for any signs of blisters. I would have hoped by now, my toes would have thick calluses, offering more protection, but they are not much different than before. There are been lots of rainy days the past few months due to the El Niño conditions this year, so I have to work around those.

February 25, 2010 (Thursday) [1.0 mile]

There was a bit of rain last night and there still lots of clouds and wind, which is not great bicycling conditions. I decide to run a 11 a.m. when the temperature is 60 degree F. and the street has dried up. I actually feel pretty good, and make it three times around for a full mile. It has only been two days ago since I ran, but I think having dry feet, and cooler ground makes running easier. I felt like I could go more, but want to increase gradually.

February 23, 2010 (Tuesday) [0.67 mile]

After a 42 mile bike ride (with socks this time), I run twice around the block. The ground is warm and I can really feel the heat of the asphalt. My feet are slightly moist from the bicycle ride, but not as bad as without socks.

February 16, 2010 (Tuesday) [0.33 mile]

After a 21 mile bicycle ride without socks, I run around the block, but only once. I'm not sure if it was because of the last run being only two days ago, or the extra moisture on my feet from bicycle riding without socks, but I could feel the ground more than usual, so I didn't feel like going more.

February 14, 2010 (Sunday) [0.67 mile]

Need to do some exercise this morning. Ran around the block twice. It's interesting how when running barefoot, you can feel the temperature of the asphalt in the shade versus in the sun.

February 9, 2010 (Tuesday) [0.33 mile]

After a two mile warm up walk with shoes and socks, I decide it's time to try barefoot running again. This time I only go once around the block. No blisters this time.

February 3, 2010 (Wednesday)

Swimming must soften the skin, as the left blister peeled off after my morning swim.

January 29, 2010 (Friday)

After swimming I noticed that the right blister just peeled off. Looks like I can start running barefoot again soon.

January 10, 2010 (Sunday) [2.0 miles]

After a hilly 31 mile bicycle ride, I felt good enough to start my barefoot running program. Around my block is a third mile, I figured I should be able to go around at least once. The first few hundred yards don't feel too bad, and I find a comfortable pace and stride. I end up going around 6 times, for a total of two miles. After my shower, I notice my 4th toe (big toe being first) on both feet have a blister about pea size. The right foot is much worse than the left, having a dark red-black color, while the left is just the normal red blood color. No skin broken, so is isn't too painful to walk.