I’ve been running near barefoot for nearly 2.5 months now and have not experienced a really bad day … So I hit a few stones with my forefoot or toes, but my gait is light and childlike … that is what I love. Running light and easy versus with the feeling of weighted boxes on my feet is wonderful. It’s changed everything..

I’ve been running for just over 31 years now. I started when I was 15 and ran competitively in high school and Division 1 college at Iowa State University…. but I loved running in racing flats and spikes.. I even remember saying that I wish I could run in spikes all of the time! … Well, now I “kinda” do !  … No more chunky runs with chunky times … My times are coming back down and finally the strength of my legs and feet are challenging my cardio max VO2 levels! .. I have  not been able to get my heart rate up in YEARS! Finally with the drop of the running shoes my heart rate is going up when I run .. this is good news. It is just a matter of time to recondition my max vo2 and who knows where at age 46 I can go! … Can I break my old 38:48 10K time or my 30:04 5 miler ..or my 3:21:36 marathon (Drake Relays) .. or perhaps my 5:08 mile time? …

The difference between now and 30 years ago .. although I must say that “runners high addiction” is still there, .. is that I am much more aware of listening and responding to my body. … the transition from running shoes to near barefoot was pretty natural for me, because I have always been a toe runner. But I am still experiencing some stiffness in my achilles tendon. .. seems that is from the fivefingers shoe back pressing against my tendons when I run. No pain at all in my calves, ever. But I just made a slight scissor cut into the backs of my fivefinger Sprints and took the day off to let my achilles tendons rest … and I will see how if the pressure on the tendons dissipates tomorrow … I know when I take my shoes off and go barefoot there is NO pain in the achilles..

My trainer at ISU used to cut the backs of my Nikes because I had chronic achilles tendonitis…

All for now .. working on trail guides and pictures and then on getting back onto the Ice Age Trail with Vibrams !

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