Barefoot running in the cold

Today while my older kids had their piano lessons I headed out to the Nose Hill pathway which I used for my long runs when I was training for my half marathon. The path has been closed down for most of the summer for construction and repairs and has just reopened. I decided to try out Kyle's KSOs because my Bikilas were hurting my foot. After my last run which was completely barefoot, I had to stop at sobeys for groceries so I put my bikilas on to go into the store. After really just a couple of steps I noticed the pain in the top of my foot toward the outside of my ankle. This has happened a couple times before After that I decided that I wasn't going to wear them anymore. See, around the house I usually wear cheap flip flops year round. I hate to step on crumbs and I have 7 kids so I have to have something on my feet. Well I've been wearing my Bikilas most days and then wondering why my foot was hurting. Once I realized it was the shoes I was disappointed. Has anyone else had trouble with the bikilas? So all day yesterday I wore Kyle's KSOs. Now, he is a 41 mens and I am a 41 women's so they were a little big on me but they felt great. I wanted to try them out because there is a lady close to me who has some in my size for sale. I am really disappointed that we spent good money on the Bikilas only to have them hurt my feet.

Anyways on to the run. It was about 2C with very little sun and the path was deserted.

Neon orange in case someone is hunting along the path.

I started out in the KSOs and found that the ground feel with them is much more natural than with the Bikilas. Everything felt good. As I ran I noticed that there was a short trail through the tree in behind the new science centre. I couldn't resist. I love running on trails and I wish that I had more time to go away and run in the woods. The trails was pea gravel and I noticed right away the difference between the KSOs and the Bikilas. It didn't hurt really just that I noticed the feel of the rocks more. 

I had to take a quick video just to show you how much fun it was.

After the trail I came out right beside the science centre and back onto the path back towards my van. I wasn't quite done yet although my toes were getting pretty cold. The pathway was nice and smooth so I took my shoes off and hooked them onto my spibelt. Seriously, who takes off their shoes when their feet are already cold. It felt great again to be running bare but I was noticing how numb my feet become when it is cold out. It wasn't uncomfortable just different. I had to watch that my form was still good as I couldn't depend on my cold toes to tell me if I was pushing rather than lifting. Everything was going along well. Then I saw up ahead that the path was all broken up. I thought to myself that I had better just keep going, I might as well see if I can run on gravel without hurting myself. I ran through the first time with no problems. Kept relaxed, lifted my feet and kept moving. I got past and then had to turn around to go back to my van. I ran over it again. This time it was kind of a thrill to run on the gravel. Oh my gosh I can do this. 

Overall it was a great run. I did 2.47 miles. 1 mile barefoot. I am really going to have to find a cold weather solution though because now that I don't have so much insulation I am freezing all the time. Tina from Toe Girl Tina is going to be in Calgary at MEC this Sunday and Kyle and I are hoping to be there. I am hoping to see what she uses in the frigid weather and hopefully pick up some injinji socks to keep my feet warm until my EVOs get here. 

Robbie

Kyle: A win and a fail

Saturday was a very busy day. Rebekah, our eldest, had to be at a friend house early in the day for a day camp with her friend. Right after that the two little girls had a ballerina class. We had enough time after they got home from that to quickly eat lunch and then the two older boys had a birthday party to go to. In and out of the house all day long. So thankfully I was able to take advantage of some time while the boys were at the party.

Ready for a run!!!

Forgot my carabiner. Did Paul's method of tucking it into my belt. Worked great. Can't do that with marshmallow shoes though.

I was able to take just over an hour to have a run. My feet were feeling all better now so I was looking to have a good run. We have been talking about running in confederation park for a while so. Apparently the paths there are freshly paved and are lovely for going barefoot on. So with that in mind, I totally forgot about that and ran down the pathway by the Deerfoot instead. Silly Kyle. My wife is currently running in Confed so she will have to tell me how great the paths are there.
I love running on the paths by deerfoot. It's nice and long and not too crowded. However I now notice going barefoot that the path condition is pretty crappy. The pavement is quite rough. I welcomed every single bridge that came along because the pavement on the bridges is smooth and lovely.

Pathway along Deerfoot.

Pathway in a natural area around Beddington trail and Center Street.

Got a couple of weird looks, but no comments about my barefootedness. But I didn't care. It felt so good to be out running, feeling the ground under my feet. I loved it. I was having so much fun that when I came upon a gravel path I thought, Why not? Wow. I can't believe I was running on gravel. It didn't hurt my feet, but it did feel very sharp. Very intense. After a while it started to feel painful. Interesting because it never injured my feet. All said and done, my feet felt great, but the feeling was too intense.

Gravel Pathway? Don't mind if I do.

The gravel path I was on didn't quite go where I thought it was going. So I could either turn around and go back, go up the hill along the gravel path or go along a trail. I chose the trail. I apparently was feeling very adventurous that day. Running on the trail was lovely, except when there were stones along the way. My feet were still feeling very sensitive from the gravel. Got to the end of the trail and came upon...another gravel path. I wasn't feeling up to more gravel barefoot so that is when I put my Vibrams on. Amazing how much better it feels running on gravel with my Vibrams on. Almost effortless. Before it would have felt much harder, but now it was easy.

And then running barefoot along a trail. Lovely.

More gravel so on go my Vibrams.

All in all I did about 4 miles barefoot and it was great. My feet felt perfect and a day later (today) they still feel great. That was my win. Anyways so I was now running with my Vibrams on and just running back to pick up the boys. I was running short on time so I needed to go at a good pace. This was all good until my big fail. My left knee started to hurt at about 1.5 miles left to go (I ran about 6.5 miles that day). I couldn't walk, couldn't slow down, just had to push through the pain. Bad idea. Had I not needed to be back to get the boys I would have done this totally different. Alas I didn't have much choice. Running 1.5 miles with a hurt knee is not good. I wouldn't recommend it. My knee was super sore all yesterday and last night. It's a little better today but it will probably be a while until I can have a good run again. Aaarrrrgh!

My feet feel great. Knee, not so much.

I have never been good about taking care of myself when I get sore. But this time I'm going to follow RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) like a good little runner and see if that helps my knee to feel better quicker. You win some, you lose some. If anyone has other ideas on how to get better quicker, leave a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Kyle

Sarah needed to be a pothead too. Laff

Abigail comes up to me and says "I'm a pothead!!!"

Day 2 for Kyle and Robbie: Make sure we bring band-aids

Beautiful fall trails

Yesterday we went to my parents house in Okotoks with our brood and because my parents are awesome they watched the kids while Robbie and I went for a run on the trails in Okotoks. We decided to go barefoot for the first little bit and then run some more in our Vibrams. Once again running was awesome barefoot. Felt free, light and almost effortless. I put Barefoot Neil's advice into action. I tightened my core, pulled my hips forward and made sure I lifted my feet. Success!!!! No more blisters on my big toe. The existing blisters felt very sensory so it definitely was easier to make sure I didn't drag them.








The pathway was pretty good but it had a couple of rough gravel patches. Robbie felt those patches were so rough that they hurt. To me it just felt almost like sensory overload. Still really neat all the sensation that you get from going barefoot.

Run Robbie Run!!

Found a good way to carry our Vibrams. A caribeener attached to our fuel belt works great.

Today's trail run came with a lesson courtesy of Robbie. She ran over a section of pathway that went up suddenly (due to a root or something like that) and she was so busy paying attention to her knee that was a little tweaked from running down the mountain, that she didn't lift her feet up enough. She scraped her bog toe and took a couple layers of skin off.

The damage from one scrape.

I was pretty disgusted.

Ouch!!! Luckily Robbie took it in stride. We did learn that we should bring band-aids with us because she was bleeding pretty good. In a stroke of brilliance Robbie took off her Bondiband and fashioned a toe thong.

She got better quickly

Very fashionable

We finished off our barefoot run and then put on our Vibrams. While the Vibrams are nice and light and flexible it is amazing how much sensation you do lose. We are loving running barefoot so far but we do need to remember to take it easy. Looking forward to being able to get out again.

Blisters on my heels were from shoes

Looking good, because you can't see the toe.

 Kyle