Holidays

I've only run a few times since I came home for the holidays. I ran two miles when I first returned, but then my brother came into town for a week, so I didn't run then, and during that week, I picked up a cold, which I still have.

However, five days ago, it was really warm and I was feeling a little better, so I decided to go for a short run. I ran about three-hundred yards before stopping. It felt like there was a weight on my chest, so I figured I should've waited for my cold to heal completely. Then I noticed how hot and itchy my feet were in my aqua lites, and I don't know what possessed me, but I forgot how tired I was and decided to take them off and run barefoot.

Honestly, it was the most I'd enjoyed a run in a long time. I realized how much I'd missed running totally barefoot. It's so much more enjoyable. Anyway, since I was still recovering from my cold and since it was my first barefoot run in a couple months, I only ran a mile. But when I got home, I was energized. I felt like running another mile. Plus, I had no blisters or anything.

That got me really excited and I bought Barefoot Ken Bob's book: Barefoot Running Step by Step. It's interesting hearing different points of view on the same topic. He, Jason Robillard, and Michael Sandler all agree and disagree on various points. I think Ken Bob would think Michael Sandler's form is terrible. To Ken Bob, bending your knees is the number-one most important rule, but Michael Sandler hardly bends them at all. It actually looks really funny.

Anyway, I was excited to apply some new things I learned from Barefoot Ken Bob, but when I woke up in the morning ready to run, it was raining. I was bummed. However, I decided I was going to run barefoot anyway, since I'd never done it in the rain before. Honestly, it was fun. I enjoyed apply what I learned, but I didn't go as far as I hoped because my pads started to sting a little. No surprise since it was my first run in the rain. Surprisingly, I didn't have a single blister. I expected to have at least a few small ones on my toes.

After that, I decided I would never let rain stop me. However, the next time I woke up ready to run, it was snowing. This time, I let it stop me. I haven't run since. We were having such a nice warm streak, and just as I was starting to run again, it ended. Oh well.

Since I still have a cold, I'm going to wait until it's gone before running in this weather. It's freezing out there.