BARE FEET!!!!

I have NEVER really liked bare feet. I don't know why. My brother, Lyle and I created a Foot Haters Club--not that I don't like the function of feet, just the look.

I have always made my kids wear shoes. ALWAYS. I've always worn shoes. My husband's fam doesn't really wear shoes--their kids don't. I always thought it was a bit silly. My daughter in law doesn't like shoes. My OWN daughter doesn't like shoes.

I thought it a public courtesy to wear shoes.

WELL....I was hooked up to a book called "Born to Run," through my cousin, Dwayne, on Facebook. He told me he would NEVER think of running the same way again. So I decided to listen and read it.

I have been plagued with hip pain that radiates down into knee pain for years now. I've had to STRETCH and stretch to get loose enough to run without injury. And, hey, I'm 45, right!!!
I learned through this book some pretty interseting things. First and foremost, BAREFOOT RUNNING is the thing!

I don't want to go into any lengthy details--read the book if you're curious--but let's just say that an old foot hater is going BAREFOOT every chance she gets (still not in public). Yeah, I know. Eat HUMBLE PIE. But I'm doing it.

I ordered VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS to run in. I haven't yet ran in them, but I have hit the treadmill three times now barefoot.

It was an awesome experience. I couldn't believe how much lighter you feel and how much less effort it takes. I ran 10 minutes the first run, barefoot, and thought I'd better put my shoes back on. Which, by the way, felt heavy and took more effort to run in. It takes time to build that strength in your feet, especially when you've been a DIE HARD shoe wearer for all of your life.

Anyway, I'm up to 20 minutes on the treadmill barefoot. No problems yet. But to be helpful, perhaps, to someone else, let me tell you that my calves were SOOOOOOOOOOOO SORE for that first week. I cannot explain how sore. I've NEVER been that sore. But this week, not so much. I also felt some slight sorenss in my feet, but not much at all. It's amazing.

Now, I don't know what the road will offer in the VIBRAMS, but I'm excited to try. The road is still covered with snow, so until the snow MELTS, I will just have to keep running on the treadmill until I've built up to a five miler or so. We'll see how that goes.

Also, I'm doing all my weight work outs--lunges, squats etc...without shoes, and can't believe the difference in the strength and grip I have.

I have also changed my running form dramatically with or without shoes. When you run without shoes, your form is better of its own accord. But WITH shoes, you have to really earn it. It's been an ADVENTURE.

I think my running partner, Shelly, is going to read the book now. I haven't stoppped talking about it RUN AFTER RUN. So she's doing it to get some peace. She actually accuses me of laying up at night trying to think of ways to make her SUFFER--I'm always changing up our workouts.

My daughter tried it and loves it. My neice tried it and said it killed her calves as well. Any my little BAREFOOT DAUGHTER IN LAW is so excited to give it a try too. She's an advocate of barefoot sports--always has been.

If you try it, post here and let me know how it's been for you.

Let's HOPE for an injury-free year for JULIE. I hope to see some benefit. But it sure makes SENSE when you read the book!

I'll post in a week and well see how I'm doing. No soreness today, though, from yesterday's run.
Happy running!

SIDE NOTE: It's going to be difficult to find any VIBRAMS until March. I would like to try the KSOs. But there are another kind of VIBRAMS being made that my daughter in law ran across especially made for running. So those may be my next purchase.