Note to Self

On my long run this past weekend, my PF really flared up, for reasons I can't explain.

I started with a warm up of 2 miles barefoot on the treadmill. It went great and I felt great. Then I put on my Mizuno flats, and headed outside. The first .5 miles was fine then the PF started to flare up and 1 mile later, I couldn't run . . . this has only happened to me once in the last 3 years (and I have a very high tolerance for pain). I had to stop and walk home. Obviously, I was pissed and frustrated so when I got home, I took off my shoes and jumped on the treadmill barefoot and the pain immediately started to go away so I ran about 1.2 miles. Then, I put on my shoes, went back outside, and .3 miles into the run, the pain was unbearable and I had to stop again. So I walked to the neighborhood school near my house and took off the shoes and ran around the parking lot barefoot and the pain started to go away and I ran another 1.2 miles.

Again, I can only remember one time prior, a few years ago, that I couldn't run because of injury. But, it was "night and day" each time I took off my shoes. I could run barefoot but I couldn't run in shoes. On a scale of 1-10, my PF pain was 2-3 when barefoot and 8-9 with shoes . . . just amazing.

Now you may say the root cause is the shoes, and that's obvious but there's something else. I need to find out what my left foot is doing differently barefoot than in shoes. There's something in my form/technique that is materially different barefoot vs. shoes. I already know I have a 6-8 stride per minute differential when barefoot. I'm 188-194 in shoes and 196-202 barefoot (194-198 in VFFs). I guess that 6-8 difference is material. I also wonder if I have less pronation barefoot and, if so, that could explain some of this.

I'll be heading to the lab to be video taped barefoot, in VFFs and in racing flats so I can analyze my form/technique in each circumstance. I am anxious for the Vivo Evo to be released. Vibram doesn't get it. All they have to do is put out a version for the winter/colder weather and, if they really want to make money, then put something over the top to hide the toes (keep the toe design underneath) and make it look more like a regular shoe and I think they would corner the niche barefoot/minimalist market. There's many of us dying for better footwear for the winter, and footwear that will allow us to wear socks and, if needed, toe warmers. Maybe Vivo Evo will be the answer (oh, I can't wait for the release).

That's my story . . . at least to this point.

HHH