East Grove Blues

With the new year comes new things for me in running. I started running regularly about two years ago. Before that I had run on and off, but never as consistently as I have in the last couple of years. My running has definitely changed along the way. At first I was into the big clunky things they call running shoes. These are fine if your running on a nice soft grass trail through the timber. They are not so nice on the hard pavement of Japanese roads. After a few months of being in Japan, and training for my first half-marathon, my knees were very angry.

So last year I switched my shoes and my running style. I went to lighter shoe with a lot less tread and I went from a heel-toe strike to a middle of the foot strike. This saved my knees but caused its own problems at times. Because I still can’t feel the ground I have a hard time placing my foot at times. I end up torquing the leg slightly, which leads to shin splints. If you have ever had them you know how painful they can make running. I only get them when I have been running long distances consistantly. I ran my second half-marathon last year without any knee pain and only a little from my shins.

This year I am evolving again, or devolving if you will. This year I am forgoing the shoe. This will be a slow build up. At first I have to build up the calluses that protect my feet from nasty little rocks. Large rocks are easy to avoid, little tiny ones hurt more and get stuck in the foot. This is a small price to pay for the feeling of barefoot running. It is exhilarating. You feel free. I absolutely love it. I have started walking barefoot outside. Right now the cold hurts far more than the rocks. I am taking it slow. When I want to run I head to the school gym. The floors are cold, but not too bad. It isn’t as exciting as running outside, but it is a start. I have to rebuild the muscles in my leg to support myself when I run. It’s amazing how quickly your body will change. It won’t be long before I am running three to four miles, and this time without shoes and without pain.

Another fun thing is the reaction I get from people. I always get double takes if they notice my feet. I wish I had enough Japanese to explain to them that humans went without shoes for a couple of million years and they seemed to do just fine. Shoes are a recent invention, and while they protect your feet, they also cause their own problems, most of which aren’t worth it. I wish I could go barefoot at school. That isn’t a line I am willing to cross yet.