Running in bare feet

Do you ever notice a small thing and pass over it, only to notice it again in a different setting, then again and again. Finally you decide to explore the idea, figuring that if you keep getting bombarded with suggestions from different places, maybe it's something you're cosmically meant to notice. Barefoot running was like that for me. I won't go into the details, suffice to say that I can count at least 4 unrelated instances in the last couple weeks that brought it to my attention.  I decided on Sat. to head to the gym and try it out on the indoor track.

As I sat on a bench to take off my running shoes and socks, I was curious how my ankles would feel - would they be strong enough without running shoes to avoid injury? What about my weird hip rotation that causes my legs to swing in and knock my knees together - how would it respond without the stabilizing effect of my shoes?  How do I learn to run on the balls of my feet? I walked a lap to warm up, ridiculously aware of my bare feet with their blue-painted toenails, ready to respond if an employee told me to put my shoes on. But once I started to run all thoughts left my head. It was so...easy. My gait was springy, landing on the balls of my feet, heels barely touching, then bouncing off the track. My ankles felt fine. My arches didn't hurt. Boing boing, I felt like Tigger running. I smiled hugely, enjoying the fun and freedom of just running. The sound of my bare feet on the track, a soft plaf-plaff, a sharp contrast to the heavier footfalls of the other runners. I stopped to walk a bit, then run again, around and around. It was so fun. I remembered the line "Don't think, just run" and for the first time I was enjoying doing just that. I looked down at my feet and noticed how straight my legs were, no conscious fight to keep my knees from turning in. Nothing hurt running this way. And I learned how many helper-muscles weren't getting used running in shoes. Muscles that complained they're not used to work - like the soleus, the muscles between your calf and ankle. And tiny unnamed muscles wrapping the ankle from foot to leg that still needed strength training.

I ran longer than I should have. I think I covered a mile in total, and was TIRED at the end. When I got home and looked online for more information, everyone warned to start slow, very slow. I had no idea just how slow you really have to start. My soleus (lower leg) muscles are so worn out I walk funny if I've been sitting a while. But I know it's muscle fatigue, like your pecs after doing a bit too much on the bench press. I'm thinking I might do a few laps before lifting weights, or after a Zumba class. But I'm definitely going to do it again.