Sweet Barefoot run tonight, lessons, and updates.

I have been uber busy.  That pretty much sums it up......ok I will elaborate.
This last weekend was the New Bohemian Half Marathon in Cedar Rapids and I went as a nuun ambassador to provide samples, nuun for the race course, and nuun for the finish line.   It was a well run event and they had almost 100 entrants more than they expected to put them at 340 for their inaugural race!

Andy, the race director, is also a barefoot runner that I met on Runners World Barefoot Forum last year at the beginning of the summer when I was just starting out.  It was great to see him again!
I was gone from early Saturday morning and came home late Sunday night.   The work was mellow although I was constantly doing something and constantly hungry!

It is so very difficult to eat away from home with so many food issues.  I came home very very uncomfortable after trying some new foods and being careless with my diet while away.   I am determined to make this coming 3 day weekend an intestinally pain free endeavor.

I have not been running much.  This is something I expected to happen when I decided to take on more work with nuun.  The runs I have done have been amazing!   They have been either a barefoot treadmill marathon or a 10 PR that I busted out tonight!!

The last time I ran was Thursday night with the hubby.  Barefoot of course and the weather was so lovely.   I worked all weekend and yesterday turned into a long day that I didn't make time for running.   I am still holding on to my evening runs for as long as I can.  
Tonight I had some serious fire to burn off.  I missed running.  I had no intentions of running fast or hard.  I just wanted to run.   The last 2 weeks or more of running have been about just getting a whim and going with it.

So we went to a new track.  It goes around a neighborhood park and is .23 miles around.  We were going to run 3 miles and they run the hills in the cemetery just up the block.  Jaymon's hamstring was having nothing of running fast so I moved ahead.

I ran the first 5k (3.1 miles) in 24 minutes for a 7.74 pace. Now that I type that, I am realzing that it is a 35 second faster run than my last 5k race!! That makes my 5k a new PR as well. Hell yes!!!

  I decided that I still had daylight to burn so I just kept on going.  I felt  amazing with my breathe and stride perfectly matched for a fluid and rather mellow experience.  I ran the whole 6 miles or 26 laps in 49 minutes.  I have not ran a 10 race so this is a 10k pr and an 8.16 pace.  My barefoot running is improving and I think much of it is the large amount of rest I get in between the runs that I consider to be a big deal.

This little fella hitched a ride with us to the park we ran at!   I am loving all the frogs we are finding this year!

On my facebook page I was and am often asked about how to start barefoot running.  First off, the way I do it and the way I look when running is not necessarily they way you will do it or look.  I don't get injured (knock on wood......yes I did just say wood :)   and I also feel really good when I run.  My feet don't get all beaten up and I feel good overall.
That being said here is some things I replied to on my Facebook page.
This is what a friend asked

"I am trying to do a couch to 5k in vibrams - I had some shoe/footpain/knee pain -issues when I used to run in the past, so I keep expecting to have troubles, but so far, not bad. any words to the wise starting out?"

Here is my reply.

 "

honestly, you should skip the vibrams and just go barefoot to start with. You will have to go to some shoes in short order with the weather changing in the next couple of months anyways so for now ditch them. I think a couch to 5k is a reasonable schedule to follow for going barefoot. It will help you find good form faster and then the transition to vibrams should go more smoothly.
Otherwise I think the Couch to 5k is a steady enough program to just follow with vibrams too. Just relax, relax, relax!! Constantly think about an upright posture and quick cadence. Relax your face, your hands, your ankles, ect. You don't want to expend any more energy than you need to and tensing muscles you are not using is not conserving energy. Best of luck to you and update on how you are doing!

Ok, off to bed for me but I do feel inspired to expand on this.  What do you want to know? Ask me anything and I will answer with honesty and to the best of my ability!  Lay it on me!!

Happy running my friends!