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Yesterday was another chilly wet morning here in Vermont as I headed out to start week two of Couch-to-5K.  Toby, my trusty lab, and I headed to the Stowe Quiet Path just in time for the rain to turn to a nice light mist.  I dawdled a bit at the car, wrapping my iPhone in a plastic sandwich bag, and took plenty of time to stretch.

I’ve gotta say, I had an awesome time.  The runs were longer and this was the first day that I caught myself looking at the clock on the last run.  However, I still recovered much faster than I usually do from cardio activities and I honestly attribute that to the Vibram’s at this point.  I also got to experience some new textures under my feet.  Along with mud, grass, sticks and pebbles, I had my first chance to run on asphalt.  I was nervous at first and ran on the grass along the asphalt path.  Once I tried it, I realized it really wasn’t jarring at all.  As long as I kept in check with my form everything felt smooth.

Let’s talk about form.  As with most of my new obsessions, I’ve found myself Googling the crap out of barefoot running, ChiRunning, and C25K.  I mentioned previously that I naturally land on the balls of my feet; I think this comes from years of yoga.  I learned, thanks to Google, that I should really focus more on landing mid-foot.  Most new barefoot runners will need to lean forward to get away from landing on their heels.  I found I really need to come back just a smidgen.  I also paid a lot of attention to making sure I was lifting my legs and not pushing off with my toes, which is the other big thing I was warned against.

Now it’s the day after and I feel great.  No shin or calf pain, no pain in my achilles or IT Band.  I’m a little sore in my glutes and abs but I’m hoping that’s the good sort of muscle-building soreness.  I had also been told that I “will” get tendonitis in my arch (and was advised to just run through it).  This has not happened.  So far I honestly have no arch pain or really any foot issues to speak of besides the one blister on my left superior arch that I got the first time I wore the Vibram’s.  For new shoes that’s really not a bad breaking-in experience at all.

So far so good!  Next run is Tuesday!!