Politically Incorrect Summer

Today marks the third day in a row of unseasonably warm weather, and according to Dick Goddard that means we're having an Indian Summer here in Northeast Ohio. Yesterday it was 70. A blissful, sunny 70.

But we all know this weather won't last. Mother Nature giveth, and she taketh away. And you know what that makes her, don't you?

You racists.

I took my soles to Sand Run for the first time and ran on pebble-ridden and twig-littered compacted limestone. I was hoping that the high temperature would mean that the ground would feel warm for a barefoot run, but it wasn't really. At all.

I can tell that my barefoot experiment is not long for this year, as the colder weather is making the acclimation process (i.e., foot detenderizing) more miserable by the day.

My form is improving. I'm getting better at landing painlessly and increasing my cadence. However, those chilled surfaces make me tense up, which is a no-no and a sure-fire way to hurt myself. It seems like the cold would numb my feet if the friction of running didn't keep them just warm enough to stay in that extra sensitive range where a stubbed toe would probably kill me.

I will run barefoot weekly as the temperature permits, but I don't see myself going unshod much below 45 degrees. So far, I've already achieved my goal. I found that mixing in barefoot running benefits my legs and adds variety to my running. I may have to shut it down soon, but I will restart the process in the Spring.