Flashback Friday: Sore Soles, Snarky Souls

My bare feet made their debut of the 2010 running season last night, and of course everybody saw me.

I'd been itching to shed the shods for most of the week as the temperatures crested 70 degrees. However, I wanted to take it slow.

I started with a couple barefoot walks with Dobson Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, last night, while I was debating whether to go for an hour run or a three-mile barefoot run, I got some inspiration in the mail, courtesy of the erratic epicurean, who sent me a clipping about barefoot running from the Smithsonian magazine. The debate was over.

I strapped on my, well, nothing. But I decided that if I couldn't do three miles that I should carry my hippie shoes just in case. I didn't need them.

I'm still a bit self conscious about barefoot running. Immediately upon walking out the door, my audience gathered round to see me make a spectacle of myself.

I went left when I usually go right to avoid a guy I talk to in the neighborhood who also owns an Old English Sheep Dog. Where I avoided one person, two more appeared in the other direction. They stared.

Down the road after a mile, I turned up a street to start turning back toward home. A gang of mountain bikers rode toward me. After they passed me, I heard, "Barefootin' it ... barefoot runner."

Turning up the next street, I saw a seven-year-old on his bike, who stared at me as I passed, then said, "That's just weird." Up a little farther, I heard the voice of another child from inside a house, "Hey, there's a guy running down the street without shoes on!"

On the final stretch before turning back onto my street, I saw another runner across the street who just stared at me, so I waved. Then I saw an older woman walking, who said, simply, "Barefoot, huh?"

Thus ended my first barefoot run of the year, a less than 11:00-minute mile pace with a piece of something I stepped on in the grass stuck in my foot for the last mile. Today, my soles are sore. But in a good way.

Special Shoutout for Marathon Monday
There are a few blogger folks racing that one race people talk about. Go bestow luck upon them at these sites:

• Sarah (aka Sun Runner) of Running into the Sun
• Kristina from Marathon Mama
• AC from Running Down
• E-speed from Run with Me
• Spike of Running Spike
• And some guy named Ryan

If I missed anyone important, please let me know.

Best of luck, crew. Have a great race on Monday. Stay hydrated. Don't shit your pants.

Back Talk
Wherein this post is long enough already, so here is an announcement instead.

Tune in tomorrow for a very long special edition of Team BHI. Until then ...

Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates. Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!