Vibram 10-miler & Mud Feet

Workout #5 with VFFs... Long Run!

Run attempt #5: First Long Run- 10M
Location: Back part of the Flying Pig Marathon loop
Mileage: 10 Mile
Incline: Varied-- Large up and down hills
Shoe: Vibram 5-finger classics
Pace: ~9min/mile

I completed my first longer run in my new vibrams. I waited until the next day for my "evaluation" of how the run went-- as should be done when transitioning into my new purple feet! As usual, I started off a little tight in my ankle and had to stop after about a mile to stretch it and run my ankle. After that, I stayed pretty loose. I feel confident in building up my mileage over the next 3 weeks, before my next marathon. Post-run thoughts? I'm surprised that my calves feel much more loose than before the run.

Mud Feet!!! aka. Embarrassing story #3 for the week!!!

Ok, I don't know how you'll feel about port-a-johns but I really don't mind them, esp if I'm on a run, need one and ta-daaaa there's magically one there! Like my own little poop-fairy godmother is watching out! Well Hyde Park seems to always have little construction sites going on, so there tend to be random port-a-johns all around. Not gonna lie-- when I find a port-a-john on a long run I get a similar feeling to  discovering somebody has a completely open facebook profile. YAYAYA-- Kind of like that!

So I'm on my run around mile 7-- 3miles from home and I've taken a GU without water-- you can guess what that means. I remember that up the road, along my route, there is a little bit of road work going on and there is a port-a-john that never seems to be used, but always maintained at the end of the week (oh yes, I check the maintenance dates). I think "YESS!!!" But I still have about a mile. I slow down a little when I see a HERD of runners coming toward me. Ugggh! One of the local running stores always has a huge group and they all run on the same roads saturday mornings in my neighborhood. Oh great. Well I start picking up pace because 1) I wanna look good in front of these other runners and 2) I HAVE to get to this port-a-john.

When I make my way through the oncoming traffic running 2-3 abreast (ps. how annoying is that??) I hear about a dozen people say or yell "Vibrams" or "Barefoot running!!!!" at me, which gets the attention of the maybe 2 people who haven't noticed my feet. Well... at least they know what they are and aren't staring at me as I run by with a look that says "why are your feet purple and where are your shoes??" like most people do!

So, I make my way through, get down the road and FINALLY get to my port-a-john (maintained the day before). I do my thang and head out. Well instead of going the 5 feet straight ahead to the road then running, I decide to take a cut through the grass a little... or the dirt, as it appeared to be. Not so much!!! As I start to sink into a foot of mud I realize I've made a big mistake. I make my way over to the road as quickly as possible, wading through the mud. My vibrams are COVERED in thick heavy mud. Now the "purple feet" look isn't sounding so bad, as I look like some sort of Yetti with mud-covered feet! Ick.

I run my last 2 miles to gym, going through the grass as much as possible to try and get the mud off. I can feel the mud going into the vibrams and it's gross. Once I'm at the gym, I gun it up the stairs to the locker room showers to get the mud off my feet and legs. I'm definitely happy I didn't have real shoes because they would have been very heavy and probably ruined. Oh well... at least I really got to test out the VFFs! They cleaned off well, dried easily and don't appear to have shrunken.

Took the day off today for a little recovery!!!

Ohhh and follow up to my photo-friday post? We had a little New Moon pre-gaming action last night, playing "New Moon" the board games (yes, there is a board game) and drinking champagne out of my new moon cup-- I knowwww what you're thinking... "wow this is one classy chick!" Orrrr probably more likely-- "wow, this girl needs a better Sat night life!" No worries, we went out after the game. :)