“A lot of people run to see who's the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts.” ~Prefontaine

I have been recovering from a 10k. The day after, walking was difficult and painful. My calf muscles were strained. I figure it is due to a lack of conditioning (running four 10 min jaunts does not prepare you for a 10K), and I have not yet gotten all the nuances of forefoot running.

Ice, ibuprofen, elevation and some mild stretching and NO running or walking long has helped quite a bit. Today I walked home after church. It is a 2.5 mile. As for the nuances, I have been pouring over various forums of known barefoot runners and Pose runners. Barefoot Ted insists that the best way to learn to run is to go barefooted prior to any minimalist shoes. You cannot run incorrectly, your feet will not let you if your barefoot.

The confirmation of various posters gave weight to his already sizable yet zealous opinion. So I slipped off my New Balance and strode forth. After a few minutes, my calves feeling recovered, I opted to run. My gait was much shorter and I did note a lack of heel touch. So I relaxed and focused in running very smoothly, this seems to correct the issue. Carefully I would stop and walk a few minutes to avoid re-injury. There was a sense of whimsy, barefoot walking as though I was eight and not forty-eight.

There has been a paradigm shift mentally. Prior to my 10k I would obsess a little on how far and long I was running with a nagging feeling about when to walk. That is apparently gone with the knowing that I can just run for an hour straight without taxing my lungs. I had no qualms about the length time, other then I was still recovering.

How odd to find enjoyment in running, after all this time.