Although I found I can run 6k barefoot without any problems, I’ve been a little bothered by the soreness the next couple of days. It’s not really a problem, but I’m concerned that my feet actually need barefoot stimulation more than twice a week to really get them toughening up.
So having strained my right calf a little on the last two 6k runs, I’ve hit upon a new strategy. My new goal is to getting my soles toughened up in minimum time. I’m going to do this by running shorter distances, but more often. I’m going to run most days, but for a much shorter distance. This way I hope to be able to cover more miles per week than I was doing, but in much smaller stints.
I’ve been on this system for the past 3 weeks and in terms of effort it’s very easy. To run around the block where my house is, is a distance of 500m. So it’s very easy to multiply up the number of laps until I’m back up to the 6k I want to be at, then I can go and do a circuit of the Common again. So the first week I did a single lap of the block each day (3.5k/week) The following week I did two (7k/week), and this week I’m up to three (10.5k/week).
This seems much less effort and is very easy to motivate myself to go out there and do it. Plus in terms of the amount of miles my soles are covering I’m doing more miles per week than ever before. As this distance increases, I will start to take a few rest days. But for now I can easily handle this, and my feet must surely be getting the continuous stimulation that will allow them to become stronger.
We shall see what happens. In two weeks time I’m off to Thailand for three weeks. I’m looking forward to running on the beach for those three weeks. I’ll keep you informed of how I get on.