Running to not Grow Old

5 miles on waterfront route wearing shoes. 7:20 average pace. I don't feel the tendon pain when wearing my shoes, but the arch pain that I had previously returns. My plan is to ease back out of my shoes slowly so that my foot can continue to heal/strengthen.

2 miles today on waterfront trail. This was my first attempt out of shoes since the injury, and it still was kind of tender. I think that I really pounded too hard on the Seattle pavement with weak feet. So, I'm planning to take a step back and run in shoes until there is no more pain in that foot. 

8 miles at 7:30 average pace on the waterfront path today. I started out to do 5, but it was a beautiful sunny 48 degree days, and so I just kept going. My shoes seem to keep my forefoot from moving much while I run, because my injured foot was not a problem. Hey, if I can run while my foot recovers, great!

I decided today to do some running in my five fingers on a dirt track near my house. My hope was that by running on a softer surface in a more controlled environment, and without the pressure of my shoe-wearing peers I usually run with during the week, that I could control my form enough to run without pain in my right foot. I went slower than I usually do, about 8:30 mile pace, for four miles around the track, with about a half mile run from my house to the track. I loved it, and it felt pretty good in general at the time, but my foot has been sore again all day since the run.

This is pretty frustrating. Is it possible that my right foot is just whacked and needs the support of shoes to run successfully? I kind of doubt that. But I am planning to run most of the time in shoes for a while, as I ramp my mileage up in preparation for my 30 mile run on my birthday. If I back off the barefooting and then slowly ease back into it, maybe I can strengthen my feet enough to avoid a similar injury and make a full transition.