Well, it happened. I came down with an injury. Nothing too severe, I hope as I have already registered for the Brookings Marathon this coming May.
I started the barefoot running strategy back around the start of December. I started slowly... a half mile once a week, then a mile, then gradually upping my mileage. I don't think I've run more than four miles in a "barefoot style". Which means wearing my Altra Instincts as I run. I'm pretty sure that I did a nice job of slowly breaking into them. I hadn't worn them too much, never two days in a row, and never more than four miles.
The one thing I can think may have affected my training, is that I bought of pair of Stem Footwear shoes to wear for everyday use. My thinking was, "what a great way to prepare" my feet for the rigors of barefoot running, than to wear shoes made with this philosophy in my day to day life.
I think, however this ended up "overdoing it". I wore them pretty much every day, in all circumstances, teaching PE, going to church, you name it... I was wearing my Stems.
Started to feel some pain on the tops of my feet a few weeks ago, nothing major, but I noticed it. As time progressed it really started to hurt and was very noticeable. So I googled it, and found this article online at go barefooting.
Very informative, and sounds exactly like what has happened to me.
Barefoot runners beware: if you are feeling pain on top of your feet it may be tendonitis. Rest, Ice, Anti-inflammatories, and stretching your calves are the methods used to cure this problem.
So, I'm going cold turkey on the Stems for awhile, at least until the pain subsides. Just one day in "regular" shoes, and the pain alleviated a little. Going to take a week or so off of running, at least no running until I'm pain free, and then only regular style...Then I will start over, slowly with the Altras, and when I move back to wearing the Stems, it will be intermittently, on days when I don't run barefoot.
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