This morning I started my run with no socks. As a triathlete, I like to minimize my times on the transitions. Not having to wrangle socks onto soggy feet can save precious minutes. Every triathlon I've done I have cycled and run with no socks. I used to run in Nike Frees, sockless, with no problem. Today I had my lovely Saucony Kinvara 6 road shoes on. I like these shoes if I'm forced to run on pavement. There is a bit more cushioning than my minimalist Altra Superior trail runners (the king of all shoes in my humble opinion). But I quickly discovered that my Sauconys are not made for sockless running. I had a hot spot on my toe only a mile in. I was running by a large baseball field so I just took my shoes off and continued my run on the grass.
I'm still rehabbing my broken foot so I've been jog/walking mostly, to alleviate the aches, not able to run more than a few minutes on the pavement without a walk break. But, as soon as my bare feet felt the soft grassy earth my energy surged, my face broke into a smile and I was suddenly running without pain, non-stop in circles around the field.
I've written about this before. How the energy of the ground seeps up through my feet and lends me strength. From pavement to grass or dirt or mud or cinder or snow, the difference is tangible, remarkable. I almost didn't sign up for the Honu 70.3 race in June for just that reason. I prefer not to run on pavement. Peer pressure and FOMO (fear of missing out) caused me to enter the race and I know it will be a blast. I don't regret it.
But from now on I'm going to listen to what my spirit and my body tells me and stick to trails. Now I start planning for my next 50k!
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