As I leave for work on Friday on the motorbike, I see that the rear tyre of the car is virtually flat. The same tyre that we inflated only a couple of days ago!! After much ringing around and utilizing the weird looking space saving tyre that looks like something from Noddy's car, we finally find replacement tyre's (yes had to get two of them) at the local Bridgestone dealer in Thorndon. I am not normally a name dropper but this shop's customer service was over and above and they deserve the mention, especially Paul who served us. It was all arranged for us to take the car in around 11:15 on Saturday morning. I decided to take the opportunity due to the location of the shop that I would take my running gear and the Vibram's and go for a run virtually along the same path I will take for the 10km race in two weeks time.
I dropped the car off and started my run. Again I cannot stress how upright I am feeling at present, it is quite bizarre and also feels unnatural but strangely is becoming very comfortable. I ran through the city and finally made it to the waterfront which I would follow around until a turnaround about 4-5km into the run. The actual turnaround for the race is around 1km further along but I had limited time and did not want to do a full 10km run for two reasons. Firstly I was not sure if my feet would be ready for it and secondly, I want to do a run on Sunday so don't want to be too sore. I am running along and feeling really good and quickly realize that I have the wind behind me hence why all the other runners coming towards me look like they are in so much pain! Based on the time and the distance I realize I can make it to a Fish restaurant on the water and then I will have to turn around and head back to the tyre shop. As the Fish restaurant is coming into view I see that there is an access to the beach so decide that at the turnaround I will take off the Vibram's and run barefoot on the sand and then do some barefoot running back to the shop.
I hit the turnaround and go down the ramp as shown above and hit the soft sand. I feel really good and quickly realize why Surf lifesavers are such good runners as they are taught to run on their toes in the sand, similar to the barefoot running technique. I run the length of the beach and come up to the concrete. This concrete on my bare feet is a lot more forgiving than the pavement near my house and feels really good to run on. I still have a slight cut under my right hand big toe and don't want that to open up again so know that I will not be running all the way back to the car but will stop when I am 'over it'. I start to pass other runners and again wonder what they think when a runner comes past them in bare feet with a set of Vibram's on each hand. I don't really care what they think, I am feeling really good and run all the way back to the city. As I near the centre of town I reluctantly stop and put back on the Vibram's. I start running again and it feels like I have just put shoes on. The difference to the bare feet is really noticeable today and I wish that I could keep running barefoot but don't want to injure my toe. I eventually make it back to the tyre shop and look down at my watch to see that again the GPS has stopped at some point during my run but I have done around 7km. I am slowly creeping up to my 10km goal and should be on track to have a good race on the 24th June. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to get in a longer run! The run is shown below:
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