47th annual Kelley Race report

Unlike last time, two years ago, I wore shoes and the 11.5 miles were only 3 minutes faster, 1' 48", 42nd in my age group. I don't think shoes made the big difference. I wear Nike Free 3.0 shoes, which are barely there. There not made for "support" but for flexibility and freedom. I would not have worn shoes if I had decided to start running back in June instead of July. I went out a few times in early July barefoot, but I was going too far too soon. The best way to condition the feet is with patience, 1 mile every other day for a week then adding a mile every week. Instead, I ended up getting too many blisters and too many days off to recover. Eventually, I gave up and put the shoes on with 2 weeks to prepare. I squeezed in a few 4 milers and two 8 mile runs. I asked my wife and another running friend, Kristen, who couldn't run due to sesamoid issues to meet us at the awful 8 mile hill. They said many of the runners appreciated their location. The day was hot but the humidity was not bad. I was very happy with the water stations that offered gatorade. Every time I drank some I soon felt a little boost. At the end of the race, I was able to pass some and some passed me. I mostly ran alone, but that's fine with me. I'm a little sore, the day after, but overall, I'm good. Now I can resume barefoot conditioning.

Image by sporksmith via Flickr