I thought I'd make a follow up note to the barefoot running post. My feet are a little tender on the soles due to some blood blisters. It will probably be another day or two before I go barefoot running again. I continue to go barefoot as much as possible though in order to strengthen everything. I just love it. The real thing though that led me to want to post a follow up comment is this: I have NO HIP PAIN, BACK PAIN, KNEE PAIN, OR ACHILLES TENDONITIS! The last one is momentous as I have been plagued by achilles tendonitis badly for the last month or so at least. I switched over to my clunkers (normal trail shoes, NB 809's) in order to give my achilles some support by alleviating the stretch from the heel drop in my minimal shoes (NB 790's). The barefoot running just made it simply go away. I felt a little twinge last night when I jumped for the chinup bar at the Y. Other than that, nothing. Normally when I get up in the morning I hobble and limp like an old man. Not this morning. Also, I've had this wierd hip pain right above my hip bone on my side that was very tender to the touch and when I walked. Gone. Just simply gone. I think this is a back issue that radiates pain into my hip, or it could be a leg thing that sends the pain there. Either way, it was fixed from the barefoot running.
I slept GREAT with that stretched out, tired muscle, post weight session feeling. Everything felt worked, but supple and healthy. I FEEL GREAT. I can't believe it. I thought I'd be lame from soreness. Not so. I'm convinced. Today I will run in minimal sandals to protect the feet, then back to barefoot tomorrow or the day after. Thank you Father. Really.

I got bit by the barefoot running bug again. No, not literally, duh. Once again, proving the power of our hearts getting captured by some glory or attraction that then plays itself out in our behavior, I ran 4.25 miles barefoot today. It was glorious, until I got some blood blisters from going downhill too aggressively. Put shoes on and ran in to 5.3. I will continue this when my feet are recuperated. They're a little tender now; not the soles really, but the muscles of the feet. My achilles and calves are tight, but feel way better than they normally due from running in shoes. Tomorrow will be sandals, maybe a shorter run to ease the healing. We'll see how I feel.
The weather was cold today, 32 degrees. My feet were fine after about 10 minutes. The black asphalt was warm in the direct sunlight. It was quite fun till the blisters started in. I love running barefoot and plan on transitioning all my road miles to barefoot for the upcoming year. Later.

Update

Well, I thought I needed to post something as I haven't posted anything in quite some time. My running has been going well. Two weeks ago I spoke at a men's retreat for a local church from New Jersey on how to live in relationship effectively with one another. I didn't get a long run in that weekend and ended up having a 4 day lay off. That's a direct result of having my passions running more towards loving and serving other people and wanting to use my time more effectively than running around in the woods. So, that only lasted 4 days, till my next run. I have been running consistently, though getting in my long runs has been hard since missing that one. I have some wicked tendinitis in my left achilles that has been bothering me. I am wearing my old shoes starting today to aid it. Still keeping after the Van Aaken Method. I almost ditched the llow hr training however after it went up to 70 degrees and my pace dropped by a minute. I was back on track however after it got cooler again. Pace is currently around 10:45/mile average hr of 133. 

   My goal has changed from running a 100 miler to being able to be fit enough to run in the woods at an easy pace with a low hr in order to do the fun events. I'll post later as I have to go put my hour run in. I missed yesterday. I will plan on doing a long run tomorrow as I have the day off.