It's been a busy weekend for my feet...

It started on Friday, when I went for my longest ever run in Vibram FiveFinger Classics - 3.85 miles.  I'd only intended to do just over three, but we took the slightly longer route instead.  Feet felt great - no rubbing or sore spots, and more importantly, they felt strong.  All good stuff.

On Friday evening I went to a friend's 40th birthday party.  At the dinner table, I enjoyed a conversation with a neighbour who had been approached by someone who was 'concerned about Clare'.  Turns out she has seen me running barefoot and is very concerned about me stepping on something sharp.  I then had a brief discussion with my dinner companions (also fellow runners) about the virtues of barefoot running, which was nice because I'm still a little bit self conscious about doing it, if I'm honest.

Well, just in case you didn't believe me!

Later in the evening (with an excellent set by Mr Gareth Gates himself - not that I'm name dropping, you understand!), I danced for a bit in my very high heels, and then abandoned decorum and kicked them off, as did many of the other revellers.  I particularly enjoyed a bit of jumping around to the Killers (harder work on the calves than barefoot running, I can assure you), and I smiled smugly to myself when a friend complained of blisters.  Been there, done that, my soles are made of stronger stuff ;)

Saturday was a day of chilling.

Today, I did a couple of miles in my Classics, followed by 0.3 miles barefoot as usual, and then took my son to a gymnastics competition.  Unusually, I was sitting at the front, just 5 feet or so (if you'll pardon the pun) from the tumble run.  From this excellent position I was able to study the form of tumblers and vaulters aged 7 and 8.  I noticed some interesting things.  Firstly, that when walking or jogging around, the children instinctively raise their toes before the balls of their feet contact the ground (something I mentioned in my last blog post when I fell over).  Secondly, when the tumblers did their routines, which included cartwheels, handsprings, forward rolls, tuck and star jumps, it was really noticeable that they constantly wiggled their toes, using them all the time to minutely adjust their balance.  I even took a video (which if I get time I'll try and post) where it is easy to see just how much toe movement goes on in the simplest of activities (not that I'd call a cartwheel simple - I can't do them for toffee!).

I used to find my feet horrible - awkward shaped toes, peely skin, yucky nails.  Now I feel rather proud of my feet and all they can do.  Clever little things :D