Started yesterday’s barefoot run with real enthusiasm – I really looked forward to it – but it was not easy in the end. The first run three days earlier had been great with no pain in the calves. Two days later however there was a mild case of D.O.M.S. (delayed onset of muscle soreness) in the calves but nothing much. Yesterday – third day since the run it felt right to go for another run. Wrong! Ten minutes into the run and it was a case of I.O.M.S – replacing with “D.” with “I.” for Immediate! Regardless of the pain I kept up the run for 32minutes this time and one day later and the pain has subsided but the legs are tired. It will be interesting to see if I can add more D.O.M.S. to this pain tomorrow.
There is obviously a muscular imbalance in my legs that this should be happening so perhaps the best approach is to see the barefoot running as a sort of corrective therapy and to let it take as long as it takes to overcome the pains – and to try to stay progressive and avoid the temptation to push too hard.