This morning I got Ruth Anne and Eileen up and dragged them out to IMF for some barefootin'. Ruth Anne has accepted my fondness for barefoot running as just another of my slightly (or not so slightly) out there compulsions growing out of my marathon addiction. I have tried to explain to her and many of my friends and fellow runners that an easy barefoot run in the grass is like a massage for the soul and the sole. Surely you can remember when you were 7 years old. You went to the park, kicked off your shoes and played the entire day in your bare feet. Well, I am here to tell you that at 30, 40, 50 or 90 you can recapture that feeling by finding a nice patch of grass, removing those overprotective overcorrective overinvective beasts from your feet and walking, jogging or running to your hearts delight. Using the neat little FlipVideo gadget, we captured the joy of a 7 year old running free, Ruth Anne rediscovering running barefoot and me reconnecting with mother earth and getting in a good workout too.
I can't imagine a better ending to my longest and hardest week of training ever. 85.4 miles is a new weekly high even with three of the longest and hardest workouts I've ever done. I am most excited by a comment Ruth Anne made as we finished up breakfast at Central Market "we should make this a Sunday ritual, barefoot running followed by breakfast." I believe I am saved.
After a fabulous morning, we had some of Ruth Anne's horse ladies come visit. They are planning a workshop at our place in a couple of weeks and we all wanted to know how Billie the Mustang would react to lots of people and horses in HER place. Well, she was as calm and laid back as you can imagine. We rearranged a few fence panels and we all think it will be a big success.
