4WD for your feet!

Today was my first run up the Incline in the snow. There was still a pretty good amount of snow on the way up, and Barr trail was well covered at the top also.  What a blast!  And when I got to the top, it was the quietest its ever been... so cool.  Also, I got to see the carved pumpkin that someone had left up at the top.

So, as I said yesterday, I knew I would be running in my shoes today, as I am not a bare footing superman just yet. I borrowed some YakTrax from a good friend to help with traction.  Let me just say that they performed INCREDIBLY..    I wasn't sure what to expect, but I swear I could have run up a vertical wall of sheer ice and not slip! I ran down hill on compacted ice and snow and had no concerns. They are that good...    needless to say, they move to the top of my wish list.

Now, as far as running goes, I was a little sad to see my invisible shoes being left behind this morning.. I've gotten so used to running in them (and wearing them most of the time).  But... I made a great discovery..  running barefoot and in minimalist sandals has made me a better runner in shoes!  Forcing my brain to imagine I wasn't wearing shoes help me to maintain a shoeless form, and did not heel strike. However, the thick heel was kind of annoying as it wouldn't allow the full compression I would normally get in my sandals or barefoot. Also, not having the more direct contact and feel, I did trip a few times since I was not able to adjust quickly enough to changes in terrain.  But, this does make me optimistic about finding some minimalist trail running shoes for extreme conditions like today. If you have any recommendations, please comment!

I did take a number of pictures today, and I'll post most up on the Facebook page, but here are a few.

"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner."
-Bart Yasso