Too Much Too Soon?

While I felt great running on Wednesday, this morning's 3 mile orbit felt a little off. My calves started off a bit tighter than normal...not entirely sure if this was merely a side-effect from not having fully recovered from Sunday's marathon or if it was caused by altering my stride to accommodate the Vibrams. After all, favoring toe or ball strikes puts more stress on the calves.

Today's run itself felt pretty good for the first mile...not fast, but comfortable. Running uphill just seems easier in minimalist shoes. There is less weight to lug around. Toe / ball strikes come naturally.

The first downhill proved a bit more challenging. This stretch gets a bit steeper than any descent on Wednesday's run...and I could feel it was quite a bit harder on the feet. This was one area I really appreciate my Kayanos...the added cushioning and spring from their gel-packed heels help my legs relax over such grades.

By the next incline, I started to feel heat under my big toes. The Vibrams appeared tight and fit snuggly, but my big toes were definitely slipping a tiny bit.

The longer more gradual descent from this orbit linked up with the downhill stretch from Wednesday's 1.5 mile orbit, but this time I felt my calves with each and every stride. Either I pushed too far in the Vibrams or too quickly after the marathon...or perhaps a little of both.

I have been especially eager to try my Vibrams on my favorite trail, but now I am thinking twice about doing five miles over the weekend. If my calves still burn on Sunday morning, I may opt to run Burma in my Kahanas or even perhaps just do my home orbit in my Kayanos.