After a long cold winter of running in shoes, I am ready to start back running "barefoot". I started my transition from traditional running shoes to barefoot running last summer and was sidelined by both weather and a stupid injury late in the fall.

I had the unfortunate skill of stepping on sharp rocks with my left foot only, and always in the same spot at the uppermost part of my arch. I decided foolishly that this was a normal part of barefoot running (not actually barefoot by the way, but wearing huaraches) and that I had to condition myself to deal with it.

On that last fateful run, nothing went right. The run ended early when a sudden and intense new pain shot through my left foot and I was left walking/limping back to the car. After a painful month of recovery from what I think was a metatarsal stress fracture, I decided to ease back into running and bought a pair of Saucony Kinvaras and a pair of Brooks Mach 11 spikeless XC flats. I had read reviews on both and consulted a local running specialty store and decided that the Kinvaras would be a great minimal shoe that was padded, and that the Brooks would be a good minimal shoe to ease back to barefoot running.

I spent all winter alternating between the shoes and now that warm weather is back, the barefoot running itch has returned. This time I have decided to run smart and for the love of running. Pace and distance will not be considered and will improve as my body tells me they can. Hopefully I have matured as a runner and can allow my body to dictate what it can handle as I transition back to running in my huaraches. Wish me Luck!!!

You can follow my progress on dailymile and Twitter.