OC 100 Kilometer (62 mile) Race - Barefoot

Yes, I know that I was going to run with the newest Vibram FiveFingers called KSO's, but the course was so smooth and I wanted to demonstrate that training with FFs (which I did) did not cause me to loose my capacity to run barefoot. The mechanics are nearly identical, with the FFs giving a sense of security and some gentle cushioning that does not cause the foot to loose the feel of the terrain.

So, my goal was to run it under 10 hours and 30 minutes in order to qualify for the Spartathlon. All was on pace until around mile 45. I could tell that my legs did not have it in them to keep going at the necessary pace, so I slowed down and enjoyed chatting with fellow runner Dmitri Chechuy.

In order to keep it as close to the conditions of the Spartathlon as possible, I never ran on the dirt trail that ran parallel to the course. I stayed on the asphalt which is what I will have to do in Greece...for 153 miles!

Ended up finishing in 11 hours and 52 minutes. Those last miles were very tough with worn out legs and sensitive feet, but I knew I could do it injury free, so I continued. Plus, like many endurance runners, we like to do it because we can.

A Big!!! thank you to the legendary Barefoot KenBob for crewing me during the race and taking video and film footage. Thanks!

BFT

Photos courtesy KenBob Saxton and RunningBarefoot.org