Minimal Walking – Day 2

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I went for a walk with the barefoot shoes for a second day in a row. I didn’t regret it. I need to pay more attention to how I walk, specifically I need to make sure not to slam my heel into the ground with each step and this takes focus, muscle use, and discipline.
This time I wore socks with the barefoot shoes and the sensation is different. I prefer feeling that my feet are protected by the shoe, and by the socks. I don’t know why I dislike walking without socks in these shoes. I suspect that it’s a matter of adapting, psychologically.

Shopping Centre With Barefoot Shoes

I went to the shops to get two or three drinks with the barefoot shoes and in this environment they feel great. The ground is smooth so if you’re going shopping, minimal shoes are fine. I know we don’t buy minimal shoes to walk in supermarkets but by association if we’re at a winter club med, summer club med or elsewhere and we don’t want to wear normal shoes, these are fine.

Weathered Tarmac

Despite the shoes feeling good on lose stones that are used to cover driveways they do not feel good on weather worn tarmac that has disintegrated to leave chaotic stones around. In this context I felt the limitation of 6mm of sole protection. I sometimes felt discomfort. It’s intriguing because on a dirt path they felt fine but not on a surfaced road that has been allowed to degrade over several years, or even decades.

Feeling Calf Muscles

After two days of walking in barefoot shoes, and after my 5km walk two days earlier my calves still feel pumped. That’s why I will take a rest day today. It’s not that I don’t want to walk with the barefoot shoes today, but that I don’t want to risk injury from building up fatigue in my legs.

The Difference Socks Make

Wearing socks, with the vapour glove 7 does impact how hot feet feel. My feet felt warmer when I wore socks, than without. In summer the shoes are comfortable without socks, so it makes sense to save on washing by not wearing any but when it gets colder wearing socks will extend the temperature range within which these shoes are worn.

And Finally

I have walked 18km or so in about 3 hours over two days and so far the shoes feel fine. I do feel that I need to spend a little more time thinking about how I am walking, but I often find myself walking without thinking about the change in shoes. Walking barefoot is comfortable and intuitive. Socks make me feel safer despite them hardly offering any extra protection. Today I am taking a rest day from barefoot walking and tomorrow I could take them in case of technical issues when cycling. I think I was triggered to think about how I get around because I sold the scooter, so now I will either drive the car, walk, or cycle. Without that trigger I probably would not have pivoted.