blisters galore

So I went to REI yesterday with a friend after stopping by Maggie Moo's to get a free "tax day, tax relief" slice of their "ice cream pizza." Sadly it was kind of lame and gross. There was only one flavor to choose from despite the advertisements stating there would be 3. I guess I'm not a big white chocolate fan.

I bought the Vibram Classics... and last night I ran my regular 2 miles in my 'barefoot shoes' while catching up with Linds (good times by the way). Today I needed to go to the bank and get cash for my friend to fix my car. I decided it would be a good plan to run there in my new Vibram shoes and walk back and run the last mile (2.5 miles there and then I walked 1.5 miles and ran the last mile). When I got up the hill toward the bank, I knew my feet were tender. When I got to the bank I peeked at my heels and I had blisters surrounding the entire Achilles on my left foot and a few blisters on my right. Frustrating to say the least! I was wearing a size 37 shoe instead of 38 like the blue Vibrams I have. I wonder if the blisters are because the Classics are designed differently than the Sprints or if it's because they're too small? I think it's because they're designed differently... the rubber on the heel hurts like nobody's business! Those blisters I have are wicked. Now I have blisters on my toes and heels... who wants to guess where I'm going to get them next?

I'm probably too stubborn. I want this barefoot shoe thing to work. I can tell I am running more on my mid-foot/ball of my foot which is good and the reason I got them in the first place... but I don't like these blisters I'm getting. I could definitely do without.

Of course, all of this preparation is for my 50-miler in the Mojave Desert (Nevada) that I signed up for on June 26. I have 4 marathons between now and then which I am treating like long runs for the 50-miler. I'm a little scared... but excited all the same. People are right on the money when they say runners are crazy...

- run for life