About two years ago, I gave Vibrams a try. I really liked them for about 6 weeks; then one day I was on a run when my foot started hurting very bad. When things didn’t get better the next day I made a doctors appointment, diagnosis tendonitis. Once I recovered I gave up the Vibrams and stuck to ‘normal’ running shoes, until yesterday…

We took a ferry to Water Island, which is about 10 mins from St. Thomas. I spent most of the day snorkeling and we decided we would catch the last ferry back to St. Thomas which left at 2100 hrs.  Around 1800 hrs. I decided I didn’t want to run really late back on St. Thomas and that I would run here.  I asked the shuttle driver how far it was to the dock, he told me it was .7 of a mile.  I didn’t bring my running shoes with me, he asked what I was going to run in.  I told him I’d go barefoot.  I knew it was going to be a challenge, especially the hills.  I started running and quickly realized it was going to be a bit harder than I had thought, loose gravel and asphalt really hurt my feet.   When I got to smooth areas it was such a relief.  After running for a while I realized I was lost.  I know you really can’t get lost on an island, but I didn’t know where the dock was and my feet were really starting to hurt.  I ran down a road that said private drive, hoping to run into someone!  A jeep was driving up the road and I waved at them to stop.  I asked them which way it was back to Dinghy’s?  They said they didn’t know and remarked I had forgotten my shoes.   I told them I didn’t I was just running barefoot.   Since they were not any help I kept running.  The asphalt road ended and a rocky dirt road started, I decided to turn around my feet weren’t going to be able to handle it.  Finally I came across someone who gave me directions back to Dinghy’s.  I descended the steep hill and ran across the beach and right into the water to sooth my feet and cool off.  I had been running for about 30-35 mins, I estimate I went about 2.5 miles. Some areas I had to walk because of the loose gravel.  When I got out of the water it felt like I had a blister, I looked at the bottom of my foot and sure enough.  I had a blister on my left foot, a blood blister about the size of a half dollar coin.  My foot is still sore today and perhaps running barefoot wasn’t the best idea, but you have to do what you have to do to keep the run streak alive!  286 Days!!!

What ‘extreme’ running experiences have you had?

-Veggie Fueled Runner