Back to the regular shoes, maybe

This morning I set out for a short run in the crazy barefoot shoes, not really looking forward to it. Sure enough, my feet were hurting within the first few steps, and I started to admit to myself that it is very unlikely that I will be able to run the marathon in these shoes. I have no doubt that it's possible to build up to that kind of mileage in these or other barefoot-style shoes, but at least in my case, it would take longer than I have before the marathon -- maybe years.

So, after one painful mile, I came back home, changed into my regular running shoes, and went back out for another mile. As Peter Sagal wrote of returning to regular shoes after trying out the crazy barefoot shoes, "It's like my toes have moved back in with their parents." They felt roomy and comforting. That second mile was vastly more pleasant than the first.

Maybe if I run in the regular shoes but focus on keeping some of the technique I've gained from the crazy shoes (particular the idea of the midfoot/forefoot strike rather than the heel strike), I'll be able to run more comfortably without exacerbating my injury. It's worth a try, because I'm supposed to run 5 miles this Saturday and I don't think I could do it in the crazy shoes.