I ran this morning for the first time in four days. We got a couple inches of rain yesterday and overnight, and as a result, everything was really wet, with lots of standing water. Temperatures were in the upper 30s with a decent breeze, so I wore my cycling jacket as a windbreaker over a long-sleeve wool running shirt. Most noteworthy was that instead of my usual Vibram V-Runs, I wore my Xero Terraflex shoes, which I use more often for hiking. These may end up being my go-to winter running shoes. While they are not waterproof, they did a much better job than the Vibrams of keeping my feet dry on the wet pavement and puddles. They are definitely heavier than the Vibrams, and accordingly, my cadence was down by several steps per minute. I suspect it will pick up as I get more used to running with them. Combined with wool socks, they kept my feet pretty warm, but we will see how they do when the temperature is below freezing. I know they’ll be warmer than Vibrams and toe socks, and I suspect they’ll be warmer than my lighter Xero HFS shoes. They fit my feet a little better than the HFS or my Altra Escalantes (both of which are a little large) and I suspect I’ll have fewer issues with tripping and stumbling than with either of those.
On the nagging-physical-issue front… the right hamstring that I tweaked way back in late September still is not back to 100%, though it has improved, and while it’s not a major impediment to runs, it’s still tight if I try to really extend it during faster running. I’m kind of resigned that it’s going to take months to completely clear up. After my run last Thursday, I developed some tenderness on the outside part of my left foot. During COVID, I had plantar fasciosis in this foot that took two years to fully clear up, and I’m always worried it’s going to recur, but this is definitely not PF. I’m wondering if it could be an overuse issue (e.g. bursitis) but I’m not sure. Walking barefoot was initially uncomfortable, but improved after a couple days’ rest. Wearing heel cups and/or cushioned shoes has helped a lot, and I did wear heel cups for today’s run, and will continue to do so for the time being, as I continue to assess this.