long thoughts...

A gentle run tonight, just to keep the feet moving. Shoes feel horrible - clumping along, with sore knees and hips to boot.
Feeling a little demoralised with the running just now - in limbo, stuck between  the "float" feeling, not getting it right, and the threat of injury.
I have had a taste of the minimalist feeling, and it's tough to go back - even for recovery. The achilles are now back to as normal as they ever were, so I shall start feeling my way again. I shall begin adding more pure barefoot to the program - being so spoilt for smooth flat paths around here, I shouldn't waste it.

The notion of running barefoot / minimalist appeals to me for it's simplicity and mechanical logic, but I am torn between that and the desire to run a real cracking marathon time - so far, the two don't go together. The plan will build and change over this year, but perhaps a few aspects are becoming clear:

1. barefooting it will take much longer and be more challenging than I thought
2. the demands of work and the kid must take priority over a fast race (though completing the marathon is not in question)

Perhaps this year is getting the technique right and making sure I have a business to go to each day and plenty of time for the kid, with next year sharpening to a race point.
No decisions yet, though I may drop the program for a short while while I brush up on technique and watch the cankles closely.

Must find a place to borrow audio books to soak up miles, so they don't get confused for anything other than relaxation.