Last long run

This is what I wrote this morning:

I had planned to do this run before breakfast but it didn't seem wise after not having digested my dinner properly last night. Instead I decided to do the run after work. My Vivobarefoot Ultras arrived this morning and it seemed as though the stomach upset was conspiring to tempt me into trying them out for the first time on a 30k run, less than two weeks before the competition. This is where I have to use my head and be sensible. First impressions are that they are ridiculously light and fantastically flexible, although the sole looks much less durable than the (heavier) Evos I bought last year. They look as though they could be my competition shoes just in time for my worn out Puma Cosmos to be replaced by the brand spanking new pair that I have saved for the Ironman.

And now:

Of course, once I tried the shoes on, they felt so comfortable I couldn't resist the temptation to do the run in them. They come with a removable sock which attaches securely to the shoe and has a kevlar like puncture proof sole and the idea is that you don't need to wear another sock inside this one. For the first 10 kilometers or so they felt great on tarmac, on the trail, on the level or going up and down hills. After about 15 kilometers, though, I could tell that some blisters were working themselves up on some of my toes. It's not surprising, my feet are not used to these shoes yet. It was a bit of a risky thing to do so close to the competition but a bit of judicious lancing and draining has left my feet in a perfectly servicable state - in any case, my next run isn't until Sunday. Although I like the Ultras a lot, I'll be sticking with the Pumas for the race - there's simply not enough time to build up hard skin where it needs to be.