From the Archive – Jan 2011.
I have just got back an unshodden run across the mountain. And I am busting with excitement. It was amazing. I am soaked though, my feet are tingling, I am splattered with mud and I have the biggest grin on my face.
The weather is filthy; it’s pouring with rain and blowing a gale, the sort of weather you wouldn’t even put a milk bottle out in. That’s why I went – I guessed there wouldn’t be too many other people walking on the moors. I was right. Just me and Yogi (the terrier-ist) and she’s never queried anything I do as long as it involves her and a good walk.
The ground is still cold, really cold. It’s supposed to be around 14 degrees today but there is no way that is ground temperature. That still surprises me, just how cold it is underfoot. But wasn’t long before my feet were tingling again and this time the cold, wet moss and heather was far more bearable than my last barefoot (and brief) tiptoe through the icy snow.
I didn’t intend to run unshodden outdoors today. I had a barefoot workout at the gym this morning and had promised Yogi that we’d have a barefoot walk afterwards, on the way home.
My unshodden gym workouts have actually become really enjoyable. Running trainer-free on the treadmill has turned into a treat – I kid you not! It just feels so natural; it’s far easier and more enjoyable than with trainers and I’m grateful to Ian, the owner of Keepers Fit in Abergavenny, www.keepersfit.co.uk, for being so accommodating – “Each to their own”, he simply shrugged.
The rain on the mountain was horizontal in the strong blustery wind; my leggings were soaked before I’d even finished rolling them up. ‘Oh well, skin is waterproof ‘ I reminded myself as I started walking in Yogi’s wake.
After the initial ‘Ow-ow-ow-cold-cold-cold’ mantra, I found myself naturally breaking into a light jog. Oh my God it felt good. The moss is springy and just the perfect medium to run on and the fact that it was so wet made it seem even more ‘naughty’. I splashed and squelshed along happily for 10 or 15 minutes, enjoying the feeling of mud and moss squishing up between my toes. My feet and my heart felt as light as a feather. The sense of freedom is awesome. Shoes may not actually weigh that much, but the ‘anchoring’ effect they have is enormous and hard to believe, until you throw them overboard.
Within just 20 minutes of unshodden running in the rain, I am wetter than an otter’s pocket, splattered in mud and extremely uplifted. I drive home barefoot and after the usual routine of wiping Yogi’s paws, use her towel to wipe my own feet. They are filthy and I even have mud under my toenails. That’s a whole new experience in itself. I’m looking forward to a bath but not before I share this latest unforgettable unshodden step with you.
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