Strategies

So, how am I going to go about this whole barefoot running thing?  As you might imagine, I have a good number of ideas rambling around the cranium.  One of my intents with this blog is to help keep my thoughts organized.  One thing I can say, because I am so new to this, is that the whole process will be evolving on a daily basis.  Potentially even a moment to moment basis.  In now particular order:

1. Spend as much time barefoot as I can.  This should help improve strength, endurance and flexibility in my foot and lower leg.  Basically, I'm trying to get them back to a more "natural" state, if that is even possible.  I have considered getting different work shoes that will allow me to spend all day as close to barefoot as I can without actually being barefoot.  This will have to wait some as I don't have the cash right now.
2. Go slow.  Do I have a schedule?  Nope.  Am I preparing for an event? Nuh-uh.  As long as Mr. Ego can stay in check, I should be cool.  Also, as a PT and someone who seems to like a little self-flagellation every now and then, differentiating between workout soreness and pain shouldn't be a big issue.  My feet will need time to toughen up anyway.  I have always been a bit of a tenderfoot.  To be honest, that is one of my small motivations for taking this journey.  I want to be less of a pansy.
3. Going all in on the barefoot thing and almost never wearing supportive shoes probably won't be a good idea at first.  My regular shoes will be like slowly weaning off crutches, or a cane or an ankle brace.
4. Incorporate single leg balance and strengthening exercises into the routine.  This should also help improve leg and foot strength/flexibility.
5. After I have begun to adapt to barefoot running, add short hill repeats to help perfect my form.  Everything I have read advocates short, quick strides where your feet land underneath your hips.  The picture I have in my head is like a slow-motion sprint.  Or maybe a sprint with a small stride.  I have read in several places people advocating a cadence of 180 steps/minute.
6. On the cadence note, we happen to have a programmable metronome (don't ask why; it's a long story).  Why not use that to help me get the "proper" cadence.

Give it two or three days and this list will probably change.  What do I know, really?  Nothing that I really need to know.  I have to hope that my body will start to adapt, remember it's old self, and Mr. Ego will stay in check long enough to let this happen.