Track Shack's Watermelon 5k in Orlando

I've run all of my races and fun runs over the past year with minimalist footwear, i.e. Vibram FiveFingers or huarache sandals from Barefoot Ted. For last week's Fourth of July Watermelon 5k here in Orlando, I decided I'd try going completely barefoot. This decision was made with at least a small amount of trepidation because some of the roads around here are gritty enough to be uncomfortable and I didn't have the time (or inclination) to check out the course beforehand to see what it was like. (Truth be told, I lined up barefoot but kept a pair of huaraches tucked in my waistband, just in case.)

As it turned out, everything was fine. About half of the course was brick which was a blast to run on. And while barefoot running has gained a great deal of popularity over the past year, it's still enough of a novelty that it continues to cause a fair amount of murmuring and finger pointing at the start of the race. All in all, it was a terrific experience at another first class Track Shack event.