Slipping and sliding, and bare-feet

I had to get out early this morning and stay close to home due to a prior commitment. Helping my niece load a U-Haul for her move to Dallas today.
Out the door at 6 AM headed to the familiar trails of Leon creek. my neighbor shouts out from his porch "you're gonna get wet!"
It rained last night and was drizzling very lightly, but this would end 10 minutes into my hour run.
Getting to the creek I thought twice about getting off the pavement and onto the natural trails. My feet were already wet and the trails would be muddy! Oh, well. I kept thinking about how Chris is always bringing up "The Mud Year" at Bandera. And if we get another "Mud Year" at this years 100K race I have to be ready. I jumped on the natural trails and quickly began slipping and sliding on the very moist caliche. It rained quite a bit but not enough to make really soft mud. Caliche is a bit more dense than black dirt so it takes a good downpour to really soften it up. The boot camp squats and lunges came in handy as I straddled and jumped over and sideways around puddles. Then there was the one very large, very long, ankle deep puddle I could not jump or straddle.. Oh well, at this point I was wet and muddy so in I went. as I came out the other end I felt something slapping my left ankle! without looking at what it was I shook my foot in an attempt to get it off. what was it? A weed? A snake!? No, it was my shoelace that came untied.
The trail then came to a low point crossing the creek where clear cool water was rushing by making a pretty sound. Like a babbling brook. It's been too long since we've seen or heard this around here. We've been in such a very long drought. Crossing the creek helped clean my shoes a bit.
I jumped off the trail to head back home running the pavement to try and get some mud off my shoes. Enough mud training for now. At this point I saw the only other person out this morning. I said Hi and noticed he was barefoot. I've seen a few runners going barefoot lately. Saw one at the Rock and Roll Marathon a couple of weeks ago. I'm all for going minimalist. I think it is beneficial. But we need some type of protection on our feet. I was running in the New Balance 101's today. That's about as minimalist as you can go besides the vibram five fingers. By the way, I was impressed by my friend John Kuss who ran the Cactus Rose 50 at Bandera last month wearing the 101's. those rocks at Bandera show no mercy!
Walking barefoot in the house is good. But come on, ever since man learned to walk upright he realized we need some protection for our feet. Check out these early shoes!

Elite?

The not so fit looking runners were running slow. Some not dressed in the latest running "styles."
Another group of over weight-ers were donning flashy new running gear and struggling to keep an even swift pace, running twelve minute per mile intervals.
Some self proclaimed "elites", winners of local road races, see these runners and smirk. Judge them and laugh at their efforts, form, and gear.
I heard it recently. I've seen it. Don't like it.
What do they know of these people? The "slow" runners. What is their story?
We don't know until we run them. We can learn a lot about someone by running or walking with them.
Are they beginners? If so, Fantastic!
If they've been at it for awhile, Great! They're still doing it.
Are they training for "REAL" races? Like an Ultra, multi day hike, rehabilitating from an illness, injury, or trying to stay ahead of failing health?
Many can run fast.
But it takes more effort to run when you can't run fast.
And it takes special people to support these runners.
My good friend Amanda supported a family member on her first Marathon by running with her last week.
Today, Amanda won first female at the Wild Hare 50 Mile trail race!
That's an "ELITE" runner!

Fall is here in South Central Texas.

Cold last Saturday morning, 38 degrees. 4+ mile trail run with Lalo and Tom. Wearing gloves and long sleeve shirts.
Warm and humid Sunday morning, 68 degrees. 11 mile trail run with Lalo, Tom, Chris, Amanda, and Liza. Traversing the protected habitat of the Golden Cheek Warbler in Northwest Bexar county (Open to humans in the fall and winter).
Humid this morning, Rain mid day and cool this afternoon. Nice solo tempo run in Leon Creek this afternoon. The leaves on the trees are turning colors and some were floating down to the ground, suspended in the air at times, as they fell to the ground like wounded butterflies. The sun set early and the full moon shone bright in the sky at twilight.
The time is near where I search the back end of my closet for light winter clothing. Clothing that I have owned for years. Windbreakers, vests, tights, gloves, and much more, that I have owned for years. They don't get much use here because winter only lasts for about a month. And that one month or so of winter temps come two to three days at a time within the four months of late fall and the winter season.
My favorite running vest goes back 15 years! Running winter clothes don't go out of style.
Do they?