Running an experiment

Today I do not have a craft for you. I have an experiment. I may have mentioned previously that I'm reading a fascinating book, Born to Run.
Let me start here: Have you ever had a junior high crush? The kind where if you didn't get this guy to like you then life was not worth living? It's a painful, not fun crush. That's generally how I feel about running. I'm starry-eyed for it, but it hasn't liked me since I got breasts in 6th grade.
I remember the day I realized something had changed. I was sitting outside with my friend Micheal (I think that was his name) and he says to me, "How come you don't chase me anymore? You used to run like the wind." That was probably my first aha moment in life. I told him I didn't know why but in my head images flashed: Training bra yesterday, B cup today, posture gone to pot, boys picking on me in school, slouching, crossing my arms, completely trying to be invisible. Holy crap! I don't run because I've got boobs! I didn't know what to do with them and didn't know who to talk to about it.
Since then (and its been a couple of decades) I've tried off and on to be a runner. A persistent ankle injury caused me problems, asthma (diagnosed in 6th grade also), weight gain in adolescent years and loss and gain. I felt so awkward in my body, like I didn't know it or what it could do.
Look at runners and dancers and children. They truly inhabit their bodies from the core out to their toes and fingertips. You can see joy in the movement and ownership. It's spiritual to reach out of yourself like that. Then there are people who are uncomfortable in their bodies. You know those uncoordinated ones or people like me who fear not being able to breathe or are concerned about people starring at particular body parts, and on it goes. This sort of person's spirit is bunched into the core of the body. The further from the core the more of a stranger the limbs become.
Last year, I attempted a couch to 5K training program. Within the first week my shins were on fire and my troublesome ankle was constant agony. I ended up taking physical therapy, and it helped. In the meantime I went back to elliptical training (no bouncing there).
Couple weeks ago: Spring is here. I've learned to wear two bras, and I've got that old feeling again. I want to run. I want to live to the end of my limbs. I don't want to be a shy stranger in my body. My asthma seems somewhat under control but what about my ankle?
That's where all of my reading comes in. I've read about Vibrams, the idea that barefoot running limits injuries and the Tarahumara (the Running People of Mexico).
Is less more when it comes to preventing injury? I wondered could my shoes be aggravating my ankle. I wear a decent Nike running shoe but they do come up higher on the ankle and hit right on my tender spot. It's OK for the elliptical but not for running. So I decided to try a Sketcher shoe that was softer all around in terms of structure and cut lower on the ankle. I felt OK during a 30 minute run/walk and afterwards my ankle was swollen and a little sore, but nowhere near agony. For the next three days however, my legs were very sore. Apparently, I need some strength training because the elliptical is not helping in that department.
Present day: I was pouring over the Vibram Web site and these "shoes" look awesome. I imagine one would feel as springy and free as a mountain goat in these babies, but at the moment I can't drop 80 bucks on an experiment. It got me thinking though. My Crocs are light, cushy. Did I dare? I'd kill myself in a shoe that sloppy, right? I ruminated for some time on this, checked online, saw a YouTube video of a guy running the NYC marathon in Crocs, and what finally convinced me to give it a try was this blog. Croc Runner runs all of her marathons in Crocs. Granted she hasn't posted in 2 years, but she posted enough to convince me. I tried it today. As a newbie, non-runner I ran about 20 minutes in Crocs with no pain. I felt nervous, and my legs are not terribly strong but once I got into the flow and realized I was not going to keel over from asthma I did OK. I did take 3 20 to 30 second walk breaks to get more air, just long enough to make dizziness stop (damn asthma) but each time I started to run again my leg not only didn't hurt but felt great. I ran on a trail of grass, dirt and rocks. I wore ankle socks inside the shoes and did not feel unstable even as they shifted. The looseness of the Crocs actually changed the way I ran, too. I was landing towards the front  of my foot, which my ankle liked. I also concentrated on not bouncing too much and that smoothed things out as well.
After completing 20 minutes I felt only the slightest discomfort in my ankle and no discomfort in my shins. I'm excited. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. Now, if only I could stop wearing 2 bras. Sighhhh.