"I've found a new bit of my foot"

This is what I said to my daugher a few nights ago.  She looked at me as if I was behaving slightly more oddly than usual.

Credit: http://vanessaruns.com/2011/07/05

What I mean is that since I've been running barefoot, I've noticed a new bit of my foot developing and toughening up.

I already have tougher skin around the balls of my feet, the outer edge and the heel - it's not calloused, just a bit thicker and stronger than other areas (see the grey lines on the pic). Since I've been barefoot running, I've noticed that a new area is beginning to toughen up - the area inside the dark circles.  It's as though being barefoot now allows this area to contact the ground, because my feet can spread out much more than when they're inside shoes.

After a longer run in FiveFingers (around the 2 mile mark), and then a short stretch of barefoot (0.3 miles), I began to notice last week that I'd developed a sore spot in this area, not quite a blister, but nearly.  So I've been very sensible, exercised restraint, and that area is now thickening up - not just the skin, but in fleshiness too, as if my feet are learning to develop in areas that they've never needed to before.

It's interesting looking at my feet and seeing how they are changing.  It's subtle, but definitely happening.

Today I ran a mile and a half, the last 0.6 miles in bare feet.  The skin is now happy and not at all sore.  Progess :)