Off on a quick tangent…at the pool complex here on Cheju Island, there is an old fashioned gym with all sorts of classic fitness equipment including the jiggler but more interesting is this stone path of about 25 yards long. The stones are embedded in concrete and have three rows. Each color section as you can see from the photo varies in feel. Some are large and smooth, others are small and a bit jagged. I immediately took a liking to this challenge of walking up and down this rock path, paying particular attention to the middle more jagged pieces of stone. When I first stepped on, it felt like the normal rock on foot feeling. But as I progressed, my feet, at times, began to feel both painful and free, if that makes any sense. As I approached the 25 yard turnaround, my feet felt like a million bucks! So good in fact that I chose the more jagged center path on the way back. By the time I had finished, my feet were enjoying a nice tingling sensation with just a little mild pain in my heel pads. I realized that this is not merely a physical test of how padded your feet are but more of a mental training exercise. It required extreme focus and calming to complete the path without much trouble. It reminded me of the last 50 miles when I finished the Leadville 100 trail run as it was all a mental game.
We also went to the beach yesterday for an open water swim and long and behold, there were these same rocks embedded in the middle of the walkway from the top of a big hill down to the beach. I immediately kicked off my shoes and enjoyed the instant reflexology. Although, I must say that going down a very steep incline on the rocks was tricky and did cause just a bit of pain at times. Regardless, it was well worth it for the most wonderful foot massage that it provided.
Enjoy a few photos of the rock path.
Coach Bob
coachbob@fuel4mance.com
