Barefoot Walking Practice Day 73–77
This week brought an unexpected improvement to my barefoot training. The long driveway leading to Putuo Shan used to be gravel and rock, so I could only walk it in sandals, but the Wutai Shan team recently repaved it with asphalt. It has completely changed the area for me.
I can now walk barefoot along the shaded sections, giving my feet relief from the sun while continuing my conditioning. The sunny sections are another challenge altogether, as the asphalt can get extremely hot, but I can control how much exposure I get and quickly move back into the shade when needed. It also gives me a safer, more open area to train without having to venture into the forest and which is a nice break from pavement but does little to toughen my soles.
My feet continue to surprise me. Despite the long hours and increasingly varied surfaces, they feel incredibly resilient, with no blisters or significant issues. The new pavement couldn’t have come at a better time as I prepare for the next stage of this training, including my planned walk from Cham Shan Temple to Wutai Shan this October which is mostly on asphalt.
Day 73: 9,000 steps • 5 km
Day 74: 21,000 steps • 15 km
Day 75: 21,000 steps • 15 km
Day 76: 30,000 steps • 21 km
Day 77: 6,000 steps • 4 km
Cumulative Total (Days 1–77)
1,706,000 steps • 1,164 km
May every step awaken the heart.
May every mile cultivate peace.
May all beings be joyful. 🙏