.........Before I headed out on
Friday mornings run in these. I haven't used them since January and I don't know why as the 5 mile run on roads and footpaths went very well. In fact it felt great to run without the feeling of having my feet cocooned - the only niggle being the throb in the big toe of my right foot after the run - a nail clippers will sort that out in the future. While I know that barefoot running leads to a more compact (not necessarily shorter) stride which reduces injury risk associated with heel striking I still heel strike when racing as do most people as
private has recently noted. However while not concerned
i'll continue to keep heel striking to a minimum during training, if only to reduce injury risk. You cannot heel strike when running barefoot (without incurring immediate pain) and therefore heel striking is not part of our natural stride but only a product of cushioned shoes (like the beer gut is the product of a modern diet).
Saturdays long run was over the hilly Viaduct loop with Eagle AC. Seven in all braved the freezing fog for the 0750 start from the Farm although I found out later that we were shadowed by a group of six who started out 10 minutes later (mix-up as to the exact location of the starting point - wouldn't normally be a problem except for the fog).
I was the only one dressed for summer with bare legs and arms,
brrr! - I shouldn't have closed the front door behind me without checking the air temperature first and making sure I could get back in. Better to grin and bear it that face the wrath of the wakened dead. It didn't turn out too bad once I warmed up. The run went quite well a
nd the time passed quite quickly. I allowed my HR to go above the self imposed aerobic limit of 143 so as to get up the hill without falling behind (max HR of 153). A 10.3 mile loop brought us back to the Farm for about 0915. However I stayed on with John Desmond who was leading another group on a 6 miler at 0930. I wanted to get 2hrs 15
mins in and stayed with the 2
nd group for a few miles before heading back. I covered 16.2 miles in all at an average 08:25 pace and 134HR.
A running rest day today left me with 58.5 miles for conditioning week 3 (swim 1,500m cycle 23 miles today @ 17.2 MPH avg)
Fri 5th Dec
a.m. 5.3 miles in 43:28 (08:12 pace @ 142HR) HR 158 & 154 for 1st 2 miles before reducing to 132 for 3rd mile - only a problem on some runs)
p.m. 2.5 miles in 20:27 (08:11 pace) treadmill
Sleep: 6.5 hrs 7/10
Legs: 8/10 if you include the feet.
Sat 6th Dec
16.26 Miles in 02:17:00 (08:26 pace @ 134 HR)
Sleep: 7 hrs 7/10
Legs: 7/10
.........Before I headed out on Friday mornings run in these. I haven't used them since January and I don't know why as the 5 mile run on roads and footpaths went very well. In fact it felt great to run without the feeling of having my feet cocooned - the only niggle being the throb in the big toe of my right foot after the run - a nail clippers will sort that out in the future. While I know that barefoot running leads to a more compact (not necessarily shorter) stride which reduces injury risk associated with heel striking I still heel strike when racing as do most people as private has recently noted. However while not concerned i'll continue to keep heel striking to a minimum during training, if only to reduce injury risk. You cannot heel strike when running barefoot (without incurring immediate pain) and therefore heel striking is not part of our natural stride but only a product of cushioned shoes (like the beer gut is the product of a modern diet).
Saturdays long run was over the hilly Viaduct loop with Eagle AC. Seven in all braved the freezing fog for the 0750 start from the Farm although I found out later that we were shadowed by a group of six who started out 10 minutes later (mix-up as to the exact location of the starting point - wouldn't normally be a problem except for the fog).
I was the only one dressed for summer with bare legs and arms, brrr! - I shouldn't have closed the front door behind me without checking the air temperature first and making sure I could get back in. Better to grin and bear it that face the wrath of the wakened dead. It didn't turn out too bad once I warmed up. The run went quite well a
nd the time passed quite quickly. I allowed my HR to go above the self imposed aerobic limit of 143 so as to get up the hill without falling behind (max HR of 153). A 10.3 mile loop brought us back to the Farm for about 0915. However I stayed on with John Desmond who was leading another group on a 6 miler at 0930. I wanted to get 2hrs 15 mins in and stayed with the 2nd group for a few miles before heading back. I covered 16.2 miles in all at an average 08:25 pace and 134HR.
A running rest day today left me with 58.5 miles for conditioning week 3 (swim 1,500m cycle 23 miles today @ 17.2 MPH avg)
Fri 5th Dec
a.m. 5.3 miles in 43:28 (08:12 pace @ 142HR) HR 158 & 154 for 1st 2 miles before reducing to 132 for 3rd mile - only a problem on some runs)
p.m. 2.5 miles in 20:27 (08:11 pace) treadmill
Sleep: 6.5 hrs 7/10
Legs: 8/10 if you include the feet.
Sat 6th Dec
16.26 Miles in 02:17:00 (08:26 pace @ 134 HR)
Sleep: 7 hrs 7/10
Legs: 7/10
I havent picked up a pair yet, but actually had some in my hands this afternoon when shopping. I was going to pick them up, but considering the current (and upcoming) weather in Wisconsin, I decided they could wait until spring. I have been injury free since getting off my heels and not pushing off with my calves...short strides and shuffles work wonders!
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to try those shoes (at least once). What made you want to try them?
ReplyDeleteCool looking shoes, havin seen photo's of you side on it looks like you land well infront of your center of gravity, which is a bit like sticking your feet out when you were a kid riding a bike without brakes and wanting to stop!
ReplyDeletetry this, keep overstriding but pull your foot back before it lands, ideally you should pull your foot back at the same speed you are running at.
Try and land more behind your center of gravity the faster you want to run.
Once your foot touches down relax the leg muscles and let the road drag your foot back.
And final tip, when landing on your forefoot keep your toes up slightly, why, because if your toes are pushing down it makes your arch rigid and it can't do its job of acting like a shock absorber and spring, lift your toes up and you will feel a massive difference, your feet will feel like loaded springs and you lower the risk of lower leg injury!
I've always wanted to try a pair of those. I'm spoiled by being able to run barefoot on the grass, but it'd be cool to have the feeling of barefoot running on trails without the worry of sticks and sharp stones.
ReplyDelete