Sunday 22 April 2012

Remembering the 100-up

The Once and Future Way to Run (NY Times Video)
A while ago I blogged about the 100-up exercise which I did for a fortnight or so, and then stopped.  I did find though that in my shod runs I was incorporating the arm movements of the 100-up, which seemed to improve my cadence and foot landing.

I noticed on my barefoot run today that when I go over the really rough pavement (only 30 metres or so) at the end of my road, I instinctively return to the 100-up arm movements, as they seem to counterbalance my footfall and make it lighter and swifter, and therefore less uncomfortable on that gravelly section.

At the halfway mark today (0.25 miles) I began to stop focusing on 'relax, relax, relax, cadence, stones, glass, people seeing me' and all the other things that fill my mind when I've been running barefoot, and I started to look further ahead, properly relax into the run, and think about technique as a gentle, fluid motion.  I think it started to fall into place.  It wasn't quite a Eureka moment, but it was definitely an 'ah, this is how it's supposed to be'.

The pPlan for next week is to concentrate on barefoot only, just short distances, with rest days between.  This will stop shod running interfering with technique (if indeed it is).

My cautionary words today though are to keep an eye on my big toe (right foot), which feels a little achey in the bones.  When I prod it or wiggle it there's nothing to find, but when I take the first few steps after sitting, it just doesn't feel quite right.  I need to watch that.

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