Went for a rather sweaty 1.75 miles today in my FiveFinger Classics. Was going really well, but noticed a pain beginning in the top of my right foot at just over a mile in. Alarm bells started ringing because of my old stress fracture, so whilst I kept running, I concentrated on whether the pain was getting worse or not.
At 1.45 miles, I planned to take off my Classics and run the remaining 0.3 miles barefoot (as usual). I was curious to see if the pain got worse without the shoes, but was surprised to find completely the opposite. No pain at all.
The pavements were lovely and warm, and I didn't feel at all self conscious today, and because the TOFP went away when I took the shoes off, it felt easier running barefoot than in shoes! No aches and pains now. Just can't wait to up the distance really!
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Monday, 14 May 2012
Lush
I don't say 'lush' very often. For me, 'lush' is something inexplicably 'nice', a bit indulgent, a bit special.
Yesterday I went for a run. I was a bit short on time (roast dinner waiting!) so I ditched the 3-miler shod run I had planned in favour of a one-miler in my new FiveFinger Classics (which I've been wearing in over the past week walking around).
The Classics are thinner than the TrekSports, so I needed to get even closer to a barefoot technique than I had in the TrekSports. It's still not the same as running completely barefoot though. So, after two thirds of a mile (and once back away from the main road and in the safety of my side roads), I pulled off the Classics (much quicker than taking off trainers) and ran the last third of a mile in bare feet.
It was a sunny day, the pavement was warm under my feet, and the ground felt great. Slightly scratchy, warmth from the earth, and the quiet 'pad, pad' of my feet. My feet felt strong, my soles felt tough, but sensitive, the pavement seemed less scratchy than on previous runs. It was liberating and fun. As I ran through my front door, all I could say was 'lush', because that's exactly what it was.
I woke up this morning in a really good mood. I'm definitely making progress, and I'm almost craving the feel of the ground on my feet. I think I'm turning a bit hippie! Can't wait to go a bit further. I might even be brave enough to hit the main road soon!
Yesterday I went for a run. I was a bit short on time (roast dinner waiting!) so I ditched the 3-miler shod run I had planned in favour of a one-miler in my new FiveFinger Classics (which I've been wearing in over the past week walking around).
The Classics are thinner than the TrekSports, so I needed to get even closer to a barefoot technique than I had in the TrekSports. It's still not the same as running completely barefoot though. So, after two thirds of a mile (and once back away from the main road and in the safety of my side roads), I pulled off the Classics (much quicker than taking off trainers) and ran the last third of a mile in bare feet.
It was a sunny day, the pavement was warm under my feet, and the ground felt great. Slightly scratchy, warmth from the earth, and the quiet 'pad, pad' of my feet. My feet felt strong, my soles felt tough, but sensitive, the pavement seemed less scratchy than on previous runs. It was liberating and fun. As I ran through my front door, all I could say was 'lush', because that's exactly what it was.
I woke up this morning in a really good mood. I'm definitely making progress, and I'm almost craving the feel of the ground on my feet. I think I'm turning a bit hippie! Can't wait to go a bit further. I might even be brave enough to hit the main road soon!
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Proprioception
Now there's a big word. Whenever you read about barefoot running, there's that word 'proprioception' like a beacon on the page. Is it to add scientific value to the discussion? Probably, but when I run outside without my shoes, I think of this word.
If you look it up in the dictionary, it means something like "the sense of how your own limbs are oriented in space" or "the body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position". I suppose it's about what your body feels like when you move it.
Advocates of barefoot running say that it's only when you have nothing on your feet that you can truly experience proprioception, and I'm sure I've read anecdotes that imply that it's addictive - once you've felt it properly, you feel that trainers 'muffle' all those sensations.
I think I'm starting to agree. I'm no scientist and will not cite references for the above comments. What I will say is that I've noticed that when I now run with trainers on, my feet seem to get hot, and I really notice the way that the soles of my feet slide up and down (only a tiny bit, but there none-the-less) inside my trainers. My socks feel woolly when I wear them. On my last two shod runs, I've actually taken off my trainers for the last 300 metres and run barefoot. I've almost craved the sensation of the pavement on the soles of my feet. And it feels nice - like having a foot scrub (not that I'd like a foot scrub really!). Today, I was even able to feel the gaps in the block paving that makes up our road outside.
I'm still not fully body aware - I'm trying to relax and keep my cadence up. The difference is in my feet at the moment - and I wonder if that will gradually extend up my body as I do more.
If you look it up in the dictionary, it means something like "the sense of how your own limbs are oriented in space" or "the body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position". I suppose it's about what your body feels like when you move it.
Advocates of barefoot running say that it's only when you have nothing on your feet that you can truly experience proprioception, and I'm sure I've read anecdotes that imply that it's addictive - once you've felt it properly, you feel that trainers 'muffle' all those sensations.
I think I'm starting to agree. I'm no scientist and will not cite references for the above comments. What I will say is that I've noticed that when I now run with trainers on, my feet seem to get hot, and I really notice the way that the soles of my feet slide up and down (only a tiny bit, but there none-the-less) inside my trainers. My socks feel woolly when I wear them. On my last two shod runs, I've actually taken off my trainers for the last 300 metres and run barefoot. I've almost craved the sensation of the pavement on the soles of my feet. And it feels nice - like having a foot scrub (not that I'd like a foot scrub really!). Today, I was even able to feel the gaps in the block paving that makes up our road outside.
I'm still not fully body aware - I'm trying to relax and keep my cadence up. The difference is in my feet at the moment - and I wonder if that will gradually extend up my body as I do more.
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Speed it up
I haven't run barefoot for a week. No reason, just haven't got round to it. Yesterday, though, I had a limited amount of time to run, so I went out (in trainers) for a swift 3 miler. After a mile or so, I decided to reset my lap timer and run all out for the next mile, just to see if I could get a sub 8 minute mile (something I've been toying with trying to do since October 2011).
When my mile lap peeped at me, I was amazed to see a time of 7 minutes 40 seconds. Granted, it was a little downhill (about 50ft according to Garmin), but even so, I was very surprised.
Not quite trusting the Garmin, I went out again today with the sole intention of trying to repeat the fast mile, but on the flat. I took a slightly different route, out for 1.6 miles and then set a new lap and pumped my legs. It felt great to turn up the speed (well, apart from the splitting lungs and burning thighs!), but I really wanted to see if could hit another sub 8 on the flat.
My time came in at 7 mins 35 secs! This is fab. I haven't trained to go particularly fast - although I did do a series of short, fast runs over the Easter hols, but nothing at this pace. In fact, I've rarely hit less 8 mins 30, so this difference seems quite amazing.
Could my barefoot 'drills' be the cause? Has my technique improved as a result and given me the edge I've lacked ever since I started running? Maybe, or maybe not, but the evidence definitely shows that my speed has improved.
For the last 400 metres or so on warming down, I took off my trainers and ran barefoot. My feet felt great, the ground felt great, and I didn't even mind the two lads on their bikes laughing at me! I love running :D
When my mile lap peeped at me, I was amazed to see a time of 7 minutes 40 seconds. Granted, it was a little downhill (about 50ft according to Garmin), but even so, I was very surprised.
Not quite trusting the Garmin, I went out again today with the sole intention of trying to repeat the fast mile, but on the flat. I took a slightly different route, out for 1.6 miles and then set a new lap and pumped my legs. It felt great to turn up the speed (well, apart from the splitting lungs and burning thighs!), but I really wanted to see if could hit another sub 8 on the flat.
My time came in at 7 mins 35 secs! This is fab. I haven't trained to go particularly fast - although I did do a series of short, fast runs over the Easter hols, but nothing at this pace. In fact, I've rarely hit less 8 mins 30, so this difference seems quite amazing.
Could my barefoot 'drills' be the cause? Has my technique improved as a result and given me the edge I've lacked ever since I started running? Maybe, or maybe not, but the evidence definitely shows that my speed has improved.
For the last 400 metres or so on warming down, I took off my trainers and ran barefoot. My feet felt great, the ground felt great, and I didn't even mind the two lads on their bikes laughing at me! I love running :D
Friday, 27 April 2012
A trainer day
I was planning to only run barefoot this week, but the dire weather (torrential rain) and the fact that I have only run distances of 2 miles max over the last few weeks (in trainers) left me craving a longer run, and that meant trainers.
So I did just under 5 miles in my trainers with a 9 minute mile pace, and on the return leg I found myself wishing I could feel the wet tarmac beneath my feet.
When I got home, I took off my soggy trainers, and ran 0.4 mile in my bare feet. The wet ground felt lovely and cool, but I was considerably slower than on some of my previous barefoot runs - only doing just under 14 min miles. I think this was because the heavy rain made it more difficult to see the ground clearly, and there seemed to be lots of debris - small stones, twigs, puddles and so on, so I was more careful. In fact, I would say that it also felt less comfortable - which I think was because of the rain - it seemed more abrasive than when it's dry.
Anyway, only a couple of odd stares today. Another runner who I see quite often, who usually smiles at me, but stared right down at the floor as she passed me as if to say 'I have no idea what you are doing, and I'm afraid to ask', and a van driver, who seemed to slow down as he passed me. Or maybe I'm just paranoid!
So I did just under 5 miles in my trainers with a 9 minute mile pace, and on the return leg I found myself wishing I could feel the wet tarmac beneath my feet.
When I got home, I took off my soggy trainers, and ran 0.4 mile in my bare feet. The wet ground felt lovely and cool, but I was considerably slower than on some of my previous barefoot runs - only doing just under 14 min miles. I think this was because the heavy rain made it more difficult to see the ground clearly, and there seemed to be lots of debris - small stones, twigs, puddles and so on, so I was more careful. In fact, I would say that it also felt less comfortable - which I think was because of the rain - it seemed more abrasive than when it's dry.
Anyway, only a couple of odd stares today. Another runner who I see quite often, who usually smiles at me, but stared right down at the floor as she passed me as if to say 'I have no idea what you are doing, and I'm afraid to ask', and a van driver, who seemed to slow down as he passed me. Or maybe I'm just paranoid!
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Remembering the 100-up
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| The Once and Future Way to Run (NY Times Video) |
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.
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Half a mile and counting
Today I ran half a mile in bare feet. I haven't done any barefoot running for a week, but last night I was reading an online magazine from Barefoot Running UK (look for the magazine which is quite a good read) and it inspired me to get out and build on last week's efforts.
I'm getting braver! Today it was almost 11am when I ran (I failed to sneak out before everyone was up). The window cleaner spotted me, as did a man and his son who got out of their car and looked curiously at my feet, and another runner who passed me in the opposite direction. I even stopped and had a chat with the postman, who said that he's seen many people out running, but never anyone in bare feet.
No soreness - although the section of pavement about 200 metres from the house is seriously gravelly and rough, so it's a great reminder of the required technique. I even took great pleasure in running through a small puddle which felt lovely and cool on my warm, tingly feet.
There's no pain where I had my stress fracture when I'm running in bare feet (in fact, there's more when I'm wearing my trainers), but I am still being uber careful. Relax, relax, relax, bend the knees and keep that cadence up!
I'm getting braver! Today it was almost 11am when I ran (I failed to sneak out before everyone was up). The window cleaner spotted me, as did a man and his son who got out of their car and looked curiously at my feet, and another runner who passed me in the opposite direction. I even stopped and had a chat with the postman, who said that he's seen many people out running, but never anyone in bare feet.
No soreness - although the section of pavement about 200 metres from the house is seriously gravelly and rough, so it's a great reminder of the required technique. I even took great pleasure in running through a small puddle which felt lovely and cool on my warm, tingly feet.
There's no pain where I had my stress fracture when I'm running in bare feet (in fact, there's more when I'm wearing my trainers), but I am still being uber careful. Relax, relax, relax, bend the knees and keep that cadence up!
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