Bixy's Midday Runners

Pigeon Toed Mo' Fo'

2010-07-29T16:57:00.003+10:00

I discovered today why I get blood blisters on my big toes after long runs at a higher pace. Only time will tell in this experiment of one, but a 5k run at lunch time where I really focused on what my feet were telling me led me to discover that I run ever so slightly pigeon toed.

It's probably not noticeable to the naked eye, and I doubt I'd ever have realised this in the vibrams, but once I realised that my feet weren't quite landing squarely, I then noticed I could feel a bit of twisting on the big toe and its ball. As my feet lift off the ground my leg rotates outward slightly, causing enough friction to lead to some nice blisters.

A small adjustment made and the difference was apparent immediately. Looking forward to a few longer runs to see what the outcome is over a longer period.

Onto some links. I watched a couple of fantastic videos on Chris McDougall's website today.

First, Chris' take on running. It touches on some things in his book, Born to Run, but some fascinating insights into the history of running as well. Full post is here.

Second, a tutorial on running form. It has a bit of propaganda for Terra Plana (not that I am against the company, in fact I love their shoes and have a pair I wear for work which are uber comfortable), but it is well worth a watch. I'll be trying out the drills first opportunity. Full post is here.

Learn to Run Barefoot with Lee Saxby and Terra Plana

The dog's nuts...

2010-07-23T11:43:00.000+10:00

I finally put all my barefoot training into practice on Sunday and ran my first race barefoot - in this case, the Run Melbourne half marathon. I was feeling pretty relaxed about the whole affair, even if it was a bit brass monkey style on the feet, and my training was a little lacking (some would use the term almost non-existent) since the marathon in May.

Well doesn't going barefoot draw a crowd? All the old hands at barefooting will understand what I mean. The start line stock standard question of why aren't you wearing shoes was popular. My stock standard reply of "I can't afford them" seemed to do the trick. One poor sod even took the bait and got all apologetic for asking. I have some land to sell you brother...

The pause in conversation of fellow runners for 10 seconds after you pass them, then a giggle followed by [choose your favourite from "that's insane" / "I could never do that, I'd be too afraid of glass" / "man that must hurt!"] became my soundtrack for the last 10km as I stepped up the pace.

I found it especially amusing as I went flying past those who looked like they were trying to run a 3 legged race with 2 legs, to hear them wonder how much it must hurt to run barefoot. It's not until you are conscious of others looking at you that you pay attention to the running style of others. And are there some funky styles out there or what?!

For the record, I ran a PB of 1:39:56, edging out my 1:41-ish in the vibrams late last year. I did end up with the mother lode of bruises on the balls of both big toes though. I felt so good after 15km that I thought, f**k it, I'm gonna fly home. Well, I guess my barefoot technique is not yet up to speed with my speed. Not too sure how to fix that, other than more training, and gradually increasing the pace. I could literally feel the blisters form over the last 20 minutes, particularly the last kilometre which I ran at a sub 4:00 pace. Small price to pay. I definitely should have upped the ante earlier, the tank was still half full, but my aim was just finishing, so there's that.

I guess I'll just have to get used to all the stares and comments, because that run just felt right. All the previous niggles, even the minor ones that were sticking around in the vibrams, are completely gone. Full steam ahead now, jump aboard me mateys. Arrr.

During training I have become accustomed to the occasional stare, but it's a new game when there are thousands around you who get time to respond. So, calling all brother / sister barefooters - how do you deal with the attention? Does it bother you? Does it amuse you? Do you get sick of standing out like dog's nuts?

Numb[skull]

2010-06-04T08:47:00.000+10:00

I ran to work last week, the first run longer than 2 or 3km's since the marathon. It's not that I have been sore or not wanting to run, it's just that I haven't had the opportunity lately. Too much study, housesitting and general life things getting in the way.

So I was looking forward to getting out on the road. Man was it cold! My feet were numb for the first half hour. Having never run barefoot in wintry conditions before, it was a different experience. And I paid for it too, with 2 massive blisters that were big enough to see from space. Almost. So now I understand why all the fuss other barefooters make about running when it's cold.

Just another lesson learned. To be fair, I didn't even realise I had them until I was having a shower at the gym, but I was certainly noticing them by the end of the day. Once popped they were fine, but I could have gone down to the blood bank and given a donation with the contents that emptied out.

This week has been my first running free week in 6 months. It feels weird. Again, it's not by choice, I have an exam on Sunday and for the first time in my life I'm being responsible and study...stud...studying. There, I said it.

Looking forward to hitting the road again (lightly) soon.

Economy of movement

2010-05-21T08:32:00.001+10:00

I've taken to looking through the published articles archive of Dan Lieberman, a Harvard professor in human evolution. The first paper I looked at was one of his most recent: "Control and function of arm swing in human walking and running". It is the findings of a study that attempted to determine what role the arms play in running and walking - are they active (do they help propel), or are they passive (do they act as mass dampers, or to balance the movement of the legs for want of a less technical description)?

Turns out that they believe the arms are passive (read the article for a slightly more technical description), and are not used to help propel you. So all that excessive arm swinging is not going to help you run faster - you're better off letting your upper body move naturally. A while ago I experimented with different arm positions and swinging techniques, and discovered that if I kept my elbows bent at greater than 90 degrees and close to my chest, and didn't try to actively swing them, it felt more comfortable and efficient. So I'm sure Dan would be relieved to know I agree with his findings. Now he can sleep much easier.

I was a big arm swinger when I first started running

Are you a running windmill? How do you move your arms when hitting the street?

Runner's World - joining the party?

2010-05-18T09:29:00.000+10:00

Just finished reading Christopher McDougall's latest post, and in it he mentions the blog of a new writer for Runner's World. He has an interesting take on barefoot running here. What I found amusing is he touches on the same theories I posed in my post last week about calf soreness after a run.

It seems they may finally have a knowledgeable and open-minded writer down there at Runner's World, one that doesn't tell us that barefooters have hard calloused feet! Kudos to you RW.

Ground Zero - Marathon complete!

2010-05-17T12:36:00.000+10:00

Well first things first. I completed my first marathon yesterday, and I have a new found respect for everyone who has completed one in the past, fast or slow. I am quite satisfied with finishing, but it was not done without experiencing the "wall" that you hear so much about.

This was not entirely unexpected. My training has dropped off in the last month due to that little thing called life getting in the way, so I went into the run expecting to be a little underdone. My longest training run was 27km, so there was always going to be a large unknown going into a run that's 18km longer than my previous best (the great ocean road marathon is actually 45km).

The first 30km went quite smoothly. I had the usual ebbs and flows, but my fastest kilometres were actually around the 28km mark. I was feeling pretty good, quite strong, and wouldn't have blown out a candle. And then I saw it. At first it was indistinguishable, almost a mirage. But as it came closer and closer, I recognised it for what it was - the wall. For me it arrived at the 33-35km mark. As Jack and I grumbled and moaned our way through the last few kilometres, it felt like an eternity. It took us an eternity.

But we got there! And just when we thought we were all done, we had to trek the last 3 km to the official finish line. That my friends was pain. Sweet, delicious, I've just completed a marathon pain.

For the record, Jack and I crossed the line together in 3 hours, 48 minutes and some random number of seconds. I really wasn't paying that much attention to notice. A guy I was chatting to during the run said it's the toughest course he's run on, and he had run quite a few in Oz, so I'm not sure what that time would equate to on a flat course, but regardless I'm bloody stoked to have finished at all, never mind in under 4 hours. Kind of makes a mockery of my apparent VO2max prediction time of 2:41!

Lessons learned:

The vibrams were quite impressive. My feet were a little tender, but I don't reckon that is any different to anyone else who ran in shoes. Afterall, I did run 18km more than I had previously. And the bonus - no blisters! No calf pain, no hot spots, overall my legs feel fine, with one major exception. Which brings me to lesson number 2...
Aerobically I felt great. I think that part of the equation is working out nicely. The limiting factor for me was my thighs, which died a slow painful death, and were the reason for hitting the wall. More core and leg work in the gym I think. I felt as though I could have run a much faster time if my legs had come to the party. Perhaps a result of a lack of conditioning? I saw one guy take a novel approach to the thigh problem - he ran backwards on the downhills! This was only 25km in when I passed him, so I hope he made it to the finish line ok.
Bandaids on the nipples - A+, top marks, straight to the top of the class. I discovered a few more places for chafing however - under the arms. That's a new one
The home made gel was a winner. Never felt lacking for energy. Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet book, thank you, thank you thank you.
The great ocean road is freakin spectacular. The views were fantastic, and were the highlight of the run up until the 30km mark. After that, I could have been running through a war zone and I wouldn't have noticed.
It would have been lunacy to attempt a marathon in barefoot only 4 months after starting barefoot running, so I'm glad I chickened out on that plan. It will happen, but I need more time.
The camaraderie between runners on a marathon is amazing. I have had brief chats with people before on short runs, but this was something else. I chatted to one guy for half an hour, and it got me through a stage where I was struggling and finding it a bit tedious. And whenever someone was in pain (sometimes me, sometimes others), passing runners would pass on words of encouragement. The spectators were fantastic in their support too. It definitely makes a difference!

So now onto other runs. The Run Melbourne half in July, and the full marathon in November are the next targets, and I aim to hit both barefoot. For now though, some rest for these weary thighs!

Overlooking the (not so) obvious

2010-05-14T16:46:00.000+10:00

With the marathon coming up on Sunday, I nearly forgot one thing: how do I attach the timing chip to my leg if I run barefoot?

I am still undecided on whether to go barefoot or in the five fingers, but if I do go au naturale, how will I get the chip to stay on my foot / ankle / leg, and not bother me? Does anyone out there have a solution that they've had success with in the past?

The eccentricity of contraction

2010-05-13T16:11:00.000+10:00

A little while ago I was wondering why your calves hurt when you first start running barefoot / minimalist, but then the problem disappears and (hopefully) never returns. I kicked around a few ideas of writing a post about it, but due to a crazy month of travel, study and randomness, I put it on the backburner. And wouldn't you know it, someone beat me to the punch.

Barefoot Josh theorises that it's due to poor running form initially, which you correct as you learn how to run properly, lessening the impact on your calves. While I am inclined to agree that this certainly helps, I think there is more to it, and I now have not only my own experiences to add weight to my theory, but a smattering of knowledge of muscular actions which I am going to throw in to the mix. Add salt to taste and serve hot.

At the start of this year in a moment of ~~madness~~ deep introspection I decided to run every day in 2010. While that new years resolution only lasted 6 weeks, I kicked off the year with several long runs after a fortnight of inactivity. Bless you christmas break.

What became immediately apparent was my calves were on fire. Not flickering like a candle, but raging bushfire action. The joy of living in a two storey house become the nightmare of whimpering up and down stairs with 2 very uncooperative legs. But this was not my first attempt at minimalist / barefoot running. Since July last year I had been getting about in the vibram five fingers, so I had already gone through the learning curve (aka the calves on fire syndrome) once.

So that's why I don't think it's exclusively a newbie trait. Having been there and done that has led me to think that it's more the result of the calves copping a workout that they're not used to. But why do they hurt THAT much? Well I think I now understand a little better courtesy of my certificate in fitness studies. Of course, this is all speculation and based on limited knowledge, but I'm putting my opinion out there so it can be shot down and stomped on in spectacular fashion by someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

So anyway, long story short, here's my theory. When running barefoot, you tend to use the calves to absorb some of the impact as you land. When the forefoot lands first, the calves tense up to slow the leg down as the heel strikes milliseconds later. When muscles contract but stretch at the same time, this is called an eccentric contraction, which is what happens to the calves as you land. When muscles contract and shorten, such as your bicep contracting during a bicep curl, it's a concentric contraction.

Now here's the kicker. All the experts in exercise physiology believe that eccentric contractions are what cause Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It's also the type of muscle contraction that is believed to cause the largest hypertrophy (size) and strength gains. Some body builders base whole sessions around this type of training. And although the amount that the calves are contracting each time is quite small, it adds up when you do it thousands of times.

So my thought is that when starting out barefoot, the calves hurt like hell due to the eccentric contractions. I don't think this problem happens for shod runners, because the calves don't work eccentrically. They only perform concentric contractions, hence the difference in calf soreness. So us barefooters feel the pain initially, but improve strength rapidly, which is why hopefully after a week or so the condition eases and then disappears. Of course, any extended break you take is like having a break from the gym - back to the start my little hombre. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Now I'm being very hypothetical about all of this, and my scientific background extends only as far as the bunsen burners in year 8, so I am not be the most qualified to make this call. What do you think? Does this sound like hogwash? Do you have your own theory? I'm all ears...

The Beep Test - [Beep]ing Hard!

2010-05-10T07:11:00.001+10:00

As part of my studies for a certificate 3 in fitness, yesterday our lecturers put us through our paces, performing all sorts of tests that we would expect to use on clients - flexibility, power, strength, etc. One of the tests we got to do was a beep test, which I was looking forward to, as it's something we hear about all the time with Aussie Rules draftees. Player x gets result y on the beep test, which is supposed to be exciting and we all go "ooh" or "aaah" in wonder at the endurance prowess of our club's next superstar. None of us generally have a clue what it means though!

Well now I do. And my score was 13.13. So this is where you're supposed to go "oooh" or "wow" or "is that all!". I would probably expect a "huh?" though. Well as it turns out, it's a good indicator of your VO2 Max, and mine is 60.7. Which I think is a load of horse[beep].

According to that, I should be able to complete a marathon in 2:41:46. Ha! I am aiming for 3:30, but will be happy if I can push that to about 3:15. And even more laughingly, I should be able to run a half marathon in 1:17. Double ha! My best time (6 months ago) was 1:41. I know I could beat that comfortably now, but by 24 minutes? What are you smoking?

So why the disparity? Am I mentally weak? Or mentally strong but physically weak? Has anyone else had their VO2 max tested, and does it measure up to their race times? According to this page, VO2 max is only an indicator of potential, which seems more realistic to me than claiming it as an accurate guide. So now I know I should in theory be able to run sub 3 hours. If nothing else, it's a goal to aim for. Now for more training. Barman, bring me another!

Run like a bird

2010-05-07T13:34:00.002+10:00

After our hike in New Zealand, we were on the bus back to civilisation and there were some birds floating around along the lake shoreline. There wasn't really any purpose that I could see to their flying, it just seemed they were floating around because...they could.

It struck me that for humans, running is our equivalent. Or at least it can be if fitness is not an issue. I don't run for any particular purpose most of the time. Sure I have my training runs, where I do intervals or time trials, and yes I am building up to run a marathon, but the real reason for those long runs at whatever pace feels good is that it's my flying on the breeze. It feels good! It's what humans evolved to do, and it makes sense that it should feel fun and liberating.

Does it feel that way for everyone? Or are people out there enduring it rather than enjoying it? Is it a struggle, but you do it for fitness, or do you run because it makes you feel alive?

Gale force winds...

2010-05-05T14:16:00.000+10:00

...blowing out of my mouth as I went for another tan time trial today. Managed to improve on my P.B, 14:32 today. It was a struggle early after some interval training yesterday, but I feel ok now. Nothing like an endorphin rush to dull the ache. Pretty shagged though.

Haven't had a chance to do much blogging since arriving back from the NZ hiking trip (which was awesome). Life getting in the way and all that. I did come up with some ideas for posts that I really want to write which I will eventually get around to. Lots of thinking time when you hike for 5 days...maybe too much!

Only 11 days till the great ocean road marathon, and I am still um-ing and ah-ing over whether to go barefoot or in the vibrams. I am pretty confident I can finish barefoot injury free, but the ego in me says run in the vibrams and get a faster time. The worry-wart says I need more than 4 1/2 months of barefooting to run a marathon, especially when I haven't done the distance before. He may be right.

Trainingus Interruptus

2010-04-16T07:15:00.000+10:00

Very excited to be heading off on a 10 day holiday to NZ this evening. My training for the marathon in mid-May has been severely interrupted by trip preparation & planning, and it will obviously be interrupted by the trip itself too.

But I am not too fussed. 5 days hiking through the spectacular mountains near Queenstown will cure that ill :) I wonder if all the hiking will help in any way? I am only taking the vibrams, no hiking boots, which is a stark change from the heavy hiking boots I used to parade around in a few years ago. We've come a long way baby.

I went for another tan time trial during the week. Slightly disappointed to come in at almost exactly the same time of 14:38 that I did in Feb. This tells me that I'm at least able to maintain my fitness when reducing the running load, but on the other hand, I've hit a plateau, and to go to the next level I think I need to start running again every day. More interval training too, as I have learned during my certificate of fitness studies.

I do miss that feeling of getting out every day. Unfortunately, being quite slim already, I wasn't able to maintain my weight and was getting to a weight that I wasn't happy with. This time around I am going to up the calories. The challenge will be to do it in a helpful way, not just with junk food....

But that's all for when I get back. Right now I must finish packing. It's holiday time!

Not all footpaths are created equal

2010-04-04T17:26:00.001+10:00

Stepped it up today in preparation for the marathon in mid May. Having run almost 15km barefoot during the week, which was the furthest I had been sans-shoes until then, today I decided was the day to find out once and for all if I could do the marathon barefoot.

The judges scores are in, and it's a win for the unshod. I ran 27km over 2 1/2 hours, and would have kept going if it hadn't been for a lack of water. Very happy! I definitely have tender feet, but given it's the furthest I've ever run shoes or no shoes, I'm not concerned at all. I know they would have been tender even in shoes. I have one blood blister to show for it, but given I used to get more blisters than this when wearing shoes, I reckon that's a stunning success.

Not all of the paths were smooth sailing however. Some were a little rough. I took a picture on one section of the footpath here:

This was taken on a stretch of path on the Nepean Highway

near Dandenong Road. I may steer clear in future.

So yeah I had to take it easy in some sections, but the majority was fine, and at times I completely forgot I was relying on the soles of my feet for padding.

Some things I learned, and I'm glad for the early heads up:

I took a recently purchased fuel belt with 4 fuel bottles. I filled 3 up with coconut water, and 1 with plain water. The ratio needs to be reversed! I barely finished one of the coconut water bottles, but was dying to suck down some regular tap juice, and this is what ended my run a few km's short on the return journey. Otherwise this was a winner.
Chafed Nipples. Must find an answer. It didn't happen until well into the second hour, but by then I was wishing for something to protect the poor buggers from exploding. If anyone knows an easy solution other than vaseline (it stains shirts) I'm all ears.
Need something to hold the home made gels. A snap lock plastic bag aint cutting the mustardo. A squeezable / washable / refillable pouch of some sort would be ideal. Something akin to a toothpaste tube, but with a bigger opening.
Speaking of gels, these were like liquid gold. A few times I started to feel tired, and forgot that I had the gel. Once my memory came back, a quick hit of these had me back full of energy. The recipe can be found in Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet book. This book is a fantastic resource for exercise fueling facts and recipes. I think a hit every half hour will do the trick.
My hydration strategy was one sip of water every km, alternating between coconut and regular. This was fine, but I need more water to wash down the gels. Water won't be an issue during races with drink stations, but out on training runs there are no volunteers. Selfish bastards.

I'm now feeling quite confident about the marathon. Better to iron out the kinks well in advance. I'm tired today, but a good tired.

I sometimes forget that it's unusual to not have injuries from running. Well, I still haven't had any since going minimalist / barefoot. 9 months and counting. No strains, no tears, no rolled ankles, no plantar fascitis, no achilles soreness, no shin splints, no ITB, nadda, nyet, zip, zilch. I don't even bother stretching any more. Yet people in shoes look at me like I'm the crazy one.

Marathon Training - 6 weeks to go

2010-04-01T13:55:00.000+11:00

A few longer runs and some trail running with Jack in the last few weeks. The trail runs have been in the vibrams, as they have long stretches with super sharp rocks that just can't be avoided. I'm not ready for that yet!

I ran home last night barefoot. 14.6km. Not a blister, no pain, it was a breeze. I thought it might be a stretch to aim for a barefoot marathon only a few months after seriously starting the barefoot running (the previous 6 months had been in the vibrams), but I am starting to think it is not only possible, but may be beneficial.

My pace was very consistent last night, starting out at a cruisy pace of 5:20-5:30 km's, and then gradually speeding up to 4:50-5:00 pace, despite being mostly uphill (albeit a subtle climb) on the way home. It felt easy, almost too easy. At times I felt like I was barely going faster than a walk, but the GPS watch doesn't lie. By the time I'd finished, I was almost disappointed that I was home.

If running barefoot helps me regulate my pace to the point where a 15km run feels like a warm-up, I'm riding that train all the way to the end of the line.

Quote of the day

2010-04-01T13:07:00.000+11:00

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Sounds exactly like barefoot running to me! Along similar lines is:

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Ghandi

I learned something this week...

2010-04-01T11:02:00.001+11:00

I recently switched to using an exercise ball for my chair at work. This is something I've been contemplating for a while, and I have thought it a good change so far. With one notable exception...

Sitting on an exercise ball after eating is not a good idea. It took me about a week to figure out the connection, but sitting on one after eating was causing bad stomach cramps. It makes sense (now) - traditionally, humans used to rest by lying down after eating, and so gave their bodies a chance to process the food without any extra stress on the body. But by sitting on the ball, you have to tighten your core muscles (transverse abdominus) to maintain posture, which places a lot of pressure on the stomach if it's trying to digest.

So, I now switch back to a normal chair for an hour after eating. Problem solved. Not related to running at all, but useful info none-the-less. I couldn't find anything about this with a google search.

Be the change you want to see in the world

2010-03-24T20:35:00.000+11:00

I realised last night that there's something about myself that I don't like. I tend to preach. It's easy to get excited about things you discover, and I genuinely believe that I have made some important self-discoveries of late that I think could help others. But that doesn't mean that I should be pushing my views onto them.

I intend to take a new approach. I recently read the quote from Ghandi I've used in the post title "Be the change you want to see in the world". I like it, and I think it applies to how I want to change my behaviour. Rather than try to convince others to try new things that you believe will help them, just set an example by behaving that way yourself. If they don't notice or don't care, or aren't interested for whatever reason, c'est la vie.

I'll offer my thoughts if asked, but otherwise I think it's best for my own sanity and that of the people I know to keep mum. I'm tired of trying to fight battles that can't be won. People will do what they want, even if it's detrimental to their own health or state of mind. Sometimes you have to bottom out before you seek the help of others, or they may not be ready for that change just yet, while other times it's just not big enough a deal to be a concern anyway. Either way, they're not going to listen to you unless they're already thinking of making changes. It has to come from within.

I don't think it'll be easy to modify a part of me that's probably been around for quite some time, but I'll sure as hell try to stop whenever I catch myself in the act. I'm sure Peita will appreciate it!

Run for the kids

2010-03-15T13:57:00.000+11:00

The run for the kids came and went yesterday. I completed it in a time I was happy enough with, 62-63 minutes give or take for 14.38km. I wasn't too thrilled with the way I felt though. The first 10km were ok, then I hit the wall and the last few kilometres I felt ill, which is a first for me. It was a strange sensation - I was not out of breath at all, but my legs felt like lead, and there was a sick feeling in my stomach which wouldn't go away.

I have had many runs where I was pushing it as hard as I could and wanting to stop, but they always felt good in a twisted masochistic kind of way. This was different. It didn't feel healthy and I have been feeling pretty crappy in the 24 hours since, which is another first. I am glad I finished without stopping, but this run has made me think about what drives me to run and what I get out of it.

For starters, I will be going barefoot for all my running from now on. I just feel that the vibrams (or shoes in general), as awesome as they are, are aiding me to run faster than I am ready for. Although a few weeks ago I was definitely running faster, backing off a bit of late has meant I should have dropped my pace in the run accordingly. I think that's a benefit of going barefoot I hadn't previously considered - your feet toughen up at the same gradual pace that your fitness improves, and you can't really overdo it without getting blisters. So everything will hopefully stay in sync from this point onwards.

I have also realised that although it's fun to push yourself against the clock, I don't know that I'm really all that interested in posting personal bests any more. I get far more enjoyment out of our cruisy runs on the weekends, and I think I'm fit enough now to not be too concerned about times or miles. It feels like pushing it too hard in races is the ego talking, and unhealthy both in mind and body. That's not to say I won't be trying to improve my speed, but I think that will come naturally and gradually as my fitness improves, and the times can fall where they may.

It's a completely different philosophy of running compared to my approach so far, but one that I think will be a lot healthier and much more enjoyable.

Put the shoe on the other foot

2010-03-12T21:43:00.000+11:00

A little while ago I was searching around for some info on barefooting and stumbled across a podiatry forum. Intrigued by what podiatrists might have to say about the subject, I had a look at some of the topics around the "barefoot running debate". Well my immediate impression was that there is some serious anger on both sides of this so-called debate!

I won't go into detail, but to summarise some of the posts I read, they didn't seem to be against barefooting, yet attacked barefooters with a zeal usually shown by David Koresh wannabes. I engaged a little with them and came to the conclusion that it was a natural defensive mechanism, as they feel that a lot of the "barefooting community" (I'm sure there are communities out there that are barefoot, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to label a few barefooters here and there as a community) attacks them personally, and that some skew the results of research to suit their own argument.

I'm not doubting this happens for a second, but it seems a little sad to me that we are reduced to such an unproductive "us vs them" mentality. Some remarked "bet the barefooters will hate this!" in response to some research which indicated certain people would benefit from motion-control shoes, and had nothing to do with barefooting at all. My problem with this (apart from the unjustified schadenfreude response) was not that the research may be incorrect, but that it merely addresses the symptoms.

I think this goes back to my rant last week. Instead of addressing the real issue (in this case it was people with over-pronating feet), the research attempted to establish the best corrective shoes for people who over-pronate. The obvious question goes unanswered - why the bloody hell are they over-pronating in the first place? Where is the research to determine if this is a natural state, or something that results from their footwear or other factors? Has anyone conducted any studies of children's feet at a young age to determine if a significant percentage of people naturally over-pronate, over-supinate, or are these occurences rare? Why do we make the assumption that there is something wrong with us?

Why not start from the other position - that nearly everyone is able to walk with a pain free gait, and that something else is causing high incidences of poor walking form? It seems to me that 2 millions years of evolution has gone into the way we walk and run, and that's it's a pretty stupid assumption to make that all of a sudden in the last century or so, a significant percentage of a species that relied on its mobility to survive now can't walk without motion correcting shoes or orthotic supports. I know that in some cases people will either be born with issues that require correction, or accidents may cause a loss of motion or mobility, but surely these are the exception.

Continuing with the theme of there probably being nothing wrong with us, I think I have found the cause of my occasional left knee pain. On our hump day run I made an extra effort to observe my running gait, and tried to detect any differences between the way my left and right legs moved. It paid off, and I discovered that I needed to make a slight adjustment. It immediately felt better, although it also felt quite strange, as it is something that I think has been ingrained in my running style for a long, long time.

Another win for going barefoot. I can't prove it, but I don't think I ever would have figured that one out while wearing shoes, or even the vibrams.

I think back to the problems I have had with my feet over the years. When I was a teenager I played a lot of golf. About the age of 16, I started getting real problems with flat feet, to the point where I could hardly finish a round due to the pain. My parents took me to a podiatrist, and they gave me some orthotics. These definitely alleviated the pain, and I was able to get moving again, albeit still with some discomfort at times. I wish I knew then what I know now - I could have saved years of intermittent achilles and plantar fascia problems, thousands of dollars on shoes, and a lot of the pain I experienced when I started running if I'd just gone au-naturale.

Treating the symptoms didn't resolve the underlying problem. It rarely does.

Wednesday I've got Sunday on my mind....

2010-03-10T12:31:00.002+11:00

It's Wednesday and I'm looking forward to the run for the kids on Sunday. Feeling fighting fit after taking it a bit easier the last few weeks. That probably means I'll run like turd on the day :)

Jack and I went for a run in the dandenongs last Sunday, and it seemed like the forest had been reserved exclusively for runners. After the awesome storms we had, not too many were keen on hitting the trails...except us and a bunch of other runners we saw. I guess we're either a little nuts, or everyone else is a little soft. Not that I was complaining, it was good to have the trails virtually to ourselves. The forest seemed to light up after all the rain, and with some fallen trees requiring some delicate negotiation, there was some climbing adventure to boot.

I am rapidly becoming a fan of those chilled out trail runs at a pace that you feel like you could sustain for hours and hours. I'm sure reality would be different and at some stage a wall will be hit, but it seems like good prep for a marathon and further. And considering I want to progress to some ultra marathons, that can only be a good thing.

It makes me wonder if I'm really all that interested in getting faster, or whether I would just rather be able to run longer. I guess if you can run faster, then it makes running at a slower pace much easier, so maybe they're not mutually exclusive.

Finding the balance

2010-03-06T08:59:00.004+11:00

So I realised the other day when I went for a run that I've put a few kilos back on, or at least it feels like I have, and my pace at the aerobic threshold (around 146bpm for me) has slowed noticeably. I am happy with my weight now, and I don't want to be too slim, so I face a dilemma - drop a few and run faster, or be more comfortable with my weight?

It's tempting to get a bit leaner for next Sunday's run for the kids to maybe shave a minute off my final time, but really, is it worth it?

The band-aid society

2010-03-04T13:43:00.001+11:00

This is not a post about running, but something I've been mulling over for a while and I thought it was worth musing over in print.

A few things here and there that I've seen or heard recently have triggered in me the belief that we are the architects of our own demise. That's probably not a huge revelation, but the manner in which I believe that we inflict troubles on ourselves boils down to one simple thing - we like to treat the symptoms of our problems, rather than finding the real cause and addressing that. It's a quick fix with immediate results, but almost always ignores the real problems, which will then manifest again in one form or another. In short, we're lazy. I'll run through a few examples that spring to mind.

A big one first - global warming. Now I'm a sceptic of this for starters - I think there are far bigger issues we need to address first, and whether or not we're making the globe 1 or 2 degrees warmer is up for debate anyway - but how are we looking to address it? By putting taxes on everything and anything that our governments can think of. And we all go along with it (I'm generalising) because it means we don't have to think about it. It's someone else's problem to come up with a "scheme" to reduce our carbon footprint. How about looking at our lifestyles and the amount of crap we consume and spew out into the atmosphere that is causing the (alleged) global warming? That will never happen, because it would mean we have to look introspectively at our own lives. We're too lazy for that.

Take obesity - a pretty large problem, pardon the pun. How do we address it? Fat pills, stomach stapling, liposuction, wonder drugs. How about turning off the TV, getting off your arses and doing something about it, like eating real food and doing some exercise? Of course not. We look to fix the symptoms, never the causes.

High blood pressure, cholesterol issues, type II diabetes, most cancers, all problems that stem from a piss-poor diet and lack of exercise. The solution? All sorts of wonderful drug concoctions, invasive surgery, and who knows what else. Where does the responsibility for your own body come into it? It's the only possession you truly own! If the average person caught their children treating their material possessions like TV's / computers / whitegoods with the same disdain we treat our own bodies with, they'd be mortified, yet the same behaviour towards their own bodies goes unquestioned. I find it baffling.

I know this is one hell of a rant, and anyone reading this could be forgiven for thinking I'm in a state of constant anger if this post is anything to go by. I'm not at all. I just think we're capable of so much more, but we're our own worst enemies. I find it sad to think because of all our technological advances, we are becoming a lazy species so out of touch with ourselves that one day we'll reach a point where the majority of the population is relying on technology just to survive - not live, survive - day to day.

We put ourselves in a constant state of stress, and somehow manage to convince ourselves that it's all good, that we are happy. Got a problem? Put a band-aid on it, that'll fix everything. I'm not sure what the point of this essay is, but I know that more of the same is not the answer. We need a new approach.

Call me Zola...

2010-03-02T15:20:00.002+11:00

I went for a well needed run at lunch time today, 4 days was too long a break. My knee was aching again this morning. I think it's channelling my sub-conscious and telling me to run Forrest, run. So it was 3 times around the tan or thereabouts for 12km. On the third time round a guy caught up and called me Zola. I'll take that as a compliment. I guess not many people see someone running barefoot around the tan. This was fairly evident from the countless quizzical looks I got from most people running the other way.

We got chatting and he is in training for a half-ironman in Hawaii in June. He did a full one in China last year and is now just getting back into it. So we were running together and chatting for about 10 minutes and I realised how much more quickly the time passes when you're running and chatting at the same time. Before I knew it Dave the Scot (I should have asked him how Annie Lennox is these days) was off back to work and I found myself around the other side of the tan.

Time to find a regular running partner on some of these longer runs. You out there Jack? Let's pick up the distance :)

Bizarro World

2010-03-01T09:53:00.000+11:00

I went to a 21st on Saturday night where there was no music from post-1990, the oldies were the ones getting munted and falling over on the dance floor, and all the youngsters were well behaved. Welcome to bizarro world.

I had another bizarro world moment yesterday. Sitting down watching a bit of TV and my left knee started aching. I had forgetten it used to do that (a lot) before I started running about a year ago. So that's what happens when I don't run for a few days. It starts complaining!

I had occasionally been worried that the increase in running I had been doing this year might cause me problems with my left knee. It needs an operation to fix stretched ligaments to stabilise the joint (old war wound / basketball injury), but I don't have the inclination to be out of action for several months while it heals and I go through rehab. So I put up with it, and most of the time I don't even notice it. On the odd occasion though, it does ache a little while running. Not enough to stop me, but enough to be a mild concern.

Well after last night, I think the concern is greater if I don't run. I got a subtle reminder of what happens when I laze around.

Tan Time Trial #3

2010-02-18T13:44:00.000+11:00

Today was time for the tan time trial #3 for the year. I felt pretty ordinary as I went on my warmup run. I am now of the belief that this feeling after a few days of not running is due to carrying extra muscle glycogen and feeling a bit heavier. I remember the same feeling at the start of several races I went in last year, and those were always after a bit of carb loading and a few days rest from running. I guess it's a good thing to be loaded up with energy, but the heavy feeling takes some getting used to. Being familiar with it is probably a big benefit, as at least now I know why it happens and that it's a good thing.

By the 1/2km mark into the actual time trial I felt like a weight was lifted and started running much more freely. I didn't feel particularly fast, but my end result said otherwise, coming in around 23 seconds faster than last time at 14:38. I don't think I went out as hard either, as I didn't get that "I wanna throw up, why on earth do I do this to myself" feeling anywhere near as much, and felt like I could have sprinted home a little faster. The only thing that stopped me was I felt like I couldn't move the legs any quicker, even though I had the lung capacity. This might be the surface - it's hard to get a grip on the sand when you want to accelerate, but I suspect I was just more stuffed than I realised.

Afterwards I am feeling good. Love that runner's high.

Run Summary
Distance : 3.83km
Time : 14:38
Average : 3:51/km