Ugh, I'm making a lot of mistakes - all down to being somewhat over-keen!
It makes me feel like a beginner, and that's quite fun.
Today I ran 5k barefoot, on our athletics track (the one you ran on when you visited Southampton, Keith!). Felt great, but for the last 1 or 2 km, I knew that I was being over ambitious and should have stopped.
I was right about the long wet grass making my feet feel cold - I had no such problems, even though the track was quite wet.
However, I now have two blisters, both on the left foot, one under the first metatarsal, and one under the 5th! Not large enough to stop me running, but enough that I know they're there!
I haven't had blisters on my feet in more than 10 years!
I was also running with one of the UK's top coaches, who has also read the Older Yet Faster book - Peter Haynes. We were having a great chat about his athletes and other running topics, which possibly distracted me from thinking about what my feet were feeling.
More to the point, it was also distracting me from thinking about style, so I am chalking this session up to a foot-strengthening-session. and have vowed to concentrate better in the future.
Monday, 5 October 2015
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Inspired by Keith's reply to my last reply, I've ditched the shoes! Well, for one run, so far!
I have a lovely local park, it's well maintained because young kids play football matches there, and it's a cricket pitch in the summer. It's 500m away, so it's usually where I've done my friday strides prior to a saturday 800m race.
Yesterday I jogged there, took off my shoes, and ran 3km in bare feet. I'd like to say I felt liberated, or connected to my ancestors, or something. But I didn't. It just felt like, well, running on grass in bare feet!
I confirmed what I knew before: that concentration is still required - you can still let the hips and shoulders drop and heel strike on the soft ground. So after the session I was left thinking "I wonder what that will achieve". Although it was a nice day yesterday, and the temperature was still about 12 degrees C, my feet got so bitterly cold that the hurt. The grass was wet and about 10cm long, so that probably had something to do with it.
Anyway, having wondered what the gain would be, I can report that I definitely ached in new places this morning! Aches, and not pains, I have to add. The aches are in the muscles in the feet and ankles, and possibly the lower calves. But most certainly the ache of muscles that are not used to being recruited!
So I can see what Keith means when he says that you'll get there quicker with minimal shoes, and quicker still with no shoes at all.
I also realise that if I went out and did the same session again today, and every day, then there'd be a high chance of injury. So Heidi's 20 mins every other day for a few months sounds about right. This isn't going to happen over night.
But I'm absolutely loving it!
I have a lovely local park, it's well maintained because young kids play football matches there, and it's a cricket pitch in the summer. It's 500m away, so it's usually where I've done my friday strides prior to a saturday 800m race.
Yesterday I jogged there, took off my shoes, and ran 3km in bare feet. I'd like to say I felt liberated, or connected to my ancestors, or something. But I didn't. It just felt like, well, running on grass in bare feet!
I confirmed what I knew before: that concentration is still required - you can still let the hips and shoulders drop and heel strike on the soft ground. So after the session I was left thinking "I wonder what that will achieve". Although it was a nice day yesterday, and the temperature was still about 12 degrees C, my feet got so bitterly cold that the hurt. The grass was wet and about 10cm long, so that probably had something to do with it.
Anyway, having wondered what the gain would be, I can report that I definitely ached in new places this morning! Aches, and not pains, I have to add. The aches are in the muscles in the feet and ankles, and possibly the lower calves. But most certainly the ache of muscles that are not used to being recruited!
So I can see what Keith means when he says that you'll get there quicker with minimal shoes, and quicker still with no shoes at all.
I also realise that if I went out and did the same session again today, and every day, then there'd be a high chance of injury. So Heidi's 20 mins every other day for a few months sounds about right. This isn't going to happen over night.
But I'm absolutely loving it!
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
This is the way that my thinking has been going over the past few days:
If you want to change the way that you've been running for 35 years, then it's gonna take a few months or even a couple of years to do it.
As Keith says in the book, and in his recent reply to my last post, you'll do it quicker without shoes on. But quicker is a relative term, and I think this still means months.
Logically, I'm guessing that running properly (out of cushioned shoes) is going to be using muscles that you've never used before. And how long did it take to build up some of the muscles you do use today? Up to 7 or 8 years, that's how long. (look at photos from today and from 2, 4, 6, 8 years ago, and you will see muscles now, that didn't exist then) (I took up 800m running 8 years ago)
And I'm guessing that most of those muscles are in the feet.
So this requires real patience. Approach it almost as if it was a new sport. Say you were taking up white water kayaking from nowhere. You'd give yourself at least 2 years to be mildly competent, and that's assuming you can get out on the water 3 or 4 times a week.
Well, I think some of those small muscles are going to want time and space to grow, recover, grow, recover, grow, recover.
I guess Keith and Heidi need to balance the honest truth with the prospect of putting people off for ever. Tell the average weekend road racer that they need to have at least 6 months off racing and they'd baulk at the thought.
But I'm serious about this. After 8 weeks I know how good this style of running feels, how fluid and how light on my feet I feel. But I know if I was to hit a 60 or 70 mile week this month (which I would usually do at this time of year) then that would probably injure me right now. I'll aim for that volume in January, I think.
If you want to change the way that you've been running for 35 years, then it's gonna take a few months or even a couple of years to do it.
As Keith says in the book, and in his recent reply to my last post, you'll do it quicker without shoes on. But quicker is a relative term, and I think this still means months.
Logically, I'm guessing that running properly (out of cushioned shoes) is going to be using muscles that you've never used before. And how long did it take to build up some of the muscles you do use today? Up to 7 or 8 years, that's how long. (look at photos from today and from 2, 4, 6, 8 years ago, and you will see muscles now, that didn't exist then) (I took up 800m running 8 years ago)
And I'm guessing that most of those muscles are in the feet.
So this requires real patience. Approach it almost as if it was a new sport. Say you were taking up white water kayaking from nowhere. You'd give yourself at least 2 years to be mildly competent, and that's assuming you can get out on the water 3 or 4 times a week.
Well, I think some of those small muscles are going to want time and space to grow, recover, grow, recover, grow, recover.
I guess Keith and Heidi need to balance the honest truth with the prospect of putting people off for ever. Tell the average weekend road racer that they need to have at least 6 months off racing and they'd baulk at the thought.
But I'm serious about this. After 8 weeks I know how good this style of running feels, how fluid and how light on my feet I feel. But I know if I was to hit a 60 or 70 mile week this month (which I would usually do at this time of year) then that would probably injure me right now. I'll aim for that volume in January, I think.
Friday, 25 September 2015
The spikey balls arrived!
What a difference. I've been rolling the foot over a tennis ball for a few days now. I can really find the pressure points, particularly in the foot where there's a little bit of Plantar Fasciitis lurking. However, the effects are limited - and short lived.
However, after the first use of the spiked ball, all traces of pain disappeared! Not forever, it does creep back after half an hour or so, depending on what you are doing. But it's clearly more effective than the tennis ball.
I awoke this morning with no hint of the problem. I rolled in the car on the way to work (automatic car, pain in the left foot, checked clearance of the pedals over the ball for safety sake!!). However, in stiff shoes, over a tarmac car park, I was aware of pain within 50m walk from the car. But it wasn't immediate. Just a reminder to take things steady.
This does beg the question, (Heidi!), can one roll too much? My car commute is an hour each way, on steady moving motorway, and I can roll for at least 50 mins of that time.
I did have one other question if that's ok. The book talks about a steady start (beginner programme), and about from a starting point of structured shoes, first moving to neutral, then minimal, alternating between shoes during the journey. Does "alternate your shoes" also mean "alternate your style"? Because when I put on my padded/structured Kayanos, I can still maintain the new style, concentrating on hips forward, torso upright, not landing infront of hips. Or, with the old shoes on, should I also let my hips drop to take advantage of the padding in the shoe? Thanks guys!!
What a difference. I've been rolling the foot over a tennis ball for a few days now. I can really find the pressure points, particularly in the foot where there's a little bit of Plantar Fasciitis lurking. However, the effects are limited - and short lived.
However, after the first use of the spiked ball, all traces of pain disappeared! Not forever, it does creep back after half an hour or so, depending on what you are doing. But it's clearly more effective than the tennis ball.
I awoke this morning with no hint of the problem. I rolled in the car on the way to work (automatic car, pain in the left foot, checked clearance of the pedals over the ball for safety sake!!). However, in stiff shoes, over a tarmac car park, I was aware of pain within 50m walk from the car. But it wasn't immediate. Just a reminder to take things steady.
This does beg the question, (Heidi!), can one roll too much? My car commute is an hour each way, on steady moving motorway, and I can roll for at least 50 mins of that time.
I did have one other question if that's ok. The book talks about a steady start (beginner programme), and about from a starting point of structured shoes, first moving to neutral, then minimal, alternating between shoes during the journey. Does "alternate your shoes" also mean "alternate your style"? Because when I put on my padded/structured Kayanos, I can still maintain the new style, concentrating on hips forward, torso upright, not landing infront of hips. Or, with the old shoes on, should I also let my hips drop to take advantage of the padding in the shoe? Thanks guys!!
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
22nd September
Well, Keith and Heidi do say, as do the instructions on the inside of the box for my new NB Minimus 10v3 shoes, as do a number of the related YouTube videos,
"Don't do too much too soon"
And guess what...!!
I knew the race on Sunday was not a good idea, but being a team relay I couldn't let the team down. But it's brought on a little Plantar Fasciitis. I've had it once before, about 5 years ago. It came on suddenly and hard. After 15 months it went as soon as it came. I've never had a murmur of it since.
Yesterday morning at the end of my 1 hour car-commute, I felt it, and at times during the day it got quite bad. So I aborted the usual Tue eve track session (although, as with 5 years ago, once warmed up I couldn't feel it). And I did a huge tennis ball session when I got home, which really helped.
This morning I awoke with some trepidation. When I had the condition 5 years ago, the mornings upon awaking were the worst time. Thankfully, there was only a mild hint of the condition.
I rolled the tennis ball under the foot during my commute. There are definitely some tight spots in there.
And, my spike balls should arrive tomorrow from Amazon. Like Jon, I've gone for a pack of three, different sizes.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CCPNDWI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
I've also decided to take another few days off, and take it easy for a while.
Too much too soon
Well, Keith and Heidi do say, as do the instructions on the inside of the box for my new NB Minimus 10v3 shoes, as do a number of the related YouTube videos,
"Don't do too much too soon"
And guess what...!!
I knew the race on Sunday was not a good idea, but being a team relay I couldn't let the team down. But it's brought on a little Plantar Fasciitis. I've had it once before, about 5 years ago. It came on suddenly and hard. After 15 months it went as soon as it came. I've never had a murmur of it since.
Yesterday morning at the end of my 1 hour car-commute, I felt it, and at times during the day it got quite bad. So I aborted the usual Tue eve track session (although, as with 5 years ago, once warmed up I couldn't feel it). And I did a huge tennis ball session when I got home, which really helped.
This morning I awoke with some trepidation. When I had the condition 5 years ago, the mornings upon awaking were the worst time. Thankfully, there was only a mild hint of the condition.
I rolled the tennis ball under the foot during my commute. There are definitely some tight spots in there.
And, my spike balls should arrive tomorrow from Amazon. Like Jon, I've gone for a pack of three, different sizes.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CCPNDWI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
I've also decided to take another few days off, and take it easy for a while.
Sunday, 20 September 2015
Right, this is getting interesting!
I ran in the SEAA 4 stage Road Relays today - a fairly exclusive event open to UKA affiliated running clubs only, and [with a couple of exceptions] has been held on the same course for decades.
I approached today, adamant that I was going to concentrate on style, and hold it for as long as I could.
This is the fastest session that I have run since starting the programme 4 weeks ago. So there are some interesting observations.
The first lap (3km) felt easy, and I had another athlete giving me a good pull (as you can see). I was able to keep the hips up and forward without much trouble. see picture: I think this is looking MUCH better, although far from "there" yet. I can also see where I am almost "pulling" my head back, as alluded to in previous blog.
The second lap, I noticed some things (sorry, no pic):
I ran in the SEAA 4 stage Road Relays today - a fairly exclusive event open to UKA affiliated running clubs only, and [with a couple of exceptions] has been held on the same course for decades.
I approached today, adamant that I was going to concentrate on style, and hold it for as long as I could.
This is the fastest session that I have run since starting the programme 4 weeks ago. So there are some interesting observations.
The first lap (3km) felt easy, and I had another athlete giving me a good pull (as you can see). I was able to keep the hips up and forward without much trouble. see picture: I think this is looking MUCH better, although far from "there" yet. I can also see where I am almost "pulling" my head back, as alluded to in previous blog.
 |
| I'm in the stripes... |
The second lap, I noticed some things (sorry, no pic):
- As fatigue started to set in, I could consciously lift my hips and maintain style, but it was hard to maintain this.
- As fatigue advanced yet further, this became much more difficult
Right, so the BIGGEST lesson today was about time in the air. I've noticed how, as Keith points out, to go faster, you don't "walk forwards" with the feet, and you don't (can't) increase cadence. But it's all in the take off. Really pushing off with the toes, and getting more time in the air, makes a huge difference to speed.
And the result?
My preparation for the event was fairly typical, and I wore the same racing shoes as the last 2 years (Saucony Fastwitch - light, flat)
But this time made my eyes pop out:
But this time made my eyes pop out:
| year | time |
| 2007 | 20:38 |
| 2008 | 20:46 |
| 2009 | 21:03 |
| 2010 | 21:20 |
| 2011 | 21:36 |
| 2012 | 21:45 |
| 2013 | 22:27 |
| 2014 | 22:29 |
| 2015 | 21:52 |
Saturday, 19 September 2015
19th Sep 2015
Four weeks into the 'programme', the following thoughts have surfaced:
- Running this style is starting to become subconscious. I say 'starting', because I still find myself checking style all the time (not too onerous as runs are still only 5k or less). Also, I haven't properly raced yet, and under pressure, fatigue, or longer run, there will be times when I need to think about something else. I'm just waiting to see, when this happens, if the style reverts to the bad old way. I did an experiment yesterday, and ran for 10 meters deliberately with bent torso, hunched back and dropping hips. I was in padded shoes. It felt easy, but lazy. There was also a noticeable drop in speed, and that "float" that Keith talks about disappeared.
- It's occurred to me that, as all my runs are now at 4:45/km to 4:55/km pace, I'm going to become an excellent 4:45/km runner. This is not my aim! But I feel that 4 weeks into the programme (with interruptions) I still feel quite new to this, so I am being patient.
- I'm still alternating padded support shoes (Asics Kayano) and minimal shoes.
- The barefoot in the park is not quite so attractive at the moment as the temperature has dropped to 12 degrees C
- I still plan on doing weighted squats but only up to 30kg - this really helped my recoveries last winter/spring, so want to keep it up. I know that Keith says not to, or at least that it won't really help, but even if it's a placebo, I'm going to keep it going
- I'm doing a couple of planks a day now, but I've only got up to 45s so far!!!
So the plan for the next week is:
- 5.5km race tomorrow - not ideal, but it's the South of England Road Relays and I can't let the team down. I'm not going to wear minimal shoes, but my usual racing flats. I will concentrate on style, perhaps get someone to iphone video me near the beginning and the end.
- Start to introduce some fartlek - just 50m strides - into the runs. Not with the aim of getting faster, but just to learn what it feels like, feel for foot slip at take off (and landing) and to see what I learn.
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