Plain Runner

The day that running changed.

2012-02-15T13:37:00.003Z

For a couple of decades I've had an employer that likes me to be fit, so much so that I'm able to step out of the office and head to the trails when I feel the need. Consequently, this body has seen the inside of a fair few gyms, run too many miles on treadmills and has spent many an hour out on the trails. I'm under no illusion that I'm a pretty lucky bloke.

Why all the blurb? Well today, running changed for me; and considering how many years I've been doing it, that could be seen as a bit odd. I slipped on my spangly new shoes this morning to try them out on my lunchtime trail. But cautious of all the warnings about overdoing it in minimalist shoes, and that I tend to run until I break, then rest, then repeat I only planned to go for 4 miles.

Now I've run in my VFFs a bit, and done a little barefooting both on tarmac and off road, so I've had a taste of the different technique required. I've also been forefoot running for years and so just slipping on a set of minimalist shoes should be easy, and it is.

But...

If you have a cushioned heel, you're going to use it whether you want to or not. When you use the barefoot running technique of forefoot-midfoot-heel (almost but not quite at the same time) then your heel is using that cushioning even though you're not slamming your heel into the ground with a heel strike. Whilst the mechanics of the technique are there, it's not the same, although I think it's good to get your head into the system, and your body used to the movement. That cushioning will give you greater endurance, even though you're not really using your heels.

Now that your heels are falling at least an extra centimetre and probably more due to the reduction of drop (difference in height between the ball of the foot and heel), your calf is getting an extra stretch with every footfall. That's why this way of running is renowned for trashing your legs until the muscles tendons and bones get used to it. Combine this with the bent knees and shorter stride and your cadence naturally picks up. Consequently it's really quite easy to end up sprinting off into the distance in the bent knee barefoot pose as my time on this morning's 4 miler proved (it was meant to be slow).

My VFF tarmac distance PB is 5 miles, and at the end of that my calves were toast. This minimalist shoe, or barefoot, running really does give a different focus on the muscles; not different muscles, I think they're just being taken beyond that familiar movement range. Consequently, my endurance is down and I've no idea how long it's going to take to get back to 2 hour+ runs. I have no plans to get into double figure mileage in these shoes for some time. I guess that the indicator will be when I don't have aching legs the morning after a run.

And all of that really does put into perspective the 14 miler that I accidentally took BarefootApe on in his Vivobarefoot Neo Trails. Impressive.

Spangly new shoes

2012-02-14T20:12:00.000Z

I mentioned back at the beginning of January that I was after some minimalist trail running shoes. Well after waiting, and looking, and searching and waiting, New Balance failed.

As I was in London today I took a trip into the Vivobarefoot shop in Covent Garden and tried on lots of shoes; had a go on the treadmill, tried some more and then bought these beauties.

They're Vivobarefoot Breatho Trails and they won't ever be so clean again.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2012-01-20T11:09:00.000Z

I've never been of the "I can't do it" mentality; essentially nothing is impossible in my book. For someone who aspires to run all day, and longer, this mindset is a great asset, but it's also a double edged sword.

The ability to push on when you're tired, when you've been running/walking for so long that your body makes you sleep whilst you're still moving is something that I think we all have. Although some have to dig quite deep to find the mental reserve that enables you to separate the mind from the body so that this weak thing that we're attached to can be pushed through the tiredness and sleep barrier. To keep going when sleep is the only thing you crave, "Just 5 minutes, I'll be fine after that". To push on when the tears flow because you're just so exhausted; these are just mental battles which make me chuckle when I think about past times that I've been there.

But what do you do when your body simply can't do what you're asking? When pushing on breaks your body?

Most of us push on at least a little, because it's that little push that makes us fitter and stronger. Personally I find it hard to gauge that "little push" which is why I'm prone to injury; and why I'm sat here (again) with a lower limb strain/injury/thing that stops me running/whatever.

This never used to happen, but ever since I turned 40 a few years back it has... So it would appear that I can no longer smash through the tiredness and aches and pains to emerge on the other side stronger than ever. I have to make slower progress now, and really abide by the 10% rule.

But with a wry smile I still consider that as I get fitter, and stronger, maybe I will be able to go back to the ways of my younger days *eyeroll*

Compression kit and shin splints

2012-01-12T19:26:00.001Z

These last couple of years, for some reason, I've become prone to shin splints and the only way that I've been able to recover is by resting. Sometimes it takes two weeks because I often try and push through the injury; "run it off".

I've been using Skins tights for a couple of years, hoping to preserve my legs as I push on past 4 hours on the trail, which they certainly do once you're used to their tightness. I also have the recovery version which are also pretty awesome, and sleeping in them really does help.

I've never run in compression socks, but I have them for wearing after the run; they just look a bit odd to be seen running in, even if Paula carries it off, she has the talent to be seen in them.
But I've had it with the shin splint I have in my left leg right now.. I've rested for days, hydrated well, RICEd but it's taking forever to go away. Then I remembered that Salomon make a compression sleeve for the calf (another reason that buying Unbreakable was worth it).

Right now, the Salomon Exo IV Calf is available, but I picked up a pair of IIIs from ebay and headed out for 7 miles of trails today and the only thing I can say is WOW!

You can read about how they're supposed to work (or how some think they don't work) all over the web but all I'll say is that they enabled me to run, pretty much pain free for an hour. So, placebo or not, they absolutely work for me and are now firmly in my kit pile for treating/training with tired legs.

Frustrated by New Balance in the UK

2012-01-09T11:40:00.000Z

Whilst I sit with my leg in full RICE mode it gives me time to do a bit of running admin ie looking at maps for new routes, checking out gear 'n' the like.

I've been looking at trying to get hold of some New Balance Minimus Trails that iRunFar have reviewed and Anton Krupicka has advertised on YouTube. I like the whole minimalist ideal, and get out and about in my VFFs occasionally as part of my routine. So it seemed sensible to have a look at someone else's shoes.

At least, I would if I could. I might be a bit of a traditionalist but I like to actually get my hands on a shoe before I buy it, and trying them on is essential. Unfortunately there aren't many NB shops in the UK, typically a running shop will shop will stock many different brands, and a few of the NB range, but certainly not the whole NB range. There's nothing useful on the New Balance website, nothing that points to which shop stocks what model of shoe, so is it really this hit and miss for getting hold of their kit? Where is the New Balance UK store?

I jumped onto Facebook, and asked on the New Balance UK page, but alas, no replies; and it would seem I'm not the only one asking the question.

At which point I start looking at other companies, such as Salomon and Inov8.

You're obviously injured, why oh why would you run?

2012-01-06T10:28:00.001Z

Everyone who puts a bit of effort into their running will stretch, strain, pull, bang, chafe something at some time. But, what do you do, push on or rest?

I've no specific race in mind (although the Ridgeway Challenge in August this year is looking like it may get a look at) but I've just started a 24 week 50 miler plan, just to give my training a bit of direction. Of course, these plans are meant to get you to give the most benefit, but chances are it'll be too much and you'll over train, and end up injured.

My left calf is giving me some grief at the moment, with what I can only describe as a shin splint feeling, but deep within my calf, so deep that I can't really tell where the pain is. I've run about 25 miles with it, but I'm am at that point of "Strap it and run (it'll probably get worse) or strap it and rest?" It's a ridiculous question, especially when I have no specific goal that I'm training for. So I'll take 4 days off and get down with my Grid then start back into the plan next week.

Unless I get up tomorrow morning and it feels fine, in which case, there's 14 miles to do.

But there's always that nagging question... "If I'd carried on, would it have ended up worse?"

Why do you......

2011-08-20T21:16:00.000+01:00

Compete?

Most of the runners I know, and most of the magazines that I read focus on competing. I wonder why people compete, is it to beat the person in front of them, or to use them as a way of getting a PB? Maybe it's just the chance of running somewhere new?

So, why do you compete?

I've had it with dogs and their owners

2011-08-14T17:47:00.000+01:00

In all the years that I've been running, uncontrolled dogs have never been so bad.

I trail run to get away from people, towns, traffic and everything associated with them. So when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, minding my own business and someone's bloody dog decides it wants me to stop running, what the hell am I supposed to do? The law is clear:

Any dog is dangerously out of control if:

• it injures a person, or
• it behaves in a way that makes a person worried that it might injure them.

The law applies everywhere the general public is allowed to go and anywhere your dog goes where it is not supposed to be.

In other words, if your dog bares it's teeth, barks and runs at me, it's dangerously out of control. I have no interest in whether it's "just having fun" or is "just a big softie" if it bares it's teeth then as far as I'm concerned it's about to bite and I will defend myself.

I'm tired of having obnoxious owners tell me that I'd better not hit their dog, just after they've had a go at me. What the hell do I have to do to escape from these bloody people and their pests? Maybe I should just carry some mace spray, that'd work on the dogs and their owner.

Fueling for fatties

2011-08-01T21:02:00.000+01:00

Damn it's hard.

I'm currently 213lbs dripping wet, and I've been around that weight for a long time. It doesn't stop me running fast or long, but it does prevent me from running fast and long.

Now most people realise that stopping eating is a bad thing to do because your body just switches into starvation mode. So, just up the phys rate and you'll burn it off; but you need to do a stack of exercise to burn off the excess and so try and combine the two. This ends up with either not enough fuel, giving poor performance along with dizzyness etc which is a pretty stupid place to be especially as the quality of exercise is poor.

The solution.. eat more food.. and don't lose any weight!

It really is a fine balance, and I keep swinging either side of the line, which can be pretty frustrating.

"..get out, cruise around and boost endorphins"

2011-01-19T09:57:00.000Z

This is a great film, showing what a relaxed attitude to training these people have, even though they have vastly different regimes.

The high point for me is at 25 mins when Anton Krupicka comments about his evening flat runs: "get out, cruise around and boost endorphins". Works for me too, although I'm a little way off 160mile weeks!

Boulder Trail Runners - Q&A with Scott Jurek, Anton Krupicka, Dave Mackey and Geoff Roes from Alpine Works on Vimeo.

Running late in the day.

2011-01-08T19:27:00.000Z

That good old runners high can be annoying at times. I enjoy running at the end of the day, when it's dark; wrapped up warm, with a head torch on, in blizzards, gales, and monsoons. But the high I get from the run keeps me awake for hours when I'd dearly love to be asleep, resting for a run the following day.

Shouldn't moan really should I, at least I'm able to get out there and do something, many can't.

Running on nails?

2010-12-27T10:01:00.006Z

The snow and ice has been hanging around far too long this year, and normally I wouldn't even venture out; but Tommo blogged about carrying Kahtoola micro spikes for running in and as I was climbing the walls desperate to get a few miles in, I bought a set.

They are superb.

The pair fit in the palm of your hand, or a stuff sack.

Have spikes on the forefoot and heel.

...and they give you serious grip.

I've put about 20 miles on them and it's as if they're not there, and there's no snow/ice around. They don't slip or flap, take about a minute to put on/off and they just are what they are and do what they're supposed to do.

Just this morning I've seen some blogs about putting screws into the sole of your shoe to give you the same effect. What a waste of a running shoe! These spikes are serious kit and will probably last for decades.

Which camera should I run with?

2010-10-18T18:41:00.002+01:00

My crappy old Canon has had it, and my HTC Desire isn't exactly ideal, mainly because it's a phone with an afterthought camera built in.

I'm after something small and light that I can put in my waist pack, and it needs to have decent optics, that are suitable for landscapes. Of course, these days cameras can take video as well, but that's not really on my list of needs.

So, what do you use, and what would you recommend?

The frustration of rest

2010-10-16T16:00:00.002+01:00

After 5 months of no running... actually no phys at all due to an ulcerative colitis flare, I'm back to it again, at last.

But things are not good. I'm frustrated... but I know it's a ridiculous place to be in. When the flare stopped me running, my Saturday morning run was 25 miles, life was good and I was really starting to run long. And so after the massive break I want to back out there doing those 25 milers.

HAH! not going to happen, not for some time. I'm forcing myself not to run, because I'm desperate to just get out there and smash out the miles, which would end up in injury without doubt. I probably need to get a marathon training plan together to give me some direction, although my goal right now is to run my cross country commute as soon as I can. Hopefully I'll end up doing that 11 miler 3 times a week once my body is ready for the effort.

I'm really looking forward to those cold, windy evening trail runs out on Salisbury Plain, they're the best.