Following my last run, which was 2 days ago, my right knee was sore for the entire next day. By the day after that, it was fine. My right calf (likely my soleus) felt sore, especially if I did a calf raise. Despite this, I ran on Tuesday night after the kids were in bed. Also, I spent Monday and Tuesday wearing my new Altra Samson shoes. That means I essentially spent 2 days "barefoot" when I would have normally worn shoes.
By midway through my run, I could tell that both calves were tired with the right being more noticeable than the left. I also noticed I finished almost 2 minutes slower than when I ran the same route two days earlier.
Distance: 2.5 miles
Weight: didn't check
Results: my right medial knee was sore afterwards but not as badly as I would have predicted (as of writing this, it can tell it is very minorly sore, but not as noticeable as Monday). My calves and ankles were also sore (kind of a fatigued sore. Otherwise, I felt fine.
What I Learned: It is possible that being "barefoot" for 2 straight days might have fatigued my calves more than I realized, leading to my slower time and extra soreness last night.
What I am most concerned about is my knee. Every other physical symptom I have experienced in this journey has fallen under the category of transient, exercise-related sorenss. That sort of stuff gets bettter and goes away.
The right knee soreness seems different. It seems more joint-related. This concerns me because it is very similar to what I remember from when I was last running several years ago. If it does not improve, my future with running is going to be limited. It is as simple as that. If the intermittent soreness I have now gets worse, becomes more intense and/or more frequent than something will have to change.
Plan: For now, I will run every third day instead of every other day. I will also wear my regular shoes the day after a run to give my calves a break, but I will wear the Samsons on the next 2 days. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Day 65 - Altra Samsons, finally
So I finally got my pair of
Altra Samsons (not terribly impressed with the efficiency of the shipping process). They arrived on Friday but I have not had a good chance to run in them until today (Sunday). Running last night was a possibility, but I was quite tired. I wanted my first run in these to be when I was fresh so I could evaluate them realistically.
To this point, all of my running has been barefoot, which has limited me to an extent. Can someone develop a thick enough callus on the sole of the foot to regularly run on concrete and asphalt? Probably, but I haven't seen it in my feet yet. That is, of course, where shoes come in. What was the purpose of the first pair of foot coverings? They were likely for protecting the foot. That is all I really need.
The best way I can describe them is running slippers. There is no support in them. They are not constricting in any way. They have a sole that is flexible but not soft. The sole is relatively thin, such that I can feel small rocks under my feet but they did not hurt. They came with a thin insole, but I removed that, which I think helps with fit.
What was running in them like? I pretty much forgot about my feet. Without focusing on what the soles of my feet felt like, I could focus on my form and technique. This was quite valuable. In the past, I was often distracted by raw feet. Most of the run was spent thinking about good posture, light foot strikes and a quick cadence. One other note, in the last half mile I began to notice a hot spot on the outside of my right Achilles'/ankle. Thin socks might be needed. We'll see how it goes.
Please keep in mind these are my first minimalist shoes, so I have no means of comparison to other models.
The run was 2.5 miles long, right in my neighborhood (HOORAY!) and I finished it in 23:46. That is faster than I have been running. I would be willing to bet that I was less inhibit by having some protection for my feet.
With only one run under my belt, the Samsons seem like a good investment. Time will tell.
To this point, all of my running has been barefoot, which has limited me to an extent. Can someone develop a thick enough callus on the sole of the foot to regularly run on concrete and asphalt? Probably, but I haven't seen it in my feet yet. That is, of course, where shoes come in. What was the purpose of the first pair of foot coverings? They were likely for protecting the foot. That is all I really need.
The best way I can describe them is running slippers. There is no support in them. They are not constricting in any way. They have a sole that is flexible but not soft. The sole is relatively thin, such that I can feel small rocks under my feet but they did not hurt. They came with a thin insole, but I removed that, which I think helps with fit.
What was running in them like? I pretty much forgot about my feet. Without focusing on what the soles of my feet felt like, I could focus on my form and technique. This was quite valuable. In the past, I was often distracted by raw feet. Most of the run was spent thinking about good posture, light foot strikes and a quick cadence. One other note, in the last half mile I began to notice a hot spot on the outside of my right Achilles'/ankle. Thin socks might be needed. We'll see how it goes.
Please keep in mind these are my first minimalist shoes, so I have no means of comparison to other models.
The run was 2.5 miles long, right in my neighborhood (HOORAY!) and I finished it in 23:46. That is faster than I have been running. I would be willing to bet that I was less inhibit by having some protection for my feet.
With only one run under my belt, the Samsons seem like a good investment. Time will tell.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Day 60 - a little break
Yes, I took a day off. There was a variety of reasons for this. First, I ran/biked/ran/biked 4 days in a row (last Wednesday to Saturday). Second, I hadn't seen Michelle & the kids for several days. Third, on Monday, I could not find time. Simple enough.
Does it sound like I'm making excuses? Yeah, I kinda am.
Realistically, a little bit of a musculoskeletal break was probably just what I needed anyway.
Last night, after the kids were in bed, I went back up to West's track and did 2.25 miles, barefoot of course. My Altra Samson's are on the way and should be here on Friday. We'll see.
As a side note, when I ordered the shoes from Altra, I also ordered a new seatpost from a company called Velo Orange. The shipping for both items was the same. My new seatpost arrived, in good order, on Monday. My shoes were shipped on Monday. Both of these companies are small, US-based companies. One of them has their ducks in a row. The other does not.
Distance: 2.25 miles
Weight: 215 lbs (checked at Pain Center scale)
Results: Once again, my right medial knee was sore while I was running, but not afterwards. I have not figured this out yet. I'm definitely waiting for the other shoe to drop. When is my right knee going to start to hurt even when I'm not running? Hopefully it won't. We'll see.
Another thing I noted today was that I could finally begin to get a feel for running lightly. The best I can do to describe it is a sensation of springing my foot up or like quickly pulling my foot off the ground (kind of like there were hot coals).
What I Learned: Learning and adaptation takes time. Thankfully, I have time.
Plan: My new shoes are coming Friday. I should run again on Thursday. On Thursday, Kenowa Hills will be having their first football game of the season, where my niece and step-niece will be performing with the marching band. What to do, what to do? At a minimum, I look forward to trotting around my neighborhood without tearing up my feet.
Does it sound like I'm making excuses? Yeah, I kinda am.
Realistically, a little bit of a musculoskeletal break was probably just what I needed anyway.
Last night, after the kids were in bed, I went back up to West's track and did 2.25 miles, barefoot of course. My Altra Samson's are on the way and should be here on Friday. We'll see.
As a side note, when I ordered the shoes from Altra, I also ordered a new seatpost from a company called Velo Orange. The shipping for both items was the same. My new seatpost arrived, in good order, on Monday. My shoes were shipped on Monday. Both of these companies are small, US-based companies. One of them has their ducks in a row. The other does not.
Distance: 2.25 miles
Weight: 215 lbs (checked at Pain Center scale)
Results: Once again, my right medial knee was sore while I was running, but not afterwards. I have not figured this out yet. I'm definitely waiting for the other shoe to drop. When is my right knee going to start to hurt even when I'm not running? Hopefully it won't. We'll see.
Another thing I noted today was that I could finally begin to get a feel for running lightly. The best I can do to describe it is a sensation of springing my foot up or like quickly pulling my foot off the ground (kind of like there were hot coals).
What I Learned: Learning and adaptation takes time. Thankfully, I have time.
Plan: My new shoes are coming Friday. I should run again on Thursday. On Thursday, Kenowa Hills will be having their first football game of the season, where my niece and step-niece will be performing with the marching band. What to do, what to do? At a minimum, I look forward to trotting around my neighborhood without tearing up my feet.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Day 56 - White Pine Trail
Since I was working up in Cedar Springs today, I thought I would use the White Pine Trail to do one of my runs. My hypothesis was that the trail would not be quite as rough on my feet as sidewalks or the neighborhood streets. I was wrong. My intention was to try for 2.25 miles but I had to stop at 1.74 because my left foot was getting a little raw. I didn't see the point of leaving bloody footprints along the trail. The good new is that I sold my bike frame and have ordered a pair of Altra Samsons. I'm pretty excited.
Distance: 1.74 miles
Weight: didn't check
Results: as I mentioned above, my left forefoot got raw. It is not as sore this evening as it was earlier. While running, my right knee was sore. This has been common recently but the funny thing is my knee feels fine shortly after I'm done. This, I can't quite figure out.
What I Learned: Yes, I need shoes.
Plan: Honestly, I should run on Sunday but I will probably take a break. If anything, I will do some sprints on West's practice field.
Just to Clarify
I titled this blog Can a Fat Man Run? One would think this was an indication of a strong desire to lose weight through exercise. That doesn't sound unreasonable, does it?
That is not really the case, though. My primary goal for this blog is to document my journey in the process of learning to run again, using a barefoot/natural running style.
Sorry for the confusion.
Would I like to lose some weight? Sure. Has that thought been in the back of my head for quite some time? Yep. Actually, it's been in the back of my mind since I graduated high school (big sigh).
Realistically, I have not had the most success at getting down to a goal weight and keeping it there. Since high school, I can think of 4 distinct time periods where I have lost weight. So, yes, I can lose weight.
For the most part I have gained the weight back, at least partially. Most recently, I went from around 230 lbs to my current weight of 212. I think I bottomed out at like 202 lbs. Oh the 100s, how you taunt me.
Honestly, I'm pretty happy that I have been able to keep myself below 215 lbs. Below 200 would be great but that is tough. It seems logical that if I am exercising more (running and biking vs biking only) I should lose extra weight. It doesn't seem to work that way.
Most likely, if I'm burning extra calories, I will probably consume extra calories. It's a wash. Deep down, I know what I need to do to lose weight...control my appetite. Eat less. It's that simple...but it's not.
I tell myself, "If I get below 200, climbing hills will be faster. If I get below 200, it will be less stress on my knees. If I get below 200, I will be healthier." There are a lot of good reasons.
The trouble is ice cream tastes really good. So does chocolate, and cookies, and chips, and cake (cake, oh how I love thee!) I'm weak. You taunt me and tease me and then leave me with 5 extra pounds I need to burn off on the bike.
Can you imagine if I didn't run and bike? I would be 350 in a heartbeat. Bring on the cholesterol meds and the BP meds and the diabetic meds!
To be perfectly honest, my goal is to keep my weight under control and about where it is right now. That is realistic. If anybody knows of a better path, let me know. I'm open to suggestions.
That is not really the case, though. My primary goal for this blog is to document my journey in the process of learning to run again, using a barefoot/natural running style.
Sorry for the confusion.
Would I like to lose some weight? Sure. Has that thought been in the back of my head for quite some time? Yep. Actually, it's been in the back of my mind since I graduated high school (big sigh).
Realistically, I have not had the most success at getting down to a goal weight and keeping it there. Since high school, I can think of 4 distinct time periods where I have lost weight. So, yes, I can lose weight.
For the most part I have gained the weight back, at least partially. Most recently, I went from around 230 lbs to my current weight of 212. I think I bottomed out at like 202 lbs. Oh the 100s, how you taunt me.
Honestly, I'm pretty happy that I have been able to keep myself below 215 lbs. Below 200 would be great but that is tough. It seems logical that if I am exercising more (running and biking vs biking only) I should lose extra weight. It doesn't seem to work that way.
Most likely, if I'm burning extra calories, I will probably consume extra calories. It's a wash. Deep down, I know what I need to do to lose weight...control my appetite. Eat less. It's that simple...but it's not.
I tell myself, "If I get below 200, climbing hills will be faster. If I get below 200, it will be less stress on my knees. If I get below 200, I will be healthier." There are a lot of good reasons.
The trouble is ice cream tastes really good. So does chocolate, and cookies, and chips, and cake (cake, oh how I love thee!) I'm weak. You taunt me and tease me and then leave me with 5 extra pounds I need to burn off on the bike.
Can you imagine if I didn't run and bike? I would be 350 in a heartbeat. Bring on the cholesterol meds and the BP meds and the diabetic meds!
To be perfectly honest, my goal is to keep my weight under control and about where it is right now. That is realistic. If anybody knows of a better path, let me know. I'm open to suggestions.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Day 54 - a little extra time
Michelle and the kids have gone over to Midland to visit her family and make spaghetti sauce. That's right, Dutch folk making spaghetti sauce. Kinda weird. Either way, I had some extra time, so I did my two miles and then did some sprints. I even rode my bike around a little just to get a few miles and a good warm-up.
Distance: 2 miles/8 laps at West Catholic's track. This was followed by 3 fifty yard and 3 one hundred yard sprints.
Weight: not sure, I'll check tomorrow (212.2 on the pain center scale)
Results: My knee felt good, but my lower legs were quite tired for some reason. My time wasn't particularly slow, but by the end of the 2 miles, my lower legs felt quite fatigued. During most of my runs, I have felt as if I could easily keep going, if I wanted to. Not so much today. Also, that little open spot at the base of my left 1st toe came open again, which really hindered my running on the track. Shoes! I need shoes!!!
What I Learned: not every day is a good day (honestly, I already knew this). My legs didn't feel the best, but that is OK. I got through it.
Plan: Run Friday. I don't know when Michelle & Company will get home but hopefully I can get a run in before they arrive.
Day 49 & 52 - boy, do I wish I had shoes
Day 49
Rainy, rainy, rainy. It rained all day long. Since I was working at the Spartan YMCA for the day, I figured I should just do my running there. Why not, right? Actually, I'm not technically allowed to use the YMCA facilities, but, what the heck. Why not?
Distance: 2 miles (16 laps around the Spartan YMCA track)
Weight: didn't check
Results: I ran well and relatively quickly, especially considering I had to negotiate 64 ninety degree turns while running. Oddly enough, a spot opened up on at the base of my left first toe from the running. It looks like the skin actually split open some. Yuck.
What I Learned: I need shoes. This track running thing combined with skin issues on the soles of my feet is getting annoying.
Day 52
I skipped another day. Sorry. We were out of town this weekend and things just got too busy. On Monday night, after the kids were in bed, I jogged around the neighborhood. It was pretty cool actually, because there was a light rain falling. I haven't ran in the rain in quite a long time. Very relaxing, really.
Distance: 1.77 miles
Weight: 213.6 (Pain Center scale the next day)
Results: My right knee was sore while I was running but was fine after my shower. My feet survived pretty well too. They were just beginning to feel the friction from the concrete/asphalt. My stride did not feel very symmetrical. It felt as if my right soleus was tight and limiting dorsiflexion on that side. I will need to work on this.
What I Learned: Stretch more and get some shoes! Unfortunately, the dude who was interested in my bike frame decided not to buy it. Shucks. That would have given my the necessary cash to buy a pair of Altra Samsons.
Plan: Run on Wednesday night. I think I will combine some easy laps around the track with some sprints up at West Catholic. I haven't fully decided yet.
Rainy, rainy, rainy. It rained all day long. Since I was working at the Spartan YMCA for the day, I figured I should just do my running there. Why not, right? Actually, I'm not technically allowed to use the YMCA facilities, but, what the heck. Why not?
Distance: 2 miles (16 laps around the Spartan YMCA track)
Weight: didn't check
Results: I ran well and relatively quickly, especially considering I had to negotiate 64 ninety degree turns while running. Oddly enough, a spot opened up on at the base of my left first toe from the running. It looks like the skin actually split open some. Yuck.
What I Learned: I need shoes. This track running thing combined with skin issues on the soles of my feet is getting annoying.
Day 52
I skipped another day. Sorry. We were out of town this weekend and things just got too busy. On Monday night, after the kids were in bed, I jogged around the neighborhood. It was pretty cool actually, because there was a light rain falling. I haven't ran in the rain in quite a long time. Very relaxing, really.
Distance: 1.77 miles
Weight: 213.6 (Pain Center scale the next day)
Results: My right knee was sore while I was running but was fine after my shower. My feet survived pretty well too. They were just beginning to feel the friction from the concrete/asphalt. My stride did not feel very symmetrical. It felt as if my right soleus was tight and limiting dorsiflexion on that side. I will need to work on this.
What I Learned: Stretch more and get some shoes! Unfortunately, the dude who was interested in my bike frame decided not to buy it. Shucks. That would have given my the necessary cash to buy a pair of Altra Samsons.
Plan: Run on Wednesday night. I think I will combine some easy laps around the track with some sprints up at West Catholic. I haven't fully decided yet.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 47 - 2 Miles!
Day 47 was my first 2 mile run. It felt really good, like I have accomplished something. There is also the part of me that says, "You did 2 miles...big deal. Talk to me when you get to 10." The Hooray for 2 miles side is winning out at this moment. You might have noticed I skipped a day again. That is true. Sometimes life simply does not allow you to do what you want to do on a given day.
Distance: 2 miles/8+ laps up at West Catholic (I looked it up and 4 laps around the track is actually 9 meters shy of an actual mile. So I went just a little beyond 8 laps).
Weight: 212 (Pain Center Scale the day after)
Results: Felt good! My knee did not bother me, nor is it bothering me today. I still have not decided if some of the 1st ray pain is soft tissue in nature or if it is joint related (it is probably a little of both). Doing some self massage with a lacrosse ball is helpful.
What I Learned: The progression is working. I'm not having any major issues. I can't wait to get some shoes so I can just take off from my front door.
Plan: Plan? Good question. We will be leaving to go up north after work on Friday, when I should be taking a run. Should I run 2 days in a row or wake up early on Friday and run? I'll decide tonight.
Distance: 2 miles/8+ laps up at West Catholic (I looked it up and 4 laps around the track is actually 9 meters shy of an actual mile. So I went just a little beyond 8 laps).
Weight: 212 (Pain Center Scale the day after)
Results: Felt good! My knee did not bother me, nor is it bothering me today. I still have not decided if some of the 1st ray pain is soft tissue in nature or if it is joint related (it is probably a little of both). Doing some self massage with a lacrosse ball is helpful.
What I Learned: The progression is working. I'm not having any major issues. I can't wait to get some shoes so I can just take off from my front door.
Plan: Plan? Good question. We will be leaving to go up north after work on Friday, when I should be taking a run. Should I run 2 days in a row or wake up early on Friday and run? I'll decide tonight.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Day 42 & 44 - What was I thinking?
Ok, so it was pretty hot on Friday for my day 42 run (officially 6 weeks in!). Since I still do not have any shoes, I went up to West Catholic's track again. As usual, I started running on the grass just on the edge of the infield. Before the first lap was done, I switched to the track and it felt OK. As I kept going, I noticed it feeling hotter and hotter on the soles of my feet. By the time I was done, I realized I had a mild burn on my forefoot with a little bit of blistering (Holy Hot Batman!). Needless to say, my feet weren't very comfortable that night and the next day. I was going to goof eventually. Oh well
Distance: 1.75 miles (7 laps) followed by 2 x 100 yard sprints (I would have done more but my feet did not feel the best)
Weight: never checked
Results: Please see above.
What I Learned: Yes, you can burn the bottom of your feet on a hot, rubberized track.
Day 44
Because of the day 42 debacle, I decided to do mostly sprints on Sunday. So, back up to West Catholic.
Distance: 0.5 miles warm-up jog --> 50 yard sprint followed by 100 yard sprint (with minimal rest) --> 2 minute rest --> repeat 4 times total --> 0.55 mile cool-down jog
Weight: never checked again
Results: It actually felt pretty good. The soles of my feet were still a little tender, but not too bad. One potentially important things is some achiness in left first toe has started to develop. I believe I have mentioned this before. The extension ROM has been limited and I have been working on this, but it does get sore. I can't yet tell whether it is the IP joint or the MTP joint. After doing some massage yesterday, I have to wonder if it is more of a soft-tissue referred pain. Time will tell.
What I Learned: Sprints feel pretty good, even if I am really slow.
Plan: Run Tuesday. What will I do? I might go back to the valley and run on hard packed dirt/grass to avoid any needless friction.
Distance: 1.75 miles (7 laps) followed by 2 x 100 yard sprints (I would have done more but my feet did not feel the best)
Weight: never checked
Results: Please see above.
What I Learned: Yes, you can burn the bottom of your feet on a hot, rubberized track.
Day 44
Because of the day 42 debacle, I decided to do mostly sprints on Sunday. So, back up to West Catholic.
Distance: 0.5 miles warm-up jog --> 50 yard sprint followed by 100 yard sprint (with minimal rest) --> 2 minute rest --> repeat 4 times total --> 0.55 mile cool-down jog
Weight: never checked again
Results: It actually felt pretty good. The soles of my feet were still a little tender, but not too bad. One potentially important things is some achiness in left first toe has started to develop. I believe I have mentioned this before. The extension ROM has been limited and I have been working on this, but it does get sore. I can't yet tell whether it is the IP joint or the MTP joint. After doing some massage yesterday, I have to wonder if it is more of a soft-tissue referred pain. Time will tell.
What I Learned: Sprints feel pretty good, even if I am really slow.
Plan: Run Tuesday. What will I do? I might go back to the valley and run on hard packed dirt/grass to avoid any needless friction.
Friday, August 3, 2012
What have you learned, so far, about this barefoot/natural running thing?
I'm glad you asked. I have officially been at this for 6 weeks now. This seems like enough time for me to be able to share some of my thoughts on what I have learned so far. Fair warning, after only 6 weeks, I really know nothing for certain. Not even whether this little experiment will be successful.
Progression - After 6 weeks I am up to a whole, whopping 1.75 miles at a time. Doesn't sound like much, huh? I have a very strong suspicion that my glacial pace of progression has kept me from developing any type of injury, such as an Achilles' tendonits/rupture, stress fracture or plantar fascitis. This is one thing it seems I am doing right.
Sensitivity - As previously mentioned, I have long considered myself a "tenderfoot", not tolerating much direct tactile sensation on the soles of my feet. It is safe to say that this is also improving. I spend as much time as I can barefoot. There has also been a decent development of callus on the sole of the feet. All of this has helped with the "tenderfoot issue". On the flip side, I am nowhere near being able to walk on any and all surfaces while barefoot. There is still a lot of heat sensitivity (thanks hottest summer on record!) and even things like walking on wood chips is not yet comfortable.
Running Form - There is a lot to say about this (it's also a lot to think about all at once). Most sources have been consistent about what good, natural running form looks like. Let's break it down.
Progression - After 6 weeks I am up to a whole, whopping 1.75 miles at a time. Doesn't sound like much, huh? I have a very strong suspicion that my glacial pace of progression has kept me from developing any type of injury, such as an Achilles' tendonits/rupture, stress fracture or plantar fascitis. This is one thing it seems I am doing right.
Sensitivity - As previously mentioned, I have long considered myself a "tenderfoot", not tolerating much direct tactile sensation on the soles of my feet. It is safe to say that this is also improving. I spend as much time as I can barefoot. There has also been a decent development of callus on the sole of the feet. All of this has helped with the "tenderfoot issue". On the flip side, I am nowhere near being able to walk on any and all surfaces while barefoot. There is still a lot of heat sensitivity (thanks hottest summer on record!) and even things like walking on wood chips is not yet comfortable.
Running Form - There is a lot to say about this (it's also a lot to think about all at once). Most sources have been consistent about what good, natural running form looks like. Let's break it down.
- Foot Strike - all sources advocate landing on the forefoot or the midfoot (essentially a foot flat landing). Adapting to this has been relatively easy. Who would want to heel strike without a shoe on? Highly uncomfortable.
- Does the heel ever make contact? Yes, but only after the forefoot has made contact and then, only lightly. I still have to focus on letting this happen, although it is becoming more "automatic". I find that if I don't let the heel lightly come down, it puts too much strain on the calf muscle.
- Foot strike under the body - does my foot strike happen under my body or in front? I don't know. I can't bend my neck quite that far. Seems like it, though.
- Posture - all my sources advocate a very upright, eyes focused ahead posture. Looking down is not an option. This has been a struggle. I have long been in a bad habit of looking down while walking and that carries over to running. Typically, I pick a distant object and try to focus on it. Looking forward makes sense. It allows you to see upcoming obstacles and is better for respiratory function (I've heard breathing is important for aerobic activities).
- Trunk Lean - While maintaining the upright posture, you still need to leanthe trunk forward from the shoulders. It wasn't until my Day 40 run where I really "got" this (just a little bit of "got", though). When I was able get that little lean forward, it gave me the sensation of falling forward vs running forward. I could understand what others mean when they say that your running stride naturally flows from the forward lean.
- Heel Kick - in all the videos and photos of good natural runners, the thing that stands out to me is the heel kick. Take a look at a long-legged, African distance runner and it will look like they are going to kick themselves in the butt with each stride. I kinda wish I had some video of myself running so I could see if this is going on. Trying to assess your own heel kick is kind of like trying to look at your own back. We're just not built to do that.
- Cadence - 180 steps per minute is what everyone advises. Oddly enough, I have a digital metronome so I can check what my cadence is. Unfortunately, I haven't used it for weeks. I really should bring this along on my next track run. That might be the last little variable I need to "get".
- Easy, light and fast - In the book Born to Run, Caballo Blanco sums up the Tarahumara running style as "easy, light and fast" where you need to learn to run easy first, then light, and fast naturally flows from the first two. I have a feeling I am getting close to easy, but what exactly defines easy? I haven't quite put my finger on it. Light? When I have focucsed on "light", it seems like I start bouncing or springing too much, which seems like wasted energy. The concept of light will have to jostle around my cranium for a while before I understand it. Fast? Nope, not yet.
- Theoretically, if I can put all of the above together, I should be set to go and be able to run with much less likelihood of an injury. I guess we will have to see.
Day 40 - Pushing it a little
For this run, I had to hurry up to West Catholic's Track to run so that I could get back home in time to let my wife go pick up Hannah from VBS at West Leonard CRC. Because I was in a rush, I was pushing the pace a little more than previously. Up to now, I had been running at an easy, comfortable pace. For this run, it was a little beyond that.
Distance: 1.75 miles (7 laps)
Weight: never checked
Results: While I was running, I could feel the beginnings of the sensation of achiness in my right knee. I really thought I was going to be feeling it afterward and the next day. As of my writing of this entry (almost 2 days later), my knee has been fine. Fabulous!
What I Learned: Running on a rubberized track is not that hard on my feet, as long as the track is not super hot (it was more cloudy today with a lower overall air temperature).
Plan: Run Friday. Not yet sure where, but it will likely be 1.75 miles again.
Distance: 1.75 miles (7 laps)
Weight: never checked
Results: While I was running, I could feel the beginnings of the sensation of achiness in my right knee. I really thought I was going to be feeling it afterward and the next day. As of my writing of this entry (almost 2 days later), my knee has been fine. Fabulous!
What I Learned: Running on a rubberized track is not that hard on my feet, as long as the track is not super hot (it was more cloudy today with a lower overall air temperature).
Plan: Run Friday. Not yet sure where, but it will likely be 1.75 miles again.
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