Overdone the running

I had to walk home from run this morning. I had soreness on the outside of my left foot just before the heel. I ran a timetrial on Sunday and ran hard and had sore legs on Monday but still managed my Tuesday run and it was quite good. I have often run on legs that are a bit sore after a race I find it helps ease the soreness. I walked the chilfren to school wednesday and legs were getting better. But when I started my run this morning I could feel the discomfort but I felt it a bit after my timetrial I thought I could run it off - however 40minutes into my run it was getting worse - so I walked the last 20minutes. I walked the children to school 2 hours later and that seems to have helped. I think the reason for the soreness was the timetrials (like solo races) and I got carried away as my speed was starting to come back. In hindsight I should have known 18months no running + about 3 months return to running usually = injury shoes or barefoot. However in my defence my right foot is perfect. I have been thinking for a while my right foot is stronger than the left and I think I've got proof.

Moving forward when I return to running , I'm going to miss a few days, I'm not going to do any more run timetrials this summer and that means no triathlons. I had been thinking of not racing because my running was too slow by my standards who would have thoughts no running for 18 months = loss of speed. One of my many problems is that I am an eternal optimist which often clouds reality and this is why I was doing timetrials so I get an accurate picture where I'm at and now I know.

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A post about Teresa's running

Teresa had been seeing a physio about a niggle in her ankle that came on whilst running ages ago, no cause just started. She was in conventional very supportive running shoes. My theory is that because she almost always wears very flat shoes, sandals, flip flops (almost zero drop) and never wears heels, I think the wedge sole of the running shoes has caused the problem. For a good many years she hasn't been able to run more than 25minutes without some sort of discomfort afterwards. Yet when she first started running she could do 8-9miles. I think that like with my own plantar fascitis problem the problem built over the years of running in 'running shoes'.
So skip forward to the present day. We have just bought her a pair of Intuition zero-drop running shoes by Altra from naturalrunningstore.com/ and although they are not minimalist (they have a thick sole) they aren't cushioned and are zero-drop, with a wide toe box. They are a transition running shoe and they come with 2 footbeds one has a little support and the other no support.

What Teresa like about these are they very light, attractive (she chose these blue ones) and unlike my runamocs they look like regular running shoes.

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Another post about running

My new triathlon shoes

Inov8 Bare xlite 150 zero drop racing shoes

Bought from naturalrunningstore.com/. The lightest, most minimalist shoe in the Road range. Quick lace and perfect for race day. The 3D Air Mesh upper is tongue less and stretchy to ensure a secure, comfortable fit.

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This mornings run...

It was good to be running...even in galeforce winds and rain. I love running in tough conditions especially when I have denied running for a long time. This was my thoughts after starting to run after my arthritis had left me almost crippled. Not doing it makes you appreciate it more.

I ran(jogged concentrating on technique) for about 52min around the base of Napier Hill, along the coast line to Ahuriri and then home, I thought it was going to take me an hour. Not sure of distance, I'm goiing to measure it later but it is approx 10km because there is an organised 10km race that goes round the hill. This isn't bad considering that until the last 2 months I hadn't run for 18months. The barefoot running has definitely made me want to run..I was up at 4.30am ready to be out the door for 5am. This was my second run of the week.

I was thinking about the similarities of being a improved swimmer and the aids I am using to correct my stroke. Would there ever be a time (apart from the pond) could I ever swim without them. I concluded that as a person recovering from a poor swimming technique addiction is like being a recovering addict of anything - I will always be recovering and can not let up on technique work ever. NOTE: I know other addictions are way more serious and health threatening and not to be taken lightly.

I had planned to blog about our garden which I haven't done for yonks but I had running on my mind.

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Straight from Chris McDougall's blog

Lost Secret of Perfect Running (or, Ever Wonder Why Running Shoes Always Get Great Reviews?) by Christopher on November 2, 2011

This Sunday, I have a story in the New York Times Magazine which reveals the secret of perfect running. It’s a drill from the 1800s called “The 100 Up,” and after months of experimentation, I’m convinced it’s foolproof.
Check out the story here.

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The healing powers of barefooting

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I also want to do this... eventually

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Feet feel great

Should have mentioned feet feel great and I have been doing so short jogs. I am hoping the moment I've been waiting for has arrived and that my feet and ankles have finally clicked into place and they are fully recovered from conventional shoes and orthotic. Touch wood!

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Patrick Sweeney running on the track barefoot and in Luna Sandal's, filmed in Slow motion.

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Barefoot/ Minimalist shoeing 12 months

Although I had started down the ditching of conventional shoe before this today is my 12month anniverary of ditching conventional footware only going barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes. And I was rewarded with the sorest ankles and feet I've had for about 6months. In fact it was only last week I had been saying that the good periods were easily much longer than the occasional sore bits and I even jogged home from school with Emily last Thursday. Thet have settled down again but I am getting a sore little toe on my right foot.

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"Barefoot is Best", by VIVOBAREFOOT Kids

A clever advert for Vivo 'barefoot' shoes from the UK. I would buy these but they are very expensive. We bought Emily and Cameron some zero drop canvas shoes at the weekend. Cameron's has quite a nice wide toe box Emily's weren't quites as good in that area but they are much better than the alternatives and sometimes in real life compromises have to be made.

VIVOBAREFOOT kids - Barefoot is Best from VIVOBAREFOOT on Vimeo.

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Dr. Mark Cucuzzella on the science and the art of barefoot running

A brief video developed by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella on the science and the art of barefoot running and what we are trying to teach- a Barefoot Running Style. For more information see Two Rivers Treads Center for
Natural Running and Walking Site www.trtreads.org

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Relearning how to run - drills

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Cool new vibram fivefingers website

You are the technology .com

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Exercising naturally

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Barefoot run update and other training.

It's on hold since the children and have returned to school, I've had some ankle tenderness from walking down the hill. And I'm doing extra walking.

The thigh strain I picked up from doing sprints on the bike - it actually came from experimenting with shoe cleat position and then sprinting - is getting better

I'm winding down the length of my Sunday ride I did 40miles Sunday just gone. and I'm only swimming open water in the pond over the next 4 weeks with and without wetsuit.

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Feet

I have a habit now of looking at people's feet, looking for healthy feet.

Emily's feet - she hardly ever wears shoes, if she does they are flip flops or sandals and she can walk on sharp stones, that hurt my feet, without a problem.

My feet - both of these photos taken about an hour after our 7min barefoot jog, my feet are always veiny, Emily cut her jog short I think I'm going a bit too far and fast for her and I think she finds running for the sake of running boring. That's another lesson - children run for fun in games but hardly ever just run to run.

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First official barefoot run

Swim-I've been too busy and lacking the motivation for blogging. Training has become almost automatic and regular over the last few months that I lost interest in posting about it.

I've been swimming 5 times a week - 2 in the pool and 3 in Pandora's Pond. The pond sessions have been intervals between the bouys. 3 different sessions of hard timed intervals in all conditions. I know I can swim the distances but my problem was/is having the confidence swimming them hard. And what can I say it is working, I feel really at home in the water - I swim hard and when I feel I can't keep up the pace - I do.

Bike - I have been dealing with a pain on the outside of my left knee , which I think was caused by twisting my cycle shoe from my new pedals and the realise tension was set too hard. And I have what feels like a thigh strain both of these don't stop me from cycling but I would stiffen up when sitting down and when in bed. They are both almost better. I planned to race the swim and bike and try the run even though I hadn't run since last March. But these problems stopped that which was probably for the best. I'm not going to race at all this summer just keep on working getting better and better in the water, on the bike and run.

Run. I have been doing a lot of barefoot walking but have been having problems with the really rough footpaths near my house. So this week I had a few test jogson smoother concrete sections and it felt good so I thought I try an official barefoot run. So this morning I went down to the concrete bikepath on the ocean front, that has smooth concrete and goes for miles, with Emily and ran barefoot for about 5min which was enough because I could feel my arches a bit, there is no rush to do loads so I am going to do it 3times a week and add a little bit each time. It was very enjoyable and I had to make myself stop and not over do it as I often do with new activities

I've revised my triathlon plans and the goal is to aim at the Ironman but that is my next post

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Barefoot running

In preparation for barefoot running , I've just started doing some barefoot walking. And even though I have been walking in minimalist shoes that have worn holes in the sole nothing really prepared me for barefoot walking. I had done some barefoot walking around the smooth footpaths of Napier town centre and it was okay. However when I tried to tackle the walk that I do with the children to school it was a completely different kettle of fish.

Too start with I have been doing it at 6.30am and it is colder which makes the feet more sensitive and Friday morning it had been raining and every grain of sand sticks to your feet which also makes it harder. But despite all that never have I taken so much notice of every single foot step, felt every single grain of sand, imperfection. It is amazing that what looks like smooth is not when you're not wearing shoes. And the crux of the walk is a few metres where there is no footpath and I have to go on the road. And this road is made from very rough asphalt lined covered with gravel of sharp volcanic rock which is more commonly found on rural rodes and is very slow to cycle on.

I've survived 3 walks and I'm going to persist because I know it will get better. Because I had to adapt to minmalist shoes to start with. I think that if it has rained I'll wear my huaraches. And I plan to keep my early morning barefoot walk going and walk everything else in the huaraches and I'm going to go back to cycling to swimming so I can spend more time swimming.

Talking of swimming I plan to start swimming in the pond this weekend brrr....

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Mr Arth Ritis comes to visit

My training and racing ambitions have been put on hold because of the remergence of my rheumatoid arthritis. Which is obviously over the years knew could happen and dreaded. It has been happening over the last 2 years mainly in my hands. After Sundays's bike ride my left hand was crippled and I immediately had to go and get some anti-inflammatories.

This is one of the reasons my motivation for training has been diminished - it's just so hard racing with one hand, not being able to strip your wetsuit off or put in the proper effort whilst swimming, get out of the pool easily. At present it is really bad in my left hand - although there are good days and bad days.

I have also been having a lot of pain in my feet and stiffness in my back. I have a gouty big left toe although it was never this bad and some swollen toes on my left foot, which I've never had before and pain and swelling around the ankles which I'm not sure is arthritis.

For years I ran with custom orthotics, in fact I wore them almost all the time for 8 years because a podiatrists told me too for plantar fasicitis. I feel they should have been telling me to go barefoot. About 18 months ago I ditched the orthotics and last year I ran the most I've ever ran since ironman in 1994. The shoes I used were old supportive ones and then in March I switched to less supportive ones but new. In born to run the author mentions the research that move into newer bouncier shoes causes injuries.

To cut along story short - afetr no running at all for 3 months I started barefoot or minimalist shoe walking and lots since we came back. The walking or running barefoot/minimalist shoes is like a workout for your feet and core muscles.
I have noticed a huge difference in my feet. Gaps between my toes as the toes are assuming their natural position not the position they've been forced to adopt through conventional shoe wearing and arches are higher. But I've still had a lot of pain and swelling, mainly on the inside of the ankle and there was heel pain (probably the plantar facisitis) which I've just realised that I haven't felt for a while (one of the reasons for strengthening my feet in the first place) and a lot of stiffness in my back.

I have 2 theories - One it is all arthritis connected and I've just got to live with it until it settles down again. And two (my preferred optimistic theory) - it is my feet and body realigning and strengthening itself after being forced into unnatural position because of the orthotics.
However I have read a lot about the benefits of going barfoot but I've come across any stories of the kind of 'realigning' I'm going through.

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