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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Swimming update

It has been a while since I've treally had anything to write about on the training front. Because in reality the training is boring. It is about the next pedal stroke or progress in barefoot ruuning or the same old technique work in swimming - nothing really changes. But the summer racing season is upon me. I had identified last summer that because I wasn't racing(adjusting to barefoot running) I just trained through without the stimulus and break from routine provided and I raced best when I rest a lot. So I introduced my timetrials in all 3 disciplines every second week to imitate racing a lot.

This week was my first timetrial around the course in Pandora's pond (I do 700m and exclude the 50m beach start). I was as nervous as before a major race - fear of not swimming well. I had swum 12.17min on the exact same day as last year just a month after stasrting back open water swimming and just exclusively technique work all autumn, winter , etc. After months of swimming hard intervals between the bouys in the pond my final timetrial last year (I only did 2) my time was 11.20min and it felt comfortable. This week I did in 11.13min and it felt easy. So I'm gradually going to go harder and harder. In training I am still working on my fitness and I'm doing an overdistance swim (1000m non-stop) and then I will start doing harder intervals. I just want to see how fast I can get I'm hoping for 10min this summer. 10min for 700m. I'm dreaming of 9min the following year.

After that result I feel completely relaxed , I can still say my weird way of re-teaching my body to swim is working and at times I don't see a limit to what I can achieve then sometimes the little voice in my head says improvement can't go on forever. But most of the time my dream of being 1st out of the water is alive and still is the most important target for me

I'm adding a running target I want to beat my running pb of 1.16.xx min set for the half-marathon in 1994 when training for Ironman Lanzarote and this time doing it in minimalist running shoes.

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The healing powers of barefooting

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I also want to do this... eventually

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Quick note

Still here. Still very busy

Running is going well. Short runs in the softstar 2mm runamocs at 6am 3x a week. Really concentrateing on posture, form and technique. It is working - at children's hockey today I was barefoot and had to run back to the car over a mixture of concrete, asphalt and grass. It was fantastic and easy and comfortable , it was my longest completely barefoot run

Spent the morning at Hockey the mini-sticks, Cameron's team which I help coach are doing well winning their third match out of four this term 8 -2 and Cameron scored. Last week they played the the best team in the tournament for the third time and lost 10 goals to 5 but to put this into some sort of context, in their first meeting we lost 15 - 0, second game 7 - 0 so we are really pleased with progress. we face the second best team next week.
Emily has started playing and after very little practice with the team. In her first match she only touched the ball once and she knocked it out. Today in her second match she really contributed and help set up one of the goals. She is really starting to get used to the speed of the game. The rest of the team have played about 12 games. They won their game 5 - 3 only their second win (5 - 0 the other one) both wins were with Emily playing.

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What I've been doing...

I was just about to do a spot of work when the feeling that I had abandoned the blog a bit too long hit me and all work and no play makes me grumpy.. Been the busiest time for business, I seem to be churning out design after design(my best work) implementing more elements of html5, css3, re-designed my content management system. I didn't enjoy it so much over the recent school holidays and because I was doing the last 5% on a larger project which I always find tough.

I am reading Responsive Web Design by Ethan Marcotte the next challenge how to design websites for screens that are getting larger and handheld screens that are getting smaller. Re-reading Good Calories, Bad Calories. Reading Vol2 of The Chronicles of Malus Darkblade

My ankles have been great especially my troublesome right ankle. I started to do some short jogs/drills 5 days in a row. But I developed a tender spot in a new spot on my left ankle bone, so despite feeling like I went to everyday and everywhere, I'm taking the sensible option and let it come right. I also had to to massage my plantar ligament with a ball because after jogging it tightened up because it still isn't quite strong enough yet.

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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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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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Chris McDougall - Talk on Ted.com

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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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Relearning how to run

I've been spending the last few years to relearn how to swim from scratch and I'm doing the same with running. Going without conventional shoes. Going from running , walking with custom orthotics and supportive shoes has been a lot harder than I thought it would be, suffering with painfuls ankles. However I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. When this discomfort stops I can learn to to barefoot run with the help of this video.

Learn to Run Barefoot with Lee Saxby and Terra Plana from GTB Goodtruebeautiful GmbH on Vimeo.

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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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Chris McDougall author of 'Born to run'

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - separate your needs from your wants.