Who needs long runs and shoes? (another Baystate report) (Read 857 times)

How much wear did you see after that far? ... Anyway, do you wear them regularly to train in, and do you train in them on harder surfaces? or just to race?

Wear on the shoes, or wear on my feet? Both were minimal. The shoes have almost 1000 miles on them, and they're just as good as when they were new. Just dirtier. And there's a little rip from one time when I took a tumble in the woods. It's only a question of how efficiently you're running. Try out barefoot running and you'll quickly learn how to keep sliding friction to a minimum. Yes, I train in them often, on all surfaces. I alternate between barefoot and the FiveFingers. I also own some trail runners, but I mostly use those for backpacking, I don't really like them for running. Now that winter is coming I'll probably start to rotate in something warmer. I'm thinking either Teva Proton III's or the new FiveFinger Flow.

Wear on the shoes, or wear on my feet? Both were minimal. The shoes have almost 1000 miles on them, and they're just as good as when they were new. Just dirtier. And there's a little rip from one time when I took a tumble in the woods. Yes, I train in them often, on all surfaces. I alternate between barefoot and the FiveFingers.

Sorry, I meant the shoe. Awesome, thanks for the info. I feel a bit more confident now putting in some time on the harder surfaces with them.

It's only a question of how efficiently you're running. Try out barefoot running and you'll quickly learn how to keep sliding friction to a minimum.

I've done a little bit of barefoot running here and there. I think the only sliding that I may have to watch is that I tend to have a small little pushoff/toeoff right at the tip of the toe before I bring my leg up. I don't do it barefoot but I notice it in all shoes inc the vibrams. (maybe I'm running slower barefoot than in the vibrams? hmmm) I just chalk it up to doing a lot of sprinting type stuff when I was younger.

Just curious, I seem to recall an old thread or two where you talked about moving toward barefoot...did you just start mixing in barefoot/vibram running with your regular shoes or did you cycle in a lower profile shoe/racing flat as well?

I was mixing the Vibrams and barefooting with my old running shoes, which were not particularly flat. In retrospect, it would have been easier if I had dropped the regular shoes entirely, but of course that would mean significantly dropping mileage too, for a while. Eventually I realized that my runs in the regular shoes were a lot harder on my body, and that's when I switched entirely. It helped that I was also going really slow and easy through the transition. The FiveFingers are not a perfect substitute for barefooting. They can actually be dangerous if they give you a false sense of security when you don't have the muscles built up yet. Time spent really barefoot is by far the best teacher when it comes to adapting your form. The FiveFingers are great once you already have the form down.

Thanks for you response, and once again great race, that said, I was looking for more quantitative information like what is your max HR and what HR zone would you consider easy and recovery and MP (marathon pace.) For me my max is 181 and I try to run the 1/2's in the mid 150's and then speed up during the end, if I go fast and get into the 160's, then I know I am in trouble. I can run comfortably in the 140's forever and its very comfortable and I probably wouldn't injure myself either. To me easy means 120's as you can see by most of my workouts, but I really don't know if they are productive at that HR. Any info would help!!!!!!!

Wow, great race, great report, great job.