I haven't been running for a few months, and since I really want to run barefoot, I decided to restart very slowly....
Last week, I started running a couple of hundreds of yards every other day, and thought about continuing to slowly add 100 yards a day this week, and start with a barefoot C25K next week.
But then I realized that on W1D1 of C25K I would only been running about the same distance as I planned to run today, but in separate intervals, so I decided I wasn't going to wait any longer... And by starting C25K, although I wouldn't actually run more, but I would be covering more distance, thanks to the walking intervals, and I would have the feeling as being running again.
I used a different app to record my run, and this one doesn't give me the same data as Sports Tracker does, but at least I could see that my HR didn't exceed MAF - 5 (i.e. 126).
It felt a bit strange to stop running after only 60 seconds, but I know that the intervals will be longer soon, and I know that during my transition to barefoot running I have to go very slow...
No blisters, no aching calves (at least not now... perhaps tomorrow. I felt my calves after my first 100 barefoot yards, but that was the only time.)
Running in BelgiumAnn
It should be W1D3 of C25K, but I decided to use that good old Start2Run scheme again that I have been using in the past...
Start2Run comes in different flavors, but while I used the 6 week version before (when I hadn't been running for a few months), I take the default, 10-week version.
So today W1D1: 1-1-2-2-3 minutes of running, with the same amount of walking minutes in between.
My previous barefoot runs, I always started in eastern direction, which means nothing but smooth concrete.
Today I went in the opposite direction, where the road changes to very rough asphalt (with pebbles 1-2 inches across), and then the tow path along the canal which has chip-seal with rather fine gravel.
And I don't know if this a common observation, but especially on the rougher surface of the asphalt, I found walking harder than running.
My running pace was rather quick, too quick in fact: although my average HR was below MAF-10, my maximum heart rate was around 150.
Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k
Ann - I have found the same thing on small pebble gravel in my neighborhood. I find that more rapid turnover feels easier, that's also what BF Ken Bob said in his book. A faster turnover, with bent knees (more of a squat) makes for a lighter mid-foot landing that (should) hurts less. I'm still working on it because the faster turnover increases HR for me! So I stick to concrete and asphalt for the most part.
Glad to see you restart C25K, sounds like a reasonable way to ease into BF, although many give it a longer transition time. I think you have been trying for awhile so it should work. Listen to your body and back off, maybe doing some weeks twice if you start to feel it to strongly in calves and Achilles. Also avoid hills at this point as they also aggravate calves and Achilles.
cheers!
bob e v
bob e v 2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?
Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full
Break the 1000 mi barrier!
History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.
W1D3 of Start2Run today...
About the same scheme as my previous run, and since the sun has been shining a lot today, the asphalt felt warm, but not hot under my bare feet...
(Until now, it has been a rather cold and wet summer here in Belgium... I'm glad we were in the US for three weeks in July! But for the next few days, we'll have temperatures around 25°C/77° F - Still not what you expect a hot summerday, but at least it is nice enough to be outside a lot...)
Still no blisters, no sore calves... So far the transition to running barefoot seems to go rather smooth.
W1D5 of Start2Run
I took 2 instead of 1 day off... I slept bad for a few nights; and thought it was wiser - remembering what I read in Phil Maffetones book - to take one more day of rest.
No sore calves, nor blisters...
And since my cardiopulmonary condition isn't bad either, I feel a bit tempted to accelerate my transition, but I really, really don't want to get injured, so I stick with this program...
Glad to see you back, Ann-V
Michele in NC
I know Bob, and I'll do...
Once again, I took two days instead of one day rest...
On Sunday, while walking around in my garden barefoot, I stepped on a large stone; and bruised my right feet: just in the soft spot of the arch.
It's a rather large blue bruise, but I only feel it when I'm shod, not barefoot...
And later on the same day, again in my garden, there was a tiny little pruning of our hawthorn hedge on the ground, with a not so tiny thorn... And indeed, that thorn ended up in my right big toe... It did hurt for a few minutes, but I forgot about it quickly, until late that evening the pain came back. I feared it would go festering, but luckily it didn't.
But because of those minor injuries, I didn't run on Monday. My next run was on Tuesday, and it went perfect again. Wednesday restday.
So I should have ran today, but I came home from work at 6.00 PM, had to prepare dinner, and at about 8.00 friends came over to visit...
We have some really nice summer weather at last, so we sat in the garden, drank some wine... And no, I'm not going to run in pitch dark anymore.
Tomorrow is another day, and then I'll run for sure...
I enjoyed my run today...During the very first running interval, I felt an annoying pain under the metatarsal joint of my right smallest toe. It felt as if a pointed stone was sticking to my sole there. But when I tried to pay attention to lifting my feet immediately after landing, it quickly vanished...
W2D1... and I think I will be able to run 3 days in the next week...
Running interfalls totalled 14 minutes. It was a hot day (35°C, 95°F), so I waited till after sunset. But we're not used to these temperatures, so maybe that was the reason it didn't went well. The first part of my run is very rough chip&seal, and like during my last run I felt a sharp pain under the metatarsal head of my right pinky toe on that part of the run. Like if a sharp stone was sticking in my feet there. On friday I was able to make it go away by paying attention to my form (picking up my feet), but not today. Now, it feels as if I would have some blisters if I would have run farther.
Ann - I just got back from bus trip and am glad to see your still getting out there. Sorry to hear about the little toe. Have you tried icing it after a run, might help a bit. I'm guessing but wonder if you might be rolling that foot a bit causing that irritation to occur. BF Ken Bob talks about lifting feet straight up and down by shortening stride and squatting a bit. Squatting seems to force lifting of feet rather than rolling etc. It can feel strange but helps with landing lightly etc. I still get some rotation in right heel - which is why I hole socks in about 8miles! Say that's something you might try on the chip seal (I hate it still! LOL). Put on a pair of socks (also one of the stories in BF Ken Bob's book - talks about one person who used socks to improve form and can now run without holing socks)
3.5 weeks into transitioning to barefoot. Start2Run 6w - W1D3. Running interfalls totalled 17 minutes. During my warmup/cooldown walk I was wearing my huaraches. The running part went much better than last sunday. No pain under my foot - just on that moment that I stepped on a sharp stone (it was rather dark towards the end of my run). Probably the last really warm day of the year, the weather is changing, and my next run will be in the rain I guess.
@Bobev: Today I wore huaraches while walking on the chipseal. That way I felt more relaxed when I started to run (still on the chipseal), and it was much better. I hadn't read your comment yet, but I noticed that my running went better while really paying attention to the way I lift my feet (I have Ken Bobs book too...)I remember that a few months ago, you already wrote about wearing socks... when it's getting colder here, I'll probably do that too.
And once again a few days off...
On Wednesday I have been mowing my flowermeadow with the scythe, and when I was cleaning the blade at the end, I cut in my hand. Rather deep, but luckily no tendons cut. It needed a few stitches and I got a tetanus shot.
The stitches aren't the problem, but my shoulder - where I got the shot - is hurting like hell... It took me 15 minutes to dress this morning.
And of course I run with my legs, but because it's so difficult to move that left arm, I guess my form would be severely compromised.
Its hard to maintain proper form when arms don't move smoothly. We are integrated systems! Hope its loosened up by now
Run/Walk, running intervals totaled 23 minutes.
It went fine, and for the first time since MAF-training, I had to speed up instead of slowing down to reach my MAF-HR... Not a bad feeling!