Once the snow and ice had passed and I had eaten all the mince pies and chocolate coins I could manage, I stepped back out into the cold to try and find that illusive 180 beats a minute trot, that I now call running.
Those of you old enough to remember the Ian Dury and the Blockheads classic - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, will be able to imagine the tune I stepped out to! My last run was fraught with angst and tension as I tried to keep to the beat, today I am going to take a more relaxed attitude. My metronome is set and beating out the rhythm, so off I go.
The line in the song - It’s nice to be a lunatic – also strikes some resonance as I realise I have underestimated the temperature and it’s freezing.
Two miles in and all is going well, I am concentrating on my technique, upright, relaxed, small light steps. The rhythm is beating away in my ear and I reckon I am not far off most of the time. The good news is that I am not too cold now that I am going, but I do miss my hat.
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Previous posts:
Danielle’s barefoot running blog – The crocodile from Peter Pan
Back to square one with a lesson from Lee Saxby
Compression and a mid-life crisis
Week one – my first outings, runs 1,2 and 3.
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As I turn to head back I see a fellow runner about 20 metres away and heading towards me. I move to one side expecting him to come flying past me at any moment, but he does not. I can hear him though, I hear his heavy pounding and I hear his heavy breathing. He is working a lot harder than me, but not catching me. I realise how light my footsteps are in comparison and how much more efficient my technique feels.
A mile on and he stops and heads off in a different direction. At around this point I start to feel an annoying niggly discomfort behind my left knee around the tendons on the outerside. I have had this before, way before I started this barefoot blog. Its not a sharp pain, but unpleasant nonetheless. I ignore it.
Back home, four miles are completed, and apart from the niggling discomfort it was a pretty comfortable run. With only two months till the Bath half I reckon its time to start stepping up the distance.
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Merrell Barefoot Collection - Women’s Pace Glove
I was tempted to use the title ‘New Boots and Panties’ (another Ian Dury reference) for this section, but since I have not been sent any new underwear it does not work. So it’s just New Boots – well ok, New Shoes.
It’s always exciting to get new shoes to try and this time is no exception, a really nice looking pair of Merrell shoes have arrived, the Women’s Pace Glove from their new Barefoot collection. They look a bit like climbing shoes and are certainly less aesthetically challenging that some of the barefoot shoes. I am instantly smitten. They are comfy too, with lots of room for my toes to move which is good for me since my big toes curl up and can feel squashed in normal shoes.
Aside from good looks the shoes have a Vibram outsole, specifically designed for barefoot running. The zoned sole is so flexible that it can be rolled up completely, allowing total freedom of movement, whilst the midfoot and heel are designed to withstand the extra wear and tear in the impact zone. There is also a very minimal EVA layer to cushion and protect, that I was a bit weary of - surely that’s not the point - however its so thin it really does just protect the foot from rough ground.
I wore these shoes for my four mile run and they were great, really comfortable, no problems with rubbing and in fact I barely noticed them, which is always a good sign.
These are now my new favourite shoes!
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Resources:
www.vivobarefoot.com
www.terraplana.com
About this blog
This blog is all about my experiences as I embark on converting to barefoot running – I will investigate the market, sort facts from fiction (hopefully) test the footwear and attempt to run the Bath Half Marathon in March wearing my barefoot shoe of choice.
What is barefoot running? Barefoot running is not actually barefoot in most cases, but a new style of minimal shoe and a more natural way of running.
Why barefoot running? Many people believe that the technological advances in running shoes over the last 20-30 years are unnecessary and could be responsible for many injuries. Barefoot devotees say simpler footwear allows the foot to build up it’s own strength and protects against injury better than any shoe can.
Who am I? I am a 45 year old woman, mother of two, twice a week runner and co-founder of Sportsister. I was in my younger days a pretty decent canoeist and sportswoman, now I am pretty average middle aged woman.
Where did it all begin? For me it all began with, the now cult book, Born To Run by Christopher McDougall published in 2009. Chris embarks on research into his own running related injuries and refusing to believe he will not ever be able to run again goes in search of the Tarahumara Tribe in South America to see how they can run hundreds of miles a week barefoot well into old age and yet we cannot.
I love this book, I love the slightly anti-establishment element that challenges and questions, I love the renegade characters featured in the ultra marathon world and I love the fact that Chris has founded a whole movement. Plus now he can run and even attempt ultra marathons.
What do I hope to achieve? I am hoping this adventure will re-invigorate my interest in running, help me stay injury free and lead to me running more! Ultimately I would like to find the time to train for a marathon and I even fantasise about going further – maybe 30-40-50 miles. Towards the end of my time as a canoeist I found myself persuaded to enter a 125 canoe race (non stop) I could not believe it was possible, but it is and I went on to complete it two more times. I would like to see if I can run a long way too…
