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.
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.
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!
