Back At It

I went for a run in my Vibram KSOs this afternoon for the first time in about a month and it felt really nice. I have been doing a lot of walking in them lately, and so running felt very free and bouncy. The day was hot and breezy, and the sun was welcome after having been inside all morning.  I kept the run short, about 2 miles (Garmin died before I got home), and just tested out my left knee. Happy to note that it didn’t hurt during or after running, but I took an epsom salt bath afterwards just in case :) I have to say that reading on my kindle in the bathtub with this thing to keep it dry is definitely one of my favorite pass times.

My best friend has decided to train for and run the Santa to the Sea half marathon on December 11 in Oxnard, and I’m very tempted to sign up. It looks like a fun race, but the registration price seems a little steep at this date. I wish I had known about it before the price increase! Yes, the registration helps donate money to scholarships for local students, so I’ll probably end up signing up. Anyone else want to join me?

Pinky Promise Kept!

Well, I promised myself yesterday I would run today to “start off on the right foot” for my 10K training, and I did. I ran 3 miles around my neighborhood in my VFFs, and I felt like I was muscling through the whole thing. The first 1/3, my legs were sluggish, the second 1/3 was much faster and better because I really concentrated on rotating my hips, knees, and feet forward, and leaning from my ankles. I was tired the last 1/3 and had to slow down.

While I was running, I was thinking how I feel like I have more muscle in my body, which is allowing me to keep my average pace much higher than I used to be able to, but I don’t feel light on my feet yet. I think this is because I am eating a lot more protein and fat (always organic, grass fed) on this GAPS diet, and it is building strong bones and muscle. My cardio ability is way down from where it used to be five months ago, and all I have to do is run more to get that back in shape, but at least I have the strength to power through a workout like today’s.

All in all, a successful beginning to my goal of running a 10K in less than an hour on April 9th.

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Made It!

Very, very, proud of myself.  I was a little worried when I could barely run two miles on Friday (too hungry and too humid outside), but this morning I completed my first half marathon in my Vibram FiveFinger KSOs! ChiRunning got me through. I reached all my goals, and will write soon about the full experience with pictures and videos that my lovely family worked hard to get!  But for now, the stats will do: 

Camarillo Half Marathon / Time: 2:16:22 / Distance: 13.1 miles / Average Pace: 10:15 min. per mile

WEEK 11 and 12: The push has begun, and it’s not easy.

Week 12: Chi Running Pain Free Half Marathon Training Program: Long, Slow, Distance Run

Distance: 10 mi. / Time: 1 hour 44 min. / Average Pace: 10:29 min./mi.

I knew this would happen. I started my fourth year teaching high school English and Spanish on September 1, and my blogging productivity has taken a nose dive since. For some reason, learning 170 new names and faces, having their papers to grade, and lessons to plan for gets in the way :) Thankfully, I’ve still been able to get running in 2 to 3 times/week, which I know I wouldn’t have been able to do four years ago. (first year teaching = brutal)

Another reason why I think I haven’t been writing much is that my runs these past two weeks have been similar to others I’ve blogged about; weekday 5 mile runs over to a recreation park where I can do a mile barefoot, and weekend runs down at the beach boardwalk, where I’ve been increasing my mileage.

And that note about increasing mileage brings me to my last reason for the blogging nosedive, which is that 10 miles in Vibram FiveFingers is hard! I don’t get excited to blog about a run if it’s difficult or depressing.  I’ve now done two 10 miles runs in the shoes, and for some reason this specific mileage is really wearing on my legs.  Before this, I didn’t have too much calf, ankle, or foot pain, but now I’m starting to feel a lot more aches and pains.  Specifically, when I start out, I feel some tightness in my right heel/achilles area, and in my left foot below the pinky toe.  Also, I have pain on the inner part of my left leg, right above the ankle.  I used to have this same pain when I wore running shoes and the running store people told me it was because I was overpronating (then sold me inserts). When I woke up this morning after running yesterday, my right achilles tendon was really tight, but then I stretched it and it felt fine the rest of the day.

If I am reasonable about the situtation, I know it is because I’m increasing mileage steadily because I’m training for this half marathon in 20 days, and that’s putting a lot of new stresses on my feet and legs.  The muscles need time to build up, and when they do, I’m sure I won’t overpronate and the foot pain should go away.  At least I am confident now that the barefoot technique is the right one, and I can stop wondering if I’m just wearing the wrong shoes/equipment. I know I’m going against my own advice to take training slow, but I figured 16 weeks would be enough time to transition into the FiveFingers. So far, they’re super fun on runs up to 6 miles.  After that, it’s becoming more of a chore.

11 miles for the next two weekends is the goal, and then tapering down until the race on October 3rd.  Anyone have any advice for the discomforts I’ve described?

WEEK 10: 1 mile true barefoot-Exhilirating

Ever since I ran barefoot a little bit on Tuesday I’ve been looking forward to today’s run and trying it out a little more.  My total run distance today was 3.6 miles in the Vibram FiveFingers, and an additional 1 mile completely barefoot.  I ran 1.8 miles in the FiveFingers over to the same recreation center I talked about on Tuesday that has a mile-long smooth concrete path around the pool and soccer fields.  Lots of people come out to walk, run, and walk their dogs and babies. 

I took the FiveFingers off once I got there and stowed them behind a light post.  They’re green and grey so they blended in nicely to the ground cover :)  Then I took off barefoot and free! It felt soooo good.  The path was so smooth that I didn’t even need to look out for rocks or other debris, so I could focus soley on form (no pun intended). I was quiet and a little bit faster than I usually run even with the FiveFingers - although that probably was just adrenaline.  The highlight of the trip around the path was breezing like a ninja downhill past a guy bouncing along in shoes and a big hooded sweatshirt.  I think he was a little confused when I came upon him in my full downhill ChiRunning form.  It felt so good I was actually laughing by the time I got to the bottom of the little hill. People stared at my feet. 

Then I got back around to where I had left my FiveFingers, put them back on, and took off back home.  Near the end of the run I picked up speed a little and worked on my form, trying to rotate my feet and legs forward and swing my arms back with each stride.  I also ran more on the balls of my feet and tried to be a little less floppy.  With so much emphasis on relaxation in ChiRunning I think I haven’t been compact and efficient enough in my form. I got a great rhythm going and was loving every second. Need a visual? Ok. This is how I felt at the end of the run:

Now, after cooling down, stretching, and bathing, I can sense that my feet themselves are a little sore; I can feel it when I wiggle my toes. Result of the combined barefoot loop and the change in form near the end. 9 miles on Saturday, here I come.

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