Running
So what happened to my running? In July I ran 7 miles one day in my Vibrams, and then my knee hurt. Put me out for six weeks. That was after I spent all year working back up to 4 miles per day after my injury from racing a 10k.
I picked it back up when I got to Seattle, but the injury damaged my psyche. It felt like I was sneaking workouts in, hoping that my knees wouldn’t notice. No fun.
So in October I started CrossFit at a gym two miles from my apartment. Three days per week Carrie Klumpar brings the pain. Today we did:
3 sets:
Row 21 Calories
21 Box Jumps
11 Pull ups
My set times:
2:39
4:03
5:59
My theory is that running alone is a bad exercise routine. I needed to add some strengthening and conditioning for my whole body. CrossFit gives a much different kind of conditioning than I ever got from running. It’s usually 10-20 minutes of wheezing, grunting, kill-me-please sort of conditioning, followed by multiple days of I-can-barely-walk soreness. I have seen great results in my strength, flexibility, and condition.
So now that I’ve made some progress, my plan is to start running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and maybe Saturdays, which are my off-days, and see where that takes me.
I broke in my Vibram FiveFinger Bikila’s today with a quick 3.8 mile run on this route. I got them from Marathon Sports by Copley Square on Boylston Ave. There were three pairs of Vibrams in the store. One of them was exactly what I was looking for. Size 43 (10.5 - 11), white and red Bikilas. They were even returns, and a touch scuffed, so I got them for 85% of retail: $85 USD.
Eighty-five dollars will be an absolute bargain if they last as long as people say they do. I got about 285 out of my Vomero 4’s, 375 out of my Mizuno Mushas, and they cost $140 and $90 respectively. I’ve heard, although no one’s had the Bikilas for long enough to know for this line, that people got over 1000 miles out of the old ones. If I get 500 I’ll feel well served.
That leads me to my first run. I’ll tentatively say that I love these things. It’s NOT barefoot running. Let’s get that out in the open. I ran 2.8 miles barefoot yesterday, and 3.8 in my new Bikilas today. And it’s not, not, not the same. The Bikila has 7 millimeters of sole at its thickest point under the ball. And the sole, while flexible, is still one piece. If you think about your foot, it moves as if the ball were independent from the heel. Add a sole on the bottom, and it’s harder for your foot to control the downward pressure from the impact.
Nonetheless, if going from Vomero 4’s (the Cadillac of running shoes, big floaty, like running on clouds) to Mizuno Mushas (“minimalist” runwear or “light weight trainers” where “light weight” refers to the thin sole) is a big step, then going from Mushas to Bikilas is a step similar in magnitude. It’s like the most light weight shoe I’ve ever worn.
This is a very good thing. I’ve been running barefoot a lot, and I think it’s good for me. The issue I have with it though is that my goal is not to be a barefoot runner, and building up my foot toughness to match my endurance and the condition of the muscles in the rest of my legs. I’m trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, not trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon barefoot. So my goal is to get value from running barefoot with as little disruption to my training as possible.
It feels like Bikilas are going to help me do that.
- I really like that the Bikilas make me feel a lot closer to running barefoot. If not perfectly like barefoot, close enough for my purposes.
- My feet didn’t hurt at all. The general wear on my foot didn’t build up at all throughout the run. Usually as I run barefoot the pain builds and builds until I have to put my shoes on.
- I didn’t have to pay attention to rocks. I could feel rocks, but not enough that they hurt. so I didn’t have to spend large amounts of my precious little brain power avoiding rocks.
- Since I have a sole, I can increase my inches covered per stride. When I run barefoot the ground is like sand paper, and so to reduce friction, instead of striding, and pulling pavement under me, I have to move fewer inches per stride. My Bikilas don’t limit my inches per stride, and so I can run much faster.
- No laces. Ahhh.
- When I got back from running, I was feeling the strain right on my calves. That’s exactly what I was hoping for.
- Bikilas: 6 oz. each.
- Mushas: 7.8 oz. each.
- Vomero 4’s: 12.4 oz. each.
Morning Run: 2/12/10
http://bit.ly/9j0ZEs
This was an absolutely beautiful run. It was warm (probably in the high 30’s). There was just enough sun, and just enough overcast, that the frozen river shined something amazing when I got the MGH corner and turned to run up the Boston side. I live for those moments.
Morning Run: 2/11/10
none. wimp.
This is the first run I’ve just missed all year. I was working off of three hours of sleep, but what kind of wimpy excuse is that?
Morning Run: 2/5/10
http://bit.ly/9j0ZEs
My left ankle has been hurting. When I point my toes, it will pop loudly. This isn’t good. I’ve been stretching for about 10 minutes per run (after the run). I’ve wondered if it’s the cold. Maybe it’s that I’ve been doing forefoot running. My friend, Bill, suggested that it could be that since I’ve started to run differently, my ankle doesn’t like it. I’ve also wondered if it could be the way I’m stretching my calves after my runs. I stretch each one, hard, on a step for over a minute each. I’ve wondered if, while my calves really like that, my ankle doesn’t. I’m going to stop stretching it for such long intervals and pushing so hard.
Finally, it could just be that I’m getting old. I’m not 29 anymore. I’m 30.
