Did my 5k time trial yesterday to give me a baseline for my pacing...whoa...ucomfortable ah **** yeah! I warmed up for 1/2 a mile then stupidly sprinted for 3/4 a mile before the wheels started falling off...was able to hold on and came out at 27:50...it was stupid hot, 85 degrees, and if I hadn't sprinted maybe my time would have been a smidge better, but I'm fine with this and it will work well for me. Hard enough to challenge me, but not so hard that I'll start to hate running...I also ran this morning...this will put me at 5 days this week after my long run Sunday...stupid stupid stupid.
On the injury front, I'm battling 3 right now...2 of them have made massive improvements and not bothering me at all this week...except my hip...fortunately I *think* I know what's going on and the precautions and things I need to do to work it out...I think I also need to go see a chiro...pretty sure my left leg is shorter or longer or something, because all the injuries are concentrated on that side. And I also need to stick like glue to 3 days of running, I know this is what my body prefers and it functions best on that load...my injuries improve, I'm happier, etc.
Trying to run smart and pay attention to my body...but resting injuries is not something I do well...so I either have to be diligent about my stretching, hill avoidance or get knocked out completely and have to cross train...ugh...
ncuneo, I found out recently that my left leg is definitely a little longer than my right, and that's what was causing my hip pain. I still need to get a heel lift for my right shoe (just 1/8 inch is what was recommended); apparently you can get them just at any drug store or something?
I am almost at the end of my 5th week of running. I do a walk/run programme.
Week 1 walk 1 min, run 1 min. Continue for 20 mins or so
WeeK 2 walk 1 min run 2 min, continue as above.
I am now walk/running for 35 mins at 5 mins runs at a time, up to 6 mins on Monday.
I also never rest more than 2 days in a row and never run more than 2 days in a row.
I am a barefoot runner. I started literally barefoot on the beach and now I have some minimal shoes.
Why barefoot?
Well about 7 years ago I had an accident and a back operation as a result. I walked with sticks for about 6 months, and then limped or used a stick if I was going further. As the years passed the limp improved unless I was tired or tried to run. I wore flat sandals most of the time, as I was unable to wear heels.
We got a puppy and I walked daily on the beach, my leg got stronger. One day I was chasing the puppy who had gone over to investigate a couple having a picnic! I realised I was running with no limp! I was barefoot.
Some months later I decided to try running. Unfortunately despite expensive running shoes I limped and my foot flopped wildly, so I gave it up. Then my triathlon running daughter suggested I try barefoot, so for the first 3 weeks of my programme I just ran barefoot on the beach. Last week I got some minimal shoes and I can run in them
My first 5k is on May 20th! I hope to do it in a time under 40 mins, but just completing without the leg giving way will be good!
autodidact, that's an amazing story. Congratulations on figuring out what works for you so that you can run!! I'll really be looking forward to hearing about your 5K!
MBN: I'm really going to keep your advice in mind regarding the walking. I think my biggest fear with races is that I'll start out too fast (when I can't control the pace like I can on the treadmill), and then be too knackered later on to keep going through the entire race... and that if I get to that point and have to walk, that I'll be too worn out to start running again. I remember though one night on the treadmill when I began having serious lower abdominal pain after about 20 minutes... I stopped and walked for a few minutes until I felt better, and then I did the last 20 minutes of my run with no problem. I need to remember that, and that I can just walk for a few minutes if I need to, and it's not a big deal.
Last edited by chickadee32; 04-07-2012 at 02:58 AM.
autodidact - that's just awesome to read! That you went from such a serious injury to running! How did you go about getting used to it? I really want to go barefoot (thus with minimal shoes since there's no beach or nice park trail nearby). I have slightly flat feet and have had joint-issues for years. I feel like if I strengthen my feet they'd do much better running.
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After my 1 week break I did a 2mile run the other day just fine. But then I wanted to go running yesterday and after just a few steps my shins (insides) started to feel uncomfortable again. I've read so much stuff about shin splints and what it can lead to that I really don't wanna run through it and risk severe injury. But I have to figure out what is causing it. I am thinking it might be my flat feet. From what I've read about that there's 2 ways to approach flat feet and running:
1. Get extra support for your arch with insoles - the downside is that your feet will get 'lazy' and won't improve.
2. Run barefeet/minimal - downside is it takes a while to get used to and could be painful in the beginning. But I've read many cases were people developed such strong feet because of barefoot that their arch returned and they basically "cured" their flat feet with it.
Uhg, I want this figured out so I can go back to running again and get to 10miles.
autodidact........very inspirational!!!
I am almost to the point of giving up. I'm thinking I need to lose more weight & concentrate on stretching. I can walk, might just stick to that for awhile.
Well I took 2 days off from everything hoping that my calf would be better, and it was somewhat but was still bugging me today. I did my 4.5 miles anyway, wore a compression sleeve to see if it would help during the run. I don't know if it did. My splits were pretty good though! Everything was under 10:40 and I actually got 9:38 for a mile, and then my last half mile was 9:40. I was trying to be lighter on my feet and faster and I think it helped. Did an ice bath when I got home since that has really helped me in the past. Anyway! Next run is on Tuesday so I think I have some time to recover before then.
@chickadee - I have thought for a long time that my left leg is longer than my right, I can just feel it. I'm feeling totally vindicated now seeing you say you have the same thing, since my boyfriend always laughs it off when I tell him that. I needed some new running clothes and found some lifts at amazon and will try them out.
Just ran 2.5miles (still being careful) and I decided to try and run more on the front of my foot. It felt really weird but much lighter. Maybe I was just running wrong? My calf isn't painful at all now!
philana: Glad it felt better today with the change! I went to a running clinic recently, and that was something they told me to do as well - that I was coming down on the middle of my right foot, and I needed to hit the ground with the ball first. They suggested increasing the cadence of my stride (which feels weird), and trying to think about keeping my feet beneath me at all times (if that makes sense), and that would help in coming down more on the ball of my foot instead of mid-foot. Anyway, I just mention it in case it helps you any further!
Bigknitter: The running clinic I mentioned above was exactly where they told me about one leg being longer than the other. Let me know how the lift works for you - I still need to get one, but am a little scared to try it!
So instead of 5.5 miles on the treadmill today I decided to just go for the 6.2 miles, and I did it!! I went at a nice slow pace (12:30/mile) and definitely felt quite a bit of fatigue in my legs, but that I can handle; it's when my lungs are having a tough time that a run feels hard to me, and that didn't happen at all, even toward the end of the run. It seems like those shorter runs at faster speeds where I am really fighting at the end definitely help cardio-wise with these longer runs. When my lungs are able to keep up like today, I am a happy runner.
Last edited by chickadee32; 04-07-2012 at 04:40 PM.
Hi there, I just did a 5km time trial and did it in 48.07! So there is a starting point.
Barefoot running, arches and flat feet.
Please note I am no expert but I am very happy to share what I do know.
My Dad was an engineer, and interested in industrial archaeology. Often all that would be left of a site would be some kind of arched doorway. As a kid I asked why they were still standing and Dad said it was because arches were so strong. He said the quickest way to weaken an arch was to support it from below and the way to strengthen it was to push down from above.
Assuming that ones foot arch works the same way (I am no doctor, and actually I have no idea) it seemed to me that arch supports in my shoes would make matters worse for my bad leg/foot and going barefoot would help. So I went barefoot a lot. Always at home, with thick socks in winter and barefoot as much as possible outside. It does help that I live on a beach (actually on a sandune). If I wore shoes i wore flip flops or similar as much as possible. Although it was suggested many times that I should wear boots with ankle supports and orthotics with arch supports and a heel lift on my damaged leg I found I was getting strong and stronger just going around barefoot as much as possible.
Fast forward to loosing some of the weight (still some way to go) and my decision to start running.
Note I had been walking barefoot for a number of years at this point. I walked on the beach with the dog. In winter I wore gum boots, and I went barefoot as often as possible.
So running barefoot was just a logical extension of this. Interestingly I did still have to change my stride. This happened naturally when running on the streets in my minimal shoes. They made a lot of noise! I was so embarrassed I moved onto my toes and it all came together.
There are a number of you tube videos that illustrate this.
Chickadee, congratulations on the 6.2 miles!
Philana, so glad changing your stride to the ball of the foot helped your calf. My hubby got painful calves every time he tried to run barefoot, and as soon as he moved to the ball of his foot (he watched on you tube) the pain went away. His trouble is that he is so fit, he is having to take it very slow, and cycle for fitness instead as his muscles adjust.
Drake, keep walking, it will help, honestly. I walked for nearly 2 years before I even considered running. Then when I started running I started so very slowly. Week 1 walk 1 min, run 1 min, keep this up for about 20 mins or so. If this is still hard then do it again for week 2. When you are ready move up to walk 1 min run 2 mins. I did this and today I ran 5km! Not fast, but I ran it!
autodidact: thanks for your thorough response! I so agree on the arch not needing support or it will get weak. My dr told me I had flat feet when I was like 11, they measured insoles for me but I barely wore them. Over time we just 'forgot' about it. And I've always been walking on very flat shoes. Allstars or cheap moccasin-type of sneakers. I've done my backpacking through Europe trip on thin havaianas and had no issues. I walk on my socks as soon as I get home my entire life. I started running only a few months ago and it just doesn't feel right on the shoes I have. I've never had such thick soles or somuch support in my shoes before. Everything I read about going barefoot is that you need to transition into it. But maybe I should just 'start' with it slowly like I did when I started running and leave the overly supportive nikes be. The forefoot-stride is hard on them because the heel is so heavy and big I feel like I need to make a long stride to make sure I am not bumping into my heel. And over-striding is a risk then.
I am so bummed, I don't have money for minimalist shoes right now, I think I have some old All Stars ( this model! click )that would be about the same as minimalist shoes. I might try them for a short run. I've travelled the middle east in them and they are worn out enough that they are pretty wide and leave room for my toes too.
Ahhh...barefoot running... Just do your research guys (sounds like you are).
Quote:
He said the quickest way to weaken an arch was to support it from below and the way to strengthen it was to push down from above.
I have to say though...this doesn't make sense. If you take an arch (a structural member let's say a piece of wood or steel) and put a constant force pusing down on it with no support below, if that arch does not have the structural integrity to accept that load, it will fail over time. Now the way the foot is different is that it *can* get stronger (a piece of wood or steel cannot) because it has muscles and tendons...whether or not it will...well that's a completely different issue. I have hear the argument that our arches will get lazy if we provide constant support for them with orthodics or shoes...whether or not I buy that...idk
Barefoot running is like any running concept or issue - there are TONS of opinions on it and you can find doctors and articles to support both. In the end it's like anything else in life, what works for YOU? That's what you have to determine, but you have to be careful along the way so that you don't get injured futher. So just be careful
8-10 miler today...supposed to run it at my marathon pace + 15 seconds...sounds fun.
You are right ncuneo, I don't think it's for everyone. I don't even know if it's for me yet. But with the difficulty I am having with my normal nikes, it's worth a shot for me.
I just did a 2mile run barefoot, no shoes at all, started with thin soled wide shoes, but was curious and went completely barefoot. It was quite exhausting to be honest, the paying so much attention and I felt a bit unstable. But I felt like my stride was better. We will see how this goes. I felt silly more than anything. Haha.
Jumping in here. It sounds like most of the folks on this thread have way more experience running than I do, but I figure these are the best folks to learn from.
I'm on week 5 of C25K and it's going beautifully. I'm not sure exactly of my distance because I run on park trails that I can't find mapped, but I think I'm covering about 4k in 35 minutes of run/walk mode. I'm totally hooked and I have to keep telling myself not to jump ahead. (And here I used to think those people who actually enjoyed running were just built differently or, alternatively, crazy!) Occasional shin pain, but I seem to be able to sort that out with the right kind of stretching... I'm hoping it doesn't get worse when I increase my time/distance.
I'm aiming to get to 5k in mid-May and hope to move from there to building up to a 10k. There's a 10k race on July 1 I'd love to compete in - not sure if that's overly ambitious but there seem to be a lot of programs out there that suggest you can work from 5k to a 10k race in about 8 weeks. Something to work towards, anyways!
I need some thoughts on shoes - I'm wearing a pair I bought specifically for running...years ago, when I had great plans that never materialized (the shoes had been sitting in my closet until about 8 weeks ago, when I finally kicked by butt into gear). I also wear the same pair for circuit-training and aerobics. Bad idea? Or does it not matter much at this point given that I'm running short times/distances a few times a week?
for thought.
