Well, surprisingly... nothing!
But if I had tried to run Umstead, I would be injured right now. I was not in any kind of shape to run a marathon. People said, "Oh, just run it slow." These are the people who are in marathon shape, and forget how far 26.2 miles is, no matter how slow you go.
After a year of stupidly pushing myself through races, getting injured, and then gazing enviously at people who are not limping, it's time to start over.
A month ago, I started by running down the street 0.3 miles. And I've been working my way slowly back up.
A Minimal Experiment
I had tried barefoot running originally because I thought it would make me faster.
But what I discovered were knees that didn't hurt when I went sans shoes. And it wasn't because I was going slower; slowing down in shoes never felt any better.
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| Before |
But there is no question that running barefoot makes you run more gently. And my knees really appreciate that.
So I took all the cushy shoes and stuck them in a box in the garage. If anyone wears size 12, and is looking for gently used Brooks Launch and Montrail Rouge Racers let me know.
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| After |
So I held on to my Trail Gloves.
The problem with the Trail Gloves is they make me want to run way too fast. My calves, feet, soleus, and Achilles are really paying the price for my impatience. My knees are OK so far though.
My goal is to run a trail half marathon in Pinckney, MI at the end of April.
Most of my runs these days are in the 1 to 2 mile range. So I have a long way to go.
I'll do my Hard Climb Hill race report tomorrow.
I won't get into the barefoot debate either, but I will say, that for me, cushion is the devil! If I want instant debilitating knee pain, all I have to do is put on my old Nike cushion shoes and go for a run. Protection on the other hand is impossible for me to go without. I'm not confident or good enough to go full monty on trails. You mileage may vary.
ReplyDeleteI think this change will probably work for you. Just be careful with the barefoot mileage until all those tendons, bones and other connective tissues in your feet and lower legs adapt.
If you're out there barefoot frequently enough, eventually you'll be in a position where you're going to have to run barefoot on a trail, or run barefoot fast. Then you'll do it, and your mind will be blown. Have fun and see you soon!
ReplyDeleteMerrell is a great product. I just ran 20 miles in their Bare Access which went well and I also like their new Bare Road.
ReplyDeleteI just threw out my old trainers. I had long since determined I would never return to them and they were relegated to lawn mowing shoes. They were in such sad shape they had to go. But I ran my first marathon in them so there was the distant sound of bagpipes as I dropped them into the bin.
One or two miles? Dude, we should run together! That's about all I can muster lately. And, after my very minimal jaunt in the Altra Adams yesterday, I think the lack of cushioning helps abate my tendon pain, too. (I might be lying to myself, though) So, I'm going to work on that for a while (read, a couple of days) to see if I run around this injury by running shorter distances and with as little cushioning as possible. (I realize this is stupid)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this comment was supposed to be about you. So: Awesome job, Anthony! Good work sticking to your routine of running self deprivation. :)
I am now fully minimal and partly barefoot. I finally ditched my last pair of cushioned shoes, my old trail shoes. I hope the bare/min experiment works for you. Cheers!
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