Last wednesday I thought "what the heck". Took of my minimalist (water) shoes, and eased around barefoot on the wet concrete. I had read that I had to be careful in the wet, and as my soles are very much virgin runners, I was. Maybe 3 minutes, and I called it a day, for the soles. I was reinsured that it's just like when I was a kid, natural. Just now I'm 90kg or so.
Today then, I took it a little step further. First, I ran 2 minutes, some walking, then 15mins. Walked the last bit home, and swapped my Saucony Grid Tangents for the water shoes. This time, I kept my socks on, which actually ran nicer on these than I remembered them without. I gentle jogged, now totally forced to run neatly in natural gait, where the Saucony shoes still allow some heel striking. After 7 mins of this, I took off the water shoes + socks, and took to the grass.
I was on a sporting location. A 300m red concrete running track with 100m straights and 50m corners. Long and narrower than a typical 400m track.
Infield consists of a basketball field (very rough concrete, ouch!) and grass. Flood lights around the basketball area, anticipating people to do sports, represented only by me, helped me identify any nasties in the grass. There were non, just minor twigs and such.
In 5C weather, the grass was pretty moist and cold. Quite nice actually. Even more so after the first 300m lap, which took me 1m25. I couldn't help to time myself. The grass was great to relaxed, give the feet and myself a breather.
Second lap was 1m23, wow this is not so bad! The light and smooth trak made stepping into sharp objects a non-issue. There was some glass, but I could identify it easily.
Third lap, I did in 1m11, so I decided to not stop, and see how my feet and calfs would like another lap. 2m23, not too bad for a first day of proper pacing, barefoot! By comparison, Thursday's running practice saw me clocking the 5th and last 600m of our main program in 1m56.5. That was a really energetic run, where I wanted to make up for the meager 2m02 and 2m09 ones I had managed before.
Most striking, were not my bare foot on the concrete. No, the natural high cadance that emerges in this type of running. Because, it's a totally different running from the mega-cushioned gel magic shoes and even more sensible forefoot landing friendly shoes such as above mentioned Grid Tangents, and my lightweight Adidas RLH Cross Spikes. My cadance in that 600m, just over 15km/h, was probably higher than in the track practices where I ran 18km/h.
My breathing was more obvious than before, as my feet were essentially silent. I am used to hearing myself stamp the ground like a proud elephant, but now I was almost cycling.
The soles felt it though. A gentle burn, craving for the grass. Each time I'd walk/jog there, the relief was just tremendous. Our soles easily heat up running barefoot, but I suppose as my soles thicken up, that should get better. People can run marathons sans shoes, after all. In 1960, Bikila won the Rome Olympics this way.
Overall, the load on my calfs seemed reasonable tonight. It was 3 days after my last running practice, but I was pretty soar from that, and the bit of minimalist and barefoot running the night before, as well as the Tuesday before. My calfs need (too much) time. In the pure barefoot run, the load on the calfs is perhaps not super high, in part thanks to landing so smoothly.
I hope I can come out of bed tomorrow, though. Especially as my alarm clock (Smartphone) is usually on the couch, waaaay from my bed. A little insurance I'll not smooze the thing till it stops...
I've come to the (early conclusion, that barefoot or at least minimalist running, is like the 29" of mountainbikes. It's ridiculed, misunderstood, but to those who give it a shot, actually really good. THE way to run, at least to frequently train to stay fit and healthy.
I really felt like a mighty athlete out there on my 2min23 600m. I was not just rounding those laps, I was in utter and full control. I, nothing else, was controlling my strides. It felt surprisingly "normal", and foremost "natural", as well as "fun". I could really see myself building this up. Developing thicker foot soles, and going out there for longer run on minimalist shoes, perhaps even barefoot.
It is not that big of a deal.
Running at its purest.
Get you pair NOW!!! (once warmed up, just unwear your shoes in a safe place and GO)
My name is Jan Gerrit Klok, call me J. I also go by Cloxxki. This blog will mark my progress as I start from zero. A desperately out-of-shape cyclist aiming to become fitter than ever, but in a sport hardly existing my his home country. My country gets on average one or 2 XC-skiable days per winter. Although that's improving quickly. Goal: someday race XC, and not off the back of the field. And new goal: deliver a good Winter Triathlon (coach wanted).
No comments:
Post a Comment