It was just over a year ago that I was disappointed for not being able to run in the Miami Marathon(fka ING to be corporate-sponsorally correct) with my latest hamstring pull. I had gotten this hammy pull during the Key Biscayne 10k in Dec '12 even though I was in great shape AND wearing my brand-new-barely-worn running shoes. They had, and actually still have, a real springy, soft sole.
The pull gradually happened during the race and didn't really slow me down until the final mile. Luckily, I was able to trot-limp in for a 1st place finish .....in my age group. :)
Not bad, but here we go again....out for a few weeks and then hoping that you don't get that familiar & despiriting feeling of the hamstring tightening ...again!
Around the same time, my cousin, a TRUE fitness guru, had been telling me about the benefits of strengthening the feet in order to strengthen the rest of my legs and ultimately, my runs. He'd been wearing these weird shoes, Vibrams, for a couple years, along with going on barefoot beach runs. Not only that, he'd also read McDougall's - Born to Run book, that spelled out everything he'd been talking about by way of an amazing story about us humans as nature's best long distance runners.
I figured why not, it makes sense, which it did/does, and I'm willing to experiment on myself. If I start to tweak my technique, from heel-toe to a mid-fore foot strike, I should be ready for next year's ING.
Not quite! I 1st began running, with my same moon-boot shoes, by changing my strike point. I also had to chop my strides up a bit to keep my feet under my hips & head. These changes would obviously get me ready for running with Vibrams, right?
The truth is, there IS no substituting running in Vibrams except running IN them.
I certainly found this out when I finally bought my 1st pair in May '12. Originally I went to Footworks in South Miami for a pair of New Balance Minimus, but they didn't have my size, so they recommended Vibrams(Spyridon LS to be exact for the extra protection on the trail). I thought it was a bit early to jump in to "those types" of shoes, but I did it figuring I was going to anyways down the road.
The recommended 1st run is supposed to be a 1/4 mile and that's after wearing them around the house for a few weeks to "break in your feet" ...whatever! I started on my regular running route and by the 1st 200 yards I was thinking, "WOW, I can run at least 4 miles this feels soooo great!!" By the 1/2 mile point, my calves felt like someone had a bicycle pump injected in them & was filling them to popping capacity!! I walked the way back wondering if this was normal, ...did I break something ..does this get better?
* My shins were on fire! I learned how important it is to roll your legs out after every run.
* Calves were on fire too! Especially the lower(soleus) and upper/outer area. Again, the importance of rolling your muscles can't be stressed enough, it really helps.
* Sore feet, although never to the point that it kept me from running a couple days later.
* Occasional blisters on different areas on my left foot, mainly. This is my weak leg due to a reconstructed ACL many years ago and the favoring that goes with that kind of injury.
It does get better though, but you have to be very patient and willing to take a few steps back in regards to total mileage and speed, temporarily of course. By December, I competed in a 5k Trail Run/Bootcamp style race. I had a blast and won my wave by over a minute nad a half. It felt like I could've gone 10k at that pace and the best part is, how quickly I'm recovering after runs. The next event was your run-of-the-mill 5k on the road. This time, I placed 6th overall behind some strong runners that included guys from the local sneaker shop, that always represent well in these events. The race produced my best personal 5k time(at least in an official race) of 20:08, and again, I was ready to run another within 5 minutes ...slower pace of course, but it sure beats being on the brink of passing out or throwing up like most of the runners that participated.
The last race I've done was a 10k Trail Run with no obstacles, just an awesome run through some South Florida single track. The last time I had so much fun running was when I last ran these trails for fun a few years ago. The big difference though, is that now I feel like I'm flying through the trees.
I can't say if this is the best way to run longer distances since a 10k seems to be my comfort limit right now. However, I'd like to think that with consistent training and constant developing of my feet, that I can run a Full Marathon, or an Ultra, even if a "minimal" shoe would be needed.
To my barefoot friends,
keep'em naked!
Juan
Outdoor Enthusiast