Days 131 to 136 - New shoes and a bruise

Day 131 - 4.22 miles
One of the results of doing something unusual (most people consider running in minimalist shoes to be unusual) and writing a blog is that people begin to treat you like an expert. And its easy to be taken in and start believing it. I enjoy explaining why I decided to give this a try, and what benefits I hope to reap. And each time I do it I discover I'm a little bit more of a enthusiast, and have stronger opinions about the merits of the whole thing.

Today was a fun one because we (Rhiannon and I) actually got to take a couple of people out to a field to demonstrate. We were visiting Rhiannon's sister and partner near Cambridge and we took to the village playing field for a bit of a lesson. I'm increasingly convinced that the secret to changing your form is to take your shoes off and up your cadence. It is almost impossible to run the same way as before if you make those changes. And a pair of willing students made a good job of their first attempt.

We then set off for a few miles of slightly more normal running, during which I got to have another go with the Minimus. I liked them a lot more this time. I found I could maintain a fairly easy pace and not have to worry so much about what I was landing on. They felt comfortable, but I did get a small blister on the side of my foot. Still, looking forward to the next outing.

Day 132 - Rest
I seem to have acquired a bruise in the ball of my left foot. I doubt I did it yesterday so I think it must be from the longer stoney run last week, but aggravated yesterday. If I'm honest I'm not quite sure what to do with it. It hurts a bit, but not too much. But I do want it to go away. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Day 133 - Rest
That nagging bruisey feeling is still there. I don't have to run today so I'm going to give it another day to rest. I'm not sure whether it is the kind of thing that will gradually go away regardless, or if running on it exacerbates it.

Day 134 - 8.08 miles
Brilliant. A club night, a very similar route to a couple weeks ago through the forest, round the park and over the golf course. But this time in the Minimus. It was so much easier to run on the trails and speed down the hills. That little bit extra cushioning (actually it feels like quite a lot) makes all the difference. I no longer had to look down all the time or dodge every pebble. And, what's more, it was my fastest run since the change. 6:54s, which on this route is worth 6:45 on the flat I'd say. I particularly enjoyed stretching out on the long downhill back into the village.

So these are good shoes for running fast in. And good for dry trails. But I think I need to get those Vapor Gloves back on soon to make sure I'm not wimping out. And I now have a massive blister on the side of my right foot. I'm thinking I might try these Minimus with super-thin socks to counter that.

Day 135 - Rest
I completely forgot about that bruise yesterday. And now it really hurts - in a bruisey-ache way. Doesn't feel sinister, but it is sore. As such, I'm going to try a couple of extra days rest and some extra ice. I don't want to risk injury at this stage by being over confident.

Day 136 - Rest
Bruise a bit better. You can't see it so I'm just going on feel. I have completely forgotten to ice though, so I'll get on to that.

Day 130 - First run in NB Minimus MR00, and amazing maize!

Today I tried out by new shoes for the first time. Part of my run took in this track through a field of maize that towered above me on either side, an ominous corridor beneath the gloomy skies.

At this point my post ought to be titled 'Review of New Balance Minimus MR00'- that's how you get lots of hits for your blog (so I'm told). But I have missed the boat on that one if we're honest. This model is a good couple of years old now and I'm not sure if shoe reviews are going to be my strength. Nonetheless, here is what I made of them.

They feel more shoe-y.


Okay, we were trying to be clever at this point, and I am holding this pose. But it looks cool doesn't it?





Unlike almost every other barefoot running blog you'll read (I'm guessing this, but it might be true) I've come at this in reverse. What do I mean by that? The majority of BFRs (just coined a new acronym, again I don't know if I'm really the first) have been working their way through the shoes with which the manufacturers have presented them. Be it New Balance, Merrell, VivoBarefoot etc. As the brands have become more daring, with ever more minimal offerings, the BFRs have progressed to an ever more minimal state. And the majority seem to agree that the Merrell Vapor Glove is the most barefoot feeling shoe they've ever used. Nothing comes close for pure barefoot sensation.

But the NB MR00 came a little way ahead of it, so those reviewers didn't yet know what they were missing. I, on the other hand, started with the most minimal shoe going (see here if you want an explanation). And I have run in nothing else for the last 130 days. As such, the MR00 feels very shoe-y. I only covered a couple of miles but I immediately missed the sensation of my foot spreading and springing as it meets the terrain. As if I'd gone mildly numb. The same action was there, and they didn't compromise my style - which I'm very pleased about - but I was no longer one with the earth.

My second observation is that they are warmer. They're a bit thicker all round, a bit more padded. Just more substantial. And they feel toasty. I've become used to my feet breathing freely through the wafer thin fabric of the Merrells. In these MR00s they were heating up. It can't be any more than they used to in my old running trainers, but it's about comparisons with where I've been. And they're warmer. This bodes well for the winter.

I wasn't feeling all that strong today, and I still felt a bit achey from that tempo run, so I'm not sure I've given them a proper workout.. But my general reflection is that I must have burrowed deeper into the barefoot world than I realised. They didn't compromise my style, they'll be an excellent addition to my locker, but they just didn't feel barefoot.
 
    (Mrs Payne, the excellent photographer, demonstrating the scale of the maize)

Day 129 - They're possibly green

I took another rest day. My calves are still sore from Tuesday's run and my heels still feel bruised. And one of the rules I adopted at the outset of this was: don't run when your legs hurt. This is not just to be a bit of a wimp, but to understand that I'm still building the muscles and gaining capacity. I'm asking my legs to do something that, with each progressive increase in distance or speed, they're only just strong enough to do. In order to minimise the risk of injury it makes sense to give them another day or two of recovery after a heavy workout.

Once I'm fully up and running (no pun intended) I probably will run through the soreness a bit more often, using a run to ease the stiffness from a run, if you like. But I'm conscious that while I'm doing something still relatively new to my lower limbs I ought to treat pain not simply as a sign of progress but as the possibility of damage.

This means I haven't yet tried out my new shoes. So, instead, I've been looking at them. I said they were yellow but, in the photos, they look green. In real life they look both and it really does depend on the light. What is certain is that they look much more like trainers than my Merrells do, like the kind of thing Usain Bolt might wear on the track (minus the spikes). I'm hoping to break them in tomorrow.

Day 128 - New shoes! New Balance Minimus MR00

I gave in. I went back to The Running Fox in Loughborough and picked up those New Balance shoes.  NB Minimus MR00 to be precise, in a beautiful fluorescent yellow. My feet feel pretty sore today after last night's efforts and I think that with my increasing mileage this might not be a bad idea. They're zero drop, and the cushioning is still pretty minimal. But compared to the Merrells they are like pillows strapped to your feet.

 

I was slightly surprised to find that the 10.5s were a really good fit. I usually wear a 9.5, and my Merrells are probably a little bit on the big side at that size. But these feel good at 10.5. I certainly wouldn't want them any smaller if I'm going to keep my feet over the sole.

 

You can see that the sole looks quite a lot thicker here, which is the main place I'll be landing. My only concern is that with the extra cushioning I'll find it easier to move back onto my heels. I won't get an opportunity to try these until the weekend, so I'll let you know then how I get on.

 

 

Day 127 - First tempo run

So I've done my first tempo run in barefoot shoes. And now my feet really hurt. Blisters in several places and bruised heels.  What happened?

It was a normal club night, and I decided to test myself by running with the fastest group. After a couple of miles at 6:15 it became quite clear I was not going to manage that, so I dropped back a bit and, fortunately, my friend Alex was also fancying something a little more sedate so he joined me. Why the painful feet then? Partly because we ran for a good solid hour and covered over 8 miles which I'm only just getting used to. Partly because of the speed we ran which resulted in extra stress and friction on every step. Mainly because of the stones on the tracks we used, which I just couldn't seem to avoid. So tonight I'm hobbling around and hoping that tomorrow I feel okay. The curious thing is it's my heels that are bruised, which means that walking is actually more painful than running.

Meanwhile, I called into the local running shop today and saw that they had some New Balance Minimus on sale at only £45. Zero drop, with a bit more cushioning than the Merrells, maybe just what I need to protect against these stones?

Days 124 to 126 - My first 10 mile run in barefoot shoes!

Day 124 - 10.20 miles
I've done it! 10 miles in barefoot shoes. And it was fine. No progressively worsening pain. No fatigue in the lower leg. Just normal. Regular, straightforward running. For the first time in months I ran with the Saturday morning group that go from the village. We follow the same route every time - come rain or snow or floods - which includes some general country tracks, a run through the woods, then skirting round the trails of Bradgate Park before a single mile climb to the top of Old John. Then it's all downhill, across the golf course and back through the village home. Thrilled to be back. And pleased to discover I had some reserves in the bank to push on during the steep climb to Leicestershire's favourite monument and claim King of the Mountain for the week.

Day 125 - Rest
Happy that I have had a good week of running, I am having a rest. I think I will rest tomorrow as well. The danger for me now is that I'm feeling fine and it would be easy to suddenly pile on the miles. I really mustn't do that.

Day 126 - 1.85miles
Okay, not quite nothing, just a short-ish run this evening with my wife (who is about three months behind me in this whole process). Nothing flash, just getting to hang out with a beautiful woman in the beautiful countryside, while we both hummed Take That under our breath. What could be better?

Days 122 to 123 - Better speedwork than last week

Day 122 - 5.08 miles
Grass track. Bare feet. Fartlek. And progress from last week. Progress, that is, based on relative positions with other runners from 7 days ago. I managed to stick with a pair of them who had steadily run away from me during the previous session. Good news.

Day 123 - Rest
No running for me today. Instead, a trip to Rutland Water where the only exercise consisted of a little trip on an electric bike. And then home to catch the highlights of Mo's second gold of the week, and Adam Gemili's sub-20 200m.

Days 115 to 121 - Springing like a gazelle

Day 115 - 4.70 miles
Another speed session on the grass track. This time 400m and 200m alternating reps, with equivalent recoveries. Quite a nice session really (probably means I'm not trying hard enough). Once again, I discarded the shoes altogether and enjoyed the feel of the grass under my feet.

Day 116 - Rest
Final day at the conference I've been working at. A very long one too, so I got home late.

Day 117 - Rest
Away for the weekend with friends from church, helping some other friends (old colleagues) to decorated a 17th century farmhouse they've bought and are doing up as a retreat centre. As usual I took my running gear. As usual…

Day 118 - Rest
Another one of those 'I wonder if I can sneak in a run' days. No, is the answer.

Day 119 - 2.30 miles
Determined to get in a run before club night tomorrow, I slipped out for a gentle couple of miles. Just to turn the legs over. The last time I did this it felt like hard work. This time wasn't bad, starting to feel a bit stronger I think.

Day 120 - 6.20 miles
Before, when I was running regularly, I used to make sure that on club days I got a good oaty breakfast, had pasta for lunch, and a banana and honey sandwich with a couple of hours to go. I haven't been doing that at all, so today I gave it a shot to see if the extra energy helped.

It worked. A great run, out of our village with the club, through the woods, up a steep rocky craggy path to the top of the Beacon (local hill, apparently the next highest hill to the east is the Urals in Russia). The woodland path was difficult, being in a group with thin soles I found it hard to dodge the stones, so I left the woods a bit bruised. But the path up the hillside was brilliant. Last year, when we did the same run - which involves springing from rock to rock up a steep climb - I was quickly exhausted. My legs weren't used to the springy action. But now I am running off my calves every time, so to use that same action on the climb felt much easier. It was the first time I've felt a bit like those runners in Born to Run. Light and springy over rough terrain.

I also learnt a little lesson in downhill running, something I've been struggling with. I'd been finding it difficult to remain on my toes and, instead, was slapping my feet down hard on the ground. This time I experimented a bit and found that if I flicked my legs right up to my backside on every stride (something ideally one should do all the time I think) I could run quickly and maintain a forefoot landing in a much lighter style.  Progress.

Day 121 - Rest
A simple rest day. Looking forward to another track session tomorrow night and then I'm hoping to join the informal Saturday morning group for my first 10 mile run a couple of days later.

Day 114 - Just another rest day

Another day to rest and take stock of my barefoot adventures. Our men's captain posted the latest league positions on facebook today, and I saw a list of the races I've missed. It's a growing collection. I've probably reached a stage now where I could run them, and quite possibly score a few points for the team, but there are now only two left. And I'm away for one of them.

That leaves the John Fraser 10, a hilly out-and-back 10 miler that I struggled through on my comeback next year. Is 10 miles too far in these shoes? Can I get to 10 mile standard in 3 weeks? Honestly, I'm not sure. I like the idea of doing a proper race, but I also remember this one was quite tough last year, and I'm in no better shape. And I'm a bit worried about upping the mileage too far. On the other hand, you don't know until you try do you?

Days 108 to 113 - Mo-la Budd

Day 108 - 5.21 miles

Back to the grass track tonight for speedwork. More specifically, the 'mad mile' and 'terrible twos'. It's a session we do once a month in the summer. The idea is to run a flat-out mile at the start and track your progress month to month. Last year I improved from 6:00 to 5:33 across the course of the summer. This year I was hoping to get down into the teens, but then I wasn't counting on a lengthy transition period to barefoot running. So, knowing I probably couldn't run as fast as last year, I picked another chap from the club who would likely come somewhere in the 5:50s and decided to sit on his shoulder for the first three laps before testing myself with a final lap flourish. It could all go wrong if I'd picked the wrong man to track. Also, I shed my shoes. I'd never tried a fast barefoot mile before, but I was keen to.

In practice, it was great . Exhilarating. I felt like a barefoot Mo. A kind of cross between Mo and Zola Budd. Mola Budd. Quietly tucked in behind, biding my time, I was staying fresh, knowing I was running within myself,holding something  reserve for a spectacular finish. Then, with 400 metres to go, I visualised Mo and the Olympic crowd roaring him on. I was Mo now, and I began to pick up the pace, accelerating with every 50 metres, leaving my friend behind and chasing down the next runner on the track. With 150m to go I caught and passed him too and then put my foot down for home. The (imaginary) crowd went wild. What a run!

In fact, I was somewhat slower than last year, coming in at 5:50. Nothing too impressive about that. And I suspect I could have eeked out another 5-10 if I'd actually run flat out. But I'll trade that for the experience of running barefoot, in nothing but a vest and shorts, on a steaming hot night, and the exhilaration chasing down runners on the bend of a track. You don't get to do that as a road runner. Sure, you can pass people as you near the finish, and I'm lucky enough to have a good finish in races so I usually do.* But, as a fan of athletics, I see my heroes staking their claims to greatness on a burnt orange track. Pulling out on the bend to accelerate and pass someone is a joy reserved for those track runners.  Tonight I shared in their joy.

I also enjoyed the continued fascination among club mates at my running with bare feet. Some think I'm a bit odd. Some think I'm doing quite well considering my disadvantage. Some understand the theory and are wondering if they might be able to do it. Most appreciate that I'm a runner trying to run better. I suppose that's because it's what we're all doing our different ways.

The terrible twos closed the session. Pair up with someone you were close to in the mile, put in a hard 200 and tag your partner. Recover by traversing the field to your original position and waiting for your next turn. 10 minutes later, it's all over. Hard but good.

*this is a little surprising because my flat out sprinting speed really isn't very fast at all

Day 109 - Rest

Never run two days in a row. That's my current motto. I've not yet decided how I'll know when I'm ready to break that rule. It might not be until the six months are up - I'm hoping my legs will tell me.

Day 110 - Rest

Working today at a conference till late in the evening, so no opportunity to run.

Day 111 - Rest

Ditto.

Day 112 - Rest

And more conference. I could have taken my shoes, there would have been opportunities. But I've been camping (lodging in a friend's tent) and before I came I wasn't really sure what the shower situation would be.

Day 113 - 7.11 miles

Back to running. This was a good day because, having established I can run for 7 miles without any problems, I was able to return to one of my staple routes. I have various routes from my front door (as all runners do) for which I've mapped out the distance. And the good thing about regular routes is that you can compare how you feel as you run them, you can gauge your effort and track your speed. You can easily choose the one you need for any particular distance or workout. And this one takes me past a beautiful reservoir, so I'm glad to be back on it.

Days 103 to 107 - Fatigue, hills and exploding bowels.

Day 103 - Rest
Just travelling home from London today, after our fun night out at the athletics

Day 104 - 4.87 miles
Not much to report from today. Running still doesn't feel as easy as I'd like. I'm hoping that after a few weeks back with the club I'll be feeling a bit fresher.

Day 105 - Rest
I've really got out of the habit of doing an stretches or massages on the off days.

Day 106 - 7.03 miles
This was quite an eventful one. I jogged down to the village hall car park to meet with the club. Tomorrow is a league race (which I'm not entered for), so there were fewer people present, and everybody was hoping to drop down a group. The net effect, when that happens, is that the groups remain largely the same, but everyone refuses to be in group 1.

I set off somewhere between groups 2 and 3, not really knowing who I was running with. Within a couple of miles I, and another guy, caught up the group in front. A bit faster than I really wanted to go, but it seemed like a good opportunity to test myself. Almost immediately my shoelace came undone, and I spent the next mile (all uphill unfortunately) catching them up again. This was quite exhausting. Then, having reached Old John, the high point in Bradgate Park, we set off downhill. It was here that my downill problems really affected things and I was about a minute behind by the time I reached the bottom. And I was beginning to experience fatigue in my calves. Not pain, just fatigue, affecting my form. At the same time I was beginning to experience a familiar stirring in my bowels that often comes on in my first longish effort run after an idle period.

For the next couple of miles, through the woods, I was struggling to keep up. And my bowels were causing me increasing problems. And then, with less than a mile the er.. urge for expulsion, became almost too much and slipped off down the donkey track home. Mercifully it wasn't far and I made it in time. Relief. I then had to jog back down to the car park to let my clubmates (one or two of whom had kindly gone to look for me) that I was not lying in a bush somewhere.

In summary. Fatigue, hills, and exploding bowels.

Day 107 - Rest
I'm increasingly finding that I experience no discomfort on rest days, even after a faster hilly run like yesterday. Good news.