The Journey to a Barefoot 50-mile Endurance Run - Weeks 11 and 12 of 18

Sorry for the delay in posting.  It's been a crazy two weeks.

So, update on the illness... I ended up with the flu two weekends ago.  I've felt great for the past two weeks. 

The mileage has been a real challenge lately.  I've continued to get good speed work in, but the long runs have suffered due to my nearly month-long illness. 

On President's Day Weekend, I managed to get a good 6+ miles in on Saturday while training my group.  Sunday, I was pretty tired, so I took a day of rest.  Monday I went out for a goal of at least 20 miles (with a goal of 24, if I could manage).  I planned a nice loop run that would keep me out of "short-cutting" back home for at least 18 miles.  Well, as it turned out, at the 7.25 mile mark the road I planned to take around a delta island was a private hunting ground and private road.  So, I had to turn around.  This turned out to be a good thing at first because I had to use the restroom and needed some food.  I stopped off at my house at just under 15 miles to use the restroom and grab a quick bite to eat. 

After leaving the house, I was starting to feel severely sapped of energy.  By mile 16, I felt like heading home.  I chalked it up to the mental game that often happens.  I always tell people that distance running is 98% mental and 2% physical (if you've been training).  I forced myself past a couple of streets that would have led me home.  I calculated that I needed to get to about 17.25 miles before turning around to hit a total of 20 miles for the day.  I got to 17 and I was DONE.

I think that it was my first official "BONK" that I've ever had during a run.  On the way home, I forced myself repeatedly to try and run.  I could barely get 50 meters at a time before having to walk.  I wound up at my house with 19 miles for the day.  Overall, I am not upset by this.  I needed to get close to 20 and I did that.  Being sick and not running much for a month really takes a toll on endurance.

Last week, I tried to get back on schedule.  I had great intentions and here it is BUT ...

Tuesday's run went great with the group - 4 miles.

Wednesday night I went out for a 6 mile run - at 3+ miles I came upon these little guys... I'm going to digress for a moment . . .

I was on a dark stretch of road behind a construction site, near a park but just outside the neighborhood of houses.  I saw the dogs and stopped running (I've been chased a few times before).  The black one ran out into the street a little scared.  I looked around for someone walking them, no one to be found.  I started walking slowly.  The white one ran up to me and started licking my toes.  It was then that I realized she was only a puppy.  As soon as I knelt down, she jumped all over me very excited.  The black one came running over to join in the fun.  I felt for collars - check.  But no tags - :(

It was late, about 9 pm.  The road is a thoroughfare out of the neighborhood so cars go at least 35 mph.  I couldn't leave these guys out on the road, so I coaxed them to come along with me.  They happily ran with me for a shortened route home (just over a mile).  So.... they've been with my family for almost a week now.  They were not microchipped.  I've put signs in and around the neighborhood that I found them.  No calls.  So, we're in the process of looking for a good home for them.  I wish we could keep them, but we already have 2 large lab mixes and a small yard.  So for now, we're just enjoying their company (most of the time - puppies like to chew on expensive stuff).

Back to running...

Saturday, I had a good 7+ mile run with my group.  However, the flu hit my house again - my wife and son falling victim this time.  Sunday came and I felt a bit achy.  I can't believe it.  I get the other strain of flu within 2 weeks of the first!!!  I think the flu hit me lightly - I felt a bit better today.  I do have  a slight cough again, but I'm hoping it's part of this new allergy thing I've been having.

Exciting news - there is a training run on the American River 50 course in March covering about 23 miles.  I'm going to be meeting up with Jason Robillard and hopefully a few others to run the course.  Looking forward to it very much.

Have a great week everyone! 

The Journey to a Barefoot 50-mile Endurance Run - Week 10 of 18

Cough - DONE! (I think)  Friday came down with the flu . . .  grrrr....

So, basically a full week of training down the tubes. 

My training group ran on their own on Saturday.  I'm such a proud coach!  They did awesome!  Me, on the other hand, I was in bed for nearly 3 days straight with dizziness and nausea.  On a lighter note, I finally got the time to watch Spirit of the Marathon.  Great documentary about the Chicago Marathon. 

It's a new week and I'm feeling better than I have in about a month!  I ran with the crew today on their second tempo run.  They all did great.  I also set a personal best (or the fastest mile I can remember).  I ran the third mile in 7:12.  Most of that mile was run at a 6:30 pace.  I can't remember ever running so fast in the past 5 or 6 years since I started seriously running.

I'm very optimistic about another personal best on my half marathon time.   My best marathon time looks like it will also be taken down a few pegs too if this trend continues. 

I have never been much for speedwork, but this training group has really inspired me.  In my efforts to give individualized attention to my runners during training sessions, I leapfrog up and back between groups of runners.  This forces me to push my pace almost to my absolute limit.  Two weeks ago, I pushed a 6 to 7 minute pace for a half mile to catch my front runners.  Today I pushed that pace for a full mile, in addition to pushing similar pace runs to catch my mid-group runners.

With the passing of the flu bug and the cough basically gone, I'm REALLY looking forward to a good serious week of training.  I got my 4 miles in today.  The rest of the week goes as follows:  Wednesday - 10 miles, Thursday 8 miles.  Saturday and Sunday are 22 and 10.  I really am looking forward to a good 20+ mile run because my month-long bout with illness came during the weeks when I was supposed to be hitting the 20-mile mark several weekends in a row.  Now, I can get down to business!

Final note, I'm looking into doing some serious stretching work with my foam roller as well as some cross-training bicycle work.  Lastly, I need to work on my core.  I'm hoping to get 1, if not 2, good days of core workouts each week in the final half of my training for the race.

The Journey to a Barefoot 50-mile Endurance Run - Week 9 of 18

Well, I have reached the halfway point in my training.  I did my Tuesday and Wednesday runs without incident.  Thursday was a little short on miles.  I was dog sitting for my parents.  I figured that their border collie would love a nice 8 mile run.  However, being in a new neighborhood with all those new smells turned out to be too much of a distraction.  We ended up stopping every 50 yards or so.  The 8 mile run turned into about a 5.5 mile run/walk.

The good news was that the cough was nearly eliminated by Friday and I felt things were looking up.  Saturday morning, I was a bit sluggish on my warm up run before my training group.  However, during the group run, I did manage to push my pace down into the 6-minute range for the first time that I could remember.  I was able to hold it for a good half-mile to catch my front running group.  That was the good news.

Sunday, though, turned out to be bad news.  Cough, mostly gone, but aches and chills hit.  Damn - some kind of flu bug hit me just before noon.  By Monday morning, I was miserable.  I called it quits after a half day of work.  I slept pretty much all afternoon and night.  I managed to get back to work on Tuesday (today) and run with my group for almost 4 miles.  I was even able to break back into the 6-min/mile range for steady bursts of time.

So, I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about my training right now.  I know I need to get some serious weekend miles in if I could just shake the various illnesses.  Fortunately I still have most of 2 months to go for training.  Still time to rack up some good trail miles and hills.


Training for this week (if I can manage)
T/W/TH - 4/10/8   S/Sun - 22/10

Oh, another bright spot this week - I published my latest minimalist shoe review at www.barefoot-running.us.  The shoe is the SKORA Base.  Take a look!

Why We Run: Independent film about the Tarahumara

Independent filmmaker Tara Golden of Tara Golden Custom Videos is hoping to travel down to the Barracas de Cobre (Copper Canyon), home to the Tarahumara, to make a film about their culture and to find out why they run.  The filming will take place before, during, and after the Copper Canyon Ultramarathon made famous in Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run.

Here’s the catch. . .

You have only 3 DAYS LEFT to help.  Tara is trying to raise the funds needed to make this film by this Saturday, February 4, 2012.  She has raised nearly $10,000 and is in need of an additional $7,000 or this film will not be made.

I asked Tara what inspired her to make this film. 

“I read the book Born to Run and I was thrilled with the colorful descriptions of both the Copper Canyon and the Tarahumara Runners.”

Like many of us barefoot runners, Tara loves the connection she feels with the earth by being barefoot.

Tara has created a page at www.kickstarter.com to raise funds for this film.  Sponsors can donate as little as $1.  However, larger donations will earn you a prized award such as photos from the filming or an authentic Tarahumara outfit.  Got more dough?  How about a rare Tarahumara rug/blanket or having your own custom video made?  Know a starving musician who needs a music video made?  Tara can be yours for the right price.

But in all seriousness, many of you, like me, started running barefoot after being inspired by the stories of Christopher McDougall and the Tarahumara runners.  This is our chance to learn more about this mysterious tribe of ancient runners.  Without your help, this film will not be made. 

Sponsors to the project get an inside look at the “nuts and bolts” as well as the “ups and downs of the creative journey,” says Tara.

So, if you want to see a film made about the people who helped inspire the barefoot running movement, check out the promo video at kickstarter.

A Note about Cadence

 (Originally published on www.myfivefingers.com)

One of the key components of successful barefoot/minimalist running is cadence.  It is an element that is probably the overlooked or misunderstood in its importance.  Almost anytime I am out running and something doesn’t feel right – yep, it can most often be corrected by cadence.

The magic number is 180 steps per minute.  Of course, if you can manage a higher cadence, you’re doing great!  To get an idea of what this “magic number” is visit the following (or any other) metronome site www.webmetronome.com.  Set the slider bar to 180 beats per minute and hit start.  Count off in your head to the beat . . . one, two, three, four.  (One cautionary note, don’t emphasize the first “beat” or you may find yourself driving your left foot into the ground on every “one” count.)

When I first started barefoot running, I would often count off in my head “one, two, three, four” over and over.  Another trick you can do (for you math whizzes out there) is to count your steps for 15 seconds and multiply that number by 4.  If you get a number 180 or greater, then you are on the right track.

So, as I mentioned at the start, when something doesn’t feel right – pounding through my body, excessive noise from my minimalist shoes (slapping), hot spots developing (in minimalist shoes or barefoot)- I check my cadence.  More often than not, I have slacked off on my cadence. 

Why does cadence matter so much?  Well, if your cadence is below 180 steps per minute you are likely striding out, pushing off or being inefficient in one way or another.  A high cadence requires you to significantly shorten your stride.  By shortening your stride, you tend to run lighter (no pounding or slapping shoes) and you are less likely to “push-off” (no blisters).

A couple of final notes – running with a higher cadence does NOT necessarily mean increase your pace or “run faster”.  It simply means increase the number of times your feet touch the ground.  Also, keeping your knees bent helps with lighter impact.  Lastly, think “lift your foot, lift your foot” as you run.  This will reduce the likelihood of blister-creating “push-offs”.

So, when you’re out on your next run and something doesn’t feel right – check your cadence.

The Journey to a Barefoot 50-mile Endurance Run: Week 8 of 18

Well, the cough hung on for one more week.  It is now about 95% gone.  I only have a few coughing fits throughout the day and they are very minor.  With that - it's time to get training again!!!

I managed a 2.5 mile run last Tuesday with my training group.  On Saturday, I ran a barefoot 1 mile in 33 degree weather before putting on my to-be-named minimalist shoes that I am reviewing and ran an additional 5 miles.  (That article should be posted soon on www.barefoot-running.us in the next few days.) 

So, the plan starting tomorrow is T/W/TH 4/8/8 and S/Sun 22/10.  I've been feeling pretty good and very anxious to get back on my mileage.  I think this will be the week to do it!

Also, check out my next post (a re-post) of my article published originally on www.myfivefingers.com.

The Journey to a Barefoot 50-mile Endurance Run: Week 7 of 18

So goes the cold or allergy or whatever is hanging on to my chest. . . as a result this week's post will be short.

As stubborn as I am, I finally gave in and took a week of needed rest.  I ran the 2.4 miles with the group I am training last Tuesday and an additional 4 miles on Saturday morning.  I did not run any other mid-week runs last week nor did I run on Sunday.  In fact, I spent most of the weekend sleeping.  This week has gone a little better with the illness.  I'm still coughing ferociously from time to time, however, it seems less intense and farther between bouts of coughing fits.  I ran this afternoon with the training group.  I don't know if I will run again tomorrow.  I'll see how things go through the day.

On a more positive note, I got a new article published on www.myfivefingers.com regarding running cadence.  Feel free to check it out.  I'm also going to re-post the article here on my blog in another day or so.

Plan for the week (if all goes well): 
Today: 2.4 miles
Wednesday/Thurs:  8/6
Saturday/Sunday:  10/6

Have a great week everyone.