I'm gonna feel it tomorrow!

So, training for me began back in January.  I took it REEEEEEAL slow!  Like going out maybe (maybe) once a week for a mile or two.  Back in January I was still struggling with using some Nike's that I used last year (2010) for the SVHM.  They worked great, but I was still getting shin splints no matter what stretches and excersizes I did to try to strengthen that muscle and tendon group.

I'm a bit slow on the uptake at times so I never had that "a HA" moment whenever I took off my shoes and my feet felt better.  It didn't click until I began looking up alternative remedies for preventing/minimizing shin splints.

There was calf stretches and excersizes, taping (which was too much work for what I was doing), getting properly fitted shoes (which is a whole other rant) and a few other things.  But a few pages hidden amongst the all other ones having to do with getting proper shoes and such would pop up.  One caught my eye though, Barefoot Running University.

It's been so long, I can't remember what post I read that gave me the "a HA" moment of realizing that I had no excruciating pain whenever I took off my shoes.  I started reading the posts randomly.  What really tripped me out was that this guy, Jason Robillard, was an Ultra Runner.  I'd never even heard of an ultra-runner.

These bastards are futher muckin crazy.

Ultra runners run multiple marathons consecutively all within 24 hours or so!  The ultras go from 50 miles to 100.  At least that's what I got out of it.  I haven't researched it enough to be able give you complete facts.  But if ultra running wasn't crazy enough, Jason sometimes runs most of the race BAREFOOT!!!!

Oh, he has some alternatives as far as footwear.  From what I understand, he's used Vibram Fivefingers (as you may already know if you've been reading this blog, I'm waiting for the Speeds).  And he was tapped last year at some point by Merrell to help develop a barefoot (minimalist) shoe and educational website.  And I guess he's been using those for his ultras.

But I've come off track a bit . . .

The point is, I was intrigued by this whole barefoot thing.  I read the book that was mentioned by several barefoot sites, Born To Run (check out the reviews) and it really got me thinking.

I changed my running form of the lumbering fat bastard to the recommended 3 steps a second.  It took me a while to get it right (bought a small cc sized metronome at a music store), but I got it down.  Your calves really come into play more when you do that.  It forces you to take smaller steps, therefore making you land on or near the balls of your feet (midfoot). No more foot slapping, not that I really did that too much.  But you get the idea, you lose the heel-to-toe motion of the run and develop a softer landing by making the whole leg come into play.

I bet you're thinking to yourself, my whole leg already comes into play, right?  I'm not going to say you're wrong, but what I've noticed is that the toes really come into play by spreading out and stabilizing your landing.  The arch softens the landing by taking your weight and stretching out.  The achilles and calf work together for a better rebound.  And your hamstring is called into play more than the quads do when you run.

There's an great example that you can find on the Crossfit website under the Exercises & Demos page HERE and HERE.  What the video shows and one style of barefoot form running called the Pose technique.  There are others like Chi-running and stuff but, I don't want to get too much into that.  They all have the same basic concept from what I can see.  But in the Crossfit example, the presenter demonstrates something about energy conservation when running.  If you stand up, try jumping up and down  What's easier, taking a jump a second or taking quick jumps?  By taking the quicker jumps, you're allowing your tendons to really come into play and help with the long run.

I didn't mean to get too much into this whole barefoot-running-is-better-for-you rant.  It just turned out that way.  You can find better information than what I've posted on some of the sites I've linked to.  I initially intended to post about my training yesterday which was done with the Y's training for the SVMH.  I'll have to post that later, maybe today.

I know very few (if any people) are reading this, but I'll be glad to answer any questions that come my way.

GD

p.s.
please excuse the grammar.  i haven't really checked for mistakes :p