Sand Dunes and Sillyness

Sometimes its really satisfying to go running and pretend you're an aeroplane.
I don't mind admitting that.
It's the child inside me that needs to escape.
If you ever run with me on the hill it's something I may mention, or cajole you into doing.
It's fun.
And that's what getting out on the hill is all about to me.

Over Easter I was in Wales and could see sand dunes on the coast about 6km from the cottage we stay at. Even at that distance they look big. Up close they're massive. I've run in sand dunes before but these were by far the biggest I've seen in the UK.

Me and Tim headed down to the beach early, getting there before the families would be down to build sand castles and break the peace of having the beach to yourself. Parts of the beach were comparable in softness to the terrain in the Peak District, but other bits were so soft it made running much harder. What I liked was being able to see our footprints in the sand. My forefoot running technique has really improved over the past four months and stopping to observe footprints made it evident I was sustaining the technique well. My calves have obviously developed good strength with all the barefoot running and calf strengthening I've been doing.

View of the sand dunes from the cottage

Running Research - Retesting

Back in early December last year we headed to Salford University to be testing at the start of a PhD research project - more details about on my blog over here. Today was retest day. This was supposed to happen about a month ago (8 weeks after starting the intervention), but the treadmill broke, and as such was out of order for a few weeks. There was then the inevitable scramble for students to get rebooked into the already packed lab schedule. A little frustrating for us, given that the daily exercises needed to be continued.

I have been really enjoying the barefoot runs I've done, and have gradually built up my distance to a mighty 5km last week. Which, just by chance happened to by my quickest ever 5km, clocking in at 24:10. Not bad to say I wasn't actually aiming for a fast time, and that I eased off at about 4.3km to cool down!

I've not had the raw data from the retests today but the general feedback was that my RPE (rate of perceived exertion) was lower, and my heart rate was also marginally lower than the initial tests. From my point of view the test felt much easier. I was able to forefoot strike the whole way through and was focused on keeping my foot strike light, easy and quiet. Tim said I was definitely forefoot striking, so the barefoot shoes have definitely helped me develop that technique - the tests were done in inov8 road shoes.  I was also prepared to have a go at the full test. If you read my previous blog you'll see I didn't make it to the final 5 minutes at 16kph. Although the final 5 minutes of today's test weren't easy (running at 14kph), I do think I would have got some way into the 16kph block of time. It wasn't to be though, since I didn't get there in the first test there wasn't any point for the retest. So I'll never know!

Now that my part in the research project is over I could just stop barefoot running. But to be honest I'm enjoying the runs in the fivefinger shoes. I don't have any grand plans to do massive distances in them, but the local loop I do on the road for recovery runs is about 6.5km so I'll carry on building up distance gradually until I get round that circuit happily. I reckon I'll be up to that by the end of March.

I'll post a few photos up from the test today, maybe a video, once we've got them downloaded.

Janathon #31 and reflections

Today marks the end of the Janathon Challenge. When I set out to do this it was a snap decision. I didn't know if I'd manage it but I was determined. The plan was very vague, but essentially I decided to vary the distance and types of runs I would do, that way putting less stress on my body. It has worked well. There's been no signs of injury or even a slight niggle, and no signs of overtraining. My weekly distance is slightly above what I normally find comfortable, but with most of the runs being fairly short it hasn't felt like I've been doing 50km+ weeks at all.

I can honestly say there were only a couple of days I really didn't want to get out and run...but actually those days were more about the weather than running. We've had some very wet days, some cold days and a fair amount of chilly winds blowing through. Having this challenge to complete has really helped me push and get out there. Here's a summary of each day, you'll see that on some I've been out twice, on a couple I've also done a bootcamp. What's not shown here is the strength and conditioning training I have also done which averages out at twice a week.

1 - 5km
2i - 5km
2ii - 2km barefoot
3 - 7.4km
4 - 2km barefoot
5 - 10.28km fell run
6i - 5.4km
6ii - 3km run to bootcamp and back
7i - 2km barefoot
7ii - 2.67km with janathon buddy
8 - 8km Dawn Patrol
9 - 8km
10 - 2.15km barefoot
11 - 10km on Longdendale trail
12 - 11.17km fell run
13 - 2.12km barefoot
14 - 8.63km mixed road/trail
15 - 8km Dawn Patrol
16i - 17km trail
16ii - 3km barefoot
17 - 5.6km
18 - 8.22km Copenhagen city tour
19 - 3.62km Copenhagen lake tour
20 - 3.17km barefoot
21 - 8.55km
22i - 8km Dawn Patrol
22ii - 7.2km night nav
23 - 2.5km barefoot
24 - 4km very steady (saving myself for #25)
25 - Kinder Trial orienteering fell race
26 - 3.4km barefoot
27 - 5.6km
28 - 3.8km barefoot
29 - 7.4km
30i - Global Therapies Social Run
30ii - 4km run to and from Bootcamp
31 - 4km barefoot. longest barefoot run to date.

Totals:
37 runs
222.1km
5616m ascent
29hrs 14mins

Thanks to everyone who has joined me on some of these runs, especially Tim who continues to be a wonderful inspiration.

Janathon #28

Another rainy grey morning. On the agenda today was a short barefoot run. I'd planned to go early but the weather was against me...it absolutely chucked it down as I got changed so I thought I'd let the shower pass (it didn't), then I decided to bake some flapjack and chocolate brownie....then I had to wait for a delivery. So my early run ended up being a lunch time run! Moral of the story....just get up and go.

I also needed to collect something from town so I decided to head that way with a rucksack and multitask on the run.With the item collected I had the choice of returning home the same way, making the total run just over 3km, or heading up the main road and adding a bit on. I chose the latter. The run was 3.8km completed in my fivefinger barefoot shoes. That makes it my longest barefoot run, albeit with a short pause in town.

Janathon #26

After yesterday's long run on the fells today was a delightfully short 3.3km barefoot run in my fivefingers. I'm feeling stronger in them, not needing to rest/walk at all now on these runs. I could quite happily have stayed indoors today; the weather was fowl but having checked the weather forecast I knew it was going to dry out this afternoon.....luckily it did and my run was in the dry, with sunshine even.

Just 5 days of Janathon left. The plan is a short run tomorrow, another barefoot run Tuesday, retest on the treadmill for the research project on Wednesday, a fell run on Thursday morning and Friday.....I'll think of a suitable way to celebrate completing the challenge.

Janathon #13 Barefoot

After almost a fortnight of daily running I'm feeling good, perhaps a little tired in the legs today but that is down to a cold icy run onto Bleaklow yesterday. I had earmarked today for a loop round Mossy Lea that's just over 5km; a mixed terrain run which includes a 3km gradual incline, ending with a slightly steeper bit. It's a nice challenge to keep running at a good pace without it being a really tough run (that is until I add in a 1km hill rep with about 200m ascent). Anyway, I decided to have a recovery day and do my barefoot run - just over 2km at 180bpm. I've also done the plyometric training for the barefoot research study we're taking part in, and a strength and conditioning session this morning.

Janathon #07

A day of two runs, not just one.

Part 1: barefoot, 2km running at 180 beats per minute (aided by the trusty metronome to keep the cadence up). Tim and I headed out just before 8.30am for our round the block tippy-toe run in our fivefingers....all part of the running economy/barefoot research project we're taking part in. If you want to know more about that have a look at my updates from week 1 here...and week 2....and weeks 3 & 4.

Part 2: a lovely run around a local reservoir over in the Longdendale valley with fellow Janathon runner Wendy. Pop over to Wendy's blog to see how she's getting on with the challenge. Along with a good natter we had the obligatory photo shoot to capture the moment...

me....on the dam wall of Bottoms Reservoir

and Wendy heading the right way 

great view over the water, the sun just teasing us

And now I'm sat inside with a brew the weather has turned to rain again, thankfully it was dry for us, just a few interesting puddles to negotiate...or go through as was the case. Trail shoes are now drying off with newspaper stuffed inside to draw out the water.

Barefoot Running Research: weeks 3 & 4 summary

The last few weeks has included Christmas and a week or so of illness. As such, the latter was the only stumbling block in the daily stretching and walking exercises. I reckon I only missed a couple of days, and managed to shift one of the barefoot runs from week 3 into week 4. I'd like to hope that the few days I missed with the intervention exercises won't impact the research. This week has been good, getting out for my walks, doing the stretching, plyometric exercises and such. The walk this morning felt good, I'm no longer feeling like I need a break from forefoot strike on the walk so there must be some muscular strength gains occurring. There won't be much change to the programme now, just a very gradual increase in the distance of the runs in the next few weeks, then an increase to 3 runs per week in the final couple of weeks.

Having done the exercises for 4 weeks now it just feels like a natural part of my day. I reckon that the habit has been well and truly fixed. In addition, and nothing to do with the research, or barefoot running, but I've also started some specific work to strengthen my shoulders. I have a natural tendency (as do most people) to have forward rounded shoulders so I've written myself a programme of stretches and strengthening exercises to work on reducing this imbalance. I'm doing these exercises on alternate days and will see how it goes.

Janathon #04

I decided to complete my Janathon run today with my barefoot run, so it was just a short tippy-toe run in fivefingers around the block. A 12 minute, 2km run that had me focus on technique, quick steps and light foot placements. I'm doing my barefoot runs at 180 beats per minute...with the aid of a metronome in my pocket. That helps me keep focus on the quick cadence, though does get a few odd looks from people I pass :)

Barefoot Run

Today was the day I did my first ever barefoot run. Not entirely barefoot, I was wearing a pair of fivefingers, so as minimal as you can get. Over the past few weeks I've been doing daily 20 minute walks barefoot or in the fivefingers, building up gradually to doing a run. I have to say, running in the fivefingers was pretty good. I didn't feel any discomfort or pain, and it felt really natural. As part of the research project I'm a participant of the instructions guided me to run at a cadence of around 180 beats per minute....so, armed with a metronome off I went. To be honest it was a good pace. Short strides mean that there isn't a massive impact with each step, so it's just like tippy-toeing but a bit faster. Today's run was about 1.5km, I'll stick to that distance for a few weeks to build up strength, but I've already got my sights on a 5km loop from home as my target.