The War on Inefficient Foot Strikes: Mission Accomplished

I completed the Barefoot Running Festival 5K in a very average 23 minutes and 2 seconds in duck feet. So I thought I'd update everyone on how becoming a runner... went.

I'm declaring victory on the War on Inefficient Foot Strikes. I fully transitioned to a gentle forefoot strike that forced me to put more mental effort into stepping gingerly and efficiently. My evidence is in a 92 minute half-marathon and 68 minute 10 miler with minimal running beforehand.

Here's how I waged the war.

-Barefoot Training: I ran fully barefoot for a quarter mile to 3 miles every other week as a refresher of what right feels like. 

-Minimalist Training: I ran in Brooks Pure Connects, minimalist shoes, to further build calf muscles and stay in touch with the road. I ran progressively longer distances to build the muscle and am able to sustain a forefoot strike for 10 miles. The link above is a great critical article from a true shoeru (GET IT?!), give it a click if you're thinking of getting some minimalist shoes.

-Cushioned Racing: I went back to the highly cushioned Reebok Zigs for races. I was able to run with my new stride without focusing too much on foot placement or reducing speed. I was also able to revert back to a mid-foot strike once my calves were too tired during the half-marathon. 

-Circuit Training: I still push it in the weight room harder than anyone else around me. Upper body, lower body, complex lifts, and Olympic lifts (still setting personal records for the deadlift) are all contributing to cardiovascular fitness. 

-Trying: Seriously, I try. I push as hard as I can without injuring myself every single time I train. Don't get me wrong, if I start to feel a "bad" pain somewhere or lightheaded, I take it easy. However, I'll be taking it straight to the house after I recover. If you do not do this, enjoy your life of unathletic mediocrity.

-Moderation: Don't step off the starting line at a full sprint. Gauge how you feel each mile, estimate how much energy you've got, and pull the trigger on your 90% pace as much as possible within the last few miles without having to cross the finish line on a stretcher.

Real runners, I'd glad to hear your two cents on any of those factors. You know what to do.

Keep running,

LSF

10 Milers and More

No excuse. I was keeping the world entertained with about two posts per week and all of a sudden... nothing. I didn't write, I didn't call, I didn't text. I'm sorry. I missed you as much as you missed me, reader. Here's what I've been up to:

-Ran the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC. Killed it. Murdered it. Destroyed it. Made it go bye bye in a mere 1:08:53 or something. Whatever I did, I did it a lot faster than I expected. A little technique, a little DNA, and a lot of heart can make you do awesome things. Here's the proud picture of me and my mustache at the finish. I'm holding up 7 which represents the number of minutes it doesn't take me to run each mile in a 10 miler.

-Ran the Tarheel 10 Miler in Chapel Hill. When you take me off a totally flat course, it does take me more than 7 minutes to run each mile in a 10 miler. Finished in 1:10:45 or so. 45 seconds off a 7 minute pace. Way too many hills for a personal record that day. Finished 133 out of ~2700 people, pretty happy about it. 

-Hung up the gi for a while. Lost some interest in jiu jitsu for the time being. I saw a lot of improvement but I never got the blue belt I was shooting for. I still have a lot of time this year so I may take a weekend seminar later this year to see if I can boost my skill and get the promotion. It was very sad to go in and talk to the folks I roll with. I learned a lot with the Royce Gracie program.

-Amped up the gym review spreadsheets. I've been buried in Microsoft Excel for the past month figuring out exactly how raw data translates into 1-10 scores for evaluated gyms. Keeping an evaluation as objective as possible has not been easy but then nothing worth doing is... right? This is ongoing and painful. 

-Made a workout routine for my dear mother. Assessed what she can do and what she wants to do and set her up with the best workout plan anyone could come up with. She may eternally, unconditionally, totally love me... but she ain't gonna do these workouts. I've faced the truth, you've gotta get in the gym with people to train them.

-Doing some other things: It's almost time for summer lacrosse, golf, surfing, and a friend just lent me his skates so I'm going to see what kind of an ice-skater I am since I haven't worn blades in 18 years. 

Coming up on LSF: "Reconstructive dentistry and physical therapy" OR "The Bruins better make room on the 2012-2013 roster because there's a new sheriff in town."

Keep training,
LSF

UPDATE: If stopping is not important, NHL here I come.