The Running Thread

[Rucker61]

Do you barefoot/vibram guys run on the balls of your feet only? I can't imagine my heel slamming into pavement with every step feeling good. I've never tried barefoot/vibram running.

That's the whole point. You shouldn't heel strike with barefoot shoes. I use the Vibrams and a method called Chi Running. I don't follow any of the metaphysical crap they talk about, but I found the method easy to learn and follow. Ran a half-marathon last spring and have another this next spring to train for.

[Irving]

Yeah, heel striking while in Vibrams or barefoot is a great way to ruin your body. You HAVE to run differently, but I've found that you do it automatically just by being barefoot. Even around the house with no shoes on I find myself on the balls of my feet. I wish I could say the same for my wife and daughter, but they couldn't walk quietly if they tried.

[Irving]

Ran a lifetime personal best 5K this morning at 24:15. Not fast by runner standards, but ok for a 46 year Clydesdale.

This is late, but congratulations on your time. I think that is probably around, and less than, my personal best for that distance.

Tonight I ran in the Vibrams outside for the first time. I did a bunch of reading, and the consensus seems to be that doing Too Much Too Soon is what gets people injured, so I ran 1.2 miles. On Sunday I ran 2 miles on the treadmill, then 1 mile on the treadmill on Monday. By today I was feeling much less sore, kind of that level of soreness where you know you are ready to go again and you'll loosen up during the run. The run started out pretty awkward because my calves were still more tight than I anticipated (from those treadmill runs), and I was running on the balls of my feet too much in the beginning. Eventually I found that a good midfoot strike is comfortable and I don't have to fake a sprinter form the whole time.

Running outside is definitely different than on the treadmill. I had a few awkward steps here and there, but nothing damaging. About half way through the run I could feel the muscles in my lower back working. I think that is from holding a specific form to make sure I was running correctly. Overall it went well, and I still ran about as fast as I usually do. It is noticeably more easy to maintain proper form and foot strike going up a hill than it is down a hill. I ran on 100% concrete sidewalk and asphalt street, and was not worried at all about it being too firm of a surface. I stepped on a few rocks here and there, and while you quickly take the weight off that foot, you don't suffer any injury so you recover from the misstep right away. Finally, even though I can still hear my feet landing, it feels like the loudest part of the run was my pants swishing and my heavy breathing. I kind of felt like a fat, clumsy ninja running around my neighborhood at night.

[Irving]

Okay, another update. I've now put 24 miles on the Vibrams. I HATE walking in these shoes. Almost everyone I've talked to about them said that they don't run in them, but they like to walk in them. I am completely opposite. I wore them for a day of being a tourist walking around Glenwood Springs, and messing around at the pool, and I've never had my feet hurt so badly. I had to take an entire week off from running just to heal. It wasn't necessarily my heels either, but more the balls of my feet. I can't describe it any more than that it seems like when walking, I spend too much time on every part of my foot, and it is like grinding my feet into the pavement with every step.

Running in them is completely different. I really prefer to run in these shoes over my Saucony Stabil 6 stability shoes. They are so much lighter, and I like the way that I can feel the surface I am running on. When running, I'm not as light and bouncy on the balls of my feet like I thought I would be. In fact, do a solid mid-foot strike and it sounds like I'm slapping the pavement every step. If someone was running next to me, they'd probably cringe the whole time, but strangely it does not hurt.

I've been running at least 2 miles at a time in them, but never more than 3 miles (this is because now I run at lunch during work and just don't have time for anything longer). I can't quite run 5 days in a row though. By day 3, my calves are very sore. It feels like I've done 100 reps of weighted calf raises. If you have skinny calves, this is the exercise for you!

[Ashton]

Honestly I've let myself go. Even going fat I've found it hasn't effected my endurance. I can still run a mile at 7.5 MPH on a treadmill.

[Irving]

Me too! I'm MUCH fatter than when I first started running. Surprisingly, I'm able to run faster now than I was before. I don't understand it all. I feel like I'd be super speedy if I lost the 20 pounds I've gained since I started running a few years ago.

[Dingo]

I run about 3 times a week (I know, should be more - but there's drinking to be done...). When I run outside, it's usually about 3 miles at a light jog. Inside on the treadmill, I don't go for distance - just time. I'm a huge believer in sprinting/HIT. I do cycles of 1 min at 6 mph, 2 min at 7 mph, and 1 min at 8 mph, then 2 min to cool down and repeat.

[Beprepared]

I HATE walking in these shoes. Almost everyone I've talked to about them said that they don't run in them, but they like to walk in them.

I agree. I almost only run in my Five fingers. Made the mistake going to school with a mere 20lbs of books on my back, that sucked, had a hard time not heel striking. Most people I see walking around in these are pounding their heels, makes me cringe.

[Wulf202]

Been doing c25k for a year. Adjusting my pace up to 8mph mostly treadmill until I get comfortable with the pace. The girlfriend doesn't like me running outside much since someone tried to mug me this spring.

[Rooskibar03]

Bringing this tread back instead of starting new. So a few of us at work have taken up a "biggest looser" contest and I'm starting to run again. When I say again its been a few years since I ran, and even then it wasn't a lot.

So the question for you runners. What should be my focus: time, distance, speed? I'm two weeks in and I'm up to the point I can do a full mile (sad I know) around 11 minute pace. After that I've got to slow to a walk for a while before I can do another half mile and then back to a walk till my heart-rate comes down.

I can do 3-4 miles in roughly 40-50 minutes. Not really looking to be some bad ass distance runner, but would like to work up to a 10k nonstop and continue to loose weight in the process.

Any advice?