Wrekin, Vibram 5 fingers and log "find" 29/4

Last summer, after reading a bit on the subject, I started doing a little bit of bare foot running round a field next to my home. What I'd read suggested that a lot of the injuries runners seem to get, are not the result of running, but more the result of our foot wear and the style of running that that foot wear encourages. I'd only built up to doing half an hour bare foot before summer came to an end and it was too cold to continue bare footing. I think it was enough to start me off because over the winter I tried to change my style and run as though I were bare foot. Also, I only ran in my Mudclaw 270's which are low profile without much cushioning. My running buddy Methuselah was also coming to the same conclusions as myself. While I've been waiting for Inov8 to come up with an even more minimalist shoe, but still with suitable grip for some of the more serious runs I do, Methuselah went down the Vibram 5 finger route. He had a few ups and downs on route, spending a lot of time on his back side in some of the races we did. He now seems to have adapted (with the aid of more grippy 5's). Anyway........I ended up with a pair of 5's kindly donated by Methuselah. Apart from wearing them on holiday recently I hadn't worn them. So, I decided it was time to give them a decent try.
I popped down to my local hill the Wrekin.

Started at the western end, up and over little hill, then on to Wrekin summit. A little slower than usual, I don't think it was down to the 5's but more like the extra weight I've put on recently. After reaching the top I carried on down the east side to the bottom. It's mainly stony path on that side and I could feel all the stones under foot. I must have looked a bit like an over grown fairy tip toeing down the path (lucky it was raining and there weren't many people around). After that I doubled back round the north side through the woods.

On the way back to the truck I went on a hunt for some food for the wood burner and found a modest log to haul back.

I was out for about an hour and a half. Towards the end of the run I was finding it hard to keep my weight off my heels as I think my calves were getting tired (confirmed the next day with stiff calves). And, the balls of my feet were a bit sore from all the small stones on the paths. But, apart from that, It seems as though my running style has changed over the winter to a more mid foot, fore foot strike and the lack of any more painful achillies problems seems to suggest, for me at least, the new style is working.
I think I will still mainly use my Mudclaws until Inov8 come out with something better. But, I will try to use the vibrams maybe once a month to continue to work on my technique. And now the weathers getting warmer, I'll do some more bare footing in the field.

4 comments:

  1. The barefoot fairy dance on paths can be a bit embarrassing. Luckily I'm used to funny looks from walkers anyway...

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  2. Nice log + Vibrams shot! Looking forward to the day when we both go out in Vibrams and you can draw some of the attention away from me. Like the new blog design by the way.

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  3. Hey up lightning
    Good to see another martial artist/fell runing blogger.

    Cheers
    Steve

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  4. Hi sbrt
    It's been a few years since I did competition. I use to do all sorts of different stuff, but, only really do kickboxing now once, maybe, twice a week.
    Keep thinking I'll do a tournament again but never get round to it.

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