Category Archives: Minimalist (Barefoot) Running

Perspective

Endurance

“Slow Is Another Word For Endurance.”
~Human Potential Running

Recently, I was able to attend the documentary, Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco. If you have read, “Born To Run,” you know who Caballo Blanco was. It was a great and inspiring documentary, and I highly recommend it.

Before the movie started, one of the hosts of the documentary, from Human Potential Running, was giving away an entry into one of their ultra marathons- most were 100 miles. There was a rising of groans from the crowd but he said something I’ve been thinking about since.

“Slow is another word for endurance.”

It made me think about how many times perspective is the smallest thing that can make a difference but often the hardest thing to shift.

How many runners don’t want to be “slow?” I know many people who want to try a 5K race, but are afraid they will be too “slow.” Yet, with just a few words: that entire mind set can shift.  But we don’t hear too many runners say they are happy they can endure.

I’ve noticed since, how many times people put a negative spin on something that really could be a positive.

We’ve all heard the “glass is half full or empty” analogy.  There is something to that though- no matter what your goals are, or what you are trying to achieve. Like most people, I have thought things like “that isn’t good enough,” or “I’m never going to get faster.”

This quote though has gotten me to think, what if, I shifted my perspective slightly, on these things- how would I see and perceive the situation differently?

So I decided to try it. Not just with running but with life situations too.

My older son, Ryan, was really sick last week.  Having a sick kid is hard. I don’t like to see my kids sick, they are miserable, and it changes the routine of the day for work and school.  During the few days he was sick, I consciously worked on thinking things like “I’m so fortunate to have a flexible job, where I can work from home when my kids are sick,” rather than something like, “I’m getting so far behind at work.” I also thought, “I’m grateful we have a nice home where Ryan can rest and get to feeling better,” rather than, “Another sick kid?”

I can’t say that this made him get better any faster, but I did notice I wasn’t as stressed or worried about things as I normally would have been.

Because of this illness, and the time change with it getting darker earlier, I didn’t get to run as much as I would have liked last week. But rather focus on what I couldn’t do; I focused on what I could do.  That was still better than doing nothing.

It is a matter of being aware of your thinking and making sure what you are thinking, is positive, rather than negative.  I think we all know this on a basic level, but actually doing it consistently- that isn’t always easy to do.  In fact, it can be very difficult at times.  I do believe your thoughts pave the way for your experiences.  If you are thinking positive thoughts- that is going to be your reality. Obviously the same applies for negative thinking. This carries over into running and exercise goals.

I have personally been working on this though for a while.  I am happy to say, I’ve completely changed the way I think most of the time.  I can see where it’s helped me with running and other goals I’ve wanted to achieve.  The way I did this for me, is pretty basic.

I’ll share more of how I shifted my perspectives in my next post.  But until then, here’s a little hint: notice this next week where your mind goes automatically when less than ideal circumstances come up.  What are the first thoughts that come to mind, and how do they make you feel? Good or bad? Happy or sad?

It’s interesting to become aware of how our thoughts are making us feel.  The only thing we ever have full control over, is our mind and we always have the power to think something different, in order to change how we are feeling.

That is how perspective shifts.  Then you realize, you aren’t thinking you are “slow,” and feeling bad, but instead you feel amazing and happy, because you have endurance.

Setback: Time to Quit, or Keep Going?

Hip pain 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

~ Mark Twain

This week, I’m writing “live,” as I’ve posted all the blog posts I was writing and saving, while I was designing Running Free Blog.

I’ve had a setback, the past few weeks in that I developed hip pain again.  The furthest run I’ve done was 7 plus miles.  After that, my hip started hurting again and would hurt no matter what distance I was running.

I immediately cut down to 2 miles.  But my hip was still sore.  It was discouraging. It feels like I’m just so close at times, and about to just break it out wide open, and then pain is just there again one day, forcing me to back down, once again.

However, I’m not one to have a pity party for too long.  I had been able to run with no pain whatsoever in my hip. I know I had the answer in all this- somewhere.  I wasn’t sure why the pain was starting again, but I was going to find out.

So to find my answer, I tuned in to my running method. I went on a few short runs, and was trying to pay attention to what I was actually doing, while running, and if I could feel hip pain while running, or if it was only after I was done running.

It took me a few weeks and many short runs, to discover what I was doing.  I was starting to notice something and piece a few things together.  The first being, when I was running on pavement, I perceived the shock and force to be greater, so I would definitely always run striking on my forefoot, and even more than I have. I didn’t feel hip pain, but would feel it in my calves- as it should be- the calves absorbing the impact- not my hip or any other body part.

I realized though, when I was running on grass or on a trail, where I perceived the landing force not so great, I wasn’t landing on my forefoot- and in fact, I had gone back to a mid foot and even heal strike.

It clicked that I was doing this because it was easing the pain on my calves. My calves were hurting running the longer distances totally on a forefoot strike, so my body and brain, was doing what it needed to do, to ease the pressure off my calves, and that was putting it back to my feet, which in turn was making my hip hurt.

I concluded even though I was increasing my distances, it wasn’t all with the minimalist method.  So the only thing I could do was start again- from the distance my calves weren’t hurting and start running EVERY step landing on my forefoot and start building up the mileage.

That was 2 miles.  I ran a few times 2 miles.  Then 2.25, then 2.50.  The first time I ran a 5K, 3.2 miles- my calves were burning at the end of it, but I had no hip pain, and I knew I was on the right track.

A few days ago, I ran 4.25 miles, every single step, landing on my forefoot and had zero calf or hip pain.  I’m amazed how fast the calf muscles do get stronger.  But my body had been “cheating” and not allowing them to properly accumulate to running this way.  But the gig is up- I’m consciously aware of this now, and I hope to be continually building my mileage back up, with it all being forefoot landing.

This has been very frustrating for me.  I think about it sometimes- quitting.  I certainly have had many successes running, and achieved more than I ever thought I would.  If I stopped running now, I certainly would have nothing to feel bad about.  But I would have regrets.  And I would always wonder….“what if?”

So I don’t let setbacks be a reason to quit or give up. It makes me realize how much I really do love running, because if I didn’t love it- really love it– I wouldn’t be trying to figure these things out.  I would have just stopped running.  I’m not giving up on my dream of running a marathon, and more importantly, I don’t want to.

I don’t think you have to work so hard at something to the point it exhausts you, or you don’t even like it anymore to have success.  But I do believe you will never get to where you want to go if you stop.  Even for me, just running 2 miles at a time, while I was figuring out- that is the difference.  I never stopped.

I think that is a point for anyone, no matter what you are trying to achieve.  You can’t just stop.  Even one step forward, and two back- eventually that one step forward will get you there, if you don’t stop. This applies to running or anything you are trying to accomplish.

If you want to run, but don’t feel you can, run half a block, or 1 minute on a tread mill. If you want a new job, send in one resume a day to your “dream jobs” even if you don’t think you are qualified.  If you want to eat healthier, start with one thing in your diet that helps you with that.  When you have done that, start doing a little more than you did, and keep adding to that- even if you have setbacks.

The quote at the top of the post today from Mark Twain, I’ve drawn on it a lot with running, because it’s true.  You can get out and do what you dream of doing, and one day achieve it or come close- or you can talk yourself out of it before you even begin.  I never wanted to be thinking back one day, wishing I had just gone for it, but didn’t.  What is the worst that can happen? You try and don’t make it, or that you never tried at all? If you decide it would be that you never tried at all, than you have the power today, to get started!

What are you waiting for? Find your “2 mile” beginning point, and get going! You’ll never regret you did. 🙂

I’d love to hear if you want to share, what goal you are trying to achieve. Leave a comment and let me know!

10K Milestone

To get to the finish line, you’ll have to try lots of different paths~
-Amby Burfoot

 I ran a 10K distance today, 6.20 miles and it felt great! I’ve not run this far in a long time.  I ran this far today, because I felt good. I had no pains, or anything that was hurting.

I like that I wasn’t sure how far I was going to run. I just set out for a run and let my body decide.  About 3 miles in, I realized I felt wonderful and I was going to run a 10K if I ran just a little more and then headed back.  I actually felt like I could have gone longer.

I’m still a little worried that something is going to give though, and I’ll re-injure my hip, if I push it too much.  I’m trying to just follow the guideline of not increasing mileage by more than 10% a week.  But it is hard- I’ll admit, as I’m feeling so good running.  But I’m determined to not overdo it and get reinjured.

As I was finishing up an easy 10K, it struck me, I’ve really done it. I’ve become a minimalist runner!  It took me about nine months from the first run I ever ran this way, to where it just feels natural and easy for me.  It feels hard and awkward now for me to run in traditional running shoes- I really don’t like running that way.  But running minimalist- I love it, and I’m adjusting to it where it feels like the natural way to run to me now.

I know I still have a lot to learn though and a lot of running miles ahead of me, to perfect my form. It will always be a work in progress.  I’m not sure I could run a half marathon minimalist yet, but I could definitely run a 5K or a 10K.  I’m thinking of signing up for a 5K to just to run it free, have fun and see how I do.

So this was a great run for me today. I’m knocking my goal down one mile at a time.  To think about running 26.2 miles- that is hard for me. But thinking I can run it a mile at a time- that is easier.  26.2 miles minus 6.2 miles leaves 20 miles.  That’s 10 miles one way and 10 miles back, and I’ve done that before. I will do it again- I’m getting there.  6.2 miles down, 20 to go!

(Note: While I was designing Running Free Blog, I was writing blog posts too as I started this process, but had no place to post them.  So for a while the blog posts will be a few weeks “retro,” until I run out of content and start writing “live” every week. This post was originally written September 7.)

Running Five Miles & Lessons From A Hawk

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground~

Buddha

 I’ve been slowly but surely, increasing my mileage running in my minimalist shoes.

I intended to run about 4.5 miles tonight.  I’m being conservative in building up mileage running this way. I went after work and it was just perfect running weather.  Late summer- dusk.  It wasn’t too hot or too cool.

I started off on the route I’m really liking. It starts as pavement, but I can run on grass on and off for a mile.  Then it’s more pavement and grass, and turns off on a trail, where I can run on pavement or trail.

I ran on the grass and pavement as much as I could.  I am noticing so much, how my feet just naturally know what to do and how to maneuver around any terrain, running this way.  There is really something to having your feet “feel” the ground.  It’s like I’m not just running- I’m connecting with everything around me by my feet.  I don’t feel everything of course, but so much more than I ever have.

I notice my toes shifting constantly too.  I’m not even thinking about moving them, but they do.  They will spread out on grass or trail more, compared to pavement. I would guess because they need to sense what is coming on uneven terrain like a trail, versus a smooth surface like pavement.

It’s like my toes are milseconds ahead of the rest of me. Tonight I *almost* fell in two holes I didn’t see in the grass.  But my toes instantly felt the difference and adjusted- that quickly. One hole, it was deep. My ankle turned slighty, but my toes were already grasping at the top of the hole, and even though I felt a little twitch in my ankle, I was able to straighten it out in milliseconds.  It was fine. I didn’t even miss a step.

I just couldn’t help but think, as I ran on, if that had happened in my regular shoes, I likely would have twisted my ankle. By the time my toes and foot would have realized what was happening, my ankle would have been turned too far in the wrong direction.  There is just no way in regular shoes, my toes could feel ahead of what was coming. They couldn’t- too much padding.  The shoes cut off that feeling from the feet and toes.

I feel like my toes are almost like antennas now- effortlessly sending messages every second to my body on what to do, how to step, how to maneuver, how to strike, how to land.  In almost 3,000 miles of running I’ve done in traditionalist shoes, I just never experienced that foot, ground, body connection.  I’ve experienced it now almost every time I’ve ran, and I’m only 12 miles into running this way.  It’s quite amazing to me!

I just kept running tonight.  It felt freeing and I had some things on my mind, but when I was running, I was just enjoying it all.  The sunset, the terrain, the marvel at my body, every last cell working together- even in advance of myself.

Pretty soon, I realized I had already 2.5 mi.  It felt easy. I was even wondering if I had really only ran 1.5 miles, but the Garmin confirmed what I had ran.

I headed back, knowing I’d have 5 miles if I ran the entire time. I hadn’t set out to do 5 miles, but it was the distance that I did, and felt good running tonight.

On the way home, I saw a hawk- it was soaring above me.  There was a lot of beauty in that- that hawk was just as free as I was soaring in the sky- he wasn’t thinking about wing span or flight times- he was just doing his thing, and letting the wind carry him.

That is how I’m trying to run.  And I’m getting better and better at it, with every run. Just letting my body take over, instead of thinking about it.

And I love it. As I finished my run, at 5.06 miles, it kind of dawned on me that I’m a minimalist runner now. I just ran 5 miles like it was nothing. I could have gone 10. I felt that good. That was the longest I had ever run minimalist, and I’ve ran “harder” miles at 2 miles before, than what the 5 miles had just felt.  I didn’t want to push it though, as I’m still transitioning to building up the mileage.

My calves are getting stronger and taking the brunt off my shins.  But it’s still a process and they need to build up to 10 miles steadily and regularly- not all in one night.

The most drastic change I noticed from running this way so far, was the morning after. I was kind of dreading it, truth be told.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve ran 5 miles and didn’t have something if not many something’s aching, hurting, tweaked, or sore.  The last time I ran 5 miles, I could barely walk the next day- I felt like I was crippled.

So I was a little nervous seeing what the next morning would bring- especially w my ankle- was that going to balloon up into a swollen ankle over night? Would my hip pain I’ve been battling since March come back? It’s come back when I’ve ran 3 miles.  I felt good, but I felt the uncertainly- maybe this would be my last 5 miles for a while- I could only hope I had no injuries lurking on the horizon.

I woke up early as I had my boys for the weekend. I didn’t even think about it as I got out of bed, and started my morning stuff. It was about 30 minutes of me walking around, doing things before I just stopped and thought “I have zero pain- nothing hurts.” I almost couldn’t believe it.  Where as I could barely walk before, after my last 5 mile run- not only did I not have any aches and pains, I felt like I hadn’t even ran!  My ankle didn’t even hurt!

I just had to stop for a minute and marvel and appreciate how wonderful our bodies are made. They know what to do.  My body can do this- I can do this.  I feel 20 years younger running this way!  The only thing I noticed later was one of my calves was just a little sore, but not in a bad way, just in a way like when you have a good work out and you feel it has been stretched a bit.  By the next day, that bit of soreness was gone.

So it was good I didn’t just abandon my training plan of “slow and steady” as my calf really would have suffered.  Before all this, I would have. I would have thought it would have made me stronger, and tougher.

I’m learning, sometimes taking it slow and respecting your body- that makes you stronger and tougher. It’s easy to just push your body to the max at times.  It takes patience, discipline, and mental forethought to respect your body and push it yes, but not punish it.

Just like the hawk I saw soaring. They don’t suffer through flying, really no animal in nature does.  A cheetah, doesn’t suffer through a run. A dolphin doesn’t suffer through swimming among the waves. A dog doesn’t suffer chasing its ball or tail- it effortless, and probably why humans love animals so much, because we recognize that pure joy in them. Shouldn’t we be able to do that too? Not focusing on results, but just on the pure joy we get from an activity we love?

I think we have lost some of those feelings in our society today. It’s more about results and winning versus the joy and fun in just doing something you love.

Many times I did push myself too far. I wanted to be good, I wanted to be fast. I wanted to beat my own times.  But I failed to see, by training this way, I wasn’t trusting the process- I wasn’t training and letting my body accumulate. It was “all or nothing” with me, and I paid the price with constant injuries and pain.

Running shouldn’t hurt.  No activity should.  It should be fun and your body should feel good after it- not like it aged you 20 years.

I’m learning the joy for me now isn’t beating my last time, but letting my body just run- and it is.  It’s been amazing.

I was happy to see when I downloaded my stats, my best pace for this run was 7 minutes. I’ve not disabled the timing on my Garmin. I do like seeing it after the run, but not during.  I don’t even see the pace I’m running during the run, only after.  I could NEVER run a 7 minute pace (I didn’t run that the entire run- it was just my fastest pacing) for any distance over 5 miles, and not have pain the next few days.

So I’m seeing the progress.  I started out thinking if I could run 5 miles this way, I’m on my way to running a marathon for real.  I just did that.  Next stop: 10 miles, injury free.  But for now, I’m savoring the 5 miles.  In some ways I wasn’t even sure if I could ever run 5 miles again and not have an injury or pain, but I just proved to myself I could.  I’m respecting my body and running and it is respecting me.  It is all flowing!

A marathon is 26.2 miles.  I just did 5.06 easy and injury free miles.  Only 21.14 miles to go!

(Note: While I was designing Running Free Blog, I was writing blog posts too as I started this process, but had no place to post them.  So for a while the blog posts will be a few weeks “retro,” until I run out of content and start writing “live” every week. This post was written August 28th.)