I was quick to regret my shoe choice. I had to run most of the 4km route with a large pebble sized, hollow, impression in my right heel but at least it encouraged me to run up on my toes.

When I arrived at the village I slowed down to a nonchalant saunter hoping I could cool off and not look like a crazy dying thing in front if the locals. The air in the little shop was furnace like. I stepped in and immediately a gallon of sweat made it’s escape from my body. My hands were dripping as I selected the tomatoes.

After the tomatoes my purchases went downhill a bit. I was scavenging for breakfast but couldn’t find eggs, yoghurt or cheese. In the end I came back with the heaviest products on offer – home made honey, a bag of flour and a bottle of dubious looking brown liquid.

I’m hoping it’s the famed Cretan wine and not some DIY plant fertiliser. I’ll have to wait til lunchtime to find out.

Now to bake some honey bread…..

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

I don’t recommend late night, barefoot runs on rainy nights. For one thing the gravel sticks more persistently but more importantly the damp attracts soft squishy critters with hard shells and the darkness means you can’t see them.

You can feel them squelching between your toes though.

I ridded myself of the slime after 330m and put the mocassins back on for the remaining 2 miles.

Not that it worked very well, we hopped and squealed almost evenly.

So marked the start of our true barefoot experience.

I’ve been trying out the minimal footwear such as Vibram Five Fingers and Soft Star RunAmoc for a few weeks but yesterday I was inspired to try running completely unshod. I had been listening to the rather excellent Living Barefoot Podcast which featured an interview with Michael Sandler. Michael is a hugely enthusiastic barefoot runner with a fantastic story to tell. I’ve heard other barefoot officianados’ say that you should really start barefoot before transitioning to a minimal shoe but that just sounded counter intuitive to me. Michael spoke at length in the interview and was incredibly infectious, so much so that today I managed to persuade Lynn to venture out of the door clutching our shoes in our hands.

We ran tentatively but were definitely up on our toes. With gritty tarmac roads for our debut attempt we wanted to ensure that our feet had only the tiniest contact with the ground. I was the slowest to become accustomed to the feeling but I developed a rhythm of two steps followed by a medial swipe down my inside leg – to dislodge embedded gravel.

We made it 300m before deciding enough was enough and we finished the rest of the mile – me in my RunAmocs and Lynn in my Nike Frees.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

Apart from a brief interlude where I had to review some hiking shoes, the RunAmocs became a bit of a permanent feature – much to Lynn’s disappointment – I’m not sure she approves of my new obsession and it’s associated crusty geography teacher fashion accessories.

My initial thought on the sizing was that perhaps they were too big. There was a very big gap, lets say an inch, between my big toe and the end of the shoe but I’d measured my foot according to the guidelines on the website so decided to try them out. Despite having loads of room in the toe area they didn’t slosh around my foot and felt generally very comfortable.

It’s normally my toes that suffer the most in standard shoes so it was quite a blessing to leave them feeling so free. The roomy toe box creates an obvious point of difference between the feeling of running in the RunAmoc vs the Vibram Five Fingers. Although there is a huge degree of movement available with the Five Fingers, I still feel constrained by the toe compartments while the RunAmocs left me feeling as though I had only a very light drape across the top of my foot.

I ordered the RunAmoc with the slightly thicker sole. At 5mm it is not huge but it is designed to give maximal protection for trail running while still enabling you to feel in-touch with the ground surface.

On Sunday we were running along the Manifold River in Ilam and the tracks varied between limestone paths and root laden trail runs. I was grateful for the protection and managed to run amongst the pebbles without too many exclamations of pain. These soles are thicker than on my Vibram Sprint Five Fingers and were noticeably more comfortable on the rougher surface but I didn’t lose any of the barefoot feel.

As I was running up the limestone steps built into the side of the valley I was aware of my feet bending and hugging the surface. It was a huge contrast to the previous days hike in the solid Merrel Walking Shoes.

Barefoot or minimal running can become almost a spiritual experience where you begin to feel part of the landscape and the track you are running along. It’s a much more involved and gentle way to interact with the trail.

All this barefoot running is reminding me of a trip to Vienna.

At Kunsthauswein I tuned in to the amazing architecture of Hundertwasser and tried to scribble down his writings on the uneven floor.

It seems that Hundertwasser may have been an early adopter of the barfoot movement, this photo shows him wearing a pair of his handmade shoes (summer & winter) – very minimal.

The Uneven Floor

The flat floor is an invention of the architects. It fits engines – not human beings.

People not only have eyes to enjoy the beauty they see and ears to hear melodies and noses to smell nice scents. People also have a sense of touch in their hands and feet.

If modern man is forced to walk on flat asphalt and concrete floors as they were planned thoughtlessly in designers’ offices, estranged from man’s age-old relationship and contact to earth, a crucial part of man withers and dies. This has catastrophic consequences for the soul, the equilibrium, the well being and the health of man. Man forgets how to experience things and becomes emotionally ill.

An uneven and animated floor is the recovery of man’s mental equilibrium, of the dignity of man which has been violated in our levelling, unnatural and hostile urban grid system.

The uneven floor becomes a symphony, a melody for the feet and brings back natural vibrations to man. Architecture should elevate and not subdue man. It is good to walk on uneven floors and regain our human balance.

Hundertwasser, April, 1991

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

I heard about the video after listening to the interview with Christopher McDougall on the Living Barefoot podcast.

Learning the Skill of Barefoot Running from Terra Plana on Vimeo.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

An interest in sport increased my repertoire but even then I managed to live in a pair of Specialized Sonoma cycling shoes throughout my student days.

I blame running.

It must have ticked disturbing boxes in my psyche. I have now commandeered the shoe rack that spans the length of our hall and still have an overspill. I still only have one pair of work shoes but there is a tremendous glut of running shoes and my stockpile is set to increase.

Hiking shoes arrived last week, Nike Free 3.0 trainers yesterday, I’m awaiting stock of a pair of Vibram Five Finger Bilkilas and my Soft Star Run Amoc moccasins are slowly winging their way across the Atlantic as we speak. We have a romantic weekend booked away and my only packing demand after spare pants was a selection of running shoes. I may have to hunt out an appropriate 12 step program when we get back.

In the mean time, here are my thoughts on the Nike Free 3.0

I’ve pinned a lot of hopes on minimal running shoes and expect them to revolutionise my mornings and long runs by removing the crippling pains of plantar fasciitis. With this in mind I’ve been diligently introducing Vibram Five Finger runs in to my schedule but reverting to my standard shoe for long runs.

My standard shoe is a heavy duty, cushioned, supported, mega structure so I started looking around for a suitable transition shoe. RunBlogger provided me with some much appreciated advice and Donald from Running and Rambling has written an excellent overview of the options.

Hence the arrival of the Nike Free 3.0

It’s not a truly barefoot experience or even an almost-barefoot-best-described-as-minimal experience but its half way there and a half-way house was just what I needed.

The shoe is incredibly flexible, in fact you want to pick it up and mould it like playdoh. It has a peculiarly innovative sole, made up of little cubes of rubber that enable it to flex freely, this way and that.

We were at Waterloo Station last night picking up one of the kids of Railway Children fame. We were waiting patiently on the platform when I leapt up onto my toes and declared: “Tadaaaa….bet you can’t do that!”

Well it seems they all could but I maintain that it means something that I was the only one who felt suitably empowered by my footwear to display such idiocy in public.

These are flexible shoes.

The uppers are fairly minimal, a little padding around the ankle but in the main these are made of a lightweight waffle fabric. I’m used to shoes with rigid plates in the heel and all this floppiness comes as a bit of a shock. It makes for an incredibly comfortable shoe though. Regardless of your views of Nike and the position of the Free 3.0 on the barefoot-standard shoe scale, you can’t deny that the word on the block is “comfort”.

We went for quick midnight run when we got back from the station and it was such a joy. It was only a short so I need to test this further with a weekend long run but the first impressions were great. No pain from my feet at all. When I wear standard shoes I get the impression that my second toe nail is being ripped from its bed but there was no discomfort at all with the Nike Free 3.0

The run was silent and fast – at least by my standards. The sole felt as though it had a strange stickiness to it but it didn’t seem to hold me back as we knocked a minute off our usual mile pace.

I think I might have found my half marathon shoe.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

For this I am grateful. As a result, every 4 weeks or so, I am prepared to travel 13 miles across SW London for a no nonsense trim.

Today I had plans to combine my coiffeur with a mammoth run home along the Capital Ring from Richmond Bridge to Streatham Common, about 15 miles worth of green trail running.

Not having run more than 10k for at least a year this was probably an unrealistic goal and the moment I walked away from the salons air conditioning and into the furnace of downtown Mortlake I decided there was no need to extend the challenge by heading to Richmond first – I could just pick up the Capital Ring trail around Pen Ponds.

By the time I crossed Richmond Common and arrived at the toilets by Robin Hood Gate I looked a sight. My face was beetroot and the sweat and hair gel had turned my eyes equally crimson. I scared a Japanese lady coming out of the cubicle and then shocked myself when I caught a glimpse in the mirror. I wasted about 15mins trying to cool off in the drinks fountain, re-filled my bottle and set off in search of the Capital Ring signs.

Sign posts are usually excellent for the Capital Ring and I had chosen to run without a map. I didn’t see any at all in Richmond Park and it wasn’t marked on their information points but they appeared again as I left the gate and continued regularly throughout Wimbledon Common.

Wimbledon Common has to be one of the best places to run if you’re foolish enough to head out under the mid-day sun. There is so much tree cover and the dappled shade provides such a relief.

It’s a shame my route took me straight across the park, 2k and the shade was gone, as were the capital ring signs.

Life got a little more tetchy from this point. Having missed my sign I ran 1k up the common and then 1k back, then I overshot the turn off point again and ran another 1k in the wrong direction. Knowing I still had Wimbledon Park, Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common and Streatham Common to find I began to lose heart.

I resorted to google maps which didn’t show the Capital Ring but did at least indicate that Wimbledon Park wasn’t too far away. I trogged down a nettle filled snicket that skirted Wimbledon Tennis courts and arrived at the corner of Wimbledon Park only to discover that at least half of the park was sealed off for a private golf course. I was losing the will to live and if I couldn’t get water soon I may well lose the ability to live. Another kilometre was wasted trying to find the entrance to the park.

I’m afraid I fished out my life line and rang the non-runner. I blurted out something rasping and desperate sounding “….no water…..can’t go on…”

Ten minutes later my knight in shining armour arrived with an air conditioned car and bottle of chilled water and a can of refreshing Stella. I drank the Stella and used the cold evian to reduce the inflammation of my throbbing plantar fascia.

I’ve got 4 weeks to build myself up before I get my haircut again.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

Fortunately for me I am spoilt, and my good lady wife didn’t listen to my moans for long before coming home with a beautiful orange gift – the Garmin Forerunner 310XT.

The Forerunner 310XT has been the long awaited upgrade to the Forerunner 305. The Forerunner 405 (reviewed here) let us down with it’s silly bevel features that went haywire at the first hint of moisture, so the Forerunner 310XT marks a back to basics approach, stick with the tried, tested and much loved functionality of the 305 but add the long called for water resistance that should mark this as the triathletes choice.

Not of course that I can call myself a triathlete having done only one sprint event about 3 whole years ago. I am occasionally known to dabble in open water swimming though, or at least I have done twice, but I don’t think one should limit oneself, who knows when I may decide to pull on the wetsuit and explore the local waterways.

So the biggest change between the Forerunner 305 and the Forerunner 310XT is that Garmin have made the 310XT waterproof and therefore suitable for the swim. Having looked into the watches swim capabilities though I think I understand why Garmin took their time to introduce the feature and make a truly triathlon oriented GPS watch.

This review of the Garmin Forerunner 310XT is continued on warriorwomen running blog.

I’ve had a long standing fondness for the Capital Ring, and here it is again, only a couple of kilometres from my doorstep.

We kitted up and then headed off on our adventure, leaving the water bottles behind.

I was listening to a podcast on the evolution of running and David Attenborough was describing a persistence hunt where the animal was forced to run beyond exhaustion, unable to take on water or recover under shade as he was pursued.

I felt like that. I was frothing at the mouth and begging for water.

I’ve been to Streatham Common a few times and never found it to be too inspiring but the capital ring had us approaching it from Norbury Grove. The top part of the common is wooded and has a fantastic view. It also has a glut of water fountains. I do think water fountains are terribly civilised, Richmond Park would be improved by the addition of a few.

We took in a loop around the Rookery before heading down through the Common and back on to the streets for a while to approach Tooting Bec Common.

The non-runner had only intended to stick with me for 5k but she held on for nearly 8 before settling down on a shady log and waited for me to trog around another loop of the common.

I loved this run, it gave me a greater appreciation of the place I live now, and I’m happy to see that I have some great running locations. It’s a shame they are so hilly though.

When we eventually got home, we both collapsed, a sofa a-piece, and remained there for a good hour before either of us stirred. That’s what I call a satisfying run.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.

I’m having to force myself not to throw caution to the wind and make every run an experiment in barefoot or minimalist running. Sensibly I’m following guidance and running 2-3 shortish runs a week in the VFFs and have been taking my long run in my standard shoes which are currently Asics Kayano 15s.

I’ve started to wonder what my end goal is though. I’ve got the Great North Run in two months time – am I hoping to run the half marathon in a pair of minimal shoes?

I think that would probably be a little unwise for me. For one thing it’s only 2 months away and my feet have been accustomed to wearing supportive shoes for decades. I’m also seriously overweight, I’d happily shed 7 stone and probably still qualify as obese which suggests that it might be a bit cruel to my feet to pound out 13 miles without any cushioning at all. Which is not to say that there isn’t a place for minimalist running shoes in my training schedule. I am very happy with the changes my new shoes have made to my running. I am more aware and run with lighter steps and I’m hopefully strengthening the infrastructure of my foot and preparing for a future with less pain.

So that leads me to wonder about the sense in switching between shoes at opposite ends of the structured continuum. Asics Kayanos are big shoes, I used to describe them as feet sized orthopaedic mattresses, I don’t think you can find very much more cushioning in a mainstream running shoe. Perhaps what I need instead is a mildly cushioned shoe for use in transitioning towards more minimalist running.

That of course leads me to wonder what that shoe would look like. I’m toying with the Nike free 3.0 which RunBlogger has admirably reviewed and described as a transitional shoe. My other option is to try the Newton Running Guidance shoe. A shoe designed with pose or chi running methods in mind and structurally designed to encourage forefoot striking.

I’m in two minds but think that perhaps the Newtons may be a step too far, introducing yet another style may not be ideal at this stage in my half marathon training, and besides the Nike Free is much cheaper.

Reviews will follow.

Originally published on my warriorwomen blog.