I Am A Runner!

Posted on October 15, 2012 by jlgentry

Today, I am RUNNER! Yes, I have been posting this series of columns on running for about a year, but until this weekend, I was working to regain my status using a minimalist style. I am there.

Just a year ago I read Born to Run by Chirstopher McDougall and decided to give minimalist running a try. Those of you who have followed and read know that making that change after 40 years running in technical shoes is not a simple adjustment. Compounding that was my own impatience at a few points along the way.

It has been a step function of progress with quick growth followed by plateaus of stabilization. I have discovered many things about style and technique as well as myself over this past year. More than that I have made some great virtual friends who share the running passion and who have offered encouragement and incentive. Many of them don’t even know it, but that is how those things work.

So, why today? Why this point in time to declare that I am a runner?

It is the day after the day after. You all know what I mean. The real pain of a long run isn’t felt until the day after the day after. This Saturday, October 13, I ran the ING Hartford Marathon.

It was the longest run I’ve made in minimalist style by almost a factor of two. The timing of the race didn’t allow me to use a typical prep schedule. I gave my physical conditioning in minimalist precedence over the mileage and concentrated on staying healthy. To compensate the lack of mileage I did more hill and interval work more frequently.

The morning of the race was cold – about 38F at the start. I dress for the “second mile”, so I had my shorts, a compression top and a long sleeve jersey and my minimalist shoes. Because of an ill timed blister I couldn’t wear my Luna Sandals, so I opted for a pair of NB Minimus shoes that I have been using on trail runs. Use shoes that you have run in even if they aren’t the perfect match for the course. It took a bit more than the second mile to warm up, but the day was sunny and not much wind to speak of.

It is a beautiful course. Starting in downtown in a large park we set off along a series of pathways along the Hartford River. Rolling hills provided views of the river, oarsmen, trees turning color in the early fall, and the tall buildings of Hartford. It would have been a perfect venue for a stroll, but me and the 17,000 other runners weren’t in a stroll kind of mood.

Breaking out of the city we spent the majority of the race running through the surrounding residential area of Hartford. Streets lined with tall trees and a relatively flat grade. It was a wonderful place to be as the air warmed up. I felt good as I approached the turnaround at mile 15 or so. But, having done a couple of marathons before, I knew the real challenge was at mile 20 and beyond.

I loved watching the elite runners heading past us before I hit the turnaround. It was in their eyes. None of them were looking around, just down the road at their goal. The focus and natural movement was awe inspiring. I will never be fast, but I want to be that smooth.

At mile twenty I felt the depression start to set in. I had been drinking at must about every water station and munching a Cliff bar and some raisins as I ran to help payback the 2860 calories my app said I burnt. I started to doubt myself. My feet were feeling the pain. I was in uncharted territory. Those puppies had only been subjected to 15 miles at the most during my regeneration as a runner. Concentrating on form was taking all the mental energy I had. Well, not really. A lot of my mind was focused on living inside the pain. Not my legs but my feet. Remember, minimalist shoes offer no cushion and I hadn’t had time to build up the stamina.

When I hit mile 22 I had to stop while I opened up a ziplock baggie with raisins in it. My fingers were so cold and stiff they couldn’t grip the plastic while I ran. Even standing I spent 20 seconds or so trying to get the damn thing open. I started to worry that I’d freeze up. Finally, a clump in my mouth and a second in my hand I zipped it up, tucked it in my waistband and started up again, another cup of water to help.

And it felt okay.

Mile 24 and I knew I was home. I was letting the aches and pains of my body flow through me, remembering the words of Scott Jurek – “Dig Deep”. He inscribed those words into my copy of Eat & Run. I also knew that mile 25 held the last climb of the race. A curving path up an entry ramp then over an overpass. It gains about 75 feet in a half mile or so. The perfect thing to do after 25 miles! I hit the climb with a smile on my face. I felt enough reserve to be able to power up the beast and enter the downtown area with less than a mile left powered by the cheers of the crowd.

At the end there is a sharp left turn to reveal the arch tower that is a monument of Hartford. The race finishes under the beauty and power of those arches. Legs enriched by the sight of the end find strength and move to the finish.

Water, food and some beer from Harpoon brewery made the end of the race comfortable, although I was stiff as hell. Then a long drive back home. a warm shower, and spending some time with the family.

That evening I paid attention to the aches and pains. Hydrating continued as well as munching on fruits. Dinner was pizza and beer, which is always on my training table.

Sunday found me with soar ankles and feet. That I kind of expected, but I also had a little tenderness in my knees. I didn’t worry about it, but didn’t push it either.

Then I noticed that I could walk up and down stairs without any tightness in my thighs. In previous marathons the thighs had taken a toll and I had to walk down stairs backwards as a result. I kept in motion the whole day. Fish for dinner after a smoothie for lunch and an afternoon of working in the yard and garage.

Now, here I am on Monday morning and I feel normal. I have no real pain in my legs or feet. I am amazed. I had almost dreaded getting up this morning because the day after the day after is always a deeper lingering pain. None. Nada. I walked down the stairs to my home office and a cup of coffee and I am normal.

It is the minimal style. It is body friendly. I know that now. And that is after running 26 miles in 3:56:30 – my second best ever – without the mileage I really should have logged. It tells me that this was the right choice to make and I am no longer wondering if there is a gottcha at the end of the minimalist conversion. Well, there is. The gottcha is the you want to run longer than 26.2!

I have completed a full marathon, running in minimalist form for the duration. I didn’t just survive, I ran. I finished in a time I never expected. Yes, the transition is complete.

Today I am a Runner! Run Free. Dig Deep

Tools of the Trade

Posted on September 15, 2012 by jlgentry

I’ve been trying out some new running tools and want to give you an update. I’ll start with shoes/sandals and go into some other areas in future posts.

I’m not getting paid for any promotions here and these have all been purchased with money from my own pocket. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy to get some product to test, but I just wanted you to know. Because of that, I have not made an exhaustive sampling of products, but am telling you about what is or isn’t working for me.

The Sandals

I’ve been wearing Luna Sandals for over 9 months now. They are my go-to running footwear.

The photo flash washes out the deep color, but you can see how the suede conforms to your foot after a while. I have also worn them as regular sandals through the summer. Once you get the tension on the straps set right they become second nature on your feet. I was never much of a sandal wearer because the always seemed so bulky and uncomfortable. These are great.

I use the ATS strap version. My older pair has the elasticized straps, which are nice, but ATS seem to stay in place a bit better. Over time I’ve trimmed them down to be a bit more custom to my foot. I wear an 8D in regular shoes and these are size 8, so they fit to size for men’s shoes.

I have several hundred miles logged on these (probably 400 or more) and the soles and straps don’t show any major wear. Yes, they are wearing, but I can easily see another 500+ miles in them. That is a lot longer than I ever got with regular running shoes. Since minimalist design doesn’t have cushioning to worry about, you can run the shoes until they literally wear out.

I would suggest anyone wanting to go minimal get a pair of sandals (there are a number of good options out there). They take a little getting used to, but tie back to man’s first effort at foot covering, so our feet actually feel normal in them. I love not having my toes rub against a shoe box. The downside is that you will build up a callous where the strap goes between your toes. In running, there is always a price to pay.

You will also find that every little pebble or sharp edge is transferred to your foot bottom. That is important because it is that sensitivity that immediately makes you run lighter. Listen to your body and adjust your knee bend and cadence and stride and you will feel an immediate change in how the foot fall feels. THAT is the key difference between sandals and running shoes. The amount of dampening in sandals is almost nothing. That encourages good form.

Minimal Shoes

I have started to run some more trails. Around here they are strewn with sharp edged rocks and boulders or all shapes and sizes. I attribute it to this area having been at the tail end of ice age glaciers. We have a lot of stones and rocks! My sandals tend to shift a little too much on these ankle twisting routes, so I looked around for some minimalist, trail specific shoes.

Trail Shoes

The New Balance Minimus10′s came to the top of the list when I ran in them at Road Runner Sports. They are light, have a toe box that was comfortable for me and a slight heel lift (4mm). For some reason I wanted a bit of a heel in my trail shoes.

After logging my first trail in them as part of a 9 mile run, I was quite happy. I still felt the rocks and stones, but they were a bit dampened compared to sandals. It is a slight difference, but there is a difference. You want to have the feel. I also noticed that after any run I did in these, my achilles tendons felt pretty normal. That is the last physical adjustment my feet and legs are making. The 4mm lift seems to make it easier. They also help grip the rocks and wet areas nicely.

One note. I do find that I run about 15-25 seconds faster per mile in these compared to sandals. I’ve concentrated on my form to make sure I’m still on. It must be the dampening. I’ll see how that plays out over time as I start to do more speed work in sandals.

Minimal Shoes

One of my first minimal shoes were from Stem Footwear. They have since changed their name to Leming Footwear, but the shoes are the same. These are not running shoes, per se, but I have logged running miles in them. They are very comfortable walking and general footwear shoes. They look good, wear nicely and just feel easy. The soles are very responsive and flexible, so they will naturally help you strengthen your feet.

The Lemings are made of natural fibers with a flexible sole. You can throw them in the wash (air dry, do not put in the dryer) and it refreshes them. The insides are nice enough to wear without socks although I wear socks for longer runs. For trail runs they don’t give much buffer. They are on par with the sandals for road feel. Maybe when my feet have adapted more to that experience I’ll be able to use these. They are also zero lift, so absolute minimal.

Socks

I’ve used running socks for a long time. I like socks that are just at ankle height, but that is personal preference. Since I transitioned to minimal, I’ve wanted less wrapping on my feet and have found that regular socks are too constricting in the toes. I used to crave the containment, but no longer.

When I do wear socks for distance running I wear ToeSox. It took me a little while to get good at putting them on. It is easier than putting on FiveFingers! The great thing is they can be worn with shoes or sandals. Admittedly, walking around in them while wearing sandals does look a little like you should be retired in Florida. They do a great job of adding warmth on cool days and for added protection on more wet venues. I like the lightweight ones. They make a series with a non-slip sole that are great for when I do TRX, P90x or yoga strength training.

Isn’t this a much better photo than my feet in a pair? There are several manufacturers of these type of socks. I have only tried ToeSox and liked them from the start, so haven’t felt the need to experiment.

So there you have it. I’ll get into hydration options and phone apps I can’t live without in the next couple of posts.

The bottom line is that anything you use should enhance your running experience. These are what have made it fun for me. Always listen to your feet and legs, not what is in the popular press. It really is all about the form, not the footwear.

Until then, Dig Deep, Run Free, Have Fun!

Sixty on Sixty

Posted on July 29, 2012 by jlgentry

I’ve been thinking about this next challenge for a while and decided it was time to put it out there and commit. Let me get right to the point.

On June 23, 2013 I will turn 60. That day I will run 60 miles in celebration of life in general. I am calling the event 60 on 60. My planning is still in its infancy, but I have about 11 months to go and I will need most of that to get ready.

Here are the weapons of choice. They may be modified and updated as time goes on, but these are the go to items.

Why?

There are a number of reasons, but first is that I want to run an ultramarathon next year. It has been part of my goal ever since I transitioned to minimalist style. I’ve run two marathons and have another planned in October of this year. After reading so much about the human as distance runner, I decided that I wanted to see just how far I can go. It is as much about curiosity as it is about running. Curiosity about the pain and running through it.

The second reason is that I want to give something back. I’ve never been big at running for donations, although I often contribute to those who do so. It is time to change that. I will be doing this on behalf of The Hole in the Wall Gang. This organization was started by Paul Newman and is dedicated to giving kids with debilitating and life threatening diseases some time to just be kids. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my ability to run than to support helping kids have fun.

Why a Year Away?

I has taken me about 9 months to get to a feel of comfort in minimalist form. Not just the running form, but the muscles relaxed and adapted so that I can run in the double digits in comfort. Remember, I’ve been running since 1967 when I was a freshman in high school. For those first years it was in flats and basketball shoes, then I converted to elevated, heel cushioned, high tech shoes and ran in those for 30+ years. My muscles need time to adapt and I figure it will take about another 9 months to really get there. Once that happens, I’ll be staged to make the big run.

What do you need from us?

See how I cleverly got you volunteered! Sure, I would definitely appreciate any donations to the cause. I am working with the Hole in the Wall organization to set up a website. Since it is a year away, I’ll be reminding people more after the new tax year, but I wanted to put a stake in the ground now.

Donations are only part of it.

I want you to run with me. Make it a virtual run. I’ve started to outline some rules and will formalize them and post them as part of this blog. Here are some of the key rules for right now:

1) Have Fun. This is not a workout or a race. The run on this day can be as fast as you want, but has to be done with a light heart and a smile. I want you all to celebrate the fact that you can run. Remember what it was like to be a kid and just take off and have fun? Do something unusual. Drag your kids along with you and re-discover how to have fun with them. Exercise, but enjoy it.

2) Keep to the Numbers. 6-23 is my birth date. All of your runs should be a distance that is related to 6, 2,or 3. You can run 6 miles, .2 miles, .3 kilometers, 300 feet, or 18 miles (3 times 6). Plot it out. Try something new. Make it as hard or easy as you want, but keep rule #1 in play at all times.

3) Carpe Diem. The weather in New England can be pretty fickle that time of year. I will run the 60 miles in one 24 hour day, but it may not actually be on 6/23 because of weather. I will finalize the day a week or so ahead of the run. I’m looking for lower heat and humidity. This is not part of an organized run, so I have the luxury of being able to adjust as needed. It would be great if you could all hit your run on the same day, but I understand how life can be. You have plus or minus 1 week to be able to meet your commitment. I am going to set up a chart for you to register in and we can track the number of miles that get run that day.

4) Test Yourself. I am realizing that our bodies can take a lot more than we think. There are some trains of thought that think we lose health benefits if we don’t task ourselves. We evolved to work hard. It was all survival. That work included distance running. Use this as a chance to do something you haven’t tried to do. I’m not asking anyone to do go off the deep end. Have a serious look inside and set a goal that might be a stretch for you. Keep it to yourself or broadcast it here, but find your inner runner. BUT, have fun while you do it. I’d rather you back off and enjoy than stretch and hate every step.

5) Beer. Yes, beer is good food and in keeping with the celebratory mode I will drink a six pack during the run. It will have good carbs and the alcohol will burn off in a few minutes of running. I’ll probably need the anesthetic effect by mile 40 anyway!

More to Come

I have a number of tasks and todo’s that I am working on. A good friend has offered to help me come up with a logo. I’ll use that to create badges for your web pages if you commit to the fun run.

In the town I live, there are a number of loops I will run. There are 3, 6 and 18 miles versions, and some others that I will have to manage. I’m not going to be anal about the exact mileage of a loop, but they will be close to the 2, 3, 6 format. I may throw in some trails, but most of my routes are on road surfaces. My home will be the anchor so I can eat and refresh between loops.

Web pages, twitter accounts, FB pages. All of that will be coming. It’s just me doing this, which is how I want it, but it will take a while. I do have a day job and I need to keep u with my writing.

Speaking of writing. One of the reasons I am making this announcement now is that I signed up with Booktrope to publish my current book, SYN:FIN, and its follow on novel, that is in first edit. Booktrope focuses on indie authors and has developed a unique business model that will be the future of publication. I am honored and excited about the opportunity to be part of the Booktrope team.

When I thought of doing this run I told myself that if I got the contract with Booktrope, then I would make the announcement. Well, I can’t back out now. That is also one go the other reasons for making the announcement now. There is no backing out.

Going forward this journal will still cover my ongoing transition and discovery. I will also add updates on the 60 on 60.

Thanks, in advance, for your fantastic support and commitment.

Run always! Run free!

It’s all in the Mud

Posted on May 28, 2012 by jlgentry

I just got back from a six miler. It felt good, but I was tight. You know, like maybe the muscles needed some rest. My mileage the last couple of months hasn’t been too heavy, but I’ve been on the road for several weeks on business during that time. I think the travel and sitting in airplanes for five plus hours at a time kind of got to me.

I’m not complaining, though. My travels took me to San Diego and I was able to log morning runs before work most days. One particular run came to mind as I was stopped to look at a nice view on my run today. Let me tell you about it.

I woke up in the hotel room to discover that a soft, soaking rain had graced the San Diego valley overnight. The street surfaces were wet and shiny. Still dark and with no coffee in the room I walked over to a convenience store to get my caffeine fix. I filled up a tall coffee and felt the air temperature in anticipation of just how much to wear for the run. Just before sunrise I made my way out along the road at a slow pace to warm up. There was a trailhead about a half mile away that the woman at the front desk told me about. I had run the trail the day before and enjoyed being out of traffic and closer to the natural beauty of the area. There were two paths running parallel along the trail, one was a paved bike path the other crushed granite that was muddy in areas along with puddles from the rain.

As I hit the trail the sun rose and gave the path a brownish-orange glow. The granite surface had a wet stickiness and muddy sections were hard to discern in the early sunrise since the glow of sunrise and the color of the mud were of the same hue. Along the way I waved to other runners, walkers and cyclists. Part of enjoying a run is being friendly. It is clearly an unusual activity in San Diego since most of my fellow movers along the path seemed startled to be waved to. They all responded, but the return smile was often a fraction behind their recognition of my salutation. That’s a sorry state for the oldest sport known to man. And a topic for a post at another time.

Today I want to talk about form. I learned a lot on that trail following that muddy sunrise.

Tred Light

Out on the trail I decided to take a detour. It was one of those “paths less taken” moments. There was a branch off of the trail that had a gate that was very easy to go around since there was no fence. It was a steeper and muddier trail. Much more inviting and clearly no one had been there since the rain. I don’t know how long the path ran, probably less than a mile judging by the time it took me to get to a dead end.

Running took some concentration to keep the correct form while trying not to slip and slide. I used a trick I learned in cycling. I looked where I wanted to go – about 10-15 yards ahead – not where my feet were moving. Your brain is really good at carving the path you envision. The corollary is to look at where you want to land, not at what you are trying to avoid. It is actually easier than it sounds. And very dependable. Trust yourself.

At the very end of the trail there was a nice rise and it got pretty sloppy. So much so that even the sides of the trail were pretty mucky. I stopped and turned around to take in the sights. The sun was up full now, warming the branches of the trees and bushes, the scent of waking flora filling the air. I took out my iPhone wanting to capture the visual and noticed my footprint in a puddle of mud. I walked over to it and snapped a shot while I smiled and whatever hormones that make you happy flowed into my blood and stimulated my neural networks.

I was smiling because of the shape of the footprint. Minimal style is all about treading light and easy. Two things about the imprint hit me right up front.

First, it is a balanced impression. At least it looks that way to me. You can see the arch of my foot clearly and the forefoot has an even pressure to its impression. The heel is not as deep as the forefoot, which is good.

When I ran in regular shoes I was a heel striker. Muddy imprints then always had very little forefoot impression and I ran on the outsides of my shoes. It was amazing to see how the outer edges of my shoes wore out first. In my Luna sandals, the impression in the sand looks very much like a stamp pad impression, kind of like on a birth certificate. It also says that the huarachis are very much contoured to my feet and have great flexibility. A nice even imprint in mud. How cool. Then I saw the second thing.

Notice that there isn’t a cluster of mud kicked up at the heel. It is as if the foot was set in the mud and then lifted right out, like they would do with a movie star at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. And that is exactly what it means. A light touch. No pushing off with the forefoot like you do when you are shodden. You step and lift. The desire is to minimize the amount of time your foot stays in contact with the ground.

To keep the minimum contact you have to run light. You have to run easy. You need to be smooth. You focus on your body moving forward, not up and down. Lift your knees, don’t push off with your foot. If you concentrate on how your feet hit the ground you’ll get all fuddled up. Just let you foot fall naturally while you just think of lifting your knees right after each pace. Not high, like in a marching band, but enough to let your forward momentum give you speed. That is also one of the reasons your cadence is up in the 180 or higher range, Quick, light steps. Don’t push off, just lift up. With your body in straight posture you’ll have a natural forward momentum. Just let it roll.

All along the route back to the gate I saw imprints of my running. All of them looked that way. Even in the slippery mud. If your touching down light, there isn’t time to slip. It was just a great feeling to have my form confirmed in such an clear way.

I’m not 100% yet. I still have aches in my ankles and calves. It takes about a mile of running to loosen them up and then I am good to go and enjoy myself. The muscles are still adapting, but I’m in the gaining stage.

How are you all adapting? Are you feeling the strength develop? Do you feel more comfortable in the form? Are you wrestling with some issues? I’d love to hear, good or bad.

Mid-course Checkpoint

Posted on February 18, 2012 by jlgentry

When I first decided to transform my running to a more natural style, I moaned that I had timed the work right as winter started to rear its head. In late October, when I made the commitment, we had a huge, wet snowstorm that left us without power for 7.5 days.

Early Snow

I looked for the positive in the timing and figured that the cold weather would be a governor to keep me from running too far while my feet and legs adapted after forty years in running shoes. It looked like another winter where I’d be doing a lot of aerobic shoveling.

Well, since then we have had a whopping eight inches of snow, total, and temperatures have been the most mild I remember in January and February in New England.

There’s good and bad to that. Twice I’ve over extended myself despite knowing better. And twice I’ve had to let my body recover.

Then it happened.

On Sunday January 29, 2012 I hit a runner’s plateau. You know what I mean. That point in your training where something changes and you know you’ve stepped it up a notch.
On that Sunday I ran a four miler and it felt normal. There were no twitches in foot muscles. There were hot spots on my feet. My calves felt normal. The tops of my feet didn’t have that last bit of soarness that I had been listening to for about two weeks.

Unless you’ve been there, you may not understand. The signal was that I could start to build up now. Slow, progressive mileage. Since that run I’ve added a mile a week and just finished a 7.5M run this past Sunday and everything feels great.

It was frustrating for me to hear about people who just started to run in natural style and never looked back. I was ready to actually start to develop my running. My feet were going to support me now. It had taken longer than I had expected. I guess I had the legacy of decades in running shoes to overcome. My foot muscles had plenty of time to atrophy during that time. Yes, the reconditioning took longer but, it has happened.

You know what else I’ve noticed? Well, a few of things.

First, I find myself walking barefoot a lot. Even strolling out onto the deck during twenty degree weather. In some ways my feet are more sensitive and responsive and in others they seem more tolerant. I’ve grown accustomed to the sensation.

Second, I can stand on one foot for a much longer period of time. Just a few months ago if I put on a sock while standing I usually needed to lean against a wall or door jamb to keep my balance. Now, I go free form and can stay on a single foot for minutes without an issue. I also feel the strength in my forefoot and arches. Especially when going up or down stairs. It is amazing how that bit of strength informs the rest of my leg muscles and posture. Good posture makes me feel confident. That makes me smile. Its all a good thing.

Third, my bare feet in sandals can take a pretty cold temperature outside, as long as it is dry. I wear my Luna Sandals solo in temperatures of 30 degrees or higher. Sure, the first bit is cold, but less than half a mile into the run the blood circulation equalizes everything. This is true for shorter runs. Much more than 5-6 miles and the feet do start to get cold, so be careful. It may have been a mild winter, but it has had its moments.

On those cold days I either put on a pair of Toesox or I wear my Stem Primal Origins.

Fourth, and this is probably pure ego, but my calves look better. The muscles seem more elongated than before and I’d swear that the muscle is bigger even at rest. It could just be the amount of running at this time of year. I never did a before and after measurement, but I think barefoot running has changed the shape of the muscle. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Fifth, I don’t feel tapped at the end of a run. When I was in the early season running wearing running shoes I would always feel my whole body kind of worn when I increased mileage. Kind of the general, worn out feeling like just before you come down with a cold. Well, each time I have upped my mileage in minimal shoes I have only felt any tenderness in the muscles of my feet or calves. As I am writing this I just completed a 4.9 mile run and feel like I could go back out and do it again.

I waited a few weeks to file this update because I wanted to get several runs and more mileage under my feet to see if the comfort continued. It has. A couple of times I ran twice a day to get mileage (3 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon). I’m doing hills with more consistent form. I’m running more comfortably and not thinking about my form constatnly. One of the big indicators for me is that my mind is beginning to get into its meditational mode on my runs again. I love it because that is when I work out all of the issues facing me. Too bad not everyone agrees with what I’ve worked out, but that is their problem.

The next plateau is in my sights. I have a half-marathon scheduled for April 1st. I’m not looking for a fast time. To finish feeling comfortable and like I can run more is my goal.

Everything I have said about keeping form is still holding true. I’ll do a tune up on that in my next entry. Until then, I’ll leave you with the famous quote from Jack Kirk, the Dipsea Demon:

You don’t stop running because you get old. You get old because you stop running.

What are those on your feet?

Posted on January 26, 2012 by jlgentry

When I committed to minimalist/barefoot running I didn’t realize that footwear would be such a big deal. I actually thought the transition would save me some money and not be as agonizing as finding the right pair of traditional running shoes.

Once again I have been surprised on my journey. The number of minimalist shoes offered to the public has grown by an order of magnitude in just one year. Every major shoe manufacturer has developed or is developing a response to the new craze. It’s great to see the support, but now it is just as hard to figure out what to wear as when I was wearing standard running shoes.

There are some great sites out there, like toesalad.com, with a lot of good reviews. I don’t have the disposable income or the inclination to test and report on a ton of shoes. I find one that works for me and keep with it until it stops working for me.

What is my selection process? It is a two phase approach. Phase One is based on pure instinct and some intrinsic appeal of the shoe. Phase Two is experiential. I get a failure or two and figure out why I don’t like them and try to find something that compensates for that failure.

For Phase Two, here is the selection criteria I came up with:

1) Whatever went on my feet needed to transmit the feel of the road as close to barefoot as possible.
2) My feet needed to feel unhindered by the footwear. That really means no friction spots and no sense of enclosure and room to let my toes splay during normal footfall.
3) They need to be durable enough to take some mileage.
4) They need to be easy to get on and get off.

The selection criteria is simpler in minimal. You aren’t looking for cushion or support. Actually, you are looking for the removal of both of those. It is your posture, stride and form that give you all the cushion you need. Here is what I discovered about minimalist footwear.

A Round Robin of Shoes

Good footwear disappears under and around your feet. You develop a cushioned, garceful run by letting your feet hitting the ground tell you when you are screwing up. Listen to your foot (too many funny lines spawn from that one!) and you’ll get it.

To get to this cosmic realization I have done some trials. Here is what I’ve been through so far:

Running in circles

Let me explain the dress shoes. Last week I went into the City (we all know that means New York City, right?). I got stuck behind a school bus on the way to the local train station and had to run the .3 mile length of the parking lot at the station to get to the train. I know is was .3 mile because when I got back in the evening I measured it. About 200 yards into my train sprint I realized I was running with with barefoot form!

I also show my classic Nike Vermero’s. They aren’t used in minimalist, but I’ve logged so many miles in regular shoes, I feel I have to show a pair. As I proved with my dress shoes, I can run barefoot style with these if I need to.

Socks were the easiest and simplest covering to wear. They do need to be expendable because running on the road with all the sludge makes them pretty gross after a few miles.

A Mile in My Socks

If you’ve been reading this from the start, you know my first minimal shoe were the Vibram 5-Fingers. I call them “monkey shoes” because of how they look when you wear them. I put some good miles on them and took them on the road when I traveled. It took me a bit to figure out how to get them on and off smoothly and I’m still not that good at it. My toes are stiff. That’s probably TMI. BTW, the more you do barefoot the looser those piggies get. Anyway, the 5-fingers lost points on ease of ingress and egress.

Monkey Feet

I tried the Merrell Trail Runners and found them to be stiff. That made me think friction burn so I sent them back before I took them on the road.

Then I bumped into Luna Sandals while searching websites on barefoot running. There was an immediate appeal to me. These were patterned after the huarachis worn for millennium. That was the intrinsic value that caught my eye.

I’ve never been a sandal wearer. For the most part my casual shoes have always been my running shoes. My feet have been trapped for decades.

The Luna’s looked cool. Plus, they had a leather sole on top of a Vibram bottom which gave them a very finished look. The lacing was pretty simple and straight foward to use. I looked at them and thought I could wear these around all summer.

I opted for the easiest of the lacing options and have been putting miles on these puppies ever since. They quickly became molded to my feet and they disappear when I put them on they are so comfortable.

Here’s what I like about sandals.

They don’t hinder my toe splay.
They are comfortable.
They DO NOT flop around like flip flops
The laces DO NOT chafe or bind or rub.

You have to adjust them a little at first to figure out just how tight and what angles for the laces work best for you. What you’ll notice is they don’t need to be as tight as you would tie a shoe. Just a bit snug. That is the same with all the other sandals I have tried.

I had worried that the lace between my toes would be on issue, but after a minute or two I got used to it. Even running down steep hills I don’t feel any pressure or rubbing. The same for the lace as it goes around the heel. I keep it snug, not tight, and have had no issues with heel movement or with flopping.

To round out my collection I have a pair of Bedrock Sandals and a pair of Invisible Shoe Sandals. Both have slightly different souls and lacing, but are basically the same huarachi design. I haven’t put much time in either of them, so I will hold on the evaluation. In both cases, the laces are comfortable.

What the Luna’s have going for them is the way the laces I have selected are attached at the toe to the sole. That is the traditional weak point of the huarachi. The lace starts at the toe and is a knot on the base of the sandal. That knot typically protrudes and will eventually wear through. If you have enough lace you can restring otherwise you need to get replacement lace or new sandals. The guys at Luna have found a way to fuse that knot to the sole so it has a minimal chance of wearing out.

What About the Weather?

As you know, I live in New England. I have had a fortunate run of weather so I am able to keep some outdoor mileage going when I would normally be getting my cardio work from shoveling snow.

In the early part of the fall, I got a pair of Toesox and ran with them and my Luna’s. That was great for cold weather even down to the low 20′s.

Maybe These are Monkey Feet

The only trouble with this combination is when it is very wet outside. Not so much rain, but slushy snow and icy puddles.

I started looking around for a very flexilble minimalist shoe and found two of them. The one in the picture are a pair of Stem Footwear Primal Origins. They are about the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn, period. They are also a totally flat shoe, meaning no heel rise, and so flexible you can roll them into a ball.

It was cold when I took the shot, so I had socks on, but I usually wear this without socks. I will say that the sole is very responsive and when I do run in them I feel all the texture of the surface of the road. They are so comfortable, I wear them most of the time now instead of old running shoes.

The other shoes I am eyeing are Kigo Drives. They have a similar look to the Stems, but a slightly different sole. Haven’t gotten a pair, but may try them out when I am ready to rotate.

In none of the cases have I had the shoes or sandals long enough to give feedback on durability and mileage. That will be something to report later this year.

For the time being, I am enjoying the running weather while I can and keeping my mileage in the 3-6 mile range for the next month or so. The reason is to give my feet some time to adjust. Remember, I’ve been in shoes for over forty years, so my foot muscles are going to take a little time to loosen up. They feel good now and I’ll start doing speed work and hill repeats this week, but still in the 6 or less miles. Come March I will start to ramp up slowly since I signed up for a half-marathon on April 1st – no joke!

Next up – You eat what?

The UP’s and Down’s of Barefoot

Posted on January 7, 2012 by jlgentry

Let me start with my mantra for anyone transitioning to minimal or barefoot from shod running. Be Patient. Let your all important feet adjust and build strength. The distances and speed will come. Along with that big freakin’ smile ’cause you feel so good on the road.

I live in a hilly area. As a matter of fact, there is one particular hill about .4 of a mile from my home. It is not too long, but steep. I can put it at the beginning and/or end of a run. I have a number of routes that I take that get me anywhere from 1 mile to 20+ miles and I can end them on this hill or on an easier access. The pictures don’t show the angle very well, but it is over 10% grade at the steepest part of the incline.

Going Down

On the way out, which is downhill, I use it to test new brands or models of running shoes. If I felt the foot strikes in my jaw, then the shoes didn’t have the right heel cushion for me. I look back on that criteria now and smile because I listen/feel for the heel strike now, but for totally different reasons.

Back Up

Going up, on the way back, it is a test of my state of condition. If at the end of a long run I can romp up the hill and not be gasping for breath, then I am in shape. That is a nice feel at the end of 15+ miles.

I avoided the hill for a few weeks after going to minimalist running. Something about going down a steep hill made me think I needed some practice first. I had only hit this hill with heel strikes and I knew that wasn’t going to work.

I read what I could about running hills barefoot style and came up short on good advice. That forced me to pay attention to what I was doing, what felt right, what felt wrong and what felt just plain weird.

The good news is that I have figured it out – at least for me.

The UP’s

Before I get to downhill, let me start with the uphill. Uphill is pretty easy. If anything, a slight incline actually helps accentuate correct form since it helps with the forefoot strike. You keep the same form going up the hill, but slow your cadence. I do have one caution.

* Do not run up a hill on tip toe *

Make sure that when your foot strikes you let the heel drop. It doesn’t have to hit the surface you are running up, but let your leg extend normally. This is a general recommendation and you need to find your comfort zone. I ran up a half mile long hill when I first started and I was on my toes the whole time. My calves were pretty sore for a couple of weeks afterward. I’ve done the same hill many times since letting my heels drop normally and have had no issue.

The DOWN’s

Here is where it gets tricky. In all of my reading, and it is not exhaustive, I haven’t seen a good recommendation for how to go downhill. I’ve done a lot of downhills now and I’ve paid attention to what seems comfortable.

First, it will feel weird the first time you do it right. Weird in the sense that you are just on the edge of out of control. The reason is that you are accelerating downhill but you have to keep your center of gravity over your stride. When you go downhill with shoes, the heel strike breaks your speed. Barefoot, you want to move fast and let gravity do the work.

Second, a slight hip rotation is critical for keeping in balance. This is a matter of slight adjustments. I have found the most natural movement is keeping the feet hitting on that centerline and making sure you keep your knees up while making the runway model movement consistent. I have tried downhill with my feet spread apart and splayed out to varying degrees and that is not very comfortable.

Third, strike softly. Don’t try to break your speed, just let the cadence adjust to the slope so it can carry you. If you need to slow it down, then shorten your stride and up your cadence, but keep your forefoot strike in play. And keep the strike soft. The soft strike means a quick pace as you are running down the hills.

* Here’s a trick* To keep the soft strike while you speed downhill, bend your knees a little more. Again, we are talking a fraction of an inch in what you sense, but it makes a big difference. All I can figure is the extra bend does more shock absorption. Now you will feel even weirder, but you will sail down the hill. I’ll take the speed. You’ll get used to the weird.

Fourth, keep you upper body straight. It is easy to find yourself leaning backward or forward on a decent. There is a natural urge to break by leaning back on your heels. You’ll feel the thump in your jaws if you do this, so lean forward and straighten up until your hitting on the forefoot again. You don’t want to lean too far forward since that will shift your center of gravity ahead of your stride and then you’ll be trying not to do an end over.

Listen, it sounds a lot harder than it is. The good thing is that I’ve experimented with the options and am sharing what seems to work best. Think of it as a starting point.

Your Turn

Start with some short hills of low inclination. Don’t try for speed, but go as fast as your form will allow you. Start with the form I’ve outlined. If it feels right, then just keep doing it until it feels natural. If it doesn’t quite gel, then play with how far from center you place your footfalls. Alter your foot splay to see if it makes a difference in control. Don’t be drastic with any change and listen to your body. If you can feel your foot strike in your bones, then you are not in good form.

Easy hill work

Most of all. Don’t force it. If it doesn’t feel right and you are getting frustrated. Stop. Walk on home and do that last hundred yards or so in correct form so you stop on a good note.

I do the hill now. I even do a much longer hill that goes for a mile down and up. You’ll get the rhythm going and it’ll become natural.

Be patient.

Next up. What are those on your feet?

Getting In Tune

Posted on December 23, 2011 by jlgentry

“Be patient. Take it Slow.”

I have to tell myself that almost every day. If you are like me doing this transition, you are way too anxious to get to the end game and run all day long. Impatience has taught me a few things.

First, you push too fast too soon and you’ll delay your transition because of overuse stress or injury. I did it on my first run and then about 3 weeks into it.

Second, your feet get used all the time! I have been doing a lot more barefoot walking and standing around to help strengthen the muscles. Without the masking of shoes, your feet are working all the time except when sitting. And you can stretch and exercise them then.

Third, I need to put me feet up at night for a little while. Makes sense. The muscles are developing so blood flow is greater. Let gravity help your heart. Once again men, your lovely lady would appreciate your helping gravity with a massage of those sore feet. (That will be my last hint on the ‘foot massage as start of foreplay’ topic!)

Cautions now administered, just be aware that your feet are going to hurt while you make this adaptation. I mean the muscles in your feet. And I am surprised by how many muscles these puppies have.

The topic of conversation.

The new acronym I discovered is TOFP – Top of Foot Pain. I didn’t realize we had muscles on the top of our feet! They notified me of their existence a week or so ago after I did a stupid 10+ mile run too soon.

This, too, shall pass, but don’t push it.

NOTE: There is a difference between pain from use and exercise versus pain from injury. I learned my body’s language over time and can tell the difference. You need to do the same.

Before I cover some new hints, let me recap the big two.

1) Thumbs forward. This keeps your elbows in and helps maintain an upright posture for your run.

2) Knees up. Don’t push off with your foot, lift up with your knees. Lifting means you aren’t kicking out and your knees stay bent.

Now, we start “Getting in Tune with the Straight and Narrow”. As you can see, I’m into trying to find the simple rules that make everything else work right.

Corollary #1 – Get in Line When you run barefoot you’ll find that the most comfort happens with a slight hip rotation to help keep your feet running along a straight line. It isn’t a pronounced rotation. Everything in barefoot is subtle.

Try this:

Follow the line

If there is a line on the side of the road, run so that you feel your heels (not your forefoot) touching the line. The line will be perceptible to your feet, so you’ll know if you are hitting it. Heels in line will lead to the right hip rotation.

Corollary #2 – Watch Your Speed Here’s the deal. To run barefoot, you have to shorten your stride because your aren’t kicking your feet out, but lifting them up. Shorter strides means more strides covering the same distance as traditional running. Normal shod running hits around 120-140 steps per minute (counting both feet). Barefoot running moves that up around 180 steps per minute, or 90 steps per foot.

Got a chronometer on your watch?

Who needs a watch when you have an iPhone?

Count the number of footfalls on one or the other of your feet for six seconds. Then multiply by 10 and that will give you a relative cadence. There are 10 six second groups in a minute. After a while, as you continue to check the cadence, you’ll feel when you are at the right cadence. You can go faster, it is a matter of what’s right for you.

Side Benefit Alert – You do that little hip twist 180 times a minute and you end up working your core a bit. Which leads to “Honey, are you losing weight?”

Corollary #3 – Get Hippy You are running more erect (go ahead, make your puns) and you are taking shorter strides while not pushing off with your feet. So where the hell does the forward motion come from? I mean, this sounds like running in place.

It’s all in the hips. You need to keep you hips over your stride area. If you push them forward a bit, the stride moves forward with them. This may feel a little weird, like you are making yourself fall forward. Wait! Isn’t that what running really is?

This is the key. You’ve got the position and the technique, now we need smooth. Smooth comes from having the hips feel like they are being pulled forward by a rope anchored on your naval. Not a bowed back kind of pull, but just enough to keep you hips a bit forward with a straight back.

Try different amounts of extension. You’ll find that when you have hips forward just right you start to run smoother. And lighter. And faster.

We have all the pieces. Now it is a matter of putting them together to make the run a cohesive movement.

Take a look at this and use it to help you visualize good technique:

Barefoot Running Technique

Or the beginning of this one:

Barefoot Ted with Awesome Form

BTW: Barefoot Ted is featured in Born to Run

Notice how everything I’ve mentioned is being done with subtle movements.

Take it slow, but get out and feel the run.

Next up – How the hell do I go downhill with nothing on my feet?

Learning to Run – Again

I run, therefore I am

Tag Archives: running shoes