Marathon Training Week 1-2: One foot in front of the other

Starting a marathon training program is thrilling, terrifying, and tiring. I enjoy having a training plan that provides structure to my weekly routine but thinking too far ahead to the 18 and 20 mile runs is daunting. How in the world am I going to get there?

And that's when I have to give myself some ground rules...

1. Be flexible - I won't be able to do my long run every Saturday, so I'll need to do some shifting from time to time. This may cause you to miss a short run every now and then in order to fit in a long run. On the other hand - it might snow like crazy (we got 15-20 inches a week ago) and you might be forced to search out a treadmill. Blah, I'd rather be on trails. It's okay, life and my running will go on.

2. Agree to something doable (and that you'll enjoy) - While training for my second marathon one summer in my hometown I tried running 5 days a week. This training plans required 2 back to back long runs on the weekend. I had all the time in the world to run, but that wasn't the problem. After finishing 8 of the 18 week training schedule I was in tears. I was so exhausted from running that I just wasn't enjoying it anymore. And that's what confirmed for me that running 4 days a week, plus a free fun "exercise" day (walking, biking, Zumba, napping) was ideal. 18 weeks is a long time, so you better learn to love it!


3. Put one foot in front of the other - Once you find a training plan, you have to put in the time. These first 2 weeks for me have been exhausting. The running is pretty easy and I am excited to be training, but my body is just overall tired. My feet are sore from running in my barefoot shoes on concrete this week. I noticed that my right foot isn't as strong as my left, so I try to strengthen muscles and adjust my stride. And then my calves are super sore so I'm adjusting my stride again!


Now which marathon training program to follow...
As a creature of habit, I've always used Hal Higdon as my guide. Hal has contributed articles to Runner's World since 1966, has numerous running accomplishments underneath his belt, and I recently discovered that he went to Carleton College (the rival college of my alma mater). I take liberties with his programs and use them as a framework. This time I am following Intermediate 1. I will run the Tues-Thurs runs, but shift them to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. I am deleting the Saturday runs and moving the long Sunday runs to Saturday. To be honest, I've never really followed the week day lengths, but I'm really going to try this time. I view this training as the groundwork for my ultra-marathon later this fall - so the goal is to not burn out, not get injured, and build an enjoyable habit.

Update on New Year's Resolutions
Good news - I finished reading 40 books in one year! I don't know if I'll ever reach that goal again, maybe when I retire. The other resolutions are well on their way - I officially signed up for the Steamboat Springs marathon, training has started, and I am researching a 50k for the fall.

World meet my barefoot shoes. Barefoot shoes meet the world.

This introduction is long overdue. World meet my barefoot running shoes - the VivoBarefoot Neo. I have been running in them for the past 2 months and love them so far. They are unique... you can bend them in half, twist them like a towel, and flatten them like a pancake. It's like wearing stylish slippers. I would post a picture of my own shoes but we lost our camera AND went hiking on red dirt trails last weekend, so they have been banished from the public eye until they are thoroughly clean.

So, what questions do you have about these... uh, hem... shoes? I'm going to try reading your mind, but if my telepathic powers are unable to do justice, leave a message below.

Are they warm enough to run in winter?
Yes! The coldest I have run in them is about 25-30 degrees and my feet were sufficiently warm. My neighborhood has super narrow "sidewalks" that are more like extended curbs, so when it's cold that means it is usually icy, non-navigable (side streets are not plowed here in Denver) and I hit the treadmill.

Do your feet get wet easily?
So far, so good. I have run on damp mud and through a few puddles without getting my socks wet. Either the mesh and 4mm rubber sole keep the water out or I have quick foot work.

Do you still feel rocks through them?
I can still feel the ground through these shoes, but they are in between regular shoes (not feeling anything) and barefoot (feel everything). The minimal rubber sole (4mm) cuts the impact enough, but still maintains the barefoot feel with no arch support. I really appreciated having these shoes when I was running over some ice because I felt that I could sense more quickly when it was slippery vs safe.

Why didn't you get those funky Vibram Five Finger shoes?
To be honest, my feet felt claustrophobic when I tried them on. I wear my running shoes so loose most people think they are untied. What can I say - my feet have a free spirit and don't like to be confined. I also wanted barefoot shoes that I also felt comfortable wearing with jeans and I thought these were cute.
I do confess that these shoes are not miracle workers. I was quite sore after an 8 miles run 2 weeks ago - you still have to work and put in the training. Magic doesn't happen overnight - but they do make the ride more enjoyable.

Note:  If you are considering buying these shoes, they come in European sizes and I struggled to find the right fit. I wear an 11.5 Women's in Saucony and the largest VB Neo size in women's (42) was too snug for my taste, so I am running in a Men's 43 (probably a tad too big). If you order online through Zappos you get free shipping for returns - which came in handy for me since you can't find these shoes at your local running store.

New Year's resolutions that I just might keep

I never make New Year's resolutions. For some reason the idea of adding something to my busy schedule or changing my ingrained habits is daunting. Paralyzing. Stressful. So, for the sake of avoiding my negative connotations with a standard New Year's resolution, I am going to phrase my resolutions as goals. Overall, these goals will reduce stress, not cause it, and they might be the first "resolutions" that I actually keep.


Drum roll please.... prepare yourself for a little insanity...


Books - this may be cheating, but I want the time frame for my first goal to be February 2011 - January 2012. I started devouring books when we came back from Africa on February 1, 2011 and I am on such a roll that I want to see how many I can read within 12 months. My goal is 40 and I'm only 3 books away!


Marathon - I have 3 marathons under my belt, but I've never run a marathon in minimalist/barefoot shoes. Steamboat Springs Marathon, June 2012, in minimalist shoes, here I come! I'll document my training wows and woes starting January 30th. 


Ultra marathon - I debated about putting this goal in writing, but I admit that I've always wanted to run an ultra marathon (any distance over the traditional 26.2 miles marathon distance). I'm one of those quirky runners who loves the 20 mile training runs. I did warn you to prepare yourself for a little insanity, right? I'm looking at running a 50k (31 miles) at the end of September 2012. Most running sites suggest running a marathon, recovering a little, and then building back up. The theory is that having a marathon training base underneath you will make the 50k training easier. While marathons (and some ultras) can be competitive speed-wise, the culture around many ultras is to have fun and that it's okay/expected that you will both run and walk. Ultras also tend to be on hilly terrain and partially on trails. I'm excited and terrified all at once!


Barefoot progress
 Here's the recap on goals I set back in July 2011 and their progress.
1. Increase the number of days I run barefoot to 2-3 days per week to build strength in my muscles. I am now running full-time in my minimalist shoes (3-4 days per week) plus walking in them whenever I can. My legs are no longer sore from the new stride; running on my mid/fore foot feels completely normal.
2. Increase my barefoot distance to 6 miles. I am up to 7 miles in my barefoot shoes and getting ready for an 8 miler soon.
3. Find minimalist shoes that I can wear in the winter. I found amazing minimalist shoes that I absolutely love called VivoBarefoot Neo. They are "shoe-like" enough to wear with jeans, and barefoot enough for my running. I'll share more details about the shoes in my next entry.


I can't express enough how much I love barefoot/minimalist running. Looking back at my posts, I never would have guessed that I'd go from walking barefoot to prepping for barefoot marathon training in 8 months. Here's to a new year - one that will be lived to the fullest!

Venture of the Soul

Greetings from the Mile High City! We've now officially been in Denver for 6 weeks and have already been busy re-connecting with friends, meeting new people, and exploring the mountains. In fact, we've been in the mountains every weekend. Here's a chronicle of our mountain/soul ventures to date...

Mt. Falcon - We went hiking in the foothills with views of Mt. Evans, Denver and the plains. The original land's owner tried to build a summer home for the presidents here in 1918, but it didn't get passed a marble cornerstone. No pictures for this hike :(

Twin Sisters - This hike was a little ambitious at 8 miles on our second weekend. But does that surprise you? Twin Sisters is near Estes Park and summits at 11,400 ft. The aspens were just starting to turn and the views of Longs Peak were breathtaking.

A view of Twin Sisters from the bottom

A view of Longs Peak from the top of Twin Sisters

Silver Dollar Lake - My sister (Erica), Renzo, and I ventured near Georgetown to get a glimpse of the gold rush and go on a less-ambitious hike to some beautiful lakes. It started to briefly snow, but the views were worth it.

The aspen "gold rush" - or as I like to think, Coloradans are secretly Packer fans each fall

Steamboat Springs - Renzo, his brother (Robert), and I visited my friend Lindsey and her husband and daughter for a weekend away in Steamboat. We relaxed in the hot springs, ate tasty food, and visited Fish Creek Falls before leaving town.

 Catching up with my friend Lindsey (Fish Creek Falls)

South Valley Park - We found a beginner mountain biking trail in the foothills with beautiful red rocks and fall colors. The trail was on the land next to Lockheed Martin, which kind of made it feel like Big Brother was watching.

 

Mt. Bierstadt - In freezing temperatures (literally it was 32 degrees when we started at 11,500ft), we hiked Mt. Bierstadt, which summits at about 14,100ft. We encountered snow, briefly lost our trail, and celebrated with Cheetos.

At the summit with our friends Amanda and Darick Baker

With all these hikes and adventures, what about minimalist running??? Well, I haven't been able to run completely barefoot in our new neighborhood - it's not as green and grassy as St. Paul. I continue to run on my fore foot or mid foot in my old shoes while I wait for my minimalist shoes to arrive in the mail... this week! Stay tuned for a post coming soon. And when no one's around, I run in my socks on the treadmill in the fitness room at our apartment complex :) A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Last day in the land of 10,000 lakes

Our rental truck is packed, the car is ready to be towed, and I finished my last run in the Twin Cities (for now). As I mentioned in my last post, we're heading west to Denver, CO for our next adventure. Who's excited to drive a 15 foot truck - without cruise control, a tape player, or a CD player - across the country while towing a car? This one! Our stuff has been in storage for 13 months, which is long enough to know you really need to toss things you forgot you had and that you need to toss even more of the stuff that you didn't need. Let the purging (hopefully) begin - because we all know that once we see that trinket we forgot we had from Africa or find the shoes that "just might come in handy someday" we will fold under the pressure of emotional attachment and keep them in a box for another year until we have the courage to either a.) donate the item or b.) take a picture of it for sentimental sake and then donate it.

Despite occasional knee pain, my barefoot running is going really well. I am up to 4 miles barefoot and 5 miles in shoes. It has come to my attention that I am definitely going to need minimalist shoes soon. The combination of cold pavement/grass in the morning and the arrival of acorns does not go over well with completely bare feet. 

These little buggers can be quite painful if you're not paying attention!

If you're looking for some good videos and info on running barefoot versus running in shoes check out this recently released study about where and why people typically land on their foot (fore, mid, or heel). Simply fascinating stuff. The site summarizes the 3 main points from the study, which include:

1. People experience higher impact and lower efficiency when landing on their heel
2. Barefoot runners lower center of gravity to reduce impact
3. We evolved to run on our forefoot

Well, that's all from Minnesota... Colorado, here we come!

That's what happens when...

We're "training" for the Muddy Buddy on August 28th. Anyone have costume ideas for our team "The Amaya-zing Duo"? As part of our "training" Renzo and I went running yesterday - me in my bare feet, he in his shoes. As we turned on to Summit Ave with the nice green lawns I quickly hopped into the grass. I love the morning dew and how it feels so cool and refreshing on my feet. I'm not so much of a fan of lawns that don't bag their grass after mowing because the pieces stick to my feet and make them look like they are growing green hair or make them seem really dirty, when in reality they are actually quite clean from the dew. A couple blocks down the road Renzo points to a spot in the grass and urgently says "Watch out! Watch out!" As my eyes drift to the spot in the grass I shriek like a five year old, exclaim multiple rounds of "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god", and do the heebie jeebies dance - all with my running momentum still drawing me forward...

That's what happens when you see a dead squirrel lying in the grass.

No, I didn't step on it - thank you Renzo! Let's just say I avoided the grass for a good portion of the run. As we continued running I looked over at Renzo's stride, noticing how quiet it was. I was mesmerized - his normal running stride in his shoes lands on his midfoot! I racked my brain for all the reasons why I had originally learned to run on my heels and he on his midfoot. When I asked Renzo he didn't quite know why, but maybe...

That's what happens when you grow up walking barefoot.

I am slowing, but surely increasing my mileage. I am up to 3.5 miles barefoot and 4 miles in shoes, and was able to do 2 barefoot runs this week without problems. I am starting to realize that I am going to need some sort of minimalist shoes soon. I tried on the Vibram 5 Fingers (Bikila) today and it felt weird to go from nothing on my feet to something hugging it snugly, never mind the slots for your toes that took some effort fitting into. No purchase today, but if anyone has feedback on the 5 Fingers or other brands I'd love to hear it!

Earlier this week I was running in my black running socks - to absorb some of the friction from the sidewalks - and I wore straight through them. I was very proud that I did NOT wear through them on my heels! I now have proof that...

That's what happens when you land on your midfoot.


Yesterday I got a massage at Unwind Within with Layla. It was the most amazing massage ever and I still feel fantastic. I asked her to focus on my calves since a.) I don't stretch enough and b.) the muscles seem to get tighter with running barefoot. Afterwards, Layla and I were talking about barefoot running. She says, and I quote, "Your feet are in excellent condition. They are not injured and they are softer than I expected." I wanted to lean over, hug her, and say "Thank you Layla..."

That's what happens when you run barefoot.

And finally, I have yet again been missing from the blog world for another 3 weeks. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the absence...

That's what happens when you get a new job in Denver, Colorado.

This past week I accepted a new job at Denver Health and we signed a lease for an apartment. We are moving in 3 weeks! We are so excited to explore the trails, mountains, and cities in Colorado. And I am excited to bring my barefoot running to a new level on trails and with more outdoor runs during the milder winter :)

Embracing life's roller coaster

Have you ever had an epiphany, but been unable to explain it to anyone else? That is the case with this blog entry, which has been over 2 weeks in the making. About two weeks ago the material for the entry came to me during a morning run. And then last week, during another run, I found the title. But it is not until now that I am able to find the exact words to put here.

Running never ceases to teach me new things. And barefoot running has taught me things I would never have learned with my shoes on. Like the concept that lawns can describe life and death.

Some lawns are green, lush, and almost bouncy – like when you are in love, cared for, and taking time to enjoy sunsets with a glass of wine. Some lawns are dry and hard with spiky blades of grass – like when you feel lost, lack energy, or experience the cut to the heart when you lose a loved one. Some lawns are in between, sprinkled with mediocre grass and just enough moisture to not notice if it's too hard or too soft - like when life is the same old, same old.

Running with my shoes on, all roads, sidewalks, and trails feel reasonably similar. It’s as if my feet are numb to the ever-changing path beneath them. Running barefoot is like life without the bumpers. You FEEL! (Although you don't feel as many rocks as one would expect.) You feel the smooth sections and rough patches more deeply. And isn't this how we're truly meant to live life - embracing the roller coaster of experiences and emotions that flood us? And isn't it also true that we wouldn't trade the green and lush moments with people, even when we grieve their absence during the dry and hard times of sorrow?

I'm thankful... for the lessons I continue to learn about life through running... and for those who teach me how to live fully into all moments of life.

Barefoot progress: I hit an important milestone on Monday - I ran 3 miles barefoot!

In my Old Navy socks after Monday's run!

This is significant for two reasons. First, some online sources say that once you hit 3 miles barefoot, then your muscles are pretty much adapted to the new form. I wouldn't say I'm fully adapted - since my achilles/calf muscles still get a little sore - but I was able to run another 3 miles barefoot this morning. Two 3-mile barefoot runs in a week is pretty sweet. Second, it was also my goal to run 3 miles barefoot before getting minimalist shoes so that my feet would first adapt to themselves, not the shoes.

So what's the next step? For August - October I have a couple goals:

1. Increase the number of days I run barefoot to 2-3 days per week to build strength in my muscles
2. Increase my barefoot distance to 6 miles (ambitious?)
3. Find minimalist shoes that I can wear in the winter (yes, I hate to admit cold weather is around the corner!)

This blog entry is dedicated to Bibiana. A young woman who truly transformed us with her positive, loving energy and taught us how to fully embrace life. We miss you. 7/13/2011