Running to not Grow Old

March 28, 2024

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20092010
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Location:

Seattle,WA,

Member Since:

Nov 13, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

St George Marathon 2008 = 3:05

Boston Marathon 2009 = 3:07

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon 2010 = 3:07 (in Five Fingers Bikilas)

1500 meters this summer = 4:36

Ran 30 miles on my 30th birthday (Feb 7 2010)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Break 3 hours in the marathon

Run a trail ultra

 Find a way to run high mileage without injuring myself. My current theory is that transitioning out of my super-cushioned shoes into more minimalist shoes or bare feet will help improve my form and make this possible.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Run a 100 mile race.

Personal:

I am happily married to Jenni. We have three energetic little boys who also enjoy to run. Jenni and I are both going to try learning how to run without shoes this year.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Barefoot Lifetime Miles: 11.00
FiveFingers Lifetime Miles: 118.00
New Balance 790 Lifetime Miles: 128.00
Inov 8 Roclite 295 Lifetime Miles: 3.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

I decided today to do some running in my five fingers on a dirt track near my house. My hope was that by running on a softer surface in a more controlled environment, and without the pressure of my shoe-wearing peers I usually run with during the week, that I could control my form enough to run without pain in my right foot. I went slower than I usually do, about 8:30 mile pace, for four miles around the track, with about a half mile run from my house to the track. I loved it, and it felt pretty good in general at the time, but my foot has been sore again all day since the run.

This is pretty frustrating. Is it possible that my right foot is just whacked and needs the support of shoes to run successfully? I kind of doubt that. But I am planning to run most of the time in shoes for a while, as I ramp my mileage up in preparation for my 30 mile run on my birthday. If I back off the barefooting and then slowly ease back into it, maybe I can strengthen my feet enough to avoid a similar injury and make a full transition. 

FiveFingers Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Kelli on Sun, Dec 06, 2009 at 00:43:08 from 71.219.71.229

What is your foot injury?? Those can be buggers to get rid of, sorry you are still dealing with it!

So did you feel every rock and pebble or are those things pretty well cushioned?

From Danny on Sun, Dec 06, 2009 at 11:07:38 from 71.231.104.88

Hi Kelli. The injury is near the front of my right foot, and the pain extends out into the second and third toes. I'm self-diagnosing it as some strained tendons from pushing too hard too soon on hard ground. The five fingers aren't that cushioned, but the little rocks don't bother me. It's actually really comfortable.

From Kelli on Sun, Dec 06, 2009 at 17:43:15 from 71.219.71.229

I am sorry about the foot. I had a foot injury all summer and it was a pain in the butt! Some pains you can run through, but the foot is too important for running!

HEAL soon!!!

From Aaron Kennard on Mon, Dec 07, 2009 at 22:32:17 from 174.51.250.151

I can't tell if your pain is the same as what I have and continue to experience, but I bet it is. I think you should keep running barefoot or in VFFs and just add to it little by little. For example, do a couple days in shoes, then run a day in the FiveFingers. Here is a trick I learned from my massage therapist that continues to work wonders for me, but its going to be hard to explain in writing. I find the tender spots in my foot, and almost invariably I notice little bumps as I find the tender spots on top and the the side of my feet with my fingers. I put pressure with my finger on the spots where I can feel the bumps (which are adhesions). Then I move my toes and feet around. It causes me pain. But by breaking up the adhesions, my overall foot pain has gone away almost immediately in some cases. In other cases it has taken a couple days for my feet to recover. But once they recover they feel great and I feel like they are stronger. After my saturday run, my feet felt fine, but the last two mornings they were really stiff. I could tell I needed to give them rest so I didn't run sunday or today either. For me I am constantly paying attention to little pains and trying to listen to what my body is telling me. But working out the adhesions through pressure pointing them I believe has aided recovery quite a bit. (sorry for the novel length comment...hope it helps)

From Danny on Wed, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:59:25 from 71.231.104.88

Thanks for the advice Aaron. My feet are actually starting to feel a lot better, so I'm going to try slowly working in my five fingers again. I'll just go slower and less mileage for a while in them.

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