My first race with the Vibrams

Until the very last minute, I was on the fence on whether or not I would run Globe’s Run For Home 10k using my minimalist Vibram Five-Fingers.  Yes, I have been training consistently with it, logging almost 60 kms for the past month.  But I was concerned that the competitive atmosphere would pressure me to push myself and run faster than before.  And I have never run with minimalist shoes in a race.  I have long abandoned any aspirations of winning any medals.  But I do want to break personal records.  Plus I want to participate in a 21k race in June, which would be the longest distance that I have ever run.

The interesting thing is that, in the end, I did record one of my fastest 10k runs at 57:40.  For the record, my fastest 10k was 54:17, but I doubt that time.  For one, though the race was touted to be a 10k race, the distance was just 9.3 kms according to my Runkeeper app.  However, having said that, my pace then was 10.25 kph; in the R4H, my pace was 10.39 kph.  So yes I could claim my R4H run as a personal best.

But at the same time I am experiencing a dull pain at the top of my feet.  It’s not a debilitating pain.  I can still walk.  In fact, I even did a short, slow 5k run yesterday and the pain seemed to disappear after a couple of minutes.

I did a quick Google search.  Apparently I am not alone in this.  There have been cases where the VFFs cause “top of foot pain.” Here are a few links:

• http://barefootjason.blogspot.com/2010/02/vibram-top-of-foot-pain-connection.html
• http://www.afloat.ca/2010/04/vff-top-of-foot-pain.html
• http://www.foot-health-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38209

I wonder, is it a case of “too much, too soon?”  Anyway, today is a rest day for me.  I don’t want to give up on these VFFs yet.

Earthquake preparedness

There’s a line in the popular TV medical-drama House that goes like this:

“You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don’t be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.”

Facebook and Twitter are awash with offers for prayers.  Yes, prayers are comforting but I also find comfort if we were take nothing for granted and we are all prepared for a similar disaster.

A friend of mine posted this link about earthquake preparedness.  It is definitely worth a read.  We all blame the perceived ineptness of our government in ensuring building codes, but how prepared are we? Do we have first aid kits readily available?  Do we have adequate food supplies?  Do we have working batteries inside our flashlights? Do we ourselves, whether as employees of a company or family members, conduct our own earthquake drills?

(Photo credit: Mak Moon Kuen)

My running goal

Running has graduated from being just a pastime to a passion.  And my eyes are now set at achieving a goal that I never even dreamed of achieving—to run a marathon.  Yes, a marathon.  The grueling 42-km run.  And, mind you, it’s running.  Not a lame run/walk approach.  Driving 42 kilometers already gives me a headache.  What more hoofing it.

But I know I shouldn’t rush into it.  I need to first set a more modest, achievable goal.  Last year my goal was to do 10k with a just a glimmer of hope of doing a half-marathon.  Now my crosshairs are firmly fixed at running a half-marathon.  In fact, I have already selected the event: the Philippine Independence Day Half-Marathon on June 12 at Bonifacio Global City.  This is my stepping stone towards running a full marathon.  I know that a 21k would not be an easy endeavour—I did a 16k run in February and I was running on empty with an aching run knee in the last 3k.  Looking back at that event, I only have myself to blame.  I made the mistake of thinking I could run a sub-10kph pace.  My body paid for that mistake.

I actually don’t have a strict and structured training plan.  My basic framework goes like this: two moderate-distance moderate-pace runs within the week, plus a speed / interval training day in between, and a long run on the weekend.   That’s four days of running a week.  If I’m up to it, I’ll probably put in a short fast run.  But definitely I don’t think my body can take 6 days of running a week.

And then, assuming I complete the 21k, my next target is the 21k portion of the Milo Marathon on July 31.  I guess 6 weeks is enough time to recover from my first half-mary.

From now ’til June 12, I plan to do a few fun runs.  I’ve already signed up for Globe’s Run for Home 2011 on March 27.  I’ll need a 15k run sometime in May and the only one I have found was the Run for Integrity event on May 29.

Barefoot / Minimalist running

It started when a good friend of mine introduced me to the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall.  Along with tales of the Taharamura tribe and ultra-marathon races, the book presented an interesting—if not downright quirky—hypothesis: that running shoes are a bane to running and barefoot running is the way to go.

According to McDougall, the modern running shoe, which was invented by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, had conditioned runners to run in an inefficient manner by landing on their heels.  McDougall continues to elaborate that the heel was not anatomically designed to absorb hundred of pounds of force, that landing on the heel puts an immense amount of stress on other parts of the body, and that the midsole—i.e., the arch of the middle foot—is nature’s greatest shock absorber.  An arch is supposed to be stronger as more weight is placed on it.  So instead of wearing running shoes that forced you to run on your heels, why not switch to shoeless running or running with minimalist gear and adopt a more natural, midsole running gait.

Well, at least that’s how the theory goes.  I was skeptical but intrigued.  I wondered if barefoot running could relieve me of my body’s aches and pains, particularly in my right hip and knee.  So I went ahead and bought a Vibram Five Fingers KSO, which is supposed to be for all sorts of activities—from running to trekking to water sports.  I know it looks funny.  The comments I receive from people range from “gorilla feet” to “Gollum shoes.”  The Vibrams are available in Rockwell and in SM MOA.

I didn’t want to push my luck in my initial run using the Vibram.  I planned for a slow and short 3K run.  The feeling was odd at first—I could feel the concrete road, with all its cracks and loose pebbles.  It wasn’t painful.  I expected needles of pain to shoot up to my knees and hips.  I expected teeth-chattering, jaw-shaking vibrations.   But there was no such sensation.  In fact, it was rather titillating, similar to those of the reflexology shoes that are being sold in those new-age stores.  I picked up the pace, careful not to over-stride.  The 3K became a 5K run and it felt good.  I used it in my next run, which was a 10k run around my home village.  My foot soles felt tender after I completed the one-hour run, probably because I stepped on a lot of those small pebbles and cracks on the concrete.

I am still unsure whether or not barefoot running is safe.  Whether or not it is more efficient, and whether or not it prevents more injuries, remain to be seen.   Evangelists swear by it; podiatrists are cautious about it.  I will continue to run using the Vibrams.  There is some mystical, holistic feeling when you feel your feet touch the ground.  It feels raw and primal, like you’re in intimate communication with Mother Earth.  In some ways, maybe McDougall was right.  We were born to run.

EDSA run

I actually didn’t think I would run the EDSA 2011 run.  I had a nagging cough the night before and I felt the onset of a cold creeping in.  But I wasn’t happy with my 10k results in last week’s ProNation run, where pain in my right knee caused me to hobble for the final 4k.  I finished in 61 minutes.  Ironically, I ran that race hoping for a sub 55-minute time.

My hope for the EDSA 2011 run was to (1) see if I can finish without any knee pain and (2) to see if I can finish under 60 minutes.

The course was quite tough.  At the starting line, someone commented that the EDSA run would be easier than the Condura Skyway run, given that the latter would require the runners to run up the Skyway.  He was wrong.  While I was driving to the race location, I knew this race would be a challenge.  The race route was along Ortigas Avenue and then along Greenmeadows, both routes having uphill and downhill roads.  The data recorded from my Runkeeper iPhone app confirmed this.

Anyway, I did finish in less than 60 minutes.  With something like 200 meters away from the finish line, I saw the clock ticking at 59 minutes.  And I let it loose for the last 100 meters.  I probably finished in something like 59:58 minutes.

I think I’ll take a breather from all these fun runs.  For one, I need to fully recovery.  This nagging cough, coupled with the aches and stiffness in my joints, could be a sign that my body needs some rest.  Besides, my eyes are set on running a half-marathon by June.