Highest km week

Distance 48.8km [total: minimalist 264.6km: Barefoot 2164.4km] Week 5

Monday, 30-Jan. 6km
A very windy day today, almost got hit by a falling branch from a gum tree while walking during lunchtime, it fell about 2m in front of me, if I hadn't have seen the movement as it fell I think it would have nearly knocked me out. The wind was still strong when I went for a short 5km run along the river. The day was only a 24C day but the bitumen was still quite warm underfoot, not painfully so but enough to make me run along the white dividing line on the path. The path was littered with branches and seeds blown from the trees but I managed to navigate through them quite well. I would never have thought I could do this 2 years ago. I understand why people must think I'm crazy when they see this barefoot guy running through all this debris and tough terrain.


Thursday, 2-Feb. 8.3km
Another quite windy day so once again I am running alongside the Torrens River which is slightly more sheltered than running along the beach. The wind was a strong westerly so it was a headwind on the way out and a tailwind on the way back. Despite the wind it was a warm day or 28C and so I wore the Vibrams as I would be running along black bitumen and it would be hot. Just doing a brief test run before setting off I could feel the heat and I know how your feet get more sensitive to the heat as you accumulate the distance. My form is a lot better in the Vibrams these days, I run quietly and try to keep the legs nice and springy. The river course is picturesque and with the landscaping they have done over the past few years the river seems to retain more water than it did when it was basically a drain out to the sea. There are quite a few undulations in the kilometre closest to the beach so it tests your muscles and gives them more varied training. Time for the distance 48m 31s (included a bit of traffic wait and walk)
Saturday, 4-Feb. 18.5km
I abandoned my plan for a run yesterday when I had a sore back, it came on in the morning and was painful through the day. I don't know what started it off this time but I suspect it may be been the leg presses I did at the gym on Wednesday. I have to be so careful when it comes to weights at the gym, no lifting heavy stuff that can compress the spine, so, no squats, no heavy shoulder presses, no weighted standing calf raises, all these have caused me problems at one time or another. This morning I popped a pain killer and headed to the beach, now I know that doesn't sound like the wisest of moves but I was well prepared to abandon the run if I thought it was causing me more problems. As barefoot running is quite gentle I was counting on the shock absorbing capabilities of my feet ankles and calves. I took it nice and easy and I got no pain from my back. The weather was perfect, 20C, sun just emerging from clouds. I ran from Jetty to Jetty, Grange to Semaphore then down to Henley Jetty. I was feeling quite tired by the time I got back to the car, and as I'd not taken any water with me I was probably a bit dehydrated as well. I drained my water bottle when I got back to the car. I loaded up on electrolyte drink when I got back to replace any lost mineral salts. My back feels much better now, maybe the gentle running acts like a massage on the problem area.
Sunday, 5-Feb. 6km +10km
Quite a bit of rain during the night, very un-summer like weather, the rain had eased off my morning, replaced with a blustery westerly wind. A day of exercise, I did a lap of the lake at West Lakes taking around 33 minutes for the 6km loop. No rain fell on me during the run and it was a great run, the feet are getting used to the hard surfaces again. After the run I headed straight to the gym for a workout, did lots of back strengthening exercises to fix up the weakness in my back, also did some calf work as well.
Late afternoon and I headed out for the second run of the day, this time along the coast path. A para sailing comp was on at the Grange sailing club and parking was short, I managed to get a spot right at the end. The wind was whistling off the sea, big waves being whipped up. As soon as I set off a squall hit, horizontal rain, it passed quickly and the wind started to dry me off. The run was smooth and felt good. On the way back a guy on a bicycle, Brian he introduced himself as, rode alongside me asking questions about my running, it was good company and made a couple of km go past fast. Apparently he runs and told me of how he changed his running style 10 years ago from heel striker to a forefoot lander and the difference it made to him. I told him to check out the BRS website and spread the word that barefoot running can give older runners a new lease of life.

Neil