Monday, July 21, 2014

Wet Week

Distance 11km [total: minimalist 329.1km: Barefoot 6538.2km] Week39 (14th - 20th Jul)

Running days: Saturday, Sunday.
Distances: 7km, 4.5km.

A week of rainy cold winter weather saw me doing little running this week. On two occasions I had the intent to go for a run and just as I was on my way home the rain started. This happened on both Monday and Thursday. Most of the week was the kind of weather that makes you just want to curl up in bed and go to sleep.
I did eventually get out for a run on the Saturday, it wasn't raining but it was cold, around 9C as I hit the beach. The sand was cold and soon my feet were numb. I ran to the river outlet then came back along the Esplanade with the feet not feeling much warmer. I put a bit of a sprint in over a 200m stretch.
On the Sunday it was cold once again at about 9C again. I decided to try running in the Vibrams but I ended up getting so frustrated with not being able to get the toes into the pockets that I gave up on them. I decided to do a shorter run from jetty to jetty, a slow warm up on the way out then some faster stretches on the return journey on the concrete path.
It was an enjoyable run, good because I wasn't worried about distance. Even a short run can be satisfying when done right.

Neil  

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Slow Distance

Distance 24.7km [total: minimalist 329.1km: Barefoot 6526.8km] Week28 (7th - 13th Jul)

Running days: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.
Distances: 9.5km, 7km, 8.2km.

What a cold wet week, I wasn't very inspired at all to get out there on those cold wet roads. It is gradually getting lighter now so that is positive but the ground is getting colder.
I was late getting out for my run on Thursday as I had worked a bit later to keep one or my irritation colleagues happy.
By the time i got the feet on the ground for a run it was past 5pm and I had around 10 minutes before sunset. This meant that it was dark as I was making my way back. Running barefoot in the dark is harder as especially where there is no lighting as you have to run by feel which is hard when the feet are cold.
I did have some race competition that I couldn't catch in the last couple of km.
Saturday morning was cold and a chill wind blew from the south. I only did a short 7km as the cold didn't inspire me to run further.
Sunday was a nice day, cold start but sunny all day. I did a Fartlek session again, 5 sprint sections, it was hard work but rewarding to get to the end and sit on the grass by the lake.
I had to take a pain tablet when I got back as I may have jarred my back doing some light clean and jerk at the gym. I was hoping to get stronger at doing these but my back is definitely a limiting factor. I will always have to stay light as the discs don't like it when I push up.
Next week we have some cold nights but sunny days. If I can get out of work at a good time there might be enough warmth in the ground to stop my feet freezing.

Neil

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Week 27 - 35.2km

Distance 35.2km [total: minimalist 329.1km: Barefoot 6502.1km] Week27 (30 Jun - 6 Jul)

Running days: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday.
Distances: 10km, 10km, 7km, 8.2km.

The weather was better this week, sunny days and cold clear nights. There was a forecast of rain for later in the week so I got my weekly runs in early before it headed in on the Friday.
The Monday and Wednesday run were the Grange to West Beach course along the Esplanade. The high tides and stormy weather of last week had washed grit and stones up onto the path at the West Beach end so I diverted along the top path as there seemed little point dodging and weaving on the lower path until they have cleaned it off again.
Rain came on Friday and Saturday morning was wet. It was a late run on Saturday as I did a detour to check out an organic market only to find it had moved location, I then headed to the beach and it began to pour with rain pushed along with a cold blowing wind. I headed back.
Then at 11.30am, I found the new location of the organic market and set out again, when I got there it was a bit of a forlorn affair, the weather must have reduced the stalls to just six, only one veggie stall with not the best looking selection.
I went back to car and decided to head to the beach again and run. I parked up in the same spot as before but was greeted with a few rays of warm sunshine. I did a short 7km as the next bout of rain was not far away. I ran along the beach then back along the road.

Sunday I met up with David and Cathy. David ran the 8.2km with me. I made it a bit more interesting by adding some sprint stretches along the way, around five spots where I said I wanted all out sprint effort. He did quite well, I was out of practice as well and felt like I was puffing away at the end of the sprint leg. It is really exhilarating to run fast in bare feet, you can feel the light springiness in the legs as you just touch the ground.

During the week I helped one of the Uni students who required some test subjects for a Phd thesis that was testing the effects of long term exercise on heart rhythms. I had to wear a cardio recorder for 24 hours to see if I have any irregular heartbeats. In another couple of weeks I have to get a scan of the heart to measure volume.

Neil