Thursday 031512

These are excellent.  Recognize all the players?

Separately …

Registration is today!

Seems like a good number of the old timers speak out pretty openly against the minimalist movement.  Ayers chimes in here, and Horton called it a fad on a recent Talk Ultra podcast.  I think I recall hearing Bart Yasso (but maybe it was someone else?) also questioned it in a podcast that I heard not to long ago.  If I am remembering that right he said he recalled the minimalist thing being a fad some 20 years ago too. Sometimes I wonder if these old school guys like Ayers are not advocates of the minimalist movement because they have had good form anyway and so they would do fine if they had to run in ballet slippers.  I don’t subscribe to the idea that you can’t run fast barefoot because as far as I recall an Olympic gold marathon was won without shoes.

Anyway, I ain’t against the minimalist movement, I ain’t for it.  I am against the sedentary life movement.   But if you want to run in combat boots or stiletto heels, because that is what motivates you – great.  Do it.   I am generally not a fan of religious movements that prescribe a singular method to success.  Want to cross fit?  Fine.  Want to run with a HR monitor or run by feel?  Great.  Ipod?  Hokas?  Compression gear?  Ice baths?  Gralston massage?  Vegan?  Meat eating?  Gels? Real food?  S Caps?  Walk breaks?  Whatever works for you.  It is the beauty of this sport.  Lots of things to consider.  Most the runners I talk to would tell you that their first piece of advice regarding running is … get off the couch.  All that other stuff comes later when you try to find a silver bullet.

As for me, the scarring to the bottom of my left foot is substantial enough that I am cautious to shift into a minimalist shoe.  That said, I will over the course of the spring periodically run barefoot in the grass around the kids soccer fields while they practice.  It is just a little something different, may 10-15 minutes … nothing huge and not looking to get any benefit other than padding mileage a bit and clearing the head some.

All that said my form SUCKS.  I mean anyone who has seen me run wonders what invisible bear I am wrestling.  I land primarily on my heels when wearing shoes.  I think that would mean I am supposed to be more injury prone, but I have done pretty well.  I deal with a fair number of aches and pains, but … well, here is a little secret:  I think that is part of the game.  Actually that is not a secret at all.  Most guys I talk to regardless of what they are running in or not are griping about some little niggle here or there … and usually they are most vocal about this just before a race or a hard effort.  In fact, when pressed, most of these guys will tell you that the key to over coming such injuries or preventing them is … RUNNING MORE.  Okay, yes, that is only true to some logical end in a variety of ways (if you break a leg you need to take time off), but the regular beating of yourself that you do with running makes you “bomb proof.”    The guy you work with in the office who has not run since HS football days?  Yes, if he goes for three miles he is going to have his knees howling up a storm because he has not USED them that way  (note – I said this running more is to some logical end … ). 

Looking to book these guys for an appearance at chain saw camp.

Mid day, warm.  Thought I’d go a little longer but I was a bit “meh” in the middle and end and so I cut this off at 10 miles.  Not too hilly, but not flat.

Crappy video from the phone.  Controlled burn stuff.