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Very lightweight trainer suggestions
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I've just ordered myself a pair of magic RC150s too. Last one in my size, apparently. I also discovered, at the back of my wardrobe a pair of very aged, ( mid 80s ?) RC350s, with a slight square studs on the forefoot, which look ideal for dryish grass. They are not very worn, but I've got no memory of why I abandonned them. They seem very light and flexible too. I'll try them out tomorrow. Does anyone know the ones I'm talking about ?
I've now done about 6 or 7 runs midfoot, in the last 10 days or so; just over 3 miles today. The only time my calves (in fact, only my left calf ??) was extremely tight was when I had worn my Nike Free for one 8 min circuit. Expect when I deliberately try to run much faster, and really lean forward, I feel I'm almost running on the spot, and not getting anywhere, though moving my legs quite fast. Is this normal, and something to do with calf strength ?
Two addendums:
1. On lower calf squats, try not to let your knees bend more then 90deg else you could strain the knees.
2. For the lower-back and glutes, do not lift your head else you risk straining the neck.
I just ain't the runner I was last year :-(
Good luck.
Pumas felt very comfortable. I think size9 is a little too big for me (length-wise) but tightening up the LockLaces made them comfortably.
Forefoot sole is quite thin (especially with insoles removed) and you could feel the ground texture perfectly - eg the joins of adjacent paving slabs. Pumas soles are softer then NB150s which makes for nice midfoot landing. Ran at a variety of speeds from 11min/miles all the way to 5min/mile. Was pleasantly surprised that shoes felt really good at the top end. I guess this is because they allow your foot to splay out easily when the foot lands.
So I will keep using them for training. Though I'd race in NB150s as they fit me better along the medial edge - though I may change my view on this ;-)
Best of all my feet/calfs/achilles aren't sore. After how many miles would the dimples last for (ie until they're worn flat) ?
I get better grip grip when the dimples are gone - slicks!
The rest of the outsole takes much longer to wear down than the pimples.
If I'm likely to be running on anything slippery, I tend to use my Ekidens.
Grip is not the strong point of H-streets, slicks or otherwise, but i have not found them to limit my running in any way. Maybe just slightly cautious around tight corners in the wet
Seriously, running on icy pavements in H-Streets really makes you concentrate on your form.
If I needed to be 100% sure of my footing I'd wear 150s or Jarowe Waffles instead.
When I had a recent gait analysis I was told that I need a shoe to correct my over pronation, which is more on my right foot than my left. I've always worn lightweight performance trainers with a bit of support as I don't like heavy trainers. I had two different video treadmill tests at different places, which both say the same thing, so I know I do overpronate, which is most probably why I've had lots of calf problems and 2 stress fractures.
The thing is I want to wear light shoes, not moon boots, but I'm now unsure what to do! Am I going to risk giving myself more injuries by wearing lightweight shoes, or should I just carry on and take no notice of the information I was given?HELP!
At the moment I'm wearing the following shoes, not all at the same time:o) And would like to get a proper pair of racers.
Saucony Praxis - marathon shoe
Saucony Fast Twitch - 5k - 10k
Asics DS trainers - 1/2 marathon
Saucony Trigon - short distance training
Nike Skylon - 5k -10k
Nike Triax - 5k - 10k
Saucony Spy - all distances
Before switching almost full time to the 150s I was like you - mostly in the so-called `lightweight' racer / trainers.
In order to avoid injury and see if they suit I would start by running a couple of your short easy morning runs in the racing flats, focusing on leaning forward and not landing on your heel. Your calves will ache for a couple of days after, so be sure to stretch well after and use `the stick' if you have one.
If you don't try you'll never know if those sort of shoes will suit you. If you'd have told me 3 years ago I'd be running 20 mile runs in nothing more than carpet slippers I'd have laughed. Now even shoes like the Ekidens and Tiger Paws feel bulky and heavy when I use them perhaps once per week when I have post race DOMS.
It has taken time for me to feel like I'm running anywhere near properly in them.
I'm just recovering from shin splints/stress fracture, but it was my first injury in about 3-4 yrs, so I'm a little concerned that new technique, albeit with concentration on light landing + very light shoes might cause another injury.I wonder whether midfoot stiking might make one more susceptible to foot injuries ?
So what was the pattern of your build up from 30mins in 'carpet slippers' to 20 mls ?
Any problems en route ? Did you gradually increase the percentage/distance in racing shoes ?
Hilly, just because you overpronate now doesn't mean you need to for ever more. A combination of deep tissue work to allow you leg/foot to realign, foot strengthening - barefoot or Nike Free, plus concentration on your technique, should rid you of the likelihood of repeat calf/shin injuries.
Hilly: Sorry but I don't know any of those shoes. How do you run at the moment? Are you a heel-striker? Forefoot striker? Do you land with your front leg stretched straight in front of you? Do your quads/knees hurt after a long session (excluding hill work)?
Converting to lightweights means changing your running style. And changing your running style means wearing lightweight shoes. The two go together. If you want to go down this route be prepared to cutback on training since adaptions take time - else you will injure the calfs/achilles. This does take a lot of patience. For me, the whole process took about 6-8 weeks to get back to my typical weekly mileage.
Basically, You won't know unless you try.
URR: Indeed!!
TMR, yes I gradually built up the amount of time spent in light shoes. I couldn't really tie it down to a plan as I just wore which shoes felt right on a particular day.
I took a different approach to nrg-b as he was basically rebuilding his whole running style after injury. I was in a different position of not being willing to cut back on training (as I guess hilly isn't) as we're both quite fit at the moment.
I converted to Pose running back in late 2003 ie deliberately cutback in training for conversion.
Was injured from Mar04 to Jan05 (non-running related). Back in training as a Pose runner since Jan/Feb of this year......so far so good :-)
BR - your method is appealing, to combine old running style/shoes/edurance running with new style/light shoes/faster running, as I reckon I could return to overall running fitness much quicker, and with less risk of injury.
Could you put a neporene insert or a sorbathane heel pad in your fave shoes ?
(and fill the air pockets with helium to make them lighter ?)
A bit like a cricketer who is scoring tons of runs despite having a kink in his technique. When the runs dry up he would go into the nets and concentrate on straight bat, foot to the pitch of the ball etc.
BR, I had the analysis at the FLM Expo so yes I guess they would've liked to sell me shoes, but I didn't buy any for the simple reason I was not going to buy 'moon boots'. The second analysis actually recommended shoes for now, but told me to get some intense therapy to correct my over rotation and back problem first.
TmR, unfortunately as I think I mentioned before finding someone local for good treatment is not easy and with working I've not really got the time to travel for treatment.
nrg-b, all the shoes I mention come under the lightweight performance range so are a lot lighter than a normal trainer, but not as light as a flat.
I don't ever get pains in my quads and knees, only my calves when they're tired. I do heel strike, when 'plodding' and when tired, but in races I mostly forefoot strike, well for the first few miles at least:o)
I wouldn't want to cut back on training as I've got too many races lined up for the rest of the year, so that's not really an option. I could however practice some barefoot running on the beach and treadmill if that would help me?
Hilly: Changing the way your foot lands and the whole leaning forward thing takes discipline & patience. Else you will be forever heel-striking towards the end.
Cutting back on training doesn't mean cutting back on miles for weeks on end. I was Base Training at the time so the long slow runs were ideal to make midfoot running natural. So my defn of "natural" means not losing form when you're dead tired. I'll be honest that when coming back to running I could not help but heel-strike at the end of some of my short runs. This was because I was stupid and trying too much too soon.
I knew I wasn't fully there pre-FLM which is why I started this thread. I guessed it was too late and too risky to try and change anything at that stage.
I was pointing out to hilly that the transformation can be a long term and gradual one as it has been for me (started with the 150s after FLM 2004). I appreciate her situation as a competitive club runner with lots of races booked and targets to achieve.