Becky asks about the Vibrams. And here's the news - they're going back to the shop.
Nothing to do with the pain in my calf muscles, but mainly because despite having them for only six weeks, the stitching is all coming apart on one of them and as it's still under a ninety-day warranty, they're going back so I can get a replacement. Whenever I can get back down to Indy, at least, and given that we're going to Texas for a couple of weeks (leaving tomorrow) and won't have time to stop at the shop on the way, it may be no more Vibraming for me until we get back.
Which is a shame, because I'm making progress. Less pain in calf muscles and now able to run at 10.6 km/h (up from 10.1) without the calves tightening up too much. Still only doing 30 minutes at a time though, which is very short, but really... it's like learning to run all over again. Very very weird.
Argyle latest though isn't so good, rumour tonight is that the "Irish" bidders missed their second payment for exclusivity, apparently they've now read up on the football creditor's rule and they want out of the whole thing. James Brent better still be interested, or it's night-night Plymouth Argyle. Fixtures out in a couple of weeks, and Argyle's name may yet be missing from the League Two list.
Just like my Vibrams, it's all unravelling...
1 comment:
I was in London this weekend and saw that they were selling Vibram VFF Speed shoes for £139!!! jees... thats a bit steep.
About the calf pain, I read an article this week which explains the reasons for the crippling soreness you get if you overdo it in the transition.
Now normally in training shoes people take some fo the landing shock impulse through their heel and midfoot, essentially the trainers remove some of the shock as you're running along and your calf muscles then contract as you push off of each foot.
in VFFs you absorb the initial shock calf and foot muscles and ligaments (as our legs were designed to) and during this shock absorption phase the calf muscle is lengthening which is very different to the situation in padded shoes where its always shortening.
It takes a while but your body adapts to it, slow and steady is the way, the best way of all to train is completely barefoot (if you can find a track that'll let you) you have to run with perfect form if there's nothing at all on your feet.
the other thing I notice is that the thinner the sole I wear the more efficient it feels, maybe the more you insulate yourself from feedback the more mistakes go unnoticed? my running looks fairly normal as long as people don't look too closely at my feet.
Only last week I was running past St Andrews Church and a guy on a bike called after me to ask if he could give some advice, his advice was to get some thicker soled shoes with arch supports because my knees would never be able to take the pounding I was giving them; its funny really because he couldn't see anything unusual in my style except the shoes.
I suppose thats the thing, when you start the transition to minimalist shoes there's a tension that everybody holds, fear that somethings going to break or whatever... (I did it... everybody does it - its about doubt) after a while when you get up to reasonable distances and nothing fell off or snapped you realise that the sports shoe manufacturers have sold a very compelling story; so compelling that old men on bikes chase after you to tell you what you're doing is mad.
bottom line is nearly everybody has bought into the Nike dogma; they've done a wonderful job of selling a lie!
hats off!!!
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