Running log #3

5 miles.

I was pressed for time so I only ran 5 miles today. There's improvement in my left foot strength; I was able to run more on my balls and my arch only gave me problems about three times. Each cramp was less severity in pain than it was in my last run, so I am making improvements in this area.

Other than that, the run was great. I was cramping in both sides of my torso but I still felt enough power to run full speed and catch up to this lady who was keeping a good pace herself. Cramp pain has become merely another sensation of running, such as the smell of cut grass, the wind blowing across my face and the sound of cars and bikes rolling by. So ignoring the cramps, I ran and sprang off the balls of my feet like I am suppose to. Of course just when I was about to catch up to her, my left arch gave out and I yelped in pain. Overall though, the run felt great and I could feel that my feet are getting more accustomed to landing on the balls of the feet and using the arch as a springing mechanism.

However after the run, both of my feet were in a state of numbing pain, especially in the front areas of my foot that have been pounding the ground. Also, my right ankle was sore and crickety after the run. I am crossing my fingers that these are normal to the Vibram learning curve, and are not causing permanent damage to my body.

It appears that running techniques vary dependent on the speed of the runner. When I was in near sprint, the mechanics of landing on my balls and springing forward felt really good and smooth. But when I decreased my speed, it just didn't feel natural to continue to do that and I landed in a more neutral/horizontal heel/toe position before leaning forward to spring off again. These Vibram shoes definitely require me to listen to my feet and adjust my foot mechanics throughout my run. Hopefully the mastery of these techniques will really pay off and help me become a more efficient runner.

I haven't been balancing out my running with upper body training and I can see the consequences. My arms have noticeably shrank and I feel weaker in the upper body, so I will have to go back to sprinkling pushups throughout my week.