Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Barefoot running

Read a lot about this whole 'new way of running'. Or old-new perhaps. Scientists and doctors and physio's and bla bla bla have done researches that show that our body should go back to basics when it comes to running. I.e. run barefoot.

Now as this impose a lot of difficulties, as in concrete, asphalt, drug-needles, other sharp objects on the ground and pretty much everything that has to do with pavement and whatever surface we run on, they've developed the next best thing to actually running barefoot. Shoes that are designed to make it feel like we're running barefoot. No Air. Preferably no soles and not much else either. Just one flexible shoe. Thank you scientists.

Tricky fuck is that you're now also supposed to run with a different style, gait, pose, technique and everything in between. My heal usually hits the ground first - in barefoot running it should hit last, if even at all touching the ground. In the end it's all very much better for your entire body, your stamina, you should be able to run faster and longer while getting less injured. All perfect reasons to do it. This all looks quite easy in the magazines I've bought with drawn images (you know those illustrations that show four-easy steps-to-do-it-right). This however, is a totally different story in reality.

I've never been more focused while running. Constantly thinking how my heal hits the ground, probably losing all sort of track of every other limb and everything else while doing it too. Only been two times with my new Nike Free 5.0 (you're welcome for the free advertising) but momentarily I find myself being so focused I even lose control of how my heal actually hits the ground. As we all know you should run with shorter stride and quicker cadence to get a faster pace, it feels like it's going to fast to even grasp when/if/how my stupid heal touches the ground. I have no idea how/when it hits the ground. Seriously. I'm too focused on doing what I should that I forget to do it. Well bravo fucking wtfff. Before I didn't have to think of anything but winning the Marathon, Olympics and saving the girl, and now I'm all occupied with my heal and how it hits the ground. Assume it will get better before it gets worse.

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