Road to Nowhere

Speaking of planning...

One benefit of knowing work/school schedules from here on out is that I can have some confidence about plotting out training plans in a way with a minimal impact on the rest of my family.

Why is a minimal impact so important? Well, given my wacky work schedule (I work Tuesday through Saturday, with day shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday and swing shifts Thursday, Friday and Saturday), we don't get to spend much time together during the school week. So I don't want to be out running when I could spend time with them.

That said, if I am going to try for the American River 50 Mile Endurance Run next spring, I need to get this schedule (or something like it) modified into something that'll work for me.


(This schedule is the 24 week, 50-mile plan from "Relentless Forward Progress" by Bryon Powell.)

One thing I'd have to do is make Monday my long run day. It's when I have the most time. I'd try to avoid running on Tuesday or Wednesday if I could - those are day shift days and I would have to be out the door by 4 a.m. to make that work - and I'd have to flip the order of the "weekend" runs with the longer run after the shorter one.

That might mean something like this, on a four-day instead of five-day approach...

Tue: Recover/walk
Wed: Recover/walk
Thu: Medium-long low HR pace
Fri: Medium with hills or tempo-ish sections
Sat: Rest
Sun: Medium-long low HR pace
Mon: Long run low HR pace

I'd have to mix up the miles a bit to get the weekly totals right. The "RFP" book has suggestions for such modifications, but I don't have it with me. I'm also not sure where barefoot work would work into this, either. Plenty of things to think about.

I'm in the earliest stages of thinking about this, so any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I spent a little time reviewing the book ("Relentless Forward Progress") and worked up a schedule that seems to at least roughly fit my schedule.



I used the author's guideline for splitting mileage from that fifth day of running, adding a little more to the Thursday run than the Friday run, and making sure the harder workout is on Friday, before the rest day. I'm not convinced that I shouldn't add a few miles on the Saturday run, as well, though those combo distances do add up as the plan progresses.

The other thing the author didn't account for is the two walking days. I see them as a combination of active recovery, cross-training and walking practice. I didn't add the predicted miles to the total mileage for the week; the craziness at work on any given day would dictate how far I could go. Without any distractions, I can manage two to three miles in my lunch break.

I discovered that there is a local 50k race that lands one week before my scheduled 31-miler. It sounded promising, except for the fact that the race is in February and the course is very muddy and slippery - about as far from AR50 race conditions as you can get. Probably not the best choice.

This probably isn't the final plan, but it's a start.

Low HR Run: 8 miles

Weather: Overcast, cool, humid. 56 degrees, 90-94% humidity. Gear: Free 3.0 v4s, shorts, T. Fuel: Post-breakfast, carried water in handheld.

Today was a transition type of day for me, as I start to return to more of the easy low HR runs - wearing shoes - as I toy with the idea of building to an ultra next year. I did Llama Ridge (saw the llamas and about seven alpaca) and didn't have the greatest run.

I'm having a rough time translating the form I developed barefoot to shoes. I have to concentrate to get my internal gyroscope lined up to maximize efficiency and relaxation. I also went a little farther than I have been, and I could feel it. My HR kept creeping up, and I could feel fatigue building.

I know this is just a start, and things will get better. I just hope it's soon.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 135 (too high!)

Mark B wrote:Low HR Run: 8 miles

I'm having a rough time translating the form I developed barefoot to shoes. I have to concentrate to get my internal gyroscope lined up to maximize efficiency and relaxation. I also went a little farther than I have been, and I could feel it. My HR kept creeping up, and I could feel fatigue building.
)

Hey Mark, Have you tried zero drop shoes? If not, that could help you keep the form that you've developed with all the barefoot running. I'm thinking of the Ultras and they do have a trail version, that I've heard good things about, which could solve your trail pondering.

BTW, the schedule that you penciled in looks like a good translation to me.

FWIW, I think Nike Frees - while great for working one's foot muscles - are not great for "feeling" the ground. They have quite a bit of cushioning to them that results in a pillow-like effect.

Like Tim said, I think you'd like racing flats or zero drop shoes much better. I much prefer the Lunar Spiders or Lunar Racers to Frees, which I use strictly as a training tool and never for a hard run.

T Miller wrote:

Mark B wrote:Low HR Run: 8 miles

I'm having a rough time translating the form I developed barefoot to shoes. I have to concentrate to get my internal gyroscope lined up to maximize efficiency and relaxation. I also went a little farther than I have been, and I could feel it. My HR kept creeping up, and I could feel fatigue building.

Hey Mark, Have you tried zero drop shoes? If not, that could help you keep the form that you've developed with all the barefoot running. I'm thinking of the Altras and they do have a trail version, that I've heard good things about, which could solve your trail pondering.

BTW, the schedule that you penciled in looks like a good translation to me.

Hi, Tim. I never have tried zero-drop shoes (though I was eying yours when you guys came to visit this summer), but based on your experience and looking at the shoes on the Altra website (http://www.altrazerodrop.com) and various reviews... I will definitely be looking for a place to try on a pair. The trail shoes look very good for the long haul, and they even have a more minimal road model that might be better than what I'm using now. Thanks for the suggestion!

Thanks also for the input on the schedule. It's still a work in progress, and it probably will remain in flux as I try to adapt back to distance training. I guess we'll see if my body is in the mood to go extra long after my summer of lower miles and experimentation.

Dave-O wrote:FWIW, I think Nike Frees - while great for working one's foot muscles - are not great for "feeling" the ground. They have quite a bit of cushioning to them that results in a pillow-like effect.

Like Tim said, I think you'd like racing flats or zero drop shoes much better. I much prefer the Lunar Spiders or Lunar Racers to Frees, which I use strictly as a training tool and never for a hard run.

Hi, Dave! I see what you're saying about the high cushioning factor in Frees. I hadn't really noticed it before when I was more of a heel striker. (I more appreciated how they allowed a more natural movement of my foot.) But now that I'm more on my forefoot, I can feel the deadening effect, and I don't like it.

I'd never seriously considered trying a racing flat as a training shoe - until now. I'll have to see what might work.

Panda express, Jerry's favorite Chinese chain, though the chicken is getting fatty.



What did you order?

Jerry wrote:Panda express, Jerry's favorite Chinese chain, though the chicken is getting fatty.

What did you order?

Hm. Let's see... I had stir-fried beef and broccoli with chow mein. Alita had the stir-fried chicken and green beans, with chow mein. And Alec had the mandarin chicken with steamed rice. Ours were the single-entree Panda Bowls, while Alec had the kid's meal size. (Also single item.)

Those are all pretty healthy options. It's frightening, however, to see some folks load up on a triple-dose of deep fried orange chicken. :shudders

See you in April, Mark!

Mike MacLellan wrote:See you in April, Mark!

I hope so, Mike. This would pretty much quality as a Big Hairy Audacious Goal*, so who knows how it's going to turn out! I guess we'll see, hm?

*-Hm. If I were to start up a new blog, BHAG might be a good title...

Barefoot Run: 3.1 miles on moderate asphalt

Weather: Overcast, cool, muggy. 59 degrees, 88% humidity. Gear: Bare feet, shorts, T. Fuel: Post breakfast. Didn't carry water.

I was sore in strange places after yesterday's longer run, so I decided to do a "shoe recovery" barefoot run today. I kept the intensity low - it is so much easier to hit the target HR barefoot than in shoes, even though the block I run around rolls up and down pretty much constantly.

I had a weird pain in the callus of my big toe - which happens sometimes if my technique is off - so I tried to figure out what the problem was. I found out three miles later when I stopped: I'd stepped on something sharp (like a bit of shell or something) and it stuck to my foot and been sort of enveloped by the skin. When I pulled it off, it left a little dent but no broken skin. Wild.

The run itself was fine, but the 3 miles was enough. I've been challenging myself a little this week, and I don't need to push too hard.

Average HR for entire run: 136 (no walking warm-up or cool down, so this is okay)

Eww about the thing stuck in your toe #whyIdon'trunbarefootever.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Eww about the thing stuck in your toe #whyIdon'trunbarefootever.

I think those little disclosures may not be helping me make my case for barefoot running, but it really ought to. I could feel it, but it caused absolutely zero damage!

Feet are sensitive, but they're a lot tougher than you think.

Heck, I didn't even mention how, later in the run, I stepped on a half-inch shard of broken pottery (or a piece of fossilized gumball - I'm not sure which), that had me hopping on one foot until I saw the thing sticking straight out of my heel and yanked it out. Sure, it hurt, but it didn't even break the skin!

See? What's so crazy about that? Perfectly safe!

You are crazy! and I'm a wimp! I hate walking barefoot in my garage! (Although I walk barefoot all around the house even when I had a bum achilles. It always feels better.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Although I walk barefoot all around the house even when I had a bum achilles. It always feels better.

See? There's hope for you yet.

MAF Test (Barefoot) - 6 miles total

Weather: Clear, almost chilly. 45 degrees. Gear: Bare feet, shorts, T. Fuel: Rice milk and coffee before. Took no water during run.

About time for another MAF test, possibly the last one barefoot for a while as I start to work back into shoes more.

It was a beautiful morning but chilly. My bare feet were feeling it until I warmed up. My training partner was there, along with his great dane puppy, who joined us on a couple of laps.

All told, the test showed continuing improvement. I was notably faster in the first and second mile, with a bigger drop off in the third mile. Part of that might have been because I had to pee, but wanted to not interrupt the run. I was hoping to stay under a 10-minute pace but fell below that in the last mile, thanks in part to the increasing need to pee, and because I was dealing with a hot spot that was developing behind the base of my second toe. That rubberized track and my feet don't always get along. If I wasn't doing a MAF test, I would have stopped sooner, but I was being a little OCD on getting the full test in. Ah well. I'll be walking gingerly for the rest of the day.

Even with the complications, it shows continued progress.



Average HR for entire run: 133

Two photos from this morning's run:



First, my buddy and his great dane puppy... which wasn't entirely sure why her daddy was running in circles so much. She spent most of the time watching us go by, but we let her do a couple of laps with us. She only nearly tripped me up once.

And second, specifically for Eugene Greenie...



Me and my feet immediately after a 6-mile barefoot run. No, I'm not sure how I picked up that weird black gunk in my arches (this was a first), but it brushed right off. You may also notice that, despite my best efforts this summer, my legs haven't gotten particularly tan.

Woohoo!

Thanks Mark! My day is now complete, and it isn't even 1....oh....five yet!

Those are some mighty fine soles...not nearly as trashed as I expected

Great job on your MAF test too.

Oh, and no worries, I have noticed that we PNWers are the palest people I know...

E Greenie<---yah sun! one more day, please.....

EugeneGreenie wrote:Woohoo!

Thanks Mark! My day is now complete, and it isn't even 1....oh....five yet!

Those are some mighty fine soles...not nearly as trashed as I expected

Great job on your MAF test too.

Oh, and no worries, I have noticed that we PNWers are the palest people I know...

E Greenie<---yah sun! one more day, please.....

Glad I could make your day, Greenie! My soles are pretty much intact, even now, though my tootsies are still a little tender after the soft/rough surface of the track. (Actually, I discovered after I posted this item that I actually got a blister on the front edge of the ball of my left foot, just behind where the first and second toes join. I suspect I must have been overstriding a bit as I fatigued.)

---

I went by the local running shoe store to get a closer look at Altra's zero-drop shoes. The store in Vancouver only has the Instinct 1.5, which is a road model with about as much stack height as a Nike Free 3.0.



It felt pretty good on, with lots of toe room (one of Altra's selling points) and a pretty good fit elsewhere. It was hard to be sure because the try-on socks I wore had an annoying elastic band around my instep. Does anybody like that feeling? I can't imagine how. Anyway, I'll have to bring some of my own socks next time.

I ran a little in them and they felt pretty good. I went to my forefoot naturally, which is the idea, though they felt a little odd in the heel and the ground feel was muted. Not horrible, just different. My feet were still a little cooked from this morning, so it was hard to get a real sense of them. But it's promising.

I wanted to try on a more minimalist Altra option, the Samson, which is described as being slightly more shoe than a VFF...



... but they didn't have any in stock at this store. Luckily, there's a sister store in Portland near where I do my Monday trail runs.

And speaking of trail runs, they also have Altra's zero drop tank, the Lone Peak:



The Lone Peak is supposedly quite robust for the trails around here (says the shoe salesman, who got 1,100 miles out of the Instincts), but the extra protection combined with zero drop just might be the ticket on an ultra-level trail adventure. I'll have to check them out, too.

After my run today (which I will post presently), I hit a couple of running shoe stores.

The Altra Samson is nowhere to be found. The shop that had them once now only has them in 12.5, and won't be getting any more - even though they sold out.

I tried the Lone Peak, which felt promising, but I decided to wait on a zero drop trail shoe until Altra's new Superior model comes out in October. It's supposed to be somewhat less of a tank. We'll see.

Which pretty much ruled out everything except the Instinct 1.5, which they didn't have at the store in Portland but did have in Vancouver. I have a new pair sitting in a box on the kitchen table. Woot! Can't wait to try them out.

Edit to add: Trying them out! At least, casually. Odd, they suggest lacing them loosely enough that you can put your finger under the laces. It makes them pretty comfy, even sockless.

Trail Run: 9.22 miles

Weather: Clear and cool. Weather stations say it was 60, but it felt colder. Gear: Peregrines, shorts, T. Fuel: Post breakfast. Carried nuun in handheld, took one Gu at turnaround, took one S-Cap before, one during run.

My blister was is still a little tender from yesterday's mishap, but I decided I needed to test the same route I fared so poorly on last week in sandals. This time, I switched to my Peregrines. It made all the difference in the world. They had enough cushion for the rocks and enough stability to keep my foot stable on the footbed. Case closed. For now, at least, it's trail shoes for me.

I ran from Lower Macleay Park up to 53rd, a natural turnaround point at the top of a miles-long climb. When I've run longer, I've used this hour-long section of trail as a nice warm-up. Today, with less trail conditioning, it was a workout of its own. I started wearing my HR monitor again, with the idea of teaching me to keep my effort level constant - which is key to ultra distances. Great in theory, but when the first half of your run is uphill? It means I spent a lot of time power hiking. Not a bad thing in itself, but still. I'd run until my HR crept up to 145, then walk until it dropped to about 135, then start again. On some sections, the grade was steep enough to have my HR continue to climb even when I was walking.

I had to keep telling myself that this is the beginning of a new phase, and that patience will be rewarded. And the second half of the run was mostly downhill. I made it to my turnaround point in about 63 minutes. I did the return leg in about 55, including an unexpected and truly spectacular burst of speed (I hit a 5/mi pace.) when I came off the trail onto smooth asphalt. Whee!

Here's the map and elevation chart.


(Note: I can't imagine the total elevation gain/loss is accurate, but the profile and peak heights are correct.)

I was working to keep a more barefoot landing in the Peregrines, but with the 4mm drop, it was harder than I expected. Which is why I went directly from the run to the shoe store to find some zero drop shoes to see if that will help. I started with a pair of road shoes, and will test out trail versions when the new ones become available.

Average HR for the entire run: 137 (walked the first 5 minutes. and the last 3 minutes)

I knew I'd get him back in shoes - glad I planted all those rocks. Just kidding, Mark. I applaud all your efforts.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:I knew I'd get him back in shoes - glad I planted all those rocks.

And thanks.

I noticed on a run recently that you used a S!Cap. Trying them out or still using nuun's?

ounce wrote:I noticed on a run recently that you used a S!Cap. Trying them out or still using nuun's?

Hey, Ounce! I'm kind of experimenting right now on these longer runs. I've been using nuun off and on, and I decided to try the S-Caps on my run today. They seem to help my legs hurt less as time goes on, especially on the trails. I'm not sure if it's real or a placebo effect, but when it works, I'll take it.

I started using them in July on long runs. I would pop two capsules before walking out the door. If I was running 18 or more miles on a run, I would bring along another capsule to take somewhere around mile 14-16.

It was totally transparent to the user. I couldn't tell you if it did any good or not. I had never taken any electrolytes on a long run in past years, so I did have a frame of reference from which to compare.

But the intake is quicker than Nuun or any flavored electrolyte alternative. And that's it's biggest benefit to me. I'll be taking 4 to Odessa, next week.