Barefoot Running

Its been publicized a lot recently, and it seems there are two very vocal camps rising around the issue of barefoot running; I want to talk about that, and why it is that I do it. Several people around me have told me that I am going to hurt myself, and so this post it being written primarily for them.

I began my minimalist journey in 2007 after the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendance 6 day race in New York City. It was my second 6 day race, I had competed in the same event the year before at the age of 20, and I was amazed when I saw one of the runners running around in little Vibram Five Fingers so I started researching barefoot running then, and soon had a pair of my own.

I've had a few problems since then, but I know where I went wrong, and if I could go back and do it all over again, I'm certain I would have had better results transitioning. It has now been a full year and a half since I last ran in actual shoes, and I have begun running completely barefoot recently, and before I go into why I have chosen this for my own running.

When I was researching barefoot/minimalist running, I looked all over the place; not just Barefoot Ted's site, Barefoot Ken Bob's site, other pro-barefoot sites, and in Born to Run (though a brilliant book); but I also spent hours looking at RunningBarefootIsBad.com, and some openly anti-barefoot running sites and magazine articles as well. Why? Because an intelligent decision can only be made when all sides are presented

What you wear on your feet is not nearly as important as what you do with your feet. If a person is running well with shoes, is staying healthy and injury free, there is no reason to change what they are doing. Its the people who have repeated problems that instead of more technology, I believe they need to learn to run differently, and barefoot running is one method to teach one's self to run with good form. I've also tried Chi Running, which worked well for me until I got tired; still being in shoes that are built for heel striking, it was an easy thing to revert back to whenever I lost focus, or got tired on a long run.

When Barefoot running, heel striking is something you simply don't do, whether or not you are tired; it is for this reason that I have shed my shoes completely to train myself good form, and I plan to return to the 6 day race in 2011 wearing Huaraches (indigenous sandals). Some may think I am crazy for doing this, but I'll try to explain myself.

I know what happens when I run the 6 day in regular shoes, and I'll tell you the steps:

-I start off well and focus on form, but after a time I become tired, and I revert to heel striking.

-The rolling motion from heel to toe creates friction at the front of my foot and soon blisters (often blood blisters) form and are pushed between my toes.

-Other blisters form around the parimeter of my feet and sometimes deep under calouses in the middle of the pads of my feet

-I move more dramatically onto my heels and the tension in my legs have soon caused severe shin splints

-The heel striking/ over-striding causes additional shock to my knees, ankles, and hips, and become very swollen; my ankles resembling very bad sprains

-Soon the entire rear half of my feet are severely bruised because of the pounding on my heel, causing not only very uncomfortable movement, but also very swollen feet and a need for bigger shoes

That is what I delt with my past two 6 day races, and with the Huaraches, I believe that domino effect will not be set off to begin with, but that is simply a hypothesis that I need to test. Watch for me to be running around barefoot and in Huaraches, I am officially training for the 6 day race, and I am hoping to far surpass my previous best of 315miles.

Whats been going on with me!?

So.... My original plans for this year included running a 24hr race this weekend, and next month running the Sri Chinmoy 6 day race back in New York.

As I said, those WERE my plans, but after a couple injuries, battling being sick, and now a servere case of apathy, I just havent been running. Instead, I've been focusing on my "photography."

I went up to the 24hr race anyway, to take some pictures and to cheer on my friends, in hopes that I may be inpired by being around fellow Ultrarunners again, but still I feel a little Apathetic.... How do the rest of you stay inspired to run even though you may not feel like it?

I mentioned I took some pics at Pacific Rim 24hr this weekend..... I will be posting them soon, but here is a prieview of whats to come. If you want any of the pics, email me, and I will send you the full-size image.

Update… FINALLY!!!

Okay… now I take on the daunting task of trying to get caught up on everything since Labor Day ha-ha…

I’ll FLY through what happened:

I didn’t run enough,
Then I increased my mileage too fast,
Then I was disappointed at Ultracentric, but I don’t want to go into that,
Then I was too lethargic to run a lot,
Then the snow came and gave me an excuse not to run,
Then I decided to get off my butt and run,
Then I was going to run 100k at Purge & Splurge, but the ice and snow convinced me to cut back to a marathon,
Then I started running more regularly,
And now I’m increasing my mileage further, adding hill workouts, and speed-work, and
Soon I’ll me racing a 6hr, then a 24hr, and then a 6day race.

So, feeling caught up? Ha-ha

Oh… And finally, you can count on me to update my blog more regularly in ‘09

Sorry again for the massive delay, and I’ll leave you with a couple more images from my winter….

awesome running :-)

trying to look intimidating ha-ha

I promise I'll update more soon....

-Tim-

Laborday '08

I had a couple days off work, so naturally I took off running in the Columbia River Gorge....

It was a weekend of running, hiking, swimming, relaxing, playing, sweating, smiling, grimmacing, and enjoying the beautiful North West.

Words wont do it justice, so I'll leave you with a couple videos and some of my favorite pictures I took.

Leaves are already changing color!

Nutrition!.... (I did have some healthy stuff too)

Enjoying being up there

Sunset

Another view of the Sunset

Sunrise against Mt. Hood

Sunrise in the Columbia River Gorge

Watching the Sunrise

The cliffs I slept atop (1,000ft sheer drop and the rock fallout extends another 1,000ft) reflecting the sunrise

I love it out here

I slept at the precepice of that cliff!

These little guys were all over the place!

YAY!!!!

A Wake Up Call - My Birthday Present To Me

Here it is.... Tuesday August 12th, and I'm supposed to be running right now....

I turn 23 tomarrow, so the plan was to run the 23hrs leading up to my 23rd birthday, and that is not exactly what happened. I lasted a while... 5hrs, but I had a perfect storm that dashed my desire and ability to run a good 23hrs.....

1. I havent been training like I should be.

I havent run more than 12 miles at a time since the 4th of July, and recently I have been so busy I've even struggled a couple weeks to run 35mi, and I hadn't even gooten in a run since last Thursday.

2. I was Unprepared.

I didnt even start getting stuff together for the run until I was within 1/2hr of starting ha ha

3. The Previous Weekend

I took part this past weekend in the 48hr Film Project (link) which basically led to making my weekend a time of bindging on junkfood and sleep deprivation.

but thank you to everyone who came out to cheer me on (even at 1am! Mercedes and Taber) and to those who planned to (Kelly, Steve, Jeff....)

maybe this will be enough to kickstart my training and get it going in the direction it should be

Whew... What A Week!

Wow..... that was quite a week! ( June 30th - July 6th )

-I attended the Olympic Trials on the 30th, and got to watch the Oregon Boys sweep the 800meter!!! Here's The Incredible Video

-I ran into my fast friend (Elijah Greer) at the Trials and got to chat with him for a while.

-I got inspired to put in the milage that I should be doing

-I put in 115mi for the week, and

-I ran 41mi (slow) on the 4th (scrambling up and down steep embankmets off the trail, finding the highest peaks around to summit, playing in the snow, and pausing to take a lot of pictures is not the most efficient way to cover a lot of milage.... thus, the 41mi took me from 6:30a to 9:45p)
on my 4th of July run... I ran into some guys who were up in the snow above 4,000ft who had never been up that high before, didn't know the trails, and stupidly did not have a map.... so I gave them mine.

The feeling of the run was wierd....

There was a dense fog covering much of the run causing an eerie feeling .... and that mixed with the twisted trees and branches littering the ground made the place have almost a haunting feel.



but eventually the fog lifted and I found myself running in the snow!

I took it easy.... and had lunch on the edge of a 200+ft cliff.... I was taking my time and just enjoying it all. I got going again and as I made it up toward Whatum Lake I decided to climb up Mt Chinidere.... at 4,673ft, I wouldnt really consider it a Mountain.... But thats it's name. I was beautiful atop the mountain. One day I will Camp out up there and enjoy sunrise from up there. Were it clear, it would be an awesome vantage point for Mt Hood, but it was foggy

for more pics.... check out this link

Mt Hood Scramble

Since I hurt my calf (see previous post), I've had to take some down time, and it has been difficult. I want to be out there, so I do smart things like sign up for races when I'm injured.

So the Monday after I injured myself at 20th Century 100k, I signed up for the Mt Hood Scramble, not just a race, but a brutal one at that. I couldn't run, but at least I had something to look forward to.

I tested out my legs a few days later, and something wasn't right; I wasn't feeling the kind of pain that I endured with the torn calf that weekend before, but my calf and the back of my knee just felt wierd. I dont know how to describe it.

I took it easier after that, but my calf continued in that manner for a while. Even when I went for a short three-mile jog the day before the Scramble, I wasn't feeling right only a mile into the jog. When I woke up the next day to get to the race, I still wasn't feeling right, and I was already favoring that foot.

So against my better judgement, I decided to run. I met up with a couple other runners at the Portland Running Company to carpool, and we were off to the Mountain. We arrived early, collected our bibs and I watched enviously ar others were warming up, I was afraid that if I were to try to warm up, I might injur myself (smart, huh).

I lined up in the back for the start of the race, and ran gingerly from the beginning. People were breaking through the snow, faceplanting, and falling into tree wells all over the place. My leg wasn't feeling horrible so I kept a conservative pace but passed several people with ease.

I had a great time, enjoyed the views, and kept a smile on my face, although I have to say, it wasn't all that hard to remain happy out there.

I was originally dreading the several ice-cold river crossings (I would guess probobly 10), but with every crossing, my leg felt better and better. Or maybe It was simply becoming more and more numb. (Photo Courtesy Brian Conaghan)... I need to get back into shape!

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I eventually felt good enough that I even started kicking after the last turnaround and caught at least a dozen runners in the final treacherous downhill stretch.

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The Red Lizards were well represented at the Scramble.

Beautiful Views! And as a testement to the difficulty of this 6.8 mile course, no one was able to break an hour. My time of 1:54:47 put me in the middle of the pack.

One of the guys who I carpooled with, Pat Fear, finished 4th overall with a time of 1:07:29, only 2:24 behind the winner.

Long Weekend: Oregon Track / Obama / (Almost) Clear Trails

After working the last 10 days in a row, I was in much need of a break, and it just so happened that I had been given tickets to Oregon Twilight, so as soon as work finished on Friday, I took off for Track Town USA.

I got to Eugene with about an hour to spare, just enough time to find a parking space in a university town, but I did eventually find a spot, and then my seat. I was seated right in the middle of the Old East Grandstands at Hayward Field (which also happens to be the logo for the ’08 Olympic Trials at the same venue) and I had a perfect view of the Track.


I was thoroughly enjoying the events (the Steeplechase is my favorite) and then something perplexing happened. It was the middle of the Women’s 5,000meter race, Tasmin Fanning of Virginia Tech was on her way to setting a school-record time of 15:47.90, and in this city of track lovers, all the camera men were rushing into the SE corner of Hayward field away from the action. I soon heard murmurs from those around me, “Barak Obama’s here!”…. “Barak Obama’s here!” Sure enough, upon the conclusion of the race, Obama entered the arena surrounded by a throng of cameramen, journalists, and secret service agents. Several of those around me rushed down to the track to get a closer look, and Obama continued onto Hayward field, first over to the East Grandstands, where I was, to shake hands, and then across the field over to the West Grandstands again shaking hands, meeting the athletes, and kissing babies. On his way out of the arena, he even “jumped” a hurdle. It was all quite a spectacle for the 5,000+ spectators present (Oregon loves its Track), and worth the 20min delay of all running events.

As exciting as it was to see Obama show up at the track, I don’t know that it equaled the excitement during the men’s 1,500meter. Oregon’s own Andrew Wheating, Sophomore, hung in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race, but with 200meters left, he took off in a seemingly effortless burst of speed and seemed to fly by his competition. The roar that rose from the crowd was deafening, and cheered him to a commanding victory. Wheating’s time, 3:38.60, is not only the sixth fastest on Oregon’s History, but also the fastest time, set by any American, so far this season. What a way to end a meet!

I spent most of Saturday and Sunday with family and not doing a whole lot of running, but come Monday, I was ready to hit the trails.

I got out into the Columbia River Gorge about 7:00am, and was running at about 15 after. I took off down the beautiful Gorge Trail headed out toward Cascade Locks and jumped onto the Pacific Crest Trail, heading south. I have no better way to describe the run than “fragrant.” Wildflowers were blooming, and I didn’t even have to stop to smell them. I also came across quite a few little creatures: snakes and salamanders, and evidences of larger creatures: elk tracks about 5 inches wide and about 7 inches long. Some animals where acting quite comical: a robin pecking at a worm who, every time I got within 10ft, would pick up the worm, run down the trail a little way, and resume pecking at the worm. I took it easy, I was out there more to enjoy the experience than to beat myself to a pulp, and when I got up to about 3,500 ft I got to play in the snow a little bit. I found out that above that elevation, the snow is still a good 4 ft deep, so it’ll be a little while before I can run my entire loop (climbing up to over 4,300ft in elevation) but I did get a good 30 miles in. After I had to turn back, I started to get an intense headache which made running excruciatingly painful, so I did the best thing I knew how: I got some fresh mountain-spring water, found a comfortable rock off the path a little ways, and took a 2hr long nap. I woke feeling refreshed and ready to run.

I spent about 10hrs up there taking pictures, playing in the snow, doing a little running, having lunch, taking a nap, chasing wildlife, and enjoying the sights and sounds of the wilderness. Only a couple weeks till 20th century 100k, and I promise to pick up the pace a little. Ha ha. My goal is to run a Spartathlon qualifier after all.


For all pictures I took during the weekend..... go here

Until next time,
Tim

Andy Carson 40 mile Fun Run (+10)

When I heard a couple months ago that local television personality and weatherman, Andy Carson, was going to celebrate his 40th birthday by running 40 miles, I was excited to sign up. The fact that they were putting the run on as a benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society made it all the better.

So on Wednesday, April 16th, Steve and I got down to the Portland waterfront at about 7:30am to pick up our packets and get ready to run. We got to talk to Andy for a little while before the start, and during the 7 1/2 hour long day, we got to talk to him quite a bit more.

Steve, Andy, and I before the start.

We couldnt have asked for a better day; it was high 40s low 50s all day, overcast, and fairly dry. Andy being a Weatherman, I give him the credit for the awesome day. Of the group of us who started the day with Andy, 7 of us completed the entire 40mi with him. Other people were coming and going all the while showing their support. We finished faster than Andy had originally projected, 7:23:14! Not too shabby, but he said he didn't catch the ultrarunning bug..... famous last words.....

Andy with the 40 milers (save 1)

Dave and Paula Harkin of Portland Running Company and RunWithPaula.com who really put this whole thing together.

On the Air.....

For clips from throughout the day, follow the links below.....

Pre-Run Video

Run Start Video

Post-Run Video

Steve and I wanted to finish the day with 50mi, so we joined up with the Wednesday group run and then I put in another 1.5 miles to finish off the great day with exactly 50mi. it was a lot of fun, and I hope Andy decides that this pain is fun (ha ha), and I hope to see him at some future ultras.

Heal Quick Andy!

Tim Lawson

New Vibram Five Fingers Out!

I've been runing in the Five finger Sprints for a while, and heard about the new KSOs from reading Barefoot Ted's Blog and I was excited about the new models coming out.

I recently went to their website to see if the new products were out yet, and they are!!!! I'll be sure to get a new pair soon! Here's the links to the different models, and a little about each....

"When you’re scrambling up a rocky bluff or bounding along a riverbank, the last thing you want is gravel and grit seeping into your FiveFingers. The KSO is an all-new design with thin, abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide and breathable stretch mesh that wraps your entire forefoot to “Keep Stuff Out.” A single hook-and-loop closure helps secure the fit. Non-marking Vibram TC1 performance rubber soles are razor-siped for a sure grip." *

"Whether ChiRunning in colder temperatures or crossing a stream with your kayak, the new FiveFingers Flow provides comfortable barefoot protection. A 1.2mm Neoprene lining and 2mm EVA footbed provide the thermal insulation and protection. And our new GM50 performance rubber (available only in black) is razor-siped for added slip resistance over a variety of surfaces."*

Then there's the good old classic Vibrams

"This patent-pending FiveFingers design takes a minimalist approach to barefooting. Non-marking Vibram TC1 performance rubber soles protect your feet and provide a sure grip over a variety of terrain. A thin, abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide fabric fits low on the foot—for comfort and quick drying."*

And the pair I currently wear.

"Some have called FiveFingers Sprint the most versatile footwear they own. Adjustable hook-and-loop closures cross over the instep and surround the heel for a personalized, secure fit. A thin abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide fabric follows the contour of the foot for comfort. And a flexible, non-marking TC1 performance rubber sole is razor siped to enhance grip over a variety of terrain."*

*all quotes about products derived from http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/.