Anyhow, here’s a very nice warmup video from the StrengthRunning.com blog. You might want to view the whole blog post that goes with the video, as it has extra information and details.

The Standard Warm-Up: Video Demonstration

Here is a video from their company that explains the idea:

It is a good video but one thing that is funny about this video is they run in barefeet and then tell you to put shoes on to help you run as though you were barefooted. Why not just run barefooted if that’s so good for you? I know, I know, some people have concerns about that too. I just think it’s kind of a funny point in the video.

Well, I bought a pair of these Newton shoes on Wednesday and just took them out for a short run today.

I got mine at TriLab in Santa Monica. I have a friend who bought some there who said the salesguy who helped her wasn’t very knowledgeable about the shoes and couldn’t really advise her on them. Well, I must have lucked out, because I got a pretty knowledgeable sales guy and he recommended I get the stability trainers.

I am already a forefoot runner. I don’t know if I’ve ever been a heel striker. Maybe. But in the last year or so I’ve been very certain I’m a forefoot runner, partly because of my pace, but also paying attention to the fact that my feet do hit the ground under my hips, not out in front of me. I’ve also played around a bit in the last several months with the Vibram FiveFingers and a bit of barefoot running, which also require forefoot strike in order to avoid injuries.

When I tried the shoes on at the store the salesguy confirmed that I am a forefoot runner and that I have good running form. The shoes do feel funny at first walking around in them, due to the “lugs” under the ball of the foot. It’s kind of odd to run on them and think about making that part of the shoe hit the ground first when you initially start running in them.

But after my 2.4 mile run this morning, I have to say that I don’t find that I run that differently in them than in my other shoes. It’s probably because I’m already a forefoot runner. I do appreciate that the heel doesn’t seem to get in the way. After running in my FiveFingers I would find that then switching to shoes the heel was so huge and it  felt hard to land on the ball of the foot because the heel of regular running shoes are so built up. I don’t get that with the Newton’s, so that is certainly a good thing. Also the finishing and lining inside of the Newton’s is very soft. I ran with no socks today and it felt absolutely fine. I’m trying to get to a “no sock” style if possible to save time on triathlon transitions.

Also, after the run this morning, walking in the shoes feels less odd. I don’t seem to be noticing the lugs under the forefoot as much. The running also became more mindless and automatic. I guess I’m just landing in them how I’m supposed to. Feels right.

Wednesday night I did a few short sprints (about 50 yards each?) and did feel it in my adductors, and I wondered if that was due to the Newton’s or due to the fact that I’d already run 10 miles earlier in the day. Not sure.

So people want to know if these shoes are worth the money. Because they are super pricy (almost double what I’ve been paying for shoes). It’s really hard to answer that at this time, having barely tried them out. But my impression is that if you are not having any issues with your running form or injuries arising from form and if you already run pretty fast, then these shoes aren’t going to help you much. However, if you have injuries and form issues (meaning injuries resulting from your running form style) and if you are looking to possibly speed up, if you are naturally a heel-striker (bad) and want to change to forefoot running (good) then these shoes might be worth it for you, if you are not willing to try and learn to run in the Vibram FiveFingers or barefoot.

I will give more feedback on them as time progresses and I get to know them better.

Not to worry. I did a 6 mile bike ride yesterday. And today I did my own triathlon: 1500 meter ocean swim in 45 minutes; 3 mile run in 23 minutes; later in the day 14.8 mile bike in 1 hr 6 minutes on a hilly course. Tomorrow I will swim laps at the pool.

Anyhow, I do need to sign up for events and put together some more training. And I’ve finalized my events up through March 2010. Here they are:

Aug. 2, 2009 (Sun) 5K Paws for Cause

Aug. 16, 2009 (Sun) Hansen Dam Triathlon

Sep. 13, 2009 (Sun) Oxnard Splash-n-Dash (I think the long course)

new -> Sep. 27, 2009 (Sun) Mighty Mermaid Triathlon Santa Cruz (olympic distance)

Oct. 11, 2009 (Sun) Long Beach Half Marathon (completes my California Dreaming award)

Nov. 7, 2009 (Sat) Catalina Triathlon

Nov. 26, 2009 (Thu) 10K Turkey Trot at Dana Point

Feb. 7, 2010 (Sun) Surf City Half Marathon – I think I have to do this every year. I’m a legacy runner for this race.

Mar. 7, 2010 (Sun) Napa Valley Marathon

Mar. 21, 2010 (Sun) Los Angeles Marathon

Apr 23-34 (Fri-Sat) Ragnar Relay L.A. (Santa Barbara to Dana Point)

OK, so I have to get my credit card out and start registering for some of these. And tomorrow I’m going to have to hunker down and start writing my training schedule for at least through November 2009. That is always so much work.

So, from no events to 9 events. Really, though, I’ve been thinking about most of these for a long time. Just hadn’t committed to the registration and written out my training plans. Working on it, working on it!

In May I did do several runs in my Five Fingers, even switching to running exclusively in them. I did short runs of about 4-6 miles twice a week, and longer runs of 8-13 miles once a week. I ran a 5K race in them in June. I thought I would be able to do my July 4th 5K in them.

Problem was that I started having some pains in the top of my right foot again. I do not believe this was from the Five Fingers. This was a pre-existing issue I’d had since February, that seemed to have gone away but then came back. This was an issue I developed before I’d ever bought my Five Fingers or even considered barefoot running.

In order to resolve my pains in the top of my right foot, I went back to my chiropractor a couple of times, switched back to running in my New Balance 769s for the added cushioning, and tied my shoes so there was no pressure along the top of the right mid-foot. It seems to be cured now for the last few weeks, so I’m returning to running in my Five Fingers again, but slowly.

When I first started in the Five Fingers I went in rather aggressively and I did get quite a number of blisters and calluses. Even though I’ve taken a few weeks off from the Five Fingers, the calluses are still pretty much there, except in two spots on my right foot where they peeled off.

I really enjoy running in the Five Fingers. I’m still trying to decide if it is better for me or not than my “running shoes”. Jury is still out and still making up my mind. But I do think I need to proceed more slowly with this transition.

The Five Fingers are comfortable on my feet, and I don’t have any trouble with adjusting my gait to accomodate the lack of cushioning. You do need to make sure to land mid-foot or forefoot, because you can’t land on your heel without hurting yourself. The Five Fingers actually make my stride seem more effortless and I run faster than I realize in them. After running in the Five Fingers and then switching back to “running shoes” the shoes feel like such boats. I feel like I have less control in them.

Today I did a short 10-minute run in bare feet for a distance of 1 mile. This is really slow for me. I found the sidewalk much rougher than I expected and the asphalt also. I ran on grass for a short bit, and found that delightful. Yesterday I ran about a quarter mile barefoot on the hardpack sand at the beach, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I’ve run barefoot on the beach many times in the past. That doesn’t seem to require a transition for me, at least for short distances of a mile or less.

Well, after today’s short 1-miler barefoot on sidewalk and asphalt, it does look like I have developed a new blister on the second toe of my right foot. Hmm. This is part of the penalty for barefoot running, I think. Maybe I could have gone a shorter distance, but…

Here are some resources for running either barefoot or with Vibram Five Fingers or with a mid-foot strike:

To Run Better, Start by Ditching Your Nikes | Wired Science | Wired.com

No shoes? No problem! – The Globe and Mail

Also, check out the book Born To Run by Chris McDougall and the blog and podcast Brandon’s Marathon. Episode 50 of Brandon’s Marathon podcast will be featuring an interview with Chris McDougall and is due out next week.

Also, check out the Barefoot Running forum at RunnersWorld.com forums.

I want to thank the Twitter friends @CoolRunning and @turtlescanrun for their positive energy, because that really helped when I was doing the workout. I just thought about “I can do it” and kept trying.

So my actual times were 4:09, 4:08, 4:16 (got confused on this one and stopped early & then had to pick up and keep going), 4:21 (no idea what happened here), and 4:16 (again, got confused and stopped early). Not really my day, but satisfied overall, since after only 3 repeats I was feeling like stopping but I made myself do the last two. In fact, even though I thought I was running pretty hard during the workout, sitting here now at my desk only an hour later, I feel like I could have run harder. Heh. Dunno about that…

Guess I was tired from my fast 14-miler on Friday, plus bike & yoga yesterday. Beats me. I do know that the week before my race I will be resting up so I’ll feel much more peppy and ready to go on race day.

OK, I still haven’t written up my race report from the Boston Marathon 2009. It’s coming…I feel it’s coming soon. But anyhow, I got a bug to just post a couple pictures today of some famous runners I got to meet during my time there.

My running club had given me a signed copy (signed by members of my club) of the book Duel in the Sun about the Dick Beardsley vs. Alberto Salazaar race in 1982 at the Boston Marathon. A riveting book, which I had only started reading when I got the opportunity to have Dick, himself, sign my book also at the Boston Expo.

Dick Beardsley signs my book

Dick is SOOOO nice. He posed for a shot with the hubby and me:

Sheila, Chris & Dick Beardsley

Then on the day after the race, Tuesday April 21, 2009, we happened to go to the Bill Rodgers Running Center, and the man himself was there. We bought a poster that he signed, and also he signed the book 26 Miles to Boston for us and then he posed for a picture with us. Also a very, very gracious man.

Chris & Sheila with Bill Rodgers

It turns out I probably crossed the finish line within seconds of Bill Rodgers, but I was so wrapped up in my own finish, I didn’t notice. Or maybe he got whisked away by his support crew.

I also got to meet Bart Yasso at the Boston Expo and got a signed copy of his book My Life on the Run, but didn’t get a picture on that one. I haven’t started to read that one yet, but daughter and hubby have both read part of it and really like it and have read passages aloud to me.

Cool Running :: The Fix: A Primer for Treating Running Injuries

Training on the Track at Runner’s World

9 Camping-Friendly Races

As Active.com says about this list:

9 Camping-Friendly Races: Save money on your next race by trading the expensive hotel room for a cozy campsite. Here are nine races–under $100–that have camping close by. Your reward: Beautiful scenery and more stable bank accounts.

See the link above for more details and the list of locations.

27 Ways to Run Better Every Day | Active.com

I especially like:

#8: recommendation for cross-training. Cross-training has benefitted my running immensely.

#19: Take a trip. This is what we do. We plan a few trips each year around races we’ve entered.

#20: Stay flexible. Yes! Stretch, do yoga or pilates. It’s a must!

See link above for the rest of these very good tips.