Push Button Paradise

A sizable fraction of the US is taking today off, so some less technical content today--well, at least less digitally technical.

Getting exercise is a critical component of a lifestyle that's mostly sitting behind a computer. I've recently taken up barefoot running.

If the thought of running barefoot over city streets sounds painful, you're not alone. You probably have a running style like I used to: take a giant, straight-legged leap forward, land on your heel, roll forward over the foot, launch off the toe, repeat on the other side. Modern running shoes certainly encourage this kind of technique. Big problem: it's high impact. After 2 miles, I'd be limping for the next two days.

Some research uncovered that several olympic runners go barefoot. Hmm. The best resource is probably the book from the late Gordon Pirie, Running Fast and Injury Free, available online for no cost. The main concept is to use your body's natural shock absorbers, by landing on the ball of your foot with knees slightly bent, with the landing point being directly underneath your torso instead of out in front. Instead of pounding along, this technique results in a very quiet run, and a feeling of almost gliding over the path. The main sensation is of your feet springing up off the ground, not landing. You develop a close feel for the road, even down to your toes, which splay out and grip the surface. Stepping on a pebble, normally a painful experience, is no problem because you can feel it on your foot and shift your weight to a different part of your sole. Self-awareness rocks.

Relearning how to do something that you've been doing since you were a toddler is quite an experience. As usual, I'm amazed at our ability to adapt to new things. For the first week, I had incredibly sore calves, as those muscles get used to doing a new kind of work. Also, getting your soles toughened up is important, so I'm taking it easy at first and building up. If done properly, your toes and ball of your foot will need the most thickening, and your heels should be fine. My timings have slowed down somewhat, but I haven't come close to pushing the limit yet. It feels like I'm expending less effort so there's plenty of untapped upside--the key is to gradually work up to it.

At this point, I don't plan any actual races, just to be healthier, but who knows what the future holds? -m

Update: If you have any running tips, feel free to add them in at the usual Brainstorm wiki page.

posted at: 12:53 | under: 2005-06 | 0 comment(s)