New Link: Michigan Trails

Just stumbled upon this. Nothing as much as detailed maps of everything, as you would find in the amazing Michigan Trail Atlas, but a good resource nonetheless.

MichiganTrails.us

The Buildup

Perhaps a bit reckless, but nothing extraordinary comes from ordinary actions. Last weekend I attempted my first 10 mile trail run absolutely barefoot. Having not run Lakeshore Park much this year, I forgot what the terrain was like in the more distant sections of the park.

First few miles were fine. By the time I got to mile six I was on the verge of throwing up from the pain. Had to chicken out and grab the FiveFinger KSOs for the rest of the run. The difference is amazing, though. Just adding some protection almost revolutionized the way I ran. More fearless of roots and rocks, the pace dropped by over a minute per mile. I don’t necessarily see this as good – just something to note.

Going to keep working at it, still hoping to do a barefoot trail marathon before the season is up.

Despite the pain in my feet, I’ll keep at it. The ultimate purpose is still in place – I’m running with better form, gentler and more in tune with my body. Actually listening to my body. The knee is fine, with soreness and stiffness working itself out in a matter of a day or two – not months.

Back to Lakeshore Park, Barefoot #2

This should have been a longer run, but I didn’t feel like emptying the tank. It’s both bogus and sad to me that 4 miles was all I did on this fine, beautiful, near tropical Sunday. But the dismay is diluted with pride in the fact that I ran these slippery, muddy miles barefoot, and that my legs feel wonderful, and that I feel like I could have gone twice as far.

Maybe I’ll try stacking on more miles in the near future. I’m just enjoying it right now.

This was my first post-snow run at Lakeshore for the year. I almost like it better when its frozen; the general pestilence like mosquitoes, horseflies, and Oakley-clad, shirtless frat boys on mountain bikes aren’t there in the winter.

They were out in full force today.

Still, Lakeshore is one of my favorite trails. Not too much climbing, though rife with rolling, gentle ups and downs. The trails are soft on the feet and perfect for barefooting. No huge stretches of wood chips, and maybe only a few spots of sharp gravel – nothing to really ruin your day though.

Great trail, and a great run today. I can’t wait for the summer. Especially once Max gets his mileage up.

Congrats to Dirty and Brian on conquering Trail Marathon today. Hope I can join you next year.

Lifehacker Post on Barefooting

A friend linked this article to me via twitter (get me at @nateluzod). Thought I should start archiving things like this, just to make this site more of a resource.

Excerpt:

Christopher McDougall, author of the forthcoming Born to Run, excerpts a section of his book that suggests costly, tech-term-laden training shoes aren’t helping runners all that much—and they may actually be hurting.

+ Lifehacker: Expensive Running Shoes Aren’t a Necessity

“Pardon our Dust”

I got incredibly tired of working and decided to lavish some TLC on this old blog. Expanding functionality – I’ve upgraded to the newest version of WordPress, which is stellar. I’ve got some SEO plugins working, as well as a Flickr gallery plugin, a new contact form. What else? I can’t remember. Anyway – all the templates available on the WordPress freebie section are embarrassing, so I’m leaving it as plain as can be until I’ve got time to do a proper template for myself.

More soon. I’ll keep writing running stuff.

More Thoughts on Rainy Trails and FiveFingers

After working more than 60 hours since Monday and not really having a weekend to speak of, today’s rainy, empty trail was especially timely. Perhaps one of the best parts about running is the absolute catharsis you feel from only 45 minutes of time alone in the woods. At least for me, anyway.

I set out intent on barefooting it, knowing full-well that I need to work up some good pads for October’s marathon. As I pulled into the park, tough, the temperature dipped to 49, which is below my threshold for any shoeless adventures. I chickened out and wore the FiveFinger KSOs. But hey – they still feel great to me.

Heritage Park was empty, aside from two vinyl-poncho clad hikers with crampons and ski poles and two stoned teenagers sitting by the river with their feet in the water. Both were surprised to see me, but more so the high-ons. Days like this are some of the best for running. I love having the trails utterly to myself, and the sound of the rain falling through the trees sets a rhythm that kind of Zens you out and drives you forward. It’s too easy to get lost in your thoughts, and that’s a good thing.

I took a rest at my favorite portion of the trail, which is also the highest point of the park with the best view. As trail runners, we’re exposed to a lot of outdoor beauty, but stopping to reflect and observe gives you a much more in-depth experience than just running past it. You don’t often think of Suburban Detroit as having spots of breathtaking beauty, but I’ve found a few.

More thoughts on FiveFingers

This was my first run in them this year, after a long respite for the winter, and I’ve got a few new observations.

Despite offering little traction on muddy inclines – they’re practically weightless, they develop your leg muscles in the same way, and for my level of experience they offer welcome protection against gravel and wood chip portions of trail. That said, they do make a noticeable difference in form and technique compared to a naked foot. With the extra protection, you allow yourself to run more recklessly and do things you wouldn’t when completely unshod. The point of barefooting is to step softly, work in tune with your body and reduce stress on your bones – and that’s somewhat undermined in the FiveFingers. I think Vibram marketing them as a “barefoot alternative” is a bit dishonest, not to mention contradictory. It’s like calling a bathing suit a “nudity alternative” (or to that end, calling the Swimsuit Issue “the Hustler alternative”). You can’t really have a half-absolute.

Still, the FiveFingers have been an excellent gateway drug into minimal running, and I’d recommend them to anyone willing to give them a shot. Aside from the most important thing – making running more enjoyable – they’ve helped me rework and improve my running form. As such, I’ve fixed a lot of the knee and foot problems I was having before, running in my New Balances, Pumas and Salomons. I think it’s best to view them as training wheels of sorts, though, recognizing that they are shoes nonetheless.

Barefoot Season Begins

. . . Tentatively. This being Michigan and all, we may be knee deep in snow 48 hours from now. But for today, I had no choice but to capitalize on the warm sun and relatively balmy 50 degree weather.

It felt pretty weird at first. I haven’t been running much on account of the recovery process, and the running I have done has been shoes-on for the better part of the last year. Suffice to say, my callouses were a bit underdeveloped.

That said, if I’m going to work my way up to the big barefoot 26.2 by October, it’s definitely time to man up and put my game face on.

After the first mile it was pretty easy to fall back into the groove. Steady eye on the ground to monitor for sharp sticks, jagged stones, or whatever other hazard there might be. Loosen up, relax, step softly and enjoy.

The majority of the trail was dead leaves and soft mud, which felt amazing. That feeling alone sells me on this whole thing.

No surprise – five barefoot miles on hilly trails were easier to digest than two miles of shoes on the street. That’s both mentally and physically.

Hitting Zen

One of the best parts about running longer distances is that point where your brain and body sort of disconnect and your thoughts set you on autopilot. Even in my best of shape, this never really happened until 5 or 6 miles in, though. Generally this is where my body is warmed up, the initial exhilaration of being outside wears off and it sinks in that it’s not going to be a short (relatively speaking) maintenance run. 10 miles in and 15 miles in are where I’ve enjoyed things most in the past. My fitness level to-date has never really let me thrive in the 20+ range, but I’m hoping to get there someday.

Recovering from an injury robs you of those Zen moments. A mile and a half here, three or four miles there. It’s discouraging when all you want to do is head out and stay out.

That said, they’re runs, which I haven’t had regularly since October. I’m happy just to get outside and to not have the immense repercussions I was suffering a few months back. In running, and life in general, the long view is important. That’s something we’ve all learned and something we all know, but it’s still something I have to constantly remind myself of.

Lifestyle Choices

You could say I’ve spent the last week thinking more about running than actually running. A 5 day work trip to Southern California and not once did I make it out for a run along the ocean. This, despite, sleeping a mere 4 blocks away from it and taking my morning coffees sitting on a bench by the strand, watching other folks run. In a way, I felt intimidated by the amount of people out.

It seems like everyone in LA runs – and fast. There are roughly 2000% more runners out there than in Detroit, and at almost any time of any day, you’ll find at least a few people out no matter where you go.

Why are we Detroiters (as a whole) so out of shape? We can’t blame the weather, can we? Denver has the most physically fit population in the country, and they duke it out with the cold for half the year. Can we blame the economy for dampening our spirits, or do we just have a toxic lifestyle? Smoking’s still allowed in public places. Rampant obesity – even in children, high diabetes and high heart disease. Most people seem to care only superficially and in passing – not quite enough to change their habits.

One of my favorite quotes, by author Jim Harrison, reads:
Only in the midwest is overeating still considered an act of heroism.

This was proven true my last night in LA, as I out-ate each of my friends at an Italian restaurant notorious for its daunting portions. The only one who could keep pace was my friend from Jersey City (which is socioeconomically too similar to Detroit). When I’m running regularly, this appetite is somewhat justifiable. When only sporadically, it’s only justifiable insofar as I’m a Midwesterner. Which is to say, not really.

2009 Goal: Barefoot Marathon

The more I think about it the less I think any of the summer or even early-fall races of reasonable distance will be possible. Things are feeling better and better, and I want it to stay that way. To be sure of that, and to get the most out of what I love about running, my focus for 2009 will be to continue barefooting on as many trails as possible – with the ultimate goal being a grandiose 26.2 completely unshod.

Ideally, I’d like this to be for the North Country Trail Run (which I DNS’d last year) in late October. The timing seems comfortable and from what I understand, the trails are pretty plush. That said, I feel no real inclination to do this for any official race, and might just as well go up by myself and run it alone (or with anyone who wants to join) and un-chipped. Frankly, I’d probably enjoy that more, anyway. It’s neat getting official t-shirts and feeling the all-around energy surrounding race-day – but it never quite compares to the peace I feel when going it alone.

So here it is, officially entering my 2009 objective. No big races (and thus no entry fees), no time goal. Just the distance and the method. And the hope that I’m still feeling fine afterward.