Unless I'm timing and pacing myself, I never keep track. I simply run at the fastest long-term pace I can manage for a far as possible, or, I run hard intervals until I cannot continue to do so.
This has, sometimes, led me very, very far from home. When I used to live alone, it was not uncommon to spend an entire Saturday running, returning home long after the sun went down to then check Google maps to find out how far away whatever town I'd gotten to was.
If you're trying to drop pounds, longer runs at fewer miles may be better than a quick sprint at the same distance.
I've read a lot of research that says that sprinting is better than jogging for weight-loss because, though jogging keeps your heart rate in the "fat-burning zone", sprinting provides a huge metabolic boost that will burn more calories overall.
The Daily Show had a segment with Christopher McDougall who wrote a book on theTarahumara.Check it out.Apparently, we're all full of shit.
I watched that the other night. It was super interesting -- I want to read that book.
Wow, that is really fascinating. It also agrees with what I said before. Barefoot running is awesome for your feet, you just need some sort of piece of material under your foot so you don't step on nasty shit.
Barefoot running is awesome for your feet, you just need some sort of piece of material under your foot so you don't step on nasty shit.
Also, to prevent blisters. Runningdownhillon concrete or asphalt will cause severe blisters on the balls of one's feet in a hurry.
Phil had those glove-shoes that seem to fit the bill pretty nicely.
I found a guy on youtube named Barefoot Ted. Seems like he went down to visit the Tarahumara. His primary geekery seems to be barefootedness. Seems like he is a fan of the Huaraches and also the Vibrams.
I've been intrigued by barefoot running lately, but for now I think I'm sticking with more normal shoes. There are an increasing number of shoes that resemble normal shoes but let the foot do more of the work, like the Nike Free series, which is cheaper and less funky looking than ones like MBT.
For normal shoes of reasonably quality, the general guideline is that shoes should last probably about 500 miles. I'm a light build (and cheap) so I've managed to get 600 miles out of my last two without destroying anything, but both times developed shin splints which went away fairly soon after getting new shoes. It's also quite common for longer-distance runners (or if you run every day) to have two pairs of shoes that are alternated between- the theory being that there's more time for the cushioning material to decompress. I'm not sure how real that is or if it's just BS, but at the least alternating shoes gives you two pairs that are already broken in, and could be handy in situations like one pair being wet after running in rain the day before, etc.
I'd really recommend, at least for the first time, going to a running specialty store and getting fitted. If you don't already know if you pronate or supinate, many running stores will have a treadmill and they will see how your foot falls. I also went to one place that actually had an electronic pressure pad with a display to get an idea of how the arches of the foot are, which was somewhat useful.
After you have an idea about brand/model/size/fit, you can save a pretty good amount of money by finding previous generation shoes online in clearance sections. They're often almost 50% off the new generations ones for a given shoe model, and there's usually not all that much of a difference between generations. Sometime there are minor weight reductions or changes in cushion material. I found that New Balance ended up developing a nasty habit of making the shoes I used to wear actually worse with newer ones, which seemed very strange. Since then, I found that I didn't actually need motion control shoes, and ended up wearing Brooks for the last three pairs I've been through. Pretty darn durable. I'd say the most reasonable shoes will fall in the $60 - $100 range.
The Daily Show had a segment with Christopher McDougall who wrote a book on theTarahumara.Check it out.Apparently, we're all full of shit.
So I just finished reading that book. Really good. It's a very engaging story, with a lot of running history and science woven in. It makes a pretty convincing case for barefoot running. Maybe I'm just drinking the kool-aid, but I ordered a pair of the Vibram Five-Fingers . They should be here tomorrow -- I'll report back when I've had a run or two in them.
Just got back from my first run in the Vibram Five-Fingers. Everything I read said to take it REALLY easy as you're adjusting to the near-barefoot running, so I only went about a half mile. My feet felt great. I usually get a pain in my right ankle when I start to run that lasts a few minutes, but today, nothing. On the other hand, my calves are KILLING me. Running with a mid-foot strike as opposed to a heel strike really makes your calves work. I didn't think it would make that much of a difference, but holy crap.
So, I got this and after one use I'm heavily considering going here to do more of this.
I picked up Zombies, run! a month ago. I've been working on the 5k training missions, which I've really enjoyed. I'm not a runner and lose motivation to go run very quickly. The app has its bugs, but the characters are pretty fun and it's kept me getting back to the track. I was going to buy some cool shoes to get me motivated to go run. This was a much better investment.
Comments
This has, sometimes, led me very, very far from home. When I used to live alone, it was not uncommon to spend an entire Saturday running, returning home long after the sun went down to then check Google maps to find out how far away whatever town I'd gotten to was.
Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll do a combination of sprints and jogs and figure out the distance with google maps.
Rym,what was the furthest town you got to?
Phil had those glove-shoes that seem to fit the bill pretty nicely.
For normal shoes of reasonably quality, the general guideline is that shoes should last probably about 500 miles. I'm a light build (and cheap) so I've managed to get 600 miles out of my last two without destroying anything, but both times developed shin splints which went away fairly soon after getting new shoes. It's also quite common for longer-distance runners (or if you run every day) to have two pairs of shoes that are alternated between- the theory being that there's more time for the cushioning material to decompress. I'm not sure how real that is or if it's just BS, but at the least alternating shoes gives you two pairs that are already broken in, and could be handy in situations like one pair being wet after running in rain the day before, etc.
I'd really recommend, at least for the first time, going to a running specialty store and getting fitted. If you don't already know if you pronate or supinate, many running stores will have a treadmill and they will see how your foot falls. I also went to one place that actually had an electronic pressure pad with a display to get an idea of how the arches of the foot are, which was somewhat useful.
After you have an idea about brand/model/size/fit, you can save a pretty good amount of money by finding previous generation shoes online in clearance sections. They're often almost 50% off the new generations ones for a given shoe model, and there's usually not all that much of a difference between generations. Sometime there are minor weight reductions or changes in cushion material. I found that New Balance ended up developing a nasty habit of making the shoes I used to wear actually worse with newer ones, which seemed very strange. Since then, I found that I didn't actually need motion control shoes, and ended up wearing Brooks for the last three pairs I've been through. Pretty darn durable. I'd say the most reasonable shoes will fall in the $60 - $100 range.