New goal envisioned

My next full marathon will be during April 2011, which is 17 months from now.

Base Phase(non tiring, steady pace, 7 days weekly)

- 9 months {Nov 2009 - July 2010}

- allows me a good time frame to relearn my running, and strengthen my feet.

Tempo/Steady Runs

- 16 weeks {Aug 2010 - Nov 2010)

Long Intervals/Fartleks/Long Hard Runs

- 10 weeks {Dec 2010 - Mid Feb 2010)

Speedwork/ Fast Short Intervals

- 6 weeks {Mid Feb 2010 - March 2010)

Why I choose to run barefoot.

Running barefoot is associated with a substantially lower prevalence of acute injuries of the ankle and chronic injuries of the lower leg in developing countries. With this assumption, I would be improving faster in the long run due to minimal or no injuries. Barefoot runners have also been known to run well all the way throughout old age.

It encourages the proper running form by forcing a midfoot landing as opposed to a heel strike and is the way mankind has been running for thousands of years before shoes came about. The running shoe has gotten so strong that it basically prevents any real motion from occurring in your foot, thus using only the calf muscles. As such, the muscles in the feet suffers atrophy over time.

A well trained barefoot long distance runner is in no way disadvantaged in a race against a shod runner. On the lighter side, I am a cheapo and have 1001 excuses not to buy $200 shoes. I am also multi-tasking by having a foot massage while running.

Week 12 of 12 (Borneo 09)

Tues: 7km barefoot

Thurs: 7km barefoot

Fri: 10mins slow jog(poolside)

Sun(Oct 11): Borneo International Marathon 2009

Collected my number tag 22 on Friday afternoon, and feeling the pre-race adrenalin building up already. I will be easy to spot as it's unlikely that there will be another barefoot and shirt-less runner around.

Saw Ripley and TeeLee at the stadium before the start and said hello to them.

I just went to hell and came back, so it's going to be a little short here. Left foot started to blister at 12 - 13km mark as I probably started too fast. Right knee starts to give way after 22km and bouts of walking began. As I approached 30km, I was hoping to board the ambulance and hitch a ride back, but somehow I did not. Strangely, the power-gel allowed me to make an attempt to simulate what looks like jogging during the last 8km. Finished officially 4:57:01.

Lessons learnt:-

1. As a newbie barefoot runner of less than 3 months, I am not ready to run the full marathon.

2. I did not train to run fast in shoes, and the fact seems to magnify itself so much more while running barefoot as my entire legs gave way. Soles, joints and muscles took unimaginable punishment and I still can't believe I crossed the finish.

3. The long runs of 28 - 32km I did while shod was well, simply shod. It does not help that they were done 3 months ago too. I needed them barefoot and my longest barefoot run was 20km. 3 months was without long runs while I transitioned.

Will not attempt a full marathon again probably for at least one year. Though what I did was nothing spectacular, I feel I have earned the right to call myself a "barefoot marathon runner" finally. No running for awhile as I cannot even walk upright at the moment.