More and more articles about running are talking about newly designed shoes whose aim is to recover the natural position of the foot while running: landing on your forefoot, the heels then drops backwards controlled by the calf muscles. I will not speak about the subject itself, there are lots of articles on the web talking about it better than me. But it interests me a lot and the theory seems plausible. I was first surprised because I totally never figured out that in fact running on your heels isn't natural. I even didn't remembered how I was running barefoot; but indeed, after a small run in a garden, my forefoot always lands first.
The theory seems realistic and explains why professional runners are running this way.
The running market is suddenly flooded by new models, five fingers, newton running, nike free, etc... Their aim is to facilitate this new position. The prices seems to me expensive. So I first decided to see if it was possible to change my position with the same pair of shoes I have.
For the moment I've not been running a lot this way, but it seems possible with a lot of concentration. It appears obvious that I don't have the correct muscles for this position, so my body has to build the missing ones; but I have the strange feeling to rediscover my calves. I will see in the future if it becomes really natural.
Tuesday, May 11 2010
Rediscovering my calves
By Chty on Tuesday, May 11 2010, 21:13
Sunday, May 9 2010
20km of Maroilles 2010
By Chty on Sunday, May 9 2010, 20:05
Last week, I ran the 20km of Maroilles. I hadn't completed this distance in a competition for a long time so it was a good occasion to evaluate my speed for this distance. This race is approximately flat expect for the 15th kilometer which is a big hill about one kilometer long.
I didn't really have any expectations about the time but I was happy and surprised with my finishing time: 1:31:04. 20km on roads is now quite an easy distance for me, the speed is another parameter and I'm always looking for pleasant feelings while running.
It sounds like a big event for the village: about 4500 subscribers coming with friends and family for only 1410 residents. I like this kind of event with lots of people where you can enjoy a good day and possibly enjoy local products.
Apart from the race, I'm always estimating the value of the race by the organization of the event; a good point was of course that every participant got a piece of the well known Maroilles cheese, a local beer and a flamiche[1]. I think that's a good way to go back with a memory; it also makes the race cheap.
I think I will probably try to do the race again in the future, it's marked as good event in my head.
some numbers:
rank: 670 / 4090 (and about 4500 subscribers)
rank: 325 among senior men
rank: 638 among men
time: 1:31:04
time / km: 4'33
Notes
[1] Maroilles pie
Wednesday, April 21 2010
Cheese running
By Chty on Wednesday, April 21 2010, 09:03
I finally choose the road race 20km of Maroilles which will be a good training before the Salicorne even if this is totally not the same type of race. If my information is correct I will have number 1485. I'm used to subscribe through internet when it's possible, but a lot of races are charging a small amount when the subscription is online; I can't understand this way of charging except when it's an external website offering the service. Anyway this time I had several weeks ahead of me, so I choose to subscribe by snail mail.
I got a nice occasion to go to a trail called Sur les Traces du Loup[1] but unfortunately my time scheduled seems full this day; 'will see if I can arrange this before the end of the subscription, because it seems to be an interesting race.
Notes
[1] translate by On the footsteps of the wolf
Thursday, April 15 2010
Paris marathon 2010
By Chty on Thursday, April 15 2010, 23:25
I didn't run the Paris marathon last Sunday, but as usual I watched it on TV. I thought it was going to be too hot because of the blue sky in the morning, but in fact the temperature didn't go beyond 14 degree during the day; so I guess it wasn't a problem for the runners. Watching people running is always a good motivation for training and a good occasion to analyze the technique of professional runners.
About five months left until the Berlin marathon, so I still have time to think about it, but I seriously started a regular training again when my time scheduled permits it.
Friday, April 2 2010
Winter is gone
By Chty on Friday, April 2 2010, 08:03
I don't know about you, but I never spent a winter season without stopping run training. Before each winter I'm convinced that I will continue week after week, and at the end I see the results, and start again when the days becomes warmer.
My motivation is growing again, and I started looking again for interesting races. For those interested, I found a good web page listing the running races in the north of France; it seems very complete.
I'm trying to complete some well-known nature races along the north coast; after the Trans'Authie and the Transbaie races, I subscribed to a race called La salicorne; this means The salicornia in English which is a plant growing in salt marshes and on beaches. It's the same type as the two previous races: water, sand and heavy mud; but it's known to be a quite difficult race. This video is from the 2009 edition. We will see how it goes.
I will probably do a road race before that, which will be a good start for marathon training, but I didn't choose which one yet.
Saturday, March 20 2010
Five years of hitchhiking
By Chty on Saturday, March 20 2010, 01:50
This blog isn't particularly about a specific subject, this is not a surprise. These last months, I've been talking a lot about running. Let's talk about reading.
When I started my studies, I discovered the 42 number. I quickly started to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. After the third book, I found it quite hard to read for my level of English, so I decided to put aside the two last ones until I got a better level. My studies will be finished in a few months. I just finally finished the fifth volume! Cool, eh?
Saturday, February 6 2010
Phones
By Chty on Saturday, February 6 2010, 23:42
I generally hate phones - they are irritating and disturb you as you work or read or whatever - and a cellphone to me is just an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are. Which is not a good thing.
If some people could hear, understand and put into practice this message, I would probably spend much better days.
From Linus' blog.
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