Week 5 - Shoes or Barefoot?

So… another week has gone by… and since my group starts training only next week (my week #6), I was pretty much left to my own means to work out on my own. This week was also my last day as a corporate slave….

Let’s begin with an update on the training, which is not a lot to write about but I need to submit honestly and report – as it was…

27 Jan, Mon – Took the day off from work and did very little, feeling pleased with my 10K the day before

28 Jan, Tues – Flew to Delhi and went shopping as I realized that I had arrived a tad too early – like a day ahead of schedule – training was substituted with long walks at markets (like at least a 6 to 7k walk!)

29 Jan, Wed – Spent the day at a trade fair – so again no ‘work out’ but the day was spent on my feet – I shpuld have gone out for a run and had the most sincere intentions to do so, but just looking at the fog outside my room made me change my mind.. (oh yes I had forgotten to carry my running jacket I now remember)

30 Jan, Thu – Back to Bangalore. Guilty after no work out for 3 days, I went cycling for 10 kms and intended to run at least 5km after that. Stopped after 2km – more on that below

31 Jan, Fri – cycled for 11 km and pain in the calves was incredible. So back to the ‘Stick’ massage and no running

01 Feb, Sat – went for the Pacemakers party. Could barely dance for 10 mins and reported to a running friend that I need a medical check up as my lung capacity seems incredibly diminished.

02 Feb, Sun – 

Had registered with Giri for Pinkathon’s promo duathalon and so I moved my backside to the start line with my cycle. He was to run 10K after I finished 20K cycling. Now this is something I had NEVER done before… 

I have never cycled more than 11-12 km at a stretch. I was aiming at a 1.06 finish. It was a 5K loop. After the first 2.5 km I remember feeling so tired that I decided that I would take it easy after the first round and I took in big gulps of oxygen to fill my over worked lungs. 

But looking back I think it may have just been starting trouble – and as I finished my 20km in 54 mins, I wondered if I really need a medical check up. And, since I was on the saddle anyway, I biked another 10K to give Giri company. Oh and can I show off by saying that it was our first podium finish? Thanks Giri for coming along and running with me…Thanks Gaurav for fixing my bike, gears and lending me you bottle holder (mine got whacked)! 

Thank you Pinkathon, Milind Soman and Protons

With Giridhar Kamath - Thank you dude!!

So all in all I can only call this a good week of cross training. But let’s get down to what happened after the 2km (the only run of this week). I TRIED TO RUN IN  SHOES!! I am one of those who got sucked in to minimalist running almost as soon as I took up running (when was that? Not sure – could have been 2010 I think!!!) – so I have very little experience running in shoes. I am not entirely convinced that one is better than the other but something came over me that nudged me to try running with shoes on last Thursday and gwad – it was like running with LEAD tied on my thighs (yes and not feet). It wasn’t one of those heavy shoes – it was the lightweight Nike Free Run but I don’t think it has to do with the shoes – simply with the fact that my muscles are no longer used to shoes and so that was an failed experiment (not to be tried again I think!). 

To give you an idea I have added a selection of how the heels of my shoes have changed since I started running – these days just wearing heels socially for a couple of hours – sets off agony in my calf muscles… 

what i was wearing in 2010, 11, 12 and 13 Left to Right

Heels I wear these days if you can call them that.. 

My under utilised Nike Free Run with my third pair of VFFs

Heels, heels, heels… 

Nutrition wise I realized that I am not making too much headway so I have downloaded MyFitnessPal on my i-Phone to count the calories. Since too much calorie count leaves me tired and stressed I am going after 1600 calories a day.

I also zeroed in on a trainer so that is good progress. We start work this week - if he turns up.

Injury wise – the Achilles continued to pain and more than just the podium was waiting for me as soon as I got off the cycle after my 30km ride. A terrible pain in the middle of the foot (just outside the arch) – seems like it could be initial stage of Plantar Fasciitis – particularly since it is caused due to weak Achilles and calves. But worry not – the good ole golf ball and yes the dear loyal Stick has helped a LOT. I am able to put almost equal weight on both the feet and that is as good as it can get till we start to train with the trainer and my very dear coach this week!

Till then, stay away from that Chocobar - of that's for me not you!!