Start of a New Racing Season

18 more weeks to my yearly highlight race SCKLM, and now is the best time to start another round of training cycle. The previous training cycle actually dragged much longer than 18 weeks and it’s kind of back to back so often I felt drained after each major event I trained for. This time, I took 2 weeks off (almost totally off) from running, and went for shopping instead.

I got myself a pair of Merrell Bare Access 3, and a pair of Newton Distance 3, with good discount. With the good experience from R68 in Bare Access, I decided to explore my shoes running options. As there are lesser channel nowadays to get VFF in Malaysia, plus the build quality is deteriorating, I need some other options.

Bare Access 3 like its previous version, was a minimalist shoes. But it’s not really that minimalist anymore in this version. It’s heavier and harder soles; narrower in both toe box and arch area; make it more like a racing flat compared to the usual barefoot running shoes.

Distance 3 on the other side, with lots more cushioning and softer soles, flexible toes box (it’s still consider narrow, but the upper layer actually quite flexible and you won’t felt your toes restricted inside), with the strange feeling to running on those 5x lugs system.

Both shoes providing great stimulation to difference part of my legs muscles and also the workouts. Together with the 2 VFF, I am rotating shoes on daily basis. This also helped by taken away some routine from the running. As I am now so used to VFF, I usually just ran. I don’t check my gait, my posture, my form usually. But now I will need to adjust myself in every workout. Not to the extent of changing my gait, posture or form every time, but at least I am going thru my running form check list again. Lower back straight, kept those feet land below my centre of gravity, body lean forward, head upright, kept a high cadences, etc.. But with all these shoes added into my arsenal, now my wife started to question me regarding the number of running shoes I had :P

I will still follow the Hanson Marathon Method 18 weeks advanced training program and SCKLM will be my target race. 2015 SCKLM will be using the same route like 2014, I will be able to estimate and plan better to face the challenge now. Hence I am moving up my goal to finish this marathon in 345. Btw, this year the SCKLM sold out in record pace, only 4 days and all categories were filled. 6500 participants will be running full marathon. As this year the starting pen will be go by estimated finishing time (just estimated, no proof required), I don’t expect to have any issue at the starting point. 

The key challenge like last year, located at 37km when we joining the half marathon participant for the last 5km. I hope my training will allow me to go faster than 345, than the human traffic should still be manageable. The peak actually around 345-415, the full marathoners speeding at 5:20-6:03min/km pace will be facing the half marathoners who will be finishing around 2.5-3 hours with the 7 to 8min/km pace. The 1-2 min/km pace difference is too big so we will be blocked. The water station will be packed. I will make sure I run with my bottle this year, and padded up my elbows!

There are some races lining up in these 18 weeks, total of 2x half marathons (Seremban & Malaysian Day), and 1x full marathon (Kuching). All these races had their own target now aligned to my 345 goal.

Let’s train hard and aim high!

Training report: Training week 12 & 13, Heat & Hills Training

With the ambitious to add in the evening run, I started week 12. But lately the evening rain ruined the plan. Also I made effort to spend time with the kids for them to pick up bicycle. So the evening run session now backed to the shelf. May be one day I will need it. The high light for the week was the first heat training. The Saturday long run completed between 8-11am. Been quite a while I didn’t run around under the 10am sun in Malaysia. Most of the races will finish by 8 to 9am. The body responded to the heat and I had to slow down to keep the core temperature low. I ran with the Nike 2011 Run t-shirt, compress short, cap and the sunglasses. Totally burned down by the heat and all I can do on Sunday was an easy 15km run.

Week 12	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	Easy 9.5km	2 sessions
Tue	Strength 4x 2.5km	Strength 2x 2.5km	Not enough time for 3rd repeat
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	12.5km	11km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 9.7km	6.4km
Sat	Easy 16.1km	23km	Started 8:15am
Sun	Easy 16.1km	15km
Total Done		75km

Training week 13 started with a day off to give extra time for body to recover from Saturday’s heat training. Did the Strength repeats and tempo run without any issue (except for not enough time to complete the planned distances as usual). Come weekend, I forgot how badly the heat training can be, and started another session on Saturday. This time, I started after sending the kids to their art class, 9:40am. The run continued to 12:30pm. I was going with long run pace for the first half. After 10k I had to drop to 6.5min pace, subsequently walking after 18k. I wanted to give up, but managed to convince myself to stay under the hot sun, checked 19k, 20k, 21k then 22k. I walked most of these last sections. Very slow, but the training objective achieved. I used the blue long sleeve t shirt from Seoul Marathon. Felt too hot under the sun and too heavy when soaked with sweat. I preferred to run lighter.  

Week 13	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy12. 9km	Rest
Tue	Strength 3x 3.3km	Strength 3x 3.3km	Recovery cut short to 400m
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	11.8km	10km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 11.3km	4.3km
Sat	Easy 12.9km	22.7km	Started 9:40am
Sun	Long 25.8km	22.2km	Triple Hills route
Total Done		73km

The body responded better to the heat this time. I still felt the heating impact on Sunday when I wanted to start the long run in triple hills route. I decided not to push, just took easy pace around 6.5min, and focus to concur the hills. The Petronas station at the Hartamas end reopened, but I didn’t plan for any replenishment. I ran with my 2x 500ml Gatorade bottles, one with water and the other 100Plus with chia seed. Had a great run and practiced some descending skill.

After this hills training, I think the Plan B for R68 is more realistic. I will find out myself on the MURA R68 route racee on 19 April (2nd part from Genting Sempah to Bentong hot spring). I was also doing few running sessions with the Bare Access to condition the legs to getting use to go with some shoes. I should be surviving with VFF, but after 20km they will be soaking with the sweat and very wet, causing potential blister issue. Bare Access on the other hand, very well ventilated, hopefully with the DryMax socks it will keep the feet dry.

Today the Osaka Marathon 2015 (25 Oct 2015, 3 weeks after SCKLM) opened for registration. I registered the marathon, but still not sure if I will actually joining. The entry will be selected with ballot system and announcement will be made on June. This is the 2nd largest marathon event in Japan (after Tokyo). With the Japanese currency weaken recently, running in Japan seem to be more affordable. May be this will be my first marathon in Japan if I was selected.

Meanwhile, 5 more weeks until the R68 challenge. There will be another set of back to back heat training plus hill training this weekend. Have fun!

Random Update

Thanks to the help from AECO Malaysia, the Garmin Forerunner 910XT service completed right before the start of the APBIM. I was surprised to get a free replacement of reconditioned unit from Taiwan. I got mine on 2012 March, which is 2.5 years before it punctured. Anyway, the unit working fine and it will be great help for the starting of another round of 18 weeks training program from Hanson Marathon Method, for the preparation of Seoul International Marathon. Btw, the Garmin Forerunner 920XT will be available in Malaysia from mid-December onward, make sure you got yours from the authorized distributor and it will save you lots of trouble if something went wrong. Anyway, I will only consider mine after the Seoul International Marathon. May be I will got it as a gift (for achieving my 330 target, or a consolation price for missing the target).

I finally decided to purchase from Amazon. Ordered the VFF Komodo Sport from it and all I needed pay was USD84.56 (MYR289.14 via credit card). I received the parcel 2 weeks after the order, and the only downside about this purchase was the shoe is the older color (or production batch, the black and silver series). But I am ok if it compared to what I need to pay from local running (MYR447). I will give it a last change before I give up and move to other barefoot friendly shoes like Merrell Bare Access. 

I used the saved amount from my online purchase to sign up my next race, Route68 Challenge. This is the inaugural race for this 68km ultra marathon. Start from Dewan Serbaguna Komuniti Orang Asli, Gombak, ran 34km to Bentong Hot Spring, and then have a dip before taking the u-turn and ran back to the starting point. Initially I think of skipping it, but from the previous race experience, I will need to have some other target to reduce my dip too deep into the post-race blue. And I will be more or less done with my speed chasing (gave in my best shoot during Seoul International Marathon). Difference type of running will be good.

Kids had their yearly race yesterday at Desa Park City. They were really enjoyed the race refreshment (icy Milo, 100Plus) and running around freely. The event was great, and the kid race getting lots more participants from year to year.

Running with joy!

Race Report: SCKLM 2014

This is my first marathon in 2014. After the preparation for almost a year, finally I was about to face the challenge! I am still remembered the feeling of sub 5 result from the last marathon in Munich (it will stay until I return to Munich next time to claim a better timing). And the conclusion I made in that race report, that I am doubtful if I can replicate the result back home. Now, one year later, I aimed even higher to attempt sub 4 in my home country. How could this happen? Actually it divided into 2 parts, internal and external drivers.

Let’s start with internal driver. For the few years in running, I was never a competitive runner. All I wanted was to enjoy the run, race, and slightly improvement of my racing time from time to time. I was talking about sub 5 marathon for 2 years before I achieved one, and I was talking about sub 2 half marathon but still none until today. I got the awareness that I am not trying hard enough for my target in Munich Marathon. In that race, I knew that I can run the whole 42km without walking, and hold my heart rate up to 160BPM for the whole 5 hours without killing myself! It was like open up a brand new chapter with so much more possibility to be discovered. Then I was thinking it will be great if I can do the sub 5 back home soon, but how badly I wanted it?

On external driver, I met few more crazy running souls in FB. Few of them introduced the Hanson Marathon Method, and few of them are really crazy about getting faster. With the new blank page that I just discovered, naturally I drawn to their reason, training, improvement and races. All these are new possibility I wanted to try out! I wonder if I can run faster or go further. I am convinced that I should stick to marathon for now until I discovered my full potential before I moved on to ultra. Hence the project sub 4 started.

It was dramatic towards the race day. Not about my training, but the hazy condition in KL going up and down since October. Like I concluded in my last blog post, I was about 75% completed to the training program and I was optimistic about the result. But the hazy days in KL reduced the tapering mileages to even lower level. Last week I only ran twice before the race. Emotionally I was disturbed and the self doubt went over the roof. To make thing worst, my wife joined her company trip and I left home with two young kids… (I didn’t leave them alone at home for the few hours during the race, my brother’s family was kind enough to stay with the kids over my marathon race). Finally, Saturday came, and after settle my kids, I get myself some well needed rest around 10pm.

Alarm went off 2am, and the race day started. Arrived at Padang Merbok by 3:30am, found a nice parking slot and get myself ready for the race. I foreseen some blister issue with the VFF around the toes, I wet them with plenty of Vaseline. The starting line filled with lots of people, found the barefoot gang and took a few ground photos, and then time came to get into the starting pen for the flag off. I don’t want to block by too many runners, hence I got myself moved towards the front. Bang! We flagged off on time.

The 2014 KL marathon has a new route this year. We went straight into the heart of KL city (Jalan TAR, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KLCC, Pavilion, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Ampang), then move on to highways (AKLEH & DUKE), then back to the usual KL marathon route at Jalan Kuching. The traffic control is much better this year cause most of the roads involved are closed from traffic, and the Jalan Kuching traffic is much better this year (I could be wrong cause I arrived at this stretch way earlier compared to 2 previous years).

There are 3 pacers for 4 hours group and using dark green color balloon. They did great by actually spreading out (one leading with ~5.5min/km pace, one tailing with ~5:40min/km pace, and one more person running in between). I chased down the middle pacer and tailing the pace leader from far (200-300m). The running effort controlled at a manageable level and only pushed when I hit the inclines. Heart rate was maintained at 152-155BPM. Everything was great and hit the 21st km within plan (1:56). Then I felt the VFF getting too wet, and thing started to fallen from 26km. I felt some pinch from every step near my left feet arch. Then follow by the right feet at the same part too. It affected my pace and I felt difficult to keep up with the pacers. Finally, I can’t take it anymore and had to let the pacers goes. I stopped after the DUKE toll gate around 30km to adjust the shoes.

Blisters, after the rubbing of the very wet VFF arches supports, from 26km to finish line. 

I felt the efforts spent in my training wasted! I was only 8 seconds behind my planned 30km split, but I knew I will not able to kept up with the pace because the adjustment of the VFF can only slightly reduce the pain. But I learned from my previous marathon, it was still too earlier to throw in the tower. Nonetheless, I only took 2:48’08” to cover the last 30km. If I keep going, I will surprised by my own finishing time later. Slowly, I restarted the run by slower pace (6.2-6.5min/km). Stopped few times to adjust the VFF in the Bukit Tunku area and walked up the long incline after the Tijani2 entrance. Lucky, after that, I found the pain was more bearable (may be the mind just shut off the sensor) and I slowly gaining speed over the long decline along Jalan Tun Ismail. Then after the Bank Negara, we joined with the half marathoners.

This is the worst stretch in the new route. Most of the HM already started walking after only 100 minutes into their race, and I need zigzag to dodging lots of people just to kept a 6-6.5min/km pace here. Water stations from this point onwards were all at chaos mode. After 37km in the race, I felt regretted not running with my bottle. Traffic built up at the Mahameru highway and the last water station located in this session with only one lane blocked off for the runners. This created a major bottleneck for both runners and the traffic. I almost elbowed my way to the water station here. Finally the homing stretch, decided to drop the hammer after the National Museum. Slowly but surely I was gaining speed and sped across the finish line with 4:08’30” on my watch.

First sub 5 timing achieved in home ground!

This result again left me with some unfinished business. Nonetheless still a fantastic PB that improved 51 minutes and I finally packed a sub 5 marathon at home ground! Apart from very sore tights and calves (plus the blisters on my arches), I finished without injury and not cramps! Hence I am optimistic to attempt sub 4 again in next month APBIM. I just need to figure out how to deal with the VFF (may be wet the whole feet with Vaseline next time).

Overall about this race,

1. New route, we avoided the usual last 2km people mountain people sea from the old route. But that exchanged with last 5km with walking half marathoner. Anyway, after the rough calculation, I was unlucky to choice to finish around 4 hours. If I run faster than 3:45, or slower than 4:30, I will not hit the bulk HM run-walker whom will finish around 2:30-3:00.

2. Traffic control at most of the route, except within the Bukit Tunku area. Those big cars some time is difficult to stop by volunteers.

3. Plenty of water stations. In fact to some point in the race, I felt there were too many water stations. As I don’t have my trusted bottle with me, I need to stop at every water station, sometime, this disturbed my pace (in a good way of course).

4. Much better control at the finishing area. This year it was fully barricaded for finishers only, and practicing a very systematic way to distribute medal and t-shirt.

5. Please relocate the last water station, 100m down the route and the road opened up widely.

My 13th Full Marathon Finisher Medal

Now, time to go back to the drawing board to fill up the training plan until APBIM. See you guys in Penang next month.

Vibram Agrees to Settle Class Action Lawsuit

Some of my friends and families sent me this article, cause they all know I ran in VFF. 

http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/vibram-agrees-to-settle-class-action-lawsuit

I don’t have much to said about the “scam” putting up by VFF, it was just merely a slogan or marketing gimmick that we usually saw in many campaigns or promotions. If VFF is guilty for this, then all other company that jump into the barefoot bandwagon too are guilty. As runners, I only belief that running is an activities that based on yourself (being your legs, foot, muscles, core and others part of your bodies). And obviously, running should not be the type of shoes that you are wearing. Most of my thoughts were described in this article here. 

http://www.drnicksrunningblog.com/my-thoughts-on-the-vibram-fivefingers-lawsuit-and-why-minimalist-shoes-do-not-create-injuries/

Have a look, think and working on what you believed in.

Loved my experience in my first Full Marathon in VFF

Loved my barefoot running too, but BF is in the back seat now.

My VFF Komodo Sport

My collection of VFF Komodo Sport

I owned 3 pairs of VFF Komodo Sport. The first one is the earlier version (yellow colour) and the other 2 of them are the current version (sliver colour). Loved this model and completed countless miles with them.

I got the yellow unit in July 2011, and it retired after my first marathon in a VFF during April 2012 Energizer Night Marathon. If I remembered correctly, I made a hole at the right outsole after 700km on them, and the total mileages logged with this pair was less than 1000km. I got a replacement, and this was the pair that takes me thru the rest of the 2012 and the whole of 2013. I stayed with this only pair until around August 2013. Only after the higher training mileage and intensity at this stage causes the shoes to be wet by sweat and I started to use the 3rd pair as a back up or racing shoes. This time, a hole formed on its left outsole after SCKLM last year. But I still run in it regularly, only retired recently as my index finger can now get thru the hole. Hence the second pair of VFF logged way more than 2000km. Less than RM0.20 per km, definitely value for money!

Hole on the right sole

Hole on the left sole

After I gave it a final wash, I realized that I can still running in them by combining each side which is still good! You will now see me running in Yellow + Silver VFF Komodo Sport, at least for the next 2 coming race in Kuala Kangsar and Ipoh.

Happy mix!

More mileages!

I got another pair of VFF Sprint last November but it still in the box. May be is time to break them in cause the training is getting tougher now and I will sweat the shoes almost right after each run. Another pair of spare shoes will give time for me to clean them before use. And may be is time to get another pair of VFF Komodo Sport whenever its sale.

Since I ran, I spent 1.5 years in conventional type of running shoes (NB1226, NB905, MR00, GTS10), and after that all running done with VFF Komodo Sport (with some very small percentage of barefoot mileages). I think I changed my running style/gaits lots, from heavy heel striker to light forefoot striker. Even when I running with VFF, my running gaits still improved progressively. That’s the reason why my VFF can last longer now. Btw, I think I really need to find out why the left foot now is heavier compared to the right one.

What about barefoot running? It’s taken a back seat now as I am chasing my sub-4 speed with aggressive training plan and pace. The understanding on how one can run in barefoot safely is definitely helping my running gaits. I belief the day will come when I ran completely barefoot, but now I need the gloves on my feet to protect the foot sole.

Run safe! Run happy!

Quick Update

I have to admit that I lost my driving force or motivation to updating my blog. May be I am too busy in my work and traveling. Or may be the election result hit me really hard. Or may be just plain lazy. Anyway, this is just a quick update about how myself doing lately.

I was busy at work since April. Knowing very well that this will be an extremely busy year for me, I only signed up a handful of races. Attending trainings, conducting trainings and catching projects deadlines will be the main focus of the year. The sub-5 marathon target only comes after these, but I think I enjoyed doing them so far. Conducted 6 trainings (varies length from half a day to 4 days in a roll), attended 2 weeks of training and completed 1 project so far. From the plan I had, I am more or less at the mid way point now, just another 7 more trainings to conduct, 2 more trainings to attend, and 2 more projects to seal. All these will done by October, and after that, I can realign the focus to running again :P

I got myself a new training partner – a hybrid bike. Very basic unit and don’t cost me an arm or a leg (~RM750, whole set with helmet, carrier, mudguard, lighting and speedometer). I think I am working very fine with it now. Cycling become my cross training activity and I think it helped to build other supporting muscles that not functioning or trained in running. I also changed my training plan. No more easy run at training, all my weekdays run is now short (4k) / normal (7k) / long (>10k) tempo run with hearth rate at 150~165BPM. Saturday / Sunday will be my long run of at least 20km at easy pace. I started to felt the impact of the new training plan. I am now able to sustain at 6 minutes pace for longer than 10k without stretching into 160BPM range. But the down side of the story is I get quite tired in the weekdays after those normal or long tempo runs :)

 

Not really working on my barefoot now because I am not able to afford any down time in training. Got myself another toy (Xerox Shoes or Invisible Shoes), still need some adjustment on the laces to avoid some potential hot spots. Will stick to my VFF for may be another year or 2.

I did my LSD in Putrajaya and bandit in the Mizuno Run last Sunday. Planned to do a 30k but was first time doing LSD here and it take me some time to find a secured parking lot in the wee hours (4:45am). Only enough time to finish 14k, and start tailing the race pack all the way from behind as the race started 20 minutes earlier. As I am just another normal-middle-pack runner, not many chances for me to passing so many runners, it was a good experience for me. Unfortunately, I puncit after 9km into the race. The flyover after the 9k water station gave perfect reason for me to start walking. Then the rest of the race is mainly walk-run-walk-run repeats. Met with fellow Ipoh mari-barefooter Lee CW around 10k mark. As my VFF is totally wet, I took it out and barefooting for a while. Not really a clever move, my soles were soften by sweat and no seasoned enough to handle the rough surface. It forced me to stop, clean up my soles and put on my VFF just after the bridge heading back to Precint3. Again walk-run-walk repeats, until the last turn into finish line and I stopped at the parking lot. Clocked only 29km for that day, but I walked so much and clearly I was not in the condition to push for another km. Hopefully this Saturday can challenge the 30km again nearby my home ground.

Another 2.5 weeks to SCKLM, I am not too sure if I am ready to sub-5 in this marathon. I think I trained to my best effort, but the problem is my working schedule and the mental preparation. To me, doing >30km in training will prepare you both physically and mentally. Is all about the mind after you hit the wall :)

Good luck in your training and stay healthy for the rest of the 18 days. See you guys at the SCKLM starting line.

Barefoot Running Part I: The Battle with the Running Shoes

After PBIM, I moved on to the next stage on my running revolution. Sept 2010 I started run regularly. Sept 2011 completed my first full marathon, and Apr 2012 completed my first full marathon in VFF. Now I am doing full time barefoot running.

When I first started in running, I was like others. Do some online research about running shoes, visit the local store to get one. Local famous brand like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Asics and Brooks are the first few stores we look into. Btw, the quality of the sales force in these stores varied. Some will able to help you with the right recommendation, some will just pushing their sale target.

My research was through enough to cover some of the big term used in running shoes, so I figured that I will need stability or motions control shoes as I am flat-foot with over-pronation and wide foot. That’s, the beginning of my battle with running shoes…

Round 1, NB1226 was recommended by RunnersWorld. I was lucky that this is really what I wanted and the shoes see me thru the next 1000km before I need to get into the shoes problem again.

NB1226 in action, PACM 15km Run @ 2011

Round 2, NB905. Not really getting along with this model. Make some mistake and learn something new about shoes then moved on.

NB905, can't find any photo in it, only raced in SCKLM HM 2011

Round 3, VibramFiveFingers Komodo Sports. Got this shoe because it is on great sale when Running Lab Malaysia open. I am not ready back then to run in VFF, only used in shorter distances training and races.

Round 4, Brooks GTS10. After throwing away NB905 and not ready to go full time in VFF, Brooks GTS10 came into rescue. Did my first full marathon in it and this shoe is great. I got another GTS10 as spare on the next clearance sale. But after some time, my running injuries are starting to haunt me. ITB, shin, knees, butt, and lower back start to aching up. A short 20k run on Sunday morning will saw me hoping for at least half a day. I started to look for alternative, or perhaps cure.

Brooks GTS10 in action, my first FM @ RJM 2011 (with Khoo)

Round 5, VFF Komodo Sports. After some research, I start to run in VFF full time. The pain is at bay, but still come back from time to time if I pushed too hard. Then I thought I went too bare.

VFF KS in action, my first VFF FM @ Energizer 2012

Round 6, NB MR00. This is the shoes that really drive me off the cliff. The terrible build quality, and again my foot can’t get along with it. I start to wonder what to do with the shoes that I can’t run with, how to reduce the failure rate and getting the shoes that fit me all the time.

NB MR00, never used in any race, still nicely packed in the box...

Round 7, VFF Komodo Sports. And next? Perhaps, is time to take the shoes out of the running equation?

Then, I started to run barefoot.

Summary on the running shoes I owned since Sept 2010:

1x NB1226

1x NB905

1x NB MR00

2x Brooks GTS10

3x VibramFiveFingers Komodo Sports

Path to running a Marathon with VibramFiveFingers

Many people running with VFF or barefoot, all with difference types of reasons. Some said it helps to prevent injuries; some belief that BF or VFF allow a better biomechanical form in running. Some like it simple, and some may even think this is hot and sexy by doing something out of ordinary.

My reason of running in VFF/BF is because it is simple. There are no/minimum barrier between you and the road surface make you felt that all your senses are activated and you are running as a WHOLE person. There are so many disturbances on our daily life, most of the time we do thing half-heartedly but hoping for the best. Running is one of the activities that you can throw in the whole of YOU and working towards your personal best. Running in VFF or BF put it to an extreme (try day-dreaming via running in VFF/BF, and then you will understand this). And this feeling is very addictive.

I am with my KomodoSport for 10 months now. I lost track on how far it goes, but guess it should be only >500km. Due to my lazy feet, the outsole is in bad condition. Both legs have similar problem but the left leg is slightly better. Other parts are still in good condition.

How to start running in VFF?

Start with walking in it first. I used it as shopping shoes for 2 weeks before I start running with it. There are not guidelines for how long you needed in this stage. Take your time to enjoy the walking in VFF until you are comfortable with it. You should not attempt your normal mileages right away, build you mileages in VFF with the usual practice you had with normal shoes. Start with short distances of 20~30minutes. Slowly increase in weekly basis and stop pushing further when you encounter pain especially in knees, heels or ankles.

Running in VFF or BF is all about landing on your mid-forefoot. So, if you are a forefeet striker, tentatively your calf muscles are more ready then other to adopt the additional load from its barefoot liked running style. If you are heel striker, then you need more time. While adapting to VFF via walking, you can also train up your calf muscles by hill works. Focus on your landing and make effort to land on mid foot on each step. This can be done relatively easy in slow pace, try it with 1~2 minutes on top of your normal marathon pace (or 9~10min/km). Shorten you strides, but fire them rapidly. Your cadences should be faster than 170~180spm. The fast churning will not only help to regulate the breathing, it also prevented you to overstrike.

How far and how soon you are ready for a Marathon? Its all depend on how flexible and adoptable your feet are. Some runners took years just to moving from heel striking to mid foot landing, some just took a few weeks to adjust. You will need to listen to your body to avoid TMTS (too much too soon). When should you start running Marathon in VFF? I would suggest you to consider that only after you done a 32km LSD in VFF without feeling abnormal amount of pain especially in your calves and soles. It will be definitely a painful experience to run 32km or a Marathon, the judgment I made is at least your calves and soles are ready to take the pain.

Retiring VFF KomodoSport

New VFF KomodoSport

New VFF KomodoSport Black & Silver Color Scheme

I completed my first VFF Marathon in ENR2012. I got my second pair of VFF KomodoSport (Black and Silver color scheme, I still prefer the previous Yellow color scheme) and the New Balance MR00. I will be on full time minimalist running shoes. Next race is to challenge the sub-5 Marathon in SCKLM with VFF. Not too confident I can do it, but I will try.

New Balance MR00

Training Update, running in VFF & Barefoot

February and March 2012 will be listed high in my training history as both months give very high number of training mileages, at 183km & 221km respectively. The last time I ran >200km per month is last October, where race Putrajaya Night Marathon alone contributed 42km. I only got Brooks Half Marathon in the pass 60 days, so the mileages in both months are strictly “training mileage”.

With the high mileages, I think my body undergo second stages of reforming and start to lose some weight now. I used to think that we can eat whatever as we did lots of exercise. The painful fact is, running can help in weight and cholesterol level control, but you still need to control the diet in order to achieve the ideal weight and reducing the cholesterol level. My weight stayed at 70kg since Nov 2011 (it even went up during the heavy feasting CNY period), finally I see the weighing scale dipping below 70kg after some control of my diet lately.

I adjusted my plan, focus and intensity of the training from time to time, mainly to keep myself motivated in training. We often claimed that we enjoyed most from the “running” itself, but the dish some time can be too plain and tough to take without other drivers. I tried to follow the training plan to push up my speed and mileages, but I think my body still not tune into the mode to take the high intensity. Hence I understand I am still lacking on the strength and will not able to run at the target pace as per the plan. From now on, I will drop the recommended pace and only go with the distances with my heart rate monitored.

After CNY, I added in Barefoot into my training. Started with barefoot walking 850m on the rest/cross training days, and increasing the training mileages in all the VFF runs. The previous training in VFF helps to remove some barriers to adapt to BF running, but my soles are obviously not yet ready to take on the rough surface. The first walking BF on the asphalt surface is a painful experience. It took me 15 minutes to cover the 850m. Compared to VFF, running BF needed more adjustment on muscle groups that enabling a softer landing on forefoot. Eventhough you get a good feedback from VFF, but the experience is not even closed to directly landing on BF. The legs muscles forced to fire up in order to reduce the impact. I learned not to over stride in walking, keep my stride length short and go with faster cadence or step rate. Finally, after about 2 months of BF walking, I finally put in some speed and start to run the 1st km in BF last Monday. Cover the 1km with 9min pace. More training and exposure needed in BF. But for now, I will switch back to VFF and my focus to my sub-5 marathon target.

Talking about running shoes, as you can see my shoes list, I am working on both extreme. I run in VFF and Control/Stability Shoes (Brooks GTS10). I have 2x GTS10, one of them already badly worn with >1000km mileages (part of the outsole gone); the other one is still new with ~100km mileages. I will retire the worn GTS10 after Energizer Night Race. I am not sure if I will run in VFF, but if I don’t, this GTS10 will race in ENR as its last race. Old shoes are best in giving reliable support in race. Will get another VFF soon as the KomodoSport is badly worn on the outsole as well (caused by my lazy right feet that grazed the road surface often after 21km mark). Saw this Retro version of VFF Originals in FB, will this arrive in MAL soon?

Next race in Energizer Night Race, I will set my Visual Training Partner pace to 7.5min/km to finish the FM before 5.5hours. But I am not really good in following the game plan, tentatively the adrenalines and my ego will still push me harder until the 30km, I will properly accomplish my sub-5 target if I don’t walk at all after that (walked a lots after 30km out from ECP in SCMS last year).

See you in the Sepang International Circuit on 21 April.