Kayaking - new kit [enhanced safety!]

Another 3 trips.

4th foray: Wednesday 28th June [solo]

Conditions:- 16c - overcast - low wind [~5mph ]
Tide: 6m max tide [launch ~60 mins pre-high tide]
River Torridge: Launched from near Bideford Police station
Route - upriver beyond the Tarka Trail iron bridge, before returning along the same route to Bideford
Landing - start location
Distance - ?3-4km total

Time on the water - 2 hours 40 mins

Drifting downriver with the tide, with feet up on the deck

This was a relaxed, unambitious session. 

Actually, my arms still felt a bit weak/achey, probably a result of the Instow paddle previously, or a weights session since then. 

However I was also trying out the reserve paddle I had bought. I ordered it for safety - something to have in reserve if I - or someone I was with - lost theirs. However it is non-identical to the ones that came with the kayaks; it is longer, heavier, and has flatter paddle blades with a wider area. Because of these differences I think you can tire yourself out more quickly with it.

It was during this trip that I belatedly realised the role of the small rubber rings that had come with the kayaks as well as this paddle - you attach them near the blade, where they largely prevent water running down the shaft and into the boat / onto the occupant. So that's a welcome discovery. 

I'm also getting better at packing up, and making sure that the things that get dirty are things that can be readily washed - while the kayak should be somewhat clean and pretty dry before packing it away - saves creating mess and spending more time on it after getting home.

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5th foray: Thursday 29th June [with Patrick]

Conditions:- 13c - overcast and some drizzle - Wind ~10mph in southward direction

Tide: 5.16m max tide [launch ~100min pre-high tide]
River Torridge: Launched at a layby stairway on the western shore, slightly south of Bideford [came by car]
Route - upriver beyond the Tarka Trail iron bridge, up to Weare Gifford, and back
Landing - start location
Distance - ~12km total

Time on the water - 3 hours 30 mins [3.4kph!] 

Patrick, during our return journey [in most other photos taken while out he appears stony faced!]

This trip took us a long way past my previous maximum up-river; the red dots on the map shown below indicate approximate launch and turn-around point. 

We had been wondering if we would encounter some sort of Were at Weare Gifford, but we didn't - perhaps there isn't one!? What we did find however was that at a particular point the river was narrow and fast running against us [by that point it was about 30 mins since the tide had turned - no longer a aid to our upward passage!]

The launch site from the lay-by was quite convenient - no need to walk over mud, and some things could be left in the car rather than taken in the kayak. 

Patch used the larger paddle and thought he perhaps preferred it [I have decided I prefer the smaller size]

A side channel, with a dire warning against entry

I ended up waist deep in the river at a certain point, having slipped a bit on some mud where I had previously been knee deep. Fortunately, as I have switched from wearing my running shorts to wearing a triathlon suit type one-piece, it wasn't really an issue.

Despite the distance and hours on river, it wasn't a particularly tiring session. But quite a cool day though, even with some layers on.

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6th foray: Saturday [solo]

Conditions:- 16c - sunny - 12mph winds [with 18 mph gusts] blowing towards the east

Tide: 4.3m max tide [launched at high tide]
River Torridge: Launched near Bideford Police Station
Route - downriver until opposite Appledore Shipyard/Marine landing craft jetty, then return 
Landing - start location
Distance - ~5km

Time on the water - 2 hours 15 mins 

A lower high tide [4.3m] looks less attractive than the 5-6m tides, but in the end I headed out all the same [it was only going to be lower tomorrow].

My buoyancy aid jacket had been delivered this morning.

40 Newtons of buoyancy!

With this suitably enhanced level of protection against drowning, I decided to head down to Instow. This requires some caution, as the area between Bideford and Instow can have quite a lot of motor boat traffic, in addition to small sail boats, and some occasional shipping [no major shipping today].

The main thing I had to watch out for was several speed boats pulling water ski'ers. Though it was more a matter of me staying near the bank further from them - they would be too fast for a kayak to evade.

Two of these boats are visible in the photo above.

I had to watch out for the wake waves from this traffic, but the kayak rode them with decent stability.

With the wind blowing to the east, I found I had to adjust my grip on the paddle, and sometimes take rather more strokes on a particular side, to prevent being washed too close to the eastern bank. It also meant I had small waves coming at me from the side.

Keeping a bin bag around my backpack on the deck helped keep everything dry despite some splashing over the deck.

It took only ~45 minutes, with the tide - and only light-moderate effort - to reach quite near Instow, so I set myself a challenge of returning to the launch site in Bideford against the tide.

The return journey was hard work, and took ~90 minutes of fairly intense paddling; if you're going against the tide it can really feel as if you are dragging yourself, and going pretty slow for all that.

It's a different experience; when you're going with the tide you can relax and enjoy the scenery. When you're going against it [and particularly when the water level is lower, which seems to increase the tidal force experienced?] then you can't let up, else immediately backward progress!

It was a nice afternoon out in the end; solid exercise. It was a good test for the buoyancy jacket, some practice exercising caution and paddling in the wake of river traffic, and my first time going against the tide for any prolonged period.

...this trip left me sunburnt [can see the line of my shorts/vest very distinctly]...I hadn't expected it as it had been quite cloudy prior to launch. I hate sunburn so much...

Kayaking in the Torridge

Around this time last year, while back down in the south for my summer break, I hired out kayaks a few times, and took them out on the river Torridge - once with my dad, and twice with my friend Patrick.I really enjoyed it, so made a plan to look into kayaking once I was back in the south longer term. Patrick was also keen.

Having now returned to N. Devon, I picked up 2x Intex Challenger K1 inflatable kayaks.

While everyone [myself included, originally] initially expects inflatables to under-perform, the reviews were very positive, and the convenience factor in terms of cost, storage space, and ability to easily transport solo [including via bag on a bus] were all major advantages.

With a new interest you can't really predict how much you will get into it. It may be that - longer term - I would want to look into a higher value kayak. But for now, this was a good choice.

1st foray: Tuesday 20th June [Patrick & I]
Conditions:- 28C - sun - low wind conditions - 4.5m max tide [launch ~50mins pre-high tide]
River Torridge: Launched from near Bideford Police station
Route - upriver beyond the Tarka Trail iron bridge, before returning along the same route to Bideford
Landing - slipway near Bideford skate park
Distance - ~3km total

Happiness is a pasty

Summary: First test of the kayaks, and in a heatwave.
It was pretty pleasant. We took it fairly easy. We had launched a little later than might have been ideal, but it turned out that the 4.5m max tide was pretty low.

Patrick found his kayak reasonable, but a tighter fit and to have perhaps worse balance, as he is taller than the average man. We will have to see how that affects things in more challenging conditions.

There were various learning points for me. I found I wasn't very good with deflating/packing, that the carry bags could be worn on your back - but really dug in leaving marks, and it also tore at the straps.
Storage on the kayaks was good, as was general handling. Gloves during paddling seemed better than without. Suncream can ruin a white synthetic fibre shirt... the list goes on.

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2nd foray: Thursday 22nd June [Solo]
Conditions:- 19C - overcast - fairly low wind conditions - 5.65m max tide [launch ~90mins pre-high tide]
River Torridge: Launched from near Bideford Police Station
Route - Upriver, up to Landscross
Landing - from launch site
Distance - ~5.5-6km total

This was a solo trip. Heading out with others has the advantages of company and increased safety, but I don't want my kayaking to be 100% dependent upon the timetables of others, and going solo and just enjoying some splendid woodland isolation also has its associated pleasures.

I took it easy for the outward journey, as the moderately strong tide and slight wind really carried me. It felt quite luxurious; I even found that I could be super-comfortable by putting my feet up on the deck. And again I enjoyed some food I'd brought with me.

As the tide slowed and began to turn I pushed onward beyond my previous maximum distance up the Torridge - i.e. beyond what Patrick and I had managed the previous summer. Not much further [?500m], but something to add to the trip. Really nice surroundings.

A panorama type photo from my new max upstream distance

During the return journey I soon met a fellow kayaker ['kayak pilot' perhaps I should say! or 'kayak captain'!?] called Marvin, and we had good conversation all the way back to Bideford. He was in a rigid, open-top kayak, but mine didn't underperform comparatively. When I asked about other good routes in the local area [he had a couple of years experience], he said that Taunton canal, maybe Bude canal, the Taw, and the river mouth/estuary/Crow Point area could all be good. He also mentioned coming down the Torridge from Torrington [just exiting the river and carrying at a certain point to avoid a were] as a more ambitious route. I was especially interested in that latter route, and also his talking about having kayaked around Crow Point without issue. Having experienced some currents near there with the tide, I had provisionally assumed it might be a more dangerous area for kayaking. Mavin also mentioned about the wake from passing boats being something to watch for; you should turn into the wake head on for better stability.

Actually, at a certain point on the return journey [while we were alone, and in sight of no one], Marvin pointed to an area of shore and said "that's where the kayaker found the corpse those months ago". Suddenly the thought struck me - 'Marvin is a kayaking serial killer, and I, isolated out here, will be the next victim found!'. A funny/silly thought that I did not take in any way seriously, but quite memorable now.

Learning points from this trip: I had reinforced the bag straps, which helped. I tried wearing strips of towel on the shoulders as protection, which also helped. I eventually worked out a good approach for packing up the kayaks. [give them time to fully deflate, as the final phase is slower, and fold the kayak half inwards both sides from the side, before rolling up to pack]. I had an issue during the latter half of the return journey, with the back of my seat deflating - so learning point was to fix the entry socket in more fully. Using a towel to wipe down the kayak pre-packing was a good idea. Central setting works best for the kayak paddle, and they have side specific labelling on the blades. Finally and perhaps most importantly I found a style of paddling that gave pretty good effect, with good stability/comfort, and without splashing myself.

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3rd foray: Friday 23rd June [Solo]
Conditions:- ~17C - overcast - ~16mph from the SW  - 6.06m max tide [launch ~100mins pre-high tide]
River Torridge: Launched from Instow slipway
Route - up to Bideford, [i.e. towards the SW]
Landing - Bideford; the slipway near the Police Station
Distance - ~3.5km [took 95 min of constant paddling]

This was a solo trip, and quite a challenging one. It turns out that ~16mph headwind provides a lot of resistance, both in terms of the winds direct effect, and also the waves it generates across the open water against your passage. While the fetch on a river is less than at sea, I still had water splashing over the first 1/3 or so of my kayak deck [and hence onto my backpack].

I had underestimated the effect of the wind in advance, and also hadn't paid much heed to the direction. Big learning points. However I went ahead with the trip, because I thought that at worst I would just get carried back to my launch site [in which case I could just take the bus back home again]. Well... 'worst' actually might involve a collision with another craft, because you have to start being more aware of that risk in the lower river area - hence my high visibility jacket! [& paranoid horizon scanning & staying closer to the river periphery]

Short story...I paddled and paddled...[no time for food, though I had actually forgotten it!]...and eventually prevailed. The harder part was the lower river, plus going under the old bridge. [actually, if the tide was another +0.5m, it might be difficult to pass under the Old Bridge]. That evening aftwards I was really quite fatigued, somewhat similar to how it could be after a long distance running event sometimess.

It's more fun with a high tide [here ~6m], though much beyond this might get inconvenient

Lots of lessons from this one. A new appreciation of the importance of wind strength and direction; I was going with the tide, but it didn't feel like it. Using the bus worked well, and Instow has a great slipway. Foot pump makes for easier assembly pre-launch. Put a waterproof bag around your backpack! This was an important learning point, as by the time I had landed, my backpack, including its towel inside, was completely sodden. By this 3rd trip I had finally got quite good at packing up at the end, but need to do a better job keeping things clean. Other things; wear a triathlon suit next time [the fabric of running type shorts can get quite sodden and 'clingy'], gloves really help, wear a watch, ?bring a spare paddle? [this paddle sometimes squeaked from the strain], take photos at the start, ?bring kitchen roll.

And finally and quite importantly - get a buoyancy aid jacket. While I don't think this journey was unsafe [its not a wide river, the tide was coming in, I'm a confident swimmer], its better to maximize safety, and I should get a buoyancy aid anyway in preparation for the sea or other tougher conditions...so that is now on order.

Great North Run 2014

The short version: I had a great time, think I was smiling most of the time, and the atmosphere was amazing. It was well organised, and the volunteers, support staff, crowds, and other runners were great. Lots of overtaking people, high five'ing kids stood by the roadside, and some impressive sights like the Red Arrows over the Tyne bridge... and massive crowds. Also, my first half-marathon for several years, having been plagued by persistent issues which it appears I may have now finally overcome! =)

Now, if you are not afraid of walls of text, and really do want the details, read on...

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Background: Prior to today I had completed 4x Bristol half marathons {2008, 2009, 2010, 2011}. My PB from this was 1.41.26, i.e. 7.40 min/mile pace [2010]. My worst time was 1.50.00, i.e. 8.16 min/mile pace [2011]. I registered for both the 2012 and 2013 half-marathons, but in both cases during training I ran into persistent issues with my right foot which prevented  a particularly high mileage of training for any given week (even just 15 miles in a week), and ultimately prevented race entry for those years. Things didn't look positive for my running at all!

Last year I switched to the Merrell Trail Glove, a barefoot type minimalist running shoe, based on the flexible Vibram rubber sole. It took a couple of months to adjust to the changed form (my calves had to get more flexible, among other things, as these shoes are not heel strike), but encouragingly the issues from before was no longer present in the same way. However since then I have had to make repeated adjustments to improve my form and overcome new issues. Some of these adjustments were only possible due to the increased feedback and control re: using minimalist shoes.

In brief, the three problems I subsequently had to overcome with form issues were again right foot issues (though less severe than previously), left hip issues, and then right anterior ankle strain issues. None of these were ever serious enough to affect normal living (i.e. walking). These were overcome mainly through adjusting the angle and landing of my right foot, and more recently changing the emphasis on how firmly I plant my heel before each new forward stride (exciting stuff I know!). The crux of this is it was only August 7th that that I made the final 'breakthrough', so my training has had distinct mileage limitations until only a month ago.

Training: Although I had been keeping in decent shape, I hadn't been able to push the pace or the distance of the 'long run' particularly far, until August. Over August I had to focus on increasing the distance, which went fairly well, but at the expense of race tempo training. I also did a fast 5K, which was maybe a little silly, but great fun! August 28th I completed the final 'long run'; a 13.3 mile training run (at a very slow 9.29 minute mile average pace - which compares to 6.58 minute mile average pace in the 5K). I really wasn't sure what sort of time to target or expect for the Great North Run. I hoped I might beat my PB of 1.41, but thought that 1.45 might be more realistic.

Pre-event: I was awake from 6.30 to eat and drink as early as possible. I left for the metro at 8.40, which I had thought was early, considering my assemble point didn't close until 10.30. The metro service on my line however was not particularly frequent, and the carriages were packed like sardines. I was lucky to have made it on before it became too full however, people at some later platforms were less fortunate and could not get on. The journey took quite a lot longer than it normally would, leading to me having to rush around upon arrival, and then join my wave assembly point from the very back.

I was in wave C (it goes; Elite Athletes, Wave B, Wave C... D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K), with wave allocation being based upon PB's and target times. Considering there were so many people behind me, I had thought that the back of Wave C would be fine, as I could just make steady progress, and maybe target a negative split for the second half, when the runners would have thinned out.

The air temperature was 13-14C, but as it was sunny for most of the race it was a little hot.

The Race:
Mile 1-2: My early pace was 7.45 minute mile, which was pretty much of target. I had thought I might be a bit slower initially, but that section was slightly downhill for the most part.

Mile 3-4: My pace had dropped, and was closer to 8 minute mile. By this point I was pretty sure that setting a PB was out of the question, the running field had not thinned at all, and the people in front of me were slower than I had anticipated. If I had matched pace with those in front of me it would have been at ~8.40 minute mile pace.

Mile 5-6: By now it was clear that crowding in front of me was upsetting my race. I got to overtake lots of people, which can be satisfying in its own way, but I was constantly having to change my pace, and move side to side to find gaps. At mile 6 I took my carbohydrate gel with some water.

Mile 7-8: The gel gave me something of a boost here. However by the time I reached mile 8 it was clear that I needed to settle into a regular sustained rhythm, and that my new goal was to keep the finish time below 1.50. Though that seemed quite achievable.

Mile 9-10: Probably the hardest miles. I was slightly disappointed at the pace I was having to go with, while the distance was also starting to have a bit of an effect.

Mile 11-12: With the end in sight, and crowds once more around us, I was having fun. I had accepted that my time wasn't going to be anything special to me on paper.

The final stretch: I found renewed energy near the end, and seeing the sea was nice. But I also started to become aware that I was going to have to be careful to not go over 1.50. I picked up my pace, but again the crowded field made it difficult. Still, I thought I had done enough to make it... but I hadn't! 1.50.17! (8.21 minute mile average pace).

Aftermath: Cue warm clothes, 1.2 litres of fluids, and various snacks...

I had the expected thirst, aches and tiredness afterwards, but nothing too bad. Presuming no issues crop up over the next few days, then it is a great positive, considering for a couple of years it wasn't clear I would be able to continue with distance running. Now it looks like there can be a next time!

In terms of my finishing time, I don't think I had the fitness to beat my old 1.41 PB. But I do think if the field in front hadn't been crowded and relatively slow that I could have set at least a 1.45. Frequent acceleration, slowing, and direction changes, for mile after mile, really upset your rhythm and ability to follow your fastest sustainable race pace. It's also wasted energy.

I would definitely recommend the Great North Run to someone who hadn't tried it before, and wouldn't be surprised if I come back for it one day. But if I do, then if I want to set a time that is competitive for myself, I will make sure I am either at the front of Wave C, or preferably in Wave B. The course isn't too tough, though I think perhaps a little harder than Bristol. The crowded field is the main issue.

But a great day! And as expected, I look 'absurdly cheerful' in pretty much all the photos.

Progress with the Merrells

During early July I had another go at running barefoot, but frankly some of the pavements in my area just feel too sharp and abrasive. During mid July I also ran a timed mile at maximum pace while out on the Bristol Downs, managing 6.30 pace which wasn't too bad for my first timed mile in many months, but which then left me with the usual right foot problems the next day. I had been vaguely considering that in future I would be using typical running shoes about half the time, but in view of this I'm now thinking about a complete transition if possible.

So for the most part I have been focusing on using the Merrells and trying to find a good technique. This has meant my total mileage has been fairly low as I'm still not in a position to be putting in high mileage or run consecutive days.

My next attempt at a different barefoot type technique in the Merrells involved kicking my feet quite high behind me, and stepping down through the forefoot from quite a high angle. This would mean the toal descent time between when the forefoot touches the ground, and when the foot is flat to the ground, would be maximised. Maybe this would cushion the landing better? The pace was reasonable, but the strain on the foot was far too high. Kicking your feet high behind you might be fine, but it definately felt like the wrong approach for landing!

Since then I have been trying to run with a shallower profile of forefoot landing, with my toes held slightly up between steps (something mentioned in the barefoot running book). This seems to have been working much better, as I have pushed on to distances of up to 4 miles at a time, with an average pace of 8.30 or so over hilly terrain. The after effects have tended to be some soreness and stiffness in the muscles (esp. calfs), as opposed to strain within the foot, so that is also encouraging.

Hopefully by the end of this month I will be up to 5 miles distance runs with a reasonable level of comfort. If this goes smoothly it would suggest my transition from normal shoes to Merrell barefoot type shoes took somewhere in the region of 7-8 weeks to achieve a reasonable minimum distance.

There are other technique adjustments I still have to make however, such as running downhill leading to unexpectedly rapid pace. For example a fairly modest downward incline on grass left me running at sub 5.30 pace and wondering if I could get my feet in front of me in time for the next step!  

Barefoot type running continued

The barefoot type running hasn't been going quite as smoothly as I might have hoped. After a run in the Merrell's on the 14th I ended up taking a break from using them until the 26th. Somehow on the 14th I put a lot of strain on my feet. I think this may have been due to running up and down a fairly constant hill, trying to push for pace, and making the technique mistake as a result of this of running 'on my toes'.

i - Forefoot landing - try to keep this light, with knees a bit bent
ii - Heel comes down
iii - 'Stepping up and forward' - I think here it is important to 'roll forward' from the heel, rather as you would in typical running shoes. 'Stepping up' from your forefoot puts a lot of strain on the foot, and isn't sustainably over any significant distance.

Since being able to return to barefoot type running I have been making sure that I'm no longer worrying about pace, which was definately premature. Just managing 1-1.5 miles most days in the Merrell's is the goal for the time being. I often prefer to do this after a short (e.g. 3.5 mile) normal run, which serves as a good warm up and means my fitness shouldn't drop away quite so much.

On a semi related note, I now think that my foot problem was definitely not helped by letting my normal day shoes grow rather old, with a sole that had worn unevenly.

Barefoot Style Running - Now at day 10

I have now read Barefoot Running Step By Step by Ken Bob, but before it had even arrived I had given in to temptation and ordered some Merrell Trail Glove running shoes. I had initially planned to go for some Vibram Five Finger shoes, however the sole of the Vibram interested me more than the 'toe glove' style. Seeing as the Merrell shoe utilises the Vibram sole it seemed ideal. I really like the look of them, though they are a huge change from my Saucony Pro Grid Ride 3 shoes. Even more so when you add in the additional Neonene insole and Superfeet insole I have been using in the past 6-9 months the Saucony in an attempt to deal with this foot issue.

From...

  to...

When I first unboxed the Merrell I feared they had sent a size or two below what I had ordered, as the shoe looked so small. But it fits very well ...the depth of the sole at the heel is almost 2 inches less in the Merrell! It is also much more flexible (you can bend it double so that the toe touches above the laces), and weighs half as much as the Saucony.

It won't be an instant switch from one to the other of course, and who knows, it may not work out. But after reading the book by Ken (which I would highly recommend) I have been pretty optimistic about this transition. And I'm always motivated re: running, which is what has made this foot issue such a pain. Recent training log as follows (pace/distance based upon Garmin Forerunner GPS Watch)

27-5-13: Approx. 0.1 mile barefoot, felt very awkward and slow.
28-5-13: Approx 0.3 mile barefoot, as above. [11.3 min/mile average pace]
29-5-13: Calfs suffering aches and stiffness
30-5-13: 0.5 miles barefoot. Focus on keeping knees slightly bent as per book instructions, which helped. But still very awkward. [9.24 min/mile average pace]
31-5-13 Calfs very tight and sore (I guess I was actually doing it right the previous day!).
01-6-13 Calfs still quite tight and sore when barefoot
02-6-13 0.6 mile run in the new Merrells. [10.07 min/mile average pace]. The shoes feel a good fit, but the running was quite awkward. I keep catching my legs switching to a heel strike landing rather than a forefoot landing with heel drop.
03-6-13 0.6 mile run barefoot. [10.16 min/mile average pace] Slightly less awkward sensation.
04-6-13 Calfs quite tight and sore.
05-6-13 1.2 mile run in Merrells [8.26 min/mile average pace]. Now this is the first barefoot type run that felt good! I was trying to bear in mind the "fall forward while cycling" type advice for this running style, and also had only a few accidental 'heel first' strikes. The running didn't feel particularly awkward, and at peak pace I was managing 6.41 min/mile pace.

In the above I didn't mention my normal running, which is typically two 5 mile runs every 3-4 days. I found I could sometime carry this out quite normally even when my calfs felt tight and sore when barefoot - that sensation just vanished when wearing my old running shoes. Which goes to show just how different the style of movement is.

From here I need to make sure I don't overdo it I think, and keep the transition gradual. Ken recommends spending several months running entirely barefoot, but I don't feel able to follow that. However I do plan to continue 'vanilla' barefoot running a minority of the time for better form feedback.   

A New Experiment: Barefoot Running

In August/September 2011, and my fourth Bristol Half Marathon, I picked up some kind of running injury in my right foot. In the 18 months since, including some extended periods of rest, it has not fully resolved. More recent assessment has indicated that the arch is fallen in my right foot. I have been wearing Superfeet supportive insoles since then to reasonably good effect, however the issue remains, and has reemerged when training volume or exercise intensity has been high. I may go into more detail at a later time.

During an unplanned conversation with a physiotherapist who specialises in running he mentioned that I should consider barefoot running, which he was very enthusiastic about. He suggested that barefoot running may strengthen my feet, and pointed to a lower incidence of injuries among barefoot runners. I had previously thought that my flat foot issue meant that barefoot running was ruled out due to a need for more support...but now it will be my new experiment!

Reading sources on the internet suggested that, rather than diving straight in with a pair of barefoot type running shoes, you should build up very gradually due to the very different running style and demands placed upon the feet. Yesterday I ordered 'Barefoot Running Step by Step' by Ken Bob, which appeared well reviewed and authoritative. My plan at present is to very gradually and safely build practice and mileage barefoot, and then perhaps a month from now, if all seems to be going well, to buy a pair of barefoot shoes. In the mean time that means running outright barefoot, though I'll be sticking to the pavement of my street for safety (and so I don't have far to limp home if things go wrong!).

Yesterday I tried running barefoot pavement running for the first time... but it wasn't really a run, but more of a strange hobble. Perhaps 80 meters up and down the street, with a strong feeling that my calfs were no where near flexible enough for this!

Today I tried again, this time immediately after the warm up of my usual 5 mile run. It went a bit better, 2x up and down the street, at what my Garmin Forerunner informed me was 11 minute mile pace. Rather slow considering I can be quite comfortable running at sub 7.30 minute mile pace range in shoes (1.41 half marathon pb), and again evidence that this transition will have to be very gradual. I'll report how it goes from here!