Guess what just arrived in the mail? My Komodo Sports and Bikila LS are here after more than a month's wait! They were out if stock when I first ordered them online.
Out of the box, both feel even more forgiving in fit than the KSOs, and slightly more padded as well. It's like wearing nice comfy socks. Photos and reviews to come after extended field testing!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Prevalence of Heel Striking
Spoke to another friend today about my running goals, and he too mentioned that he was trying to learn the barefoot gait, and eventually go shoeless.
We shared a common acquaintance who ran everyday barefoot in the mid afternoon sun, something I still find quite incredible.
Makes me wonder though, how is it possible that so many of us learnt to walk and run the 'wrong' way? If we were really made to land forefoot first, where did all the non-runners pick up heel striking? I've been observing passersby for a week or so, and even those slippered and sandalled walk heel first.
I don't recall at any point having modern education teach us to heel strike. The only incidence would be my mom who always chided me to land heel first when I landed with my forefoot as a child. Was it as simple as just parents passing it on to children?
If you look at footwear around you, which I have been doing so the past week, many slippers are equally primitive with no heel and arch support, and it doesn't seem like the fashionable Converse shoes many wear have them either. Does that mean even a little bit of cushioning leads to bad form? Or is heel and arch support so prevalent that nobody in modern society can escape it?
Curious questions indeed. All I can seem to think of is how much a killing those self-labelled barefoot shoe companies must be making. Hopefully the notion will reach the mainstream sooner, with more companies making new or rebranding existing shoes, and finally creating minimalist shoes with minimalist prices.
We shared a common acquaintance who ran everyday barefoot in the mid afternoon sun, something I still find quite incredible.
Makes me wonder though, how is it possible that so many of us learnt to walk and run the 'wrong' way? If we were really made to land forefoot first, where did all the non-runners pick up heel striking? I've been observing passersby for a week or so, and even those slippered and sandalled walk heel first.
I don't recall at any point having modern education teach us to heel strike. The only incidence would be my mom who always chided me to land heel first when I landed with my forefoot as a child. Was it as simple as just parents passing it on to children?
If you look at footwear around you, which I have been doing so the past week, many slippers are equally primitive with no heel and arch support, and it doesn't seem like the fashionable Converse shoes many wear have them either. Does that mean even a little bit of cushioning leads to bad form? Or is heel and arch support so prevalent that nobody in modern society can escape it?
Curious questions indeed. All I can seem to think of is how much a killing those self-labelled barefoot shoe companies must be making. Hopefully the notion will reach the mainstream sooner, with more companies making new or rebranding existing shoes, and finally creating minimalist shoes with minimalist prices.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Running with Company 2
Just came back from a 45 minute run with a friend, and I gotta say I'm feeling better than ever! Still feel like I'm fresh enough for another run! No knee pains this time either, I could feel the right ITB threatening to give my problems, but fortunately it never got further than just a little discomfort.
That said, the pace was a little slower at my 75% MHR, but extremely comfortable for me. We decided not to overdo it since my friend was coming back from a long running break.
Did a couple of sprints up gentle slopes in between to test my actual MHR, and seems like my heart rate monitor is fairly accurate after all, clocking my heart rate after the sprints at close to my theoretical MHR.
Also experimented with a few different gaits, and found a light, springy one that I might try again for faster speeds. I lean forward a bit and it feels like I'm falling forward, but I catch myself with my foot and use the bounce to propel forward. I'm sure there's a name for it, but too lazy to find out.
Incidentally, I introduced my friend to the idea of the barefoot running after hearing how hard her feet were pounding on the pavement. She tried landing forefoot first and instantly the pounding disappeared while she told me she felt lighter. Good to know it's not only in my mind and glad to have spread the word!
The evening scenery was great as well, a change from my usual routes around housing estates. This was more long quiet stretches of road with foliage on the side. Very serene and calming for running. Never thought I'd say this, but I enjoyed the run tremendously!
But that's the whole point isn't it? I'm starting to see what people who love running see. For me, I guess the most profound thing is just remembering how important it is to enjoy the run. Running shouldn't be a chore, it should be fun!
Hopefully I still feel this way when I have to clock longer distances for the marathon. Heh.
Shoes-wise, this would be my first run in my Vivobarefoot Neos, without the insole but with toe socks. The shoes were more comfortable than expected on the run, probably because the socks helped to prevent chafing. They were also very light and flexible, and I felt like I was flying during my sprints.
Curious to see now hoe these would compare to my Bikilas when they arrive.
That said, the pace was a little slower at my 75% MHR, but extremely comfortable for me. We decided not to overdo it since my friend was coming back from a long running break.
Did a couple of sprints up gentle slopes in between to test my actual MHR, and seems like my heart rate monitor is fairly accurate after all, clocking my heart rate after the sprints at close to my theoretical MHR.
Also experimented with a few different gaits, and found a light, springy one that I might try again for faster speeds. I lean forward a bit and it feels like I'm falling forward, but I catch myself with my foot and use the bounce to propel forward. I'm sure there's a name for it, but too lazy to find out.
Incidentally, I introduced my friend to the idea of the barefoot running after hearing how hard her feet were pounding on the pavement. She tried landing forefoot first and instantly the pounding disappeared while she told me she felt lighter. Good to know it's not only in my mind and glad to have spread the word!
The evening scenery was great as well, a change from my usual routes around housing estates. This was more long quiet stretches of road with foliage on the side. Very serene and calming for running. Never thought I'd say this, but I enjoyed the run tremendously!
But that's the whole point isn't it? I'm starting to see what people who love running see. For me, I guess the most profound thing is just remembering how important it is to enjoy the run. Running shouldn't be a chore, it should be fun!
Hopefully I still feel this way when I have to clock longer distances for the marathon. Heh.
Shoes-wise, this would be my first run in my Vivobarefoot Neos, without the insole but with toe socks. The shoes were more comfortable than expected on the run, probably because the socks helped to prevent chafing. They were also very light and flexible, and I felt like I was flying during my sprints.
Curious to see now hoe these would compare to my Bikilas when they arrive.
Basic Exercise Course Part 2
I'm waiting outside the function room where the second part of my basic exercise course with International Sports Academy is supposed to start 15 minutes ago.
The function room is locked, while the trainer has just arrived, late and confused. Once the room is opened in another 15 minutes or so, followed by yet another 15 minutes of bumbling to setup the laptop and projector, we would be 45 minutes behind time.
For a paid course, this is truly atrocious! I would hesitate to recommend them to anyone else given their poor performance.
While the trainer himself is fairly knowledgeable in many aspects of the field, it seems like he has never taught the course before. His teaching pace is haphazard at best, often finishing way too early, skipping certain relevant materials while spending too much on others.
He's unfamiliar with the required syllabus, bungles up some of the formulas, and has not even looked through the sample test paper beforehand, leading to uncertainty and confusion when addressing the answers, teaching the wrong answers until someone points out the conflict in the answer sheet.
Not that he's not a nice guy, but the trainer could have been better prepared. I have serious doubts when he says we can bring our handphones into the test for calculations. For a closed book test? Really?
Sigh. Another precious Saturday gone, extra income lost, and little value in exchange for it.
The function room is locked, while the trainer has just arrived, late and confused. Once the room is opened in another 15 minutes or so, followed by yet another 15 minutes of bumbling to setup the laptop and projector, we would be 45 minutes behind time.
For a paid course, this is truly atrocious! I would hesitate to recommend them to anyone else given their poor performance.
While the trainer himself is fairly knowledgeable in many aspects of the field, it seems like he has never taught the course before. His teaching pace is haphazard at best, often finishing way too early, skipping certain relevant materials while spending too much on others.
He's unfamiliar with the required syllabus, bungles up some of the formulas, and has not even looked through the sample test paper beforehand, leading to uncertainty and confusion when addressing the answers, teaching the wrong answers until someone points out the conflict in the answer sheet.
Not that he's not a nice guy, but the trainer could have been better prepared. I have serious doubts when he says we can bring our handphones into the test for calculations. For a closed book test? Really?
Sigh. Another precious Saturday gone, extra income lost, and little value in exchange for it.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Knee Conditioning
During the PPT, there was this middle aged triathlon in my group. I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask him for a little advice on preparation for long distance running.
One of the things that he mentioned which I haven't really considered was leg conditioning through hillwork. I had taken it for granted that my legs and joints would toughen up with more runs, but now that I think about it, I could just as easily sustain an injury.
I've hurt my knees in training a couple times before, twisting or hyperextending them. Since the start of the year though, I've been taking glucosamine to help with joint recovery and my knees haven't had any major problems in a long time.
However, the nagging ITB pain during runs and the fleeting feelings of weakness that pop up every now and then post-run is making me reconsider my position.
In looking for suitable hillwork terrain though, my current neighbourhood is really flat, and I'm not willing to travel too far as I have difficulty slotting in runs as it is.
For the time being I guess I'll have to take it slow and listen to my body. I'll probably give myself more time in the one hour region before trying for two.
One of the things that he mentioned which I haven't really considered was leg conditioning through hillwork. I had taken it for granted that my legs and joints would toughen up with more runs, but now that I think about it, I could just as easily sustain an injury.
I've hurt my knees in training a couple times before, twisting or hyperextending them. Since the start of the year though, I've been taking glucosamine to help with joint recovery and my knees haven't had any major problems in a long time.
However, the nagging ITB pain during runs and the fleeting feelings of weakness that pop up every now and then post-run is making me reconsider my position.
In looking for suitable hillwork terrain though, my current neighbourhood is really flat, and I'm not willing to travel too far as I have difficulty slotting in runs as it is.
For the time being I guess I'll have to take it slow and listen to my body. I'll probably give myself more time in the one hour region before trying for two.
Physical Proficiency Test
Just finished the PPT at NIE and boy am I crushed. Passing the test is a requirement to apply as a PE teacher but I have this feeling I failed one of the stations.
It's a real downer as I had high hopes of doing well, addressing my greatest weaknesses one by one to prep for it. From a non-swimmer, I started to swim 3 times a week until I became comfortable doing laps in the pool. From having two left feet, I learnt how to cartwheel.
But I guess we can't transform overnight, and years of a non-sporting lifestyle came back to haunt me. My badminton was terrible as I was too tense and kept missing shots, while my team possession game was nowhere near stellar as well.
However, the most heartbreaking of all was the agility test that I most likely failed. I was a little worried about this station coming in for the test as I had not been doing sprints and shuttle runs for a long while.
It wasn't so much my fitness that killed me though, it was my shoes! It's been a long while since I did any speedwork in shoes, and I've totally forgotten how different it is from barefoot. I usually wear my running shoes somewhat loosely and that serves it purposes for long runs. But for sprints that require braking and changing of directions, the loose fit makes it extremely difficult to brake sideways without losing my balance or having my shoes come off.
I spent precious few milliseconds trying to compensate on each turn that I came in a good 46 milliseconds behind the passing mark. Now I can only keep my fingers crossed that the time keeper had a slightly different timing from the guy who kept time for me.
Oh well, two more weeks till the results are out, and there's still a chance for a May retest, so I'll see how it goes. The next time I do the runs though, I'm definitely going shoes off.
Update: Just got home and checked the cut-off for the agility test. Looks like I was misinformed and I'm a couple of milliseconds within the passing time. Hopefully the timekeeper's watch had a similar passing time too.
It's a real downer as I had high hopes of doing well, addressing my greatest weaknesses one by one to prep for it. From a non-swimmer, I started to swim 3 times a week until I became comfortable doing laps in the pool. From having two left feet, I learnt how to cartwheel.
But I guess we can't transform overnight, and years of a non-sporting lifestyle came back to haunt me. My badminton was terrible as I was too tense and kept missing shots, while my team possession game was nowhere near stellar as well.
However, the most heartbreaking of all was the agility test that I most likely failed. I was a little worried about this station coming in for the test as I had not been doing sprints and shuttle runs for a long while.
It wasn't so much my fitness that killed me though, it was my shoes! It's been a long while since I did any speedwork in shoes, and I've totally forgotten how different it is from barefoot. I usually wear my running shoes somewhat loosely and that serves it purposes for long runs. But for sprints that require braking and changing of directions, the loose fit makes it extremely difficult to brake sideways without losing my balance or having my shoes come off.
I spent precious few milliseconds trying to compensate on each turn that I came in a good 46 milliseconds behind the passing mark. Now I can only keep my fingers crossed that the time keeper had a slightly different timing from the guy who kept time for me.
Oh well, two more weeks till the results are out, and there's still a chance for a May retest, so I'll see how it goes. The next time I do the runs though, I'm definitely going shoes off.
Update: Just got home and checked the cut-off for the agility test. Looks like I was misinformed and I'm a couple of milliseconds within the passing time. Hopefully the timekeeper's watch had a similar passing time too.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Running with Company
For this week's run, looks like I might have some company. A friend decided to join me after I told her about my plans to prep for a marathon. She did complain about my how ugly the Vibrams looked the last time I saw her though, and forbade me to wear it around her.
So I went to buy a pair of Vivobarefoot Neos.
Just kidding. It was an excuse yes, but I had also been looking for a pair of water resistant minimalist shoes. The Vibrams are all very breathable, but they let in water too easily. I hate running with soaked feet, and the weather in recent days have all been very wet and rainy. Wanted to get a pair of Evos at first, but they were out of my size and didn't carry the design I wanted anyway.
More on the shoes in another post. This run will be fun since I get to gauge my speed against another person, and we'll be able to push each other. She'll also be leading me on a new route, so I'll be seeing some new sights which will make the run more interesting. Can't wait!
So I went to buy a pair of Vivobarefoot Neos.
Just kidding. It was an excuse yes, but I had also been looking for a pair of water resistant minimalist shoes. The Vibrams are all very breathable, but they let in water too easily. I hate running with soaked feet, and the weather in recent days have all been very wet and rainy. Wanted to get a pair of Evos at first, but they were out of my size and didn't carry the design I wanted anyway.
More on the shoes in another post. This run will be fun since I get to gauge my speed against another person, and we'll be able to push each other. She'll also be leading me on a new route, so I'll be seeing some new sights which will make the run more interesting. Can't wait!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Breaking the 1 hour mark
Woohoo! Back from my run and I managed an hour comfortably! Still feeling strong and I reckon I could push longer, but decided to play safe and not overexert. Based on the sores I'm feeling, two days recovery at most! That said, I'm not too happy with my speed though, and seems like my cardio needs a lot more work.
I had been eagerly awaiting this run all week, as I wanted to put the new heart rate monitor to use. Despite my initial plan of running at 75% MHR, I ended up maintaining the run at roughly 85% instead, simply because the 75% MHR pace felt too slow. Even the 85% pace felt a little slow and it felt like I could maintain a slightly faster pace. I couldn't help but wonder if the HRM was a little inaccurate.
That said, I decided to stick with it, since exceeding the 85% MHR would switch the energy systems, while I still wanted to remain near my lactate thresholds. Made me wonder if my cardio was so bad that even a slow pace would get my heart rate up to 85%. Or maybe my running technique was not sufficiently energy efficient. Well, I also had a stuffy nose so that might be a contributing factor.
Regardless, the post-run feeling was good. It was so relaxing that I couldn't believe it. When I started out, I thought the one hour would kill me, or at least make my legs so sore that I couldn't feel them. Yet nothing of that sort! As I ran, I kept thinking about the first two things Caballo spoke about - running easy and running light. That was my focus all the way, keeping it easy and my footfalls light. It works great!
The only discomfort that's been eating me is the right ITB. At one point I had a sharp pain and had to stop for a quick stretch to loosen it up. But so far the pain goes away the next day, so it doesn't seem overly worrying.
For this run, I strapped on my KSOs with the toe socks, and I'm feeling more comfortable with the new gait of blade first then rolling inwards. After reading 'Born to Run', besides trying to remember to running easy and light, I'm also constantly feeling for how my body is reacting, whether my posture is right, and so on. It made the run go by a lot faster than I anticipated, and the one hour wasn't the drudgery I expected but actually turned out to be fun!
Onward and upward next week!
I had been eagerly awaiting this run all week, as I wanted to put the new heart rate monitor to use. Despite my initial plan of running at 75% MHR, I ended up maintaining the run at roughly 85% instead, simply because the 75% MHR pace felt too slow. Even the 85% pace felt a little slow and it felt like I could maintain a slightly faster pace. I couldn't help but wonder if the HRM was a little inaccurate.
That said, I decided to stick with it, since exceeding the 85% MHR would switch the energy systems, while I still wanted to remain near my lactate thresholds. Made me wonder if my cardio was so bad that even a slow pace would get my heart rate up to 85%. Or maybe my running technique was not sufficiently energy efficient. Well, I also had a stuffy nose so that might be a contributing factor.
Regardless, the post-run feeling was good. It was so relaxing that I couldn't believe it. When I started out, I thought the one hour would kill me, or at least make my legs so sore that I couldn't feel them. Yet nothing of that sort! As I ran, I kept thinking about the first two things Caballo spoke about - running easy and running light. That was my focus all the way, keeping it easy and my footfalls light. It works great!
The only discomfort that's been eating me is the right ITB. At one point I had a sharp pain and had to stop for a quick stretch to loosen it up. But so far the pain goes away the next day, so it doesn't seem overly worrying.
For this run, I strapped on my KSOs with the toe socks, and I'm feeling more comfortable with the new gait of blade first then rolling inwards. After reading 'Born to Run', besides trying to remember to running easy and light, I'm also constantly feeling for how my body is reacting, whether my posture is right, and so on. It made the run go by a lot faster than I anticipated, and the one hour wasn't the drudgery I expected but actually turned out to be fun!
Onward and upward next week!
Basic Exercise Course Part 1
Been spending the weekend going for the Basic Exercise Course, in preparation that I might eventually get a Fitness Instructor Course certification. So far, it's been boring stuff. I'm not too big a fan of musculoskeletal structure, although it's a necessary evil. Instructor didn't seem very proficient either, heh.
Was kinda hoping we'd cover different stretching techniques and the muscles they target though, as I'm curious about all the different stretches available and which one works best on which zone. Unfortunately, we didn't cover much. I did learn about the different stretches to hit the soleus versus the gastrocnemius that I wasn't aware of though, and that's about it.
The other thing that had me thinking was about the different heart rate zones. I'd been reading just a little bit on that because of my new HRM, and trying to match it to my training plan. Since I'm more keen on building endurance rather than speed at the moment, and working on my cardio, I should be aiming to work just below my lactate threshold, rather than my lactate tolerance.
I was asking the trainer about high intensity interval training versus long distance running in terms of gains, since I've read that HIIT provides larger and faster improvements over just running the distance. Apparently HIIT improves lactate tolerance and recovery, while long runs increase lactate threshold. Not sure how this all factors in to the gains, but if they're working on different systems, then I still stick to my initial plan of endurance runs and eschew HIIT for the time being.
For now, the goal is to run long, not fast or far. Get my body used to working for an hour or two non-stop, and then work on the other aspects. Inspired for the run later!
Was kinda hoping we'd cover different stretching techniques and the muscles they target though, as I'm curious about all the different stretches available and which one works best on which zone. Unfortunately, we didn't cover much. I did learn about the different stretches to hit the soleus versus the gastrocnemius that I wasn't aware of though, and that's about it.
The other thing that had me thinking was about the different heart rate zones. I'd been reading just a little bit on that because of my new HRM, and trying to match it to my training plan. Since I'm more keen on building endurance rather than speed at the moment, and working on my cardio, I should be aiming to work just below my lactate threshold, rather than my lactate tolerance.
I was asking the trainer about high intensity interval training versus long distance running in terms of gains, since I've read that HIIT provides larger and faster improvements over just running the distance. Apparently HIIT improves lactate tolerance and recovery, while long runs increase lactate threshold. Not sure how this all factors in to the gains, but if they're working on different systems, then I still stick to my initial plan of endurance runs and eschew HIIT for the time being.
For now, the goal is to run long, not fast or far. Get my body used to working for an hour or two non-stop, and then work on the other aspects. Inspired for the run later!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Born to Run
Just finished reading the book 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall. Inspirational stuff I must say. Now I'm even more motivated than ever to work on a consistent running regime. The book has me even fantasizing about potentially running marathons and ultra-marathons. After all, we were born to run!
First came across the title of this book while doing further online research on Vibrams and barefoot running in general. For some reason, I had too much free time on a Thursday and decided it was time to indulge in a little intellectualism, going on my seasonal book binge.
Although most of the books I picked up were business related, this was the only book on running and man was it hard to find! I went first to Popular to try my luck since they were the nearest, followed by the Borders in Wheelock, before finally getting it at Takashimaya Kinokuniya. Talk about the wrong choice of bookstore memberships. That's the one that I let expired, when I'm still holding on to Times and Borders.
Complains aside, the book was awesome. It was the first on my to read list, telling the tale of how the author, despite being told by his podiatrist that he should abandon running due to his injuries and how he was simply 'not built for running', decided to look for a different answer, finally finding them in the Tamahumara tribe and a group of elite ultramarathoners.
While the book did touch on certain aspects of barefoot running, I felt the bigger focus was simply on the celebration of running and the sheer joy of rediscovering what it's like to be able to run light and free again. It really made me feel that even I could achieve great feats of running if I simply tried and corrected some of the misconceptions I've been told.
Especially inspirational for me was Caballo's idea of just thinking about running 'easy, light, smooth and fast'. Running should be just that simple. I also loved all the anecdotes about people who started running simply because they enjoyed it, and somehow blossomed into incredible endurance runners. If they could do it, why not me? Since I can't run fast, maybe I can run long!
Of course, the kicker was the idea of persistence hunting, of how humans in the past were able to run deers to exhaustion after 6-8 hour long chases. That's like ultra-marathon lengths! If a whole tribe of people could do it, I better damn well be able to do a comparatively simpler marathon.
At the base of it there's still the idea that modern running injuries and the description of running as a 'high impact sport' are due to modern shoes. As long as you're able to change your gait and revert to what was once natural, it hardly matters whether you're running barefoot, in Vibrams, or other minimalist shoes.
There's still so much more I'm not able to put down in words. The book itself is real motivational material. I'd encourage every runner and non-runner to pick it up and try out some of the ideas. Just don't be too close-minded with it!
First came across the title of this book while doing further online research on Vibrams and barefoot running in general. For some reason, I had too much free time on a Thursday and decided it was time to indulge in a little intellectualism, going on my seasonal book binge.
Although most of the books I picked up were business related, this was the only book on running and man was it hard to find! I went first to Popular to try my luck since they were the nearest, followed by the Borders in Wheelock, before finally getting it at Takashimaya Kinokuniya. Talk about the wrong choice of bookstore memberships. That's the one that I let expired, when I'm still holding on to Times and Borders.
Complains aside, the book was awesome. It was the first on my to read list, telling the tale of how the author, despite being told by his podiatrist that he should abandon running due to his injuries and how he was simply 'not built for running', decided to look for a different answer, finally finding them in the Tamahumara tribe and a group of elite ultramarathoners.
While the book did touch on certain aspects of barefoot running, I felt the bigger focus was simply on the celebration of running and the sheer joy of rediscovering what it's like to be able to run light and free again. It really made me feel that even I could achieve great feats of running if I simply tried and corrected some of the misconceptions I've been told.
Especially inspirational for me was Caballo's idea of just thinking about running 'easy, light, smooth and fast'. Running should be just that simple. I also loved all the anecdotes about people who started running simply because they enjoyed it, and somehow blossomed into incredible endurance runners. If they could do it, why not me? Since I can't run fast, maybe I can run long!
Of course, the kicker was the idea of persistence hunting, of how humans in the past were able to run deers to exhaustion after 6-8 hour long chases. That's like ultra-marathon lengths! If a whole tribe of people could do it, I better damn well be able to do a comparatively simpler marathon.
At the base of it there's still the idea that modern running injuries and the description of running as a 'high impact sport' are due to modern shoes. As long as you're able to change your gait and revert to what was once natural, it hardly matters whether you're running barefoot, in Vibrams, or other minimalist shoes.
There's still so much more I'm not able to put down in words. The book itself is real motivational material. I'd encourage every runner and non-runner to pick it up and try out some of the ideas. Just don't be too close-minded with it!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Spanking New Heart Rate Monitor
Ever since I've had the flight of fancy that I might be doing runs, I'd been thinking of investing in a heart rate monitor. However, the few times I've popped in and out of running shops, the HRMs cost a bomb! The Polar watches are $170 odd and up. That's way too much in my books when I just need to know how fast my heart is beating. Don't really need to know how many calories I burnt and all those extra features that jack up the price.
On this particular day though, I happened to walk by the Running Lab in Tampines 1 and they were having sale. Thought I'd try my luck again to hunt for something around the $100 mark. After browsing around, I managed to find ONE model that was on half price! Hell yeah! Unfortunately, it was the ladies' model.
But me being cheapskate me, I checked with the staff, and apparently the only difference was the design, so I decided to pick it up anyway. That's when I realised there was still additional discount off this item. Talk about luck! It must be fated that I'm to pick up running this year, haha. So in the end, I paid $79 for a Sportline Duo 1025 HRM. Not sure how the price and function compares to other HRMs out there, since I didn't do my research, but it fulfills all the basic functions I need.
To be honest, I didn't even know that HRMs came with a chest strap or required one. But luckily this 'budget' model I bought can take my heart rate from just touching the watch or by using the provided chest strap. Don't know how accurate it is without the chest strap, but it's fun being able to take my heart rate anytime and see how it fluctuates with my daily activities.
Seems like my usual heart rate fluctuatates between 70-100 when I'm out and about, but my RHR is 56-60 thereabouts. Ok, I was hoping I'd have a lower RHR to show that I'm 'fit', but hanging out at the bottom of the normal range is still decent, I guess. Now I just need to keep training my cardio until I can get it down to 50 or maybe even 40! Then I can consider myself an athlete, hahaha.
Wishful thinking, I know. Don't know if wearing the HRM fries my brain or something. Still, it's a goal. Lower RHR, here I come!
On this particular day though, I happened to walk by the Running Lab in Tampines 1 and they were having sale. Thought I'd try my luck again to hunt for something around the $100 mark. After browsing around, I managed to find ONE model that was on half price! Hell yeah! Unfortunately, it was the ladies' model.
But me being cheapskate me, I checked with the staff, and apparently the only difference was the design, so I decided to pick it up anyway. That's when I realised there was still additional discount off this item. Talk about luck! It must be fated that I'm to pick up running this year, haha. So in the end, I paid $79 for a Sportline Duo 1025 HRM. Not sure how the price and function compares to other HRMs out there, since I didn't do my research, but it fulfills all the basic functions I need.
To be honest, I didn't even know that HRMs came with a chest strap or required one. But luckily this 'budget' model I bought can take my heart rate from just touching the watch or by using the provided chest strap. Don't know how accurate it is without the chest strap, but it's fun being able to take my heart rate anytime and see how it fluctuates with my daily activities.
Seems like my usual heart rate fluctuatates between 70-100 when I'm out and about, but my RHR is 56-60 thereabouts. Ok, I was hoping I'd have a lower RHR to show that I'm 'fit', but hanging out at the bottom of the normal range is still decent, I guess. Now I just need to keep training my cardio until I can get it down to 50 or maybe even 40! Then I can consider myself an athlete, hahaha.
Wishful thinking, I know. Don't know if wearing the HRM fries my brain or something. Still, it's a goal. Lower RHR, here I come!
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Smell of Funk
The recent wet weather is killing me. If there's one thing I hate most besides roaches, it's wet feet.
Unfortunately, wet weather means wet feet. I don't usually wear covered shoes, so as long as the ground is wet after nature's shower, my Teva sandals are bound to scoop some of that dirty water under my toes.
I hate that icky sticky feeling, not to mention how it'll end up stinking real bad, my feet especially. I've had at least one complain already, and god knows how many more unspoken ones.
In the hopes that the Classics will fare better, I've been wearing them around too. While the funk is lesser for now, it takes hell of a time to dry. I'm basically squelching around in soaked feet. Doesn't help that it's mostly fabric.
One saving grace is that it's machine washable though, so I've been dumping it into a laundry bag with the rest of my wash. Helps to keep the smell down.
The only problem is wet weather makes it hard to sun dry them. In the mean time I have to wear my Tevas. Back to square one. *facepalm*
While I'm busy sulking, anyone's got recommendations for washing powder or detergent? Still can't seem to find the magic one that gives my clothes that laundry fresh fragrant. Sigh.
Unfortunately, wet weather means wet feet. I don't usually wear covered shoes, so as long as the ground is wet after nature's shower, my Teva sandals are bound to scoop some of that dirty water under my toes.
I hate that icky sticky feeling, not to mention how it'll end up stinking real bad, my feet especially. I've had at least one complain already, and god knows how many more unspoken ones.
In the hopes that the Classics will fare better, I've been wearing them around too. While the funk is lesser for now, it takes hell of a time to dry. I'm basically squelching around in soaked feet. Doesn't help that it's mostly fabric.
One saving grace is that it's machine washable though, so I've been dumping it into a laundry bag with the rest of my wash. Helps to keep the smell down.
The only problem is wet weather makes it hard to sun dry them. In the mean time I have to wear my Tevas. Back to square one. *facepalm*
While I'm busy sulking, anyone's got recommendations for washing powder or detergent? Still can't seem to find the magic one that gives my clothes that laundry fresh fragrant. Sigh.
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
Wet Weather Plans
It's been raining a lot this month, and I'm caught on my running day with the rain outside. I hate sloshing around with wet feet, so the Vibrams are not gonna cut it. I've already been in several downpours with the Classics on my daily travels and I don't really like the wet fabric sticking to my feet, and how my dirty feet would stain the insole. The KSOs with the mesh upper will definitely not help either. Oh well.
Let's hope the rain subsides tomorrow, otherwise I won't be going for a run till next week. In the meantime, I should probably hunt for some waterproof or at least water resistant shoes.
Let's hope the rain subsides tomorrow, otherwise I won't be going for a run till next week. In the meantime, I should probably hunt for some waterproof or at least water resistant shoes.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Cheated on eBay
After a long and fortunate experience of purchasing on eBay, I've finally hit a dud. Not that I wasn't prepared for it since I went it with my eyes wide open, but still disappointing to find my streak broken at last.
What was the object of forgery? A pair of Vibrams KSO from China.
After returning my KSOs and trying out the Treksport, I was a little uncomfortable about wearing down the sole of the Treksport and preferred the thinner 2mm sole for roadwork. Deciding to take my chances online, I went for a cheap pair of KSOs on eBay.
To be honest, it's rather expensive even for a pair of knock-offs. I'd expect half-price, but it was going for around 75% of retail, one of the reasons I bit. Another reason was that Vibrams were made in China anyway, so I was taking my chances that these might be factory rejects or extras produced out of the actual factory. I had contacted the seller to ask if these were original or knock-offs, and all I received was an ambiguous 'made in China factory'.
Turns out, it's not authentic. Having worn actual KSOs before, I could instantly tell the difference. The sole of the fakes were much stiffer, the material of the uppers were different. Those guys even had the cheek to include the Vibram and Aegis tags to make it look like the original product. The only thing missing was the box.
Unhappy with the lost money, I reported the incident to eBay since selling fakes is against their policy. Unfortunately, eBay was slow with their response, and simply told me to contact the seller and get a refund. If the seller refused, I could escalate. In my mind, I was going WTF. So even though it's against policy to sell fakes, and I clearly know it's a fake, eBay would have me discuss with the seller so he could deny it? I could easily submit documentary evidence with photos if eBay required!
Moreover, even if I resolved it with the seller, it meant that the seller could continue selling fakes to others. If you've never tried Vibrams before, you probably couldn't tell the difference from the knock-offs. I'd thought eBay would take a greater interest and try to shut these kind of sellers down. So much for eBay customer protection. I even replied their email with the concerns about, and all I got was another templated 'contact the seller' reply, with no regard for my email contents. It's as though they can't read!
Fortunately, the seller was pretty affable despite the fakes. I contacted him and he agreed to refund me after I sent the shoes back. On my side, the cost was the $17 for shipping back. It could have been worse. Oh well, the price to pay for learning that eBay's buyer protection policy is weak.
What was the object of forgery? A pair of Vibrams KSO from China.
After returning my KSOs and trying out the Treksport, I was a little uncomfortable about wearing down the sole of the Treksport and preferred the thinner 2mm sole for roadwork. Deciding to take my chances online, I went for a cheap pair of KSOs on eBay.
To be honest, it's rather expensive even for a pair of knock-offs. I'd expect half-price, but it was going for around 75% of retail, one of the reasons I bit. Another reason was that Vibrams were made in China anyway, so I was taking my chances that these might be factory rejects or extras produced out of the actual factory. I had contacted the seller to ask if these were original or knock-offs, and all I received was an ambiguous 'made in China factory'.
Turns out, it's not authentic. Having worn actual KSOs before, I could instantly tell the difference. The sole of the fakes were much stiffer, the material of the uppers were different. Those guys even had the cheek to include the Vibram and Aegis tags to make it look like the original product. The only thing missing was the box.
Unhappy with the lost money, I reported the incident to eBay since selling fakes is against their policy. Unfortunately, eBay was slow with their response, and simply told me to contact the seller and get a refund. If the seller refused, I could escalate. In my mind, I was going WTF. So even though it's against policy to sell fakes, and I clearly know it's a fake, eBay would have me discuss with the seller so he could deny it? I could easily submit documentary evidence with photos if eBay required!
Moreover, even if I resolved it with the seller, it meant that the seller could continue selling fakes to others. If you've never tried Vibrams before, you probably couldn't tell the difference from the knock-offs. I'd thought eBay would take a greater interest and try to shut these kind of sellers down. So much for eBay customer protection. I even replied their email with the concerns about, and all I got was another templated 'contact the seller' reply, with no regard for my email contents. It's as though they can't read!
Fortunately, the seller was pretty affable despite the fakes. I contacted him and he agreed to refund me after I sent the shoes back. On my side, the cost was the $17 for shipping back. It could have been worse. Oh well, the price to pay for learning that eBay's buyer protection policy is weak.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
45 Minutes
Ok, after giving myself a week to recover from the right foot pain, I went back for another run. To be safe though, I wore my Injinji toe socks and the Treksports for more padding in case I hurt my right foot again.
Also, the experience taught me that maybe my gait was wrong and I should consider changing it up a bit. Instead of landing most of it on the ball of my foot and rolling it back, I tried landing on the blade of my foot and rolling it inwards. Seems to work better, and there's not much pounding sounds on the pavement either.
Decided to take it easy first, but after awhile I started to feel good, with just the occasional nagging pain of the right ITB, so I decided to extend my run and explored a new part of the neighbourhood. Tried to see if I could hit a longer running duration since I wasn't so focused on speed.
By the time I finished exploring the new area and cut back, it was almost 40 minutes, so I took a small detour and ended up reaching back to clock about 48 minutes. Not too bad I'd say. Legs were a little light after that, but based on the soreness levels I'd guess I'd only need one day to recover.
Also gingerly tested for the right foot pain, and it was mostly gone. I can feel the weakness there, but no flaring pain like what I initially experienced. Good sign that means I'll probably be fully recovered by the next run.
Overall, I'm happy with the progress. The goal here is to get to 1 hour plus runs and maintain those on a weekly basis. When I feel good enough, might try for 2 hours or longer to cop a feel for half-marathon lengths.
Also, the experience taught me that maybe my gait was wrong and I should consider changing it up a bit. Instead of landing most of it on the ball of my foot and rolling it back, I tried landing on the blade of my foot and rolling it inwards. Seems to work better, and there's not much pounding sounds on the pavement either.
Decided to take it easy first, but after awhile I started to feel good, with just the occasional nagging pain of the right ITB, so I decided to extend my run and explored a new part of the neighbourhood. Tried to see if I could hit a longer running duration since I wasn't so focused on speed.
By the time I finished exploring the new area and cut back, it was almost 40 minutes, so I took a small detour and ended up reaching back to clock about 48 minutes. Not too bad I'd say. Legs were a little light after that, but based on the soreness levels I'd guess I'd only need one day to recover.
Also gingerly tested for the right foot pain, and it was mostly gone. I can feel the weakness there, but no flaring pain like what I initially experienced. Good sign that means I'll probably be fully recovered by the next run.
Overall, I'm happy with the progress. The goal here is to get to 1 hour plus runs and maintain those on a weekly basis. When I feel good enough, might try for 2 hours or longer to cop a feel for half-marathon lengths.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Vibram TrekSport
Initially, I was considering a pair of TrekSport or KSO Trek for trail running on my rare visits back to Penang. However, in terms of value, it didn't seem like an intelligent investment to drop a hefty sum of cash for something I'd only use a few times. Regardless, I didn't have much of a choice when I was forced to take it after having to swap my defective pair of KSOs in, since they didn't have sizes for other shoes.
Anyway, so here I am with a pair of TrekSports, sharing my thoughts on it.
Design
The TrekSport comes in a nice variety of colours, with 4 for the men, and 4 for the ladies, although they share two common colours. While I would have loved to the get champagne/red or the red/black, the local store only had a pure black variant of the TrekSport. From the official Vibram website, that colour is no longer available, and is a black/charcoal variant instead.
In terms of looks, the TrekSport is quite similar to the the KSOs although there are some improvements in features. The strap now has two small strips of reflectors and one more small one behind. These seem to be mostly decorative, going by their size and position. Another notable feature that has a cosmetic effect is the TPU toe reinforcement to help reduce wear and tear at the toe area, giving it a slightly reflective black shade.
This model features a thicker 4mm outsole and has an EVA midsole for plating protection, as well as the standard Aegis anti-microbial treatment.
Fit
The TrekSport is a newer model that comes after the KSO, and follows the same size chart. As such, I went with the same size 40 on my KSOs. Since I got to try this out at the store, they fit pretty well. There's still the nagging issue of my horrible little toe, but it's almost unnoticeable once I start running in these. I've also worn my Injinji toe socks in these, and it still fits snug without becoming constricting.
Similar to the KSOs, putting it on can be a little difficult at first due to the snug upper, but once it's on it stays on. The tightening system is also similar, with a dual function velcro strap that loops around the heel to tighten both the lateral side and the heel area.
One new adjustment over the KSOs is the wider and cushier heel tab, which results in a more comfortable fit when the back of the shoe presses against the Achilles tendon. The TrekSports are also fairly stretchy and forgiving in the sizing, so I suppose they will fit better over time.
Barefoot Feel
Given how the TrekSport is slightly thicker and the way the outsole is designed, the ground feel for it is much reduced compared to the KSOs or Classics. I suppose this is a necessary trade-off for more foot protection since this is supposed to be a trail running shoe. I can still feel the ground much better compared to other shoes, but once I slap on a pair of socks, it's pretty muted.
The flexibility of the shoes go down a bit too because of the slightly stiffer mid-sole. There's still a lot of flex though, so it shouldn't really affect running activity. It weighs in a little heavier at about 180grams on each side.
All else is as expected from minimalist shoes, with no heel and arch support, and a zero drop.
Usage
These shoes are designed primarily for trekking, hence the namesake, although it can obviously be used for running and travelling as well. It's supposed to be rugged and tough and all that jazz.
However, I have my concerns with this pair of shoes. Since I don't go trail running much, my primary running surface is on asphalt, which I believe it's much harder wearing on the sole than trails. Trails may be uneven, rough, and peppered with the occasional rock, but at least the overall surface is still going to be softer than concrete pavement or road asphalt. That said, I haven't ran trails in these, so I could be wrong.
Regardless, the sole of the TrekSport is much different from the KSO and Classic. Instead of the razor sipping, they've gone with textured surfaces and grooves, giving it a much more aggressive grip. However, the last time I saw protrusions and spikes made of rubber at the bottom of my footwear, they flattened out in two weeks. As such, I have my doubts, and I'm keeping these in the back burner for when I finally find time to go trail running.
In the meantime though, it has held up decently for the few runs I've used it for, as well as a game of badminton. The sole grips well on a variety of surfaces, despite my initial concern that it might slip on the smoother surface of a multi purpose hall.
The upper is similar to the KSO, and is very breathable but not at all water resistant. I enjoy wearing these without socks like my KSOs, but socks are a necessary evil to me for longer runs so I don't stink up my shoes too quickly.
Overall, the TrekSport is feels rugged and offers great foot protection, but it comes at a cost of heavier and thicker shoes, reducing some amounts of ground feedback. This will probably not become my main running shoes, but it's a good backup to have on those trail running occasions.
Anyway, so here I am with a pair of TrekSports, sharing my thoughts on it.
Design
The TrekSport comes in a nice variety of colours, with 4 for the men, and 4 for the ladies, although they share two common colours. While I would have loved to the get champagne/red or the red/black, the local store only had a pure black variant of the TrekSport. From the official Vibram website, that colour is no longer available, and is a black/charcoal variant instead.
In terms of looks, the TrekSport is quite similar to the the KSOs although there are some improvements in features. The strap now has two small strips of reflectors and one more small one behind. These seem to be mostly decorative, going by their size and position. Another notable feature that has a cosmetic effect is the TPU toe reinforcement to help reduce wear and tear at the toe area, giving it a slightly reflective black shade.
This model features a thicker 4mm outsole and has an EVA midsole for plating protection, as well as the standard Aegis anti-microbial treatment.
Fit
The TrekSport is a newer model that comes after the KSO, and follows the same size chart. As such, I went with the same size 40 on my KSOs. Since I got to try this out at the store, they fit pretty well. There's still the nagging issue of my horrible little toe, but it's almost unnoticeable once I start running in these. I've also worn my Injinji toe socks in these, and it still fits snug without becoming constricting.
Similar to the KSOs, putting it on can be a little difficult at first due to the snug upper, but once it's on it stays on. The tightening system is also similar, with a dual function velcro strap that loops around the heel to tighten both the lateral side and the heel area.
One new adjustment over the KSOs is the wider and cushier heel tab, which results in a more comfortable fit when the back of the shoe presses against the Achilles tendon. The TrekSports are also fairly stretchy and forgiving in the sizing, so I suppose they will fit better over time.
Barefoot Feel
Given how the TrekSport is slightly thicker and the way the outsole is designed, the ground feel for it is much reduced compared to the KSOs or Classics. I suppose this is a necessary trade-off for more foot protection since this is supposed to be a trail running shoe. I can still feel the ground much better compared to other shoes, but once I slap on a pair of socks, it's pretty muted.
The flexibility of the shoes go down a bit too because of the slightly stiffer mid-sole. There's still a lot of flex though, so it shouldn't really affect running activity. It weighs in a little heavier at about 180grams on each side.
All else is as expected from minimalist shoes, with no heel and arch support, and a zero drop.
Usage
These shoes are designed primarily for trekking, hence the namesake, although it can obviously be used for running and travelling as well. It's supposed to be rugged and tough and all that jazz.
However, I have my concerns with this pair of shoes. Since I don't go trail running much, my primary running surface is on asphalt, which I believe it's much harder wearing on the sole than trails. Trails may be uneven, rough, and peppered with the occasional rock, but at least the overall surface is still going to be softer than concrete pavement or road asphalt. That said, I haven't ran trails in these, so I could be wrong.
Regardless, the sole of the TrekSport is much different from the KSO and Classic. Instead of the razor sipping, they've gone with textured surfaces and grooves, giving it a much more aggressive grip. However, the last time I saw protrusions and spikes made of rubber at the bottom of my footwear, they flattened out in two weeks. As such, I have my doubts, and I'm keeping these in the back burner for when I finally find time to go trail running.
In the meantime though, it has held up decently for the few runs I've used it for, as well as a game of badminton. The sole grips well on a variety of surfaces, despite my initial concern that it might slip on the smoother surface of a multi purpose hall.
The upper is similar to the KSO, and is very breathable but not at all water resistant. I enjoy wearing these without socks like my KSOs, but socks are a necessary evil to me for longer runs so I don't stink up my shoes too quickly.
Overall, the TrekSport is feels rugged and offers great foot protection, but it comes at a cost of heavier and thicker shoes, reducing some amounts of ground feedback. This will probably not become my main running shoes, but it's a good backup to have on those trail running occasions.
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