Wednesday 17 February 2010

“Get out of my way, I'm running barefoot and I don’t know how to stop!”

As I’d said, I thought my feet and calves were OK, but once I’d slipped the VFFs back on and went outside I realised just how tight they were. Still, I wanted to run after a few days skiving and thought I’d shake it off. I suppose I still haven’t settled quite into my proper stride in the VFFs yet. I started the run high of my forefoot, but then relaxed and dropped my foot strike so that my heel touched the floor before the next stride. Running downhill seems really difficult. It’s very hard not to land heel first, but when I do I can feel the strike right through to the base of my back, and it’s not pleasant. It’s the same if I need to stop or turn quickly – without thinking about it I use my heel to brake. While jogging along tonight a toddler suddenly stepped out in front of me, and as I stopped it felt like whiplash.

Really enjoying the challenge though, and managed about 30 minutes. But today I realised that there’s no quick fix for this transformation. I’d be daft to think that I can just slip on a different pair of shoes and run a different way instantly. I need to be patient and accept that this is just the start. And remember to stay away from f–ing cobblestones.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

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