Standing On Top

About my barefoot running to an old friend

Preface: An old friend asked me about my barefoot running and I responded to him and thought the response would fit nicely here.

Here is a follow up on your question about me running barefoot.  I started running again back in 2002 or so and had quite a struggle. I was horribly out of shape and had smoked for a large portion of my adult life. I started small and was able to work up to 3 miles a few times a week and settled for that until I met a friend that had run 40+ marathons and talked me into training for one. As I started increasing miles, I started getting more and more injuries. Shin splints were so bad that I couldn’t even walk at times, Knee pain, plantar fasciitis, calf pain where the soleus connects to the bone, hip and back problems.  Basically I was a train wreck.

This breakdown would happen every year as I ramped up my mileage and every year I would reach a point that meant taking off a few months to recover right around marathon season. I had a few years where I could do a few 10 milers but that was all I could muster before the injuries started. Last year I had had enough. The 2009 season was awesome for me because I had worked my mileage to 18 miles when I was slammed with pain again and training was shut down. I went through tons of PT and the therapist started me on some barefoot exercises. A friend told me to try running barefoot about the same time. I was skeptical since I had tried it once before and ended up having massive calf pain.

I started out small since I was in the middle of injuries but I wanted to run and keep the cardio I had in hopes of catching a late season race. After a few weeks of runs ½ mile at a time I bumped up to a mile, then 2 then 3 and soon was running 5 miles. The pain moved from shin splints to calf pain so I had to really monitor that but as the calf muscles strengthened, I started getting better and as we headed into winter I was running 5-6 miles 3-4 times a week completely barefoot and many of those runs were on trails and asphalt. My arches are nice and solid now and everything seems to be well. I still have some ankle issues but I am working through them and getting stronger.

There are no guarantees that as I ramp up mileage in the 2010 season I won’t get injuries but there are many things I am changing. Running barefoot or at least minimal wear like Vibram Five Fingers is the goal along with lots of trail running mixed in with my street beatings. I’ll see how it goes.

As for barefoot and Plantar Fasciitis, I have met many people through various groups that swear they got over PF simply by slowly strengthening the foot with barefoot runs on grassy surfaces. Many College coaches are now doing barefoot training for athletes. I prefer not to run on grass. It seems every time I do I step on something that was left there. On the asphalt, sidewalks and trails, I seem to have better luck. Maybe you could try a few short runs a week just to start building up foot muscle and see how that works over time. Running barefoot isn’t for everyone but it seems to work well for me.

Maybe this summer I can get out that way and can go for a run and get a garlic burger and laugh about old times.

What I saw and what I see

What I should See

Bad Eye Morning 1/4/2010

What I am seeing today 1/5/2010

Someone Save my Eye Tonight!

Well, I learned a very important lesson and one that may have cost me big time.

For several weeks I have had some Sinus troubles and finally Last Tuesday I went in to get some antibiotics for what appeared to be a growing sinus infection. Then I awoke Wednesday morning with a pink eye. It didn’t hurt at all but it was red and by the next day it was vbery sore to the touch. I decided that since I was on a Z Pack I would just wait it out. (I tend to play doctor)

Well, Friday night I started seeing Halos around lights and the eye was worse so I went into one of those Urgent care places and they placed me on an eye antibiotic and said it should clear up. Well, Sunday it started to throb and Sunday night when I went to bed I had decided that I would see an ophthalmologist first thing Monday morning. Well, that was the right decision to late.

At about 3 AM I awoke and realized something was very wrong with my eye. Everything was hazy and the pain was rapidly increasing. I took some Motrin and that calmed the pain and I fell back asleep. At 5AM I awoke to screaming pain and was unable to see out of the eye except slight shadows and colors. I started making calls and talked to my POS insurance plan. Yes, the actual name of the plan is POS that should have been a warning. They stated this wasn’t an emergency and top be honest, there is probably nothing an ER could have done but refer me to a specialist anyway.

At 9 AM I camped out on the front door of an ophthalmologist and demanded he look at me. The minute he took some pressure readings I could see his affect change and he started whispering to his assistant and showing her things in my eye. That was the first indication this was a House type thing. The Pressure in my eye was 54 mm Hg and the normal is 17 mm Hg with 20 being high. After an two and a half hours, he was unable to relieve the pressure and I was off to a Glaucoma specialist. The pain was now off the charts and I truly believe I have matched childbirth, some may argue but I will stand my ground. My contractions were 50 times per minute because that is my heart rate and every heart beat felt like I had a butcher knife in my eye, forehead and temple and every beat signaled the knives to take a quarter turn. This continues for over 8 hours and meditation was my only escape. Finally the pressure was dropped to 15 and the pain started to recede and by 9PM last night I was feeling somewhat better although I am still experiencing fog in the eye.

What happened?
The Eye inflammation started from an unknown reason and snowballed due to the design of the eye, they don’t handle inflammation well. The eye, very much like the brain has a barrier that separate eye fluids from blood. When the eye gets inflamed, these barriers break down and the eye converts the leaking blood to proteins that are very sticky. The proteins stuck the Iris of my eye to the lens and that blocked the eyes ability to release fluid and pressure through the angle (valve) of the eye. The pressure builds up and then presses the iris even tighter to the lens. This is a snowball effect and as the pressure increases the optic nerve starts to crush and this is called acute Glaucoma and is a true eye emergency. Duh!

The drugs they used are slowly freeing the iris, it might take days or even surgery and steroids in the eye to eliminate the inflammation. The most interesting drug they used is Diamox.
Acetazolamide (Diamox): This is the most tried and tested drug for altitude sickness prevention and treatment.
I just thought that was ironic in some sense. What might save my life someday on high mountains may save my eye today.
As I know more, I will keep you informed but my warning. If you ever get pink eye, red eye or any eye issue, screw the general practitioners and ER’s and call an eye doctor. This went from a red eye to dangerous in less that a few hours I feel Sunday night, it is nothing to mess with.

Twitter Updates for 2009-11-23

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The Barefoot Ballad and back on the road

This is just to cool to not share and perfect for celebration cause I am back running and so far the legs feel strong.

Let’s see some facts!

So I really have to question the statements below based on my own personal experience. I received a Tweet from CoolRunnings that directed me to a FAQ on Active.com Newbie Runners: Answers to Your FAQs. Who exactly is it that determines that they can make claims like “running shoes are designed to help your foot strike the ground properly”? Can they actually prove this claim and where is that proof?

I ask, not because of what I am seeing in the press books and media lately but personal experience. For several years I ran using old NB 880 shoes that had smashed down padding, were very neutral and virtually no arch support. Then I was told I needed support shoes with more padding and that is when my troubles began. Suddenly I went from I love running to why do my legs always hurt and why is my knee so messed up? Shouldn’t better shoes have helped?

Think about it, who told me to replace my shoes… The shoe store. I feel like such an idiot.

Here is the claim that I would love to see Active.com, Runners World, Men’s Health or the manufacturers back up with some form of solid evidence, some form of scientific review and most of all facts that specifically support the statement

“running shoes are designed to help your foot strike the ground properly, reducing the amount of shock that travels up your leg”

Please define “foot strike the ground properly” then , Back it up folks!

Do I have to wear running shoes, or are sneakers fine?
Running doesn’t require much investment in gear and accessories, but you have to have a good pair of running shoes. Unlike sneakers, running shoes are designed to help your foot strike the ground properly, reducing the amount of shock that travels up your leg. They’re also made to fit your foot snugly, which reduces the slipping and sliding that can lead to blisters. Visit a specialty running store to find the right shoe for you.
From: Active.com and reportedly originally on Runners World and By Alisa Bauman Men’s Health

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-05

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Twitter Updates for 2009-10-03

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Going to miss The Army 10 Miler (ATM)

Going to miss Army this Year. Man this sucks.

My head and heart want to go but the left leg is just killing me. Yesterday I ran to catch the Metro and even after a 20 yard sprint, the leg throbbed for 2 solid hours. Messed up Man! It was an Ibuprofen night

Here is a picture from last years race at the finish, Holy Crapolla, can you say heal strike?

Me running Army 2008

Freedom of the toes!

Well, I finally got me a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. The KSO’s seemed to fit best and I do want to “Keep Stuff Out”

They are really comfy in general except the small “Pinky” toe that seems to be a little annoyed but even after an hour around the office, they have already started feeling better.