Barefoot running update

I've been very patient in building up my mileage in my self made huaraches.  I ran three (3) miles in them last Saturday morning followed by three miles in shod.  Here is what I've experienced so far:

1. I can run faster in my huaraches, likely due to their weight compared to shoes.
2. Surprisingly my HR tends to be quite a bit higher than when I'm running in shoes.  I can't explain this one other than perhaps item 1 above.
3. My feet do need to get "broken in."  Not so much from the lack of cushioning, but due landing differently (on the toes) to more flexing during the toe off, the muscles in the bottom of foot get "workout sore."  I find I need to stretch the bottoms of my feet--this is new to me.
4. The biggest difference I have found is the amount of muscular soreness (again "workout sore") I experience in my glutes/hip region.  I feel as if I've done a TON of squats the following day.  Trying to assess this, I believe it due to the change in my gait needed to run without cushioning.  In other words, my legs have to be the complete shock absorber to avoid the shock of landing on concrete.  Just running 2-3 miles in huaraches seems to require about 2-3 days for these muscles to recover.

Although the weather in Houston is getting a bit less conducive to barefoot running, on warmer days, I will continue to build my mileage.  I figure if I need that much recovery, it must be making me stronger, right?

Train safe!

ITU World's Race Report

I continue to describe this race as the most challenging and most fun race I've ever done!  The water was cold (65 degrees F) and I only brought my sleeveless wetsuit.

The bike course was extremely hilly and technical with skinny roads, and I used the same gearing I use in Houston.  On the steep climbs, the locals came out and cheered.  It is the closest I'll ever get to the Tour de France like riding!  According to my iBike, the steepest climb was 16.2%.  Of course what goes up, must come down--translating to a maximum speed of over 44 mph! 

The run was three loops that included a jaunt through downtown Immenstadt.  I saw family and friends multiple times!  Additionally, there were two good friends from Houston, Josh and Jonathan, racing as well.  We saw and encouraged each other throughout the run.

The finish was in the local schools stadium/track arena that included a big screen TV broadcasting the finish!

Additionally, we made new friends while traveling with our exchange student's family.  The Linsler's were gracious in giving us a tour of the "real" Germany, allowing us to stay at their home as well as host us around the country in their personal vehicle.  Not only do I have a "daughter" in Germany, but gained a close friendship with her father, Ralf (thanks, Ralf, Eva, and your entire family!)  

First three photos were taken by Ralf Linsler.  

Train safe!

iBike Update

I've been riding with the iBike on my long rides and some of my midweek rides for a couple of weeks now.  I purchased a "close out" iBike Pro wired, so it is a generation old.  Here are what I've experienced so far.

Setup.  Followed quick setup where I only did a tilt calibration, coast down, and wind setting to calibrate the iBike.  The directions recommend that every time you ride, you need to first let the iBike acclimate to the outdoor temperature and then calibrate the wind sensor.  I've found this to be true. 

Issues:

1. Make sure your mounting of the iBike and angle of it doesn't move after calibration.  If it points more up, it thinks you're climbing and show too many watts.  If it points down, it thinks you are going down hill and will reflect as such.
2. While my quick setup works, it is best to perform the recommended 2 mile out / 2 mile back ride after your coast down for more accurate measurements.  I did this in race gear for the Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon.
3. During Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon, I tried to get GU off my fingers using water while riding.  I must have accidentally gotten some in the unit, so it stopped working.  It dried out and started working again...after the race.
4. Training in my neighborhood at 4:30 am causes me to ride a course of a lot of turns.  Turns appear to cause the iBike to angle up, thus over stating wattage.

All-in-all, when the tilt is correct (I tightened my handlebars), and I'm not riding in a place with a lot of tight turns, the data matches pretty close to what I get on my Computrainer.  I don't feel confident enough with it yet to use as a race pacing tool given the volatile nature of the wattage numbers being reported .  Perhaps using an average would be better?

More to come as I learn more and gain experience.

Train safe!