Magnificent article on barefoot running.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A couple of interesting recent facts: the bloke who finished 5th overall out of 85,000 in the recent City 2 Surf 14km fun run ran in Vibram fingers. And the bloke who holds five world records from 1,500 to 5,000 metres in the 55-60 category runs barefoot (and is an Aussie!).

Both blokes were interviewed for a recent weekend newspaper article on barefoot running. I'm not sure how long it will remain online, but for the moment you can read it here. If it goes offline I've copied it and will re-post it, because it's well worth a read.

There's no real conclusion of course, but I did strongly agree with one thing the barefoot proponent said, which is that by wearing sports-style shoes all day (as I do) you are shortening the Achilles tendon, rather than stretching it. That's particularly a problem for me on hill climbs, and still causes me a bit of grief.

Anyhow, it's a great article. Have a read.

[El Gordo]

Thanks, old chap. Quite a sizeable article, so will read my leisure over the weekend.

[marathondan]

And so the debate goes on.

I still maintain that without cushioned shoes, none of us happy amateurs would have even been able to take up long-distance running.

Going minimalist is a great ambition, but it sounds like it needs a year devoted to doing it properly, and then it might not turn out to suit the individual in question.

Incidentally MLCM, there's a good interview here with another top Aussie runner and fellow finisher of yours in the C2S.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Incidentally MLCM, there's a good interview here with another top Aussie runner and fellow finisher of yours in the C2S.

Ah yes, Dent, Martin Dent. I've been passed by this guy a couple of times, and it's an eerie thing. First you hear the motorbike. Then everything goes silent - the birds stop chirping, the wind calms and traffic stops. Then the motorbike flies past, engine revving hard, driver fighting to maintain control. And then this ... mirage of a man just glides by, feet never touching the ground, and is gone in an instant with nothing but a roaring zephyr ripping your ears and hat off to let you know he was ever there. It makes you wonder why we mortals even bother trying.

A stupendous talent.

[marathondan]

You've been passed by him? He gives you a head start then, I take it!

I seem to remember Haile Gebrselassie said something similar about being passed by Andy - or was it the other way round?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

You've been passed by him? He gives you a head start then, I take it!

I seem to remember Haile Gebrselassie said something similar about being passed by Andy - or was it the other way round?

Erm, yes, both actually - had a one hour head start once, and therefore been overtaken by him (way too quickly), but also passed him (as in going the other way on an out-and-back or a turn-around point) a couple of times as well. Either way it's a sight to behold.

[El Gordo]

You've been passed by him? He gives you a head start then, I take it!

I seem to remember Haile Gebrselassie said something similar about being passed by Andy - or was it the other way round?

Aye, Almeria 2005: my most memorable race moment.

It's easy enough to find yourself overtaken by the leaders in a race if, as at Almeria, a race involves two or more repeated circuits.

[marathondan]

which is that by wearing sports-style shoes all day (as I do) you are shortening the Achilles tendon, rather than stretching it.

There's something you can do about that y'know!