week 16 and more

This weeks stats:

Elliptical: 1:27:00
Run: 1.5 mi
Walk: 4 mi
Weights: 50 min

Well...I did have a semi-successful run/walk on the treadmill for 1.5 miles last Sunday. No sudden cramp-ups but calf was tight and ready. Did the elliptical for 32 and 55 minutes on Wednesday and today.

I'm having a theory about why my calf tore four weeks ago...

I had been running on the same pair of road running shoes for over five years. They were a mild stability shoe although I don't know if I had any reason to believe I need any kind of stability shoe. They were Asics - a brand I had used over the decades and have fit me pretty well. Even though I probably didn't run more than ten miles a week over those five years, my feet slowly adapted to the loss of cushioning.

For the Hartford half-marathon, October 2010, I got a brand new pair of Asics Gel 1150's - which I think had even more support than the old Asics. They did have some cushioning but the sole was very stiff and you couldn't roll in towards the big toe. These worked and I ran in them, building up my mileage from October to mid-January.

Then, in mid-January, I got these really cool orange Adidas Marathon 10's - over two ounces lighter per shoe! These were also soft where the Asics were hard. There is a little arch support as well as some heel counter, but very flexible sole - can roll towards big toe. I ran 30 miles in them from January 19 - February 10th on the treadmill, while still using the Asics for my Saturday pavement runs. Being able to roll inwards towards your big toe really engages the inner calf muscle. I think this part of my leg was being underdeveloped because of the stability shoe not allowing roll, and therefore control, of the big toe.

During the month with the Marathon 10s, I really focused on proper form and cadence while spending so many hours on the treadmill. My stride decreased while my cadence increased a bit. My landings were perfect mid-foot strikes. Things were really progressing.

Then, on February 12th, while having a fantastically easy sub-10 minute mile, on an 8 mile run (my goal pace for the New Bedford half-marathon), my calf tore just before the 8th and final mile of that run.

I believe it was from switching from those hard and supportive shoes for so many years, to crazy soft and flexible one (pretty light as well). I thought the Adidas were a step toward more natural minimalist shoes, but with a 12 mm heel to toe drop and cushy comfort, I'm not sure they are - although there is plenty of flex in the sole and and not much support.

Well - more to come on shoes and other gear. In the meantime I went to the doctor this week, and after they made sure I didn't have a clot in my calf, I got a referral to physical therapy. Even with PT next week, I have no hopes of being able to do the New Bedford half on 3/20.