Running Barefoot, testing the Vibram KSO EVO

I started running barefoot because I had knee pain after running the marathon of Berlin 2015. I was not trained enough, and I am stubborn and wanted to finish no matter what... I passed the finish line in 4:32:12 swearing I would never run a marathon again. Two month without running later I has still pain each time I tried to run. After reading blog after blog, some telling me that running barefoot helped them with knee pain, I said what the hell lets try (It cannot be worse).

So I bought them because they where not that expensive and recommended by other barefoot runners.

 

It was a success. It has been 3 months and I do not suffer from knee pain. To be honest I cannot tell if it is the barefoot shoes and/or better training. The fact is I can now run more that 10km barefoot with a normal pace (see below).

I started with very short distance and with a very slow pace. Something like 5km with a pace of 6:00 and increased each week a little both speed and distance. I only run once a week with the Vibram KSO EVO and never for an interval training.

By the way I changed my mind about long distances and I will run an ultra trail in December 2016 http://www.saintelyon.com/ (72 km)

If you have a different experience, please share :)

Training Up hill + barefoot

Today was a easy training that I do barefoot. The last months I had some knee pain that would not go away. After reading multiple running blog, and seeing people healing them selfs with some barefoot run training, I wanted to try. I actually had nothing to lose (only the price of the shoes).

I also try to to some up hill running to make it more interesting. I actually get board if I train 4 or 5 times a week running on a flat track.

After 3 month of experience, I can only say that I no longer feel knee pain, even if I run more than 50km per week. It might also come from a better training over all. But since I like the feeling, I will continue to run barefoot once or twice every week.

This is the strava activity of my weekly natural running training in Berlin.  I will try to write soon a test of the shoes I am using to run barefoot: Vibram KSO EVO

My training plan for the 10km

I will start next week a training plan in order to increase my chances of running a 10km under 38'. I found a great german book that explains how to train and offers multiple plan. I already did last year the 10km under 39' and it worked well, so I am doing the plan under 35' this year.

What I like about the training plans is that they give you the speed you should do your interval training and not just percentage of your maximum heart rate. 5 trainings are planned every week, but since I play football I will give up one low pace session to only have 4.

These are the main type of training
- 400m interval at at 1:19 (this is a pace of 3:18)
- 1000m interval at 3:30
- long run a low pace
- 10km at a pace of 4:00

Even if I will officially start the plan next week, I already did a test today:

Preparation to the Big25 10km in Berlin

I registered to the big25 10km 2016 in Berlin. I already participated last year and did my personal best on this distance, 38'49. Of course, I would like to do better this year with a secret dream of being under 38'.

 I will keep you updated :p

 This is my strava.com activity of the big25 10km 2015: