Run/walk your physique

Disclaimer

There are many runner’s webpages and blogs about running, about coaching, about nutrition, and about many more aspects related to running. Some blogs are about personal journeys. However, this blog is envisaged as a collection of observations, experiences, information sharing and what I, Thomas  Groenewald, learned about becoming a runner later in life.

The Latin doctor philosophiae (DPhil) is a post-graduate academic award bestowed on an individual for having demonstrated ability to independently produce research output of a required standard. The title ‘Dr’ must not be confused with that of a holder of a relevant medical qualification. Therefore, none of the content of this blog purport to be medical advice.

Not missing the mingling, but the vibe (gees) of parkrun

In a post, of the Australian parkun blog, with the topic ‘We all miss parkrun!’ it is stated that “seasoned parkrunners around the world are missing their Saturday fix”. To assume the ‘fix’ is the same for everybody, would be naïve.

In another post (well worth a read), of the same blog, reasons are presented as to ‘Why parkrun is so successful’. The EAST(ER) framework for behaviour change is used to explain the popularity and success of parkrun, namely:

• Easy
• Attractive
• Social
• Timely
• Enjoyable
• Regulated

The Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) of behavioural change is presented as means to explain why parkrunners generally move from initial awareness to allegiance:

• Awareness
• Attraction
• Attachment
• Allegiance

The social aspect stands out in both the framework and model, namely the opportunity to meet, interact, and ‘feel good’. Many Facebook posts and comments about missing parkrun also reflect such, for example

• parkrun affords the opportunity to mingle with friends, to interact, to mix
• welcomed at, and encouraged (or cheered) by volunteers during
• running alone is lacking motivation and competition
• makes the otherwise dull life great

The topic of a tbd* (time to be determined) community blog post makes a very significant statement, namely ‘it’s only a good event if introverts come too’ (also well worth a read). In the text it is mentioned that introverts dread small talk; dislike it if they cannot control their environment; or if forced to partake in activities they do not feel comfortable with; and if not having time to recharge.

At every parkrun are regulars that merely arrive and blend in; not mingle. Their allegiance differs from the extroverts. They, among others, derive satisfaction from being part of a greater cause.

It is suggested that parkrun core teams take note of tips about how to create introvert-friendly events, such as keeping introverts in-the-know; help them navigate through (for example) a clearly marked parkrun start line; a good first-timers’ briefing outlining the route and ending procedures; and if applicable clear directions where the post-parkrun coffee (and possibly breakfast) gathering is. Contrary to extroverts, introverts do not necessarily ask. 

Odour neutralising your sport wear

Our laundry procedure of separating all tops and shorts or leggings, to wash these on a separate delicate cycle, at lower temperature, without any fabric softener, and with automatic washing machine liquid for delicates, seems to work well. I previously wrote a post ‘Do they smell you before they see you?’, mentioning three odour prevention steps.

In an ever-changing world, however, the specific automatic washing machine liquid, appears to be discontinued?

Fortunately, I found at Spar, ProWash automatic washing liquid for Sports Wear, with NeoFresh® Technology. The label claims it protects performance fabrics and sportswear. One of eleven home care Pro-Wash products. It is claimed that Pro-Wash for delicate garments features a phosphate-free formulation, which removes even the toughest stains while it maintains the colour and quality of the clothing. The NeoFresh® Technology furthermore removed any unpleasant or repulsive odours.

Curious by nature I did some searches and found a video about Symrise Neofresh® Technology. Fascinatig how prevention at molecular-level happens during the laundry process. 

Cutting corners while running

Runners are strange creatures. They often disregard basics pertaining pedestrian road safety.

Pedestrian road safety entails, among others:

• Make use of the side-walk/pavement, if not feasible run/walk facing oncoming traffic, as far as possible to the right-hand side (in South Africa) of the road. Some go as far as suggesting making eye-contact with drivers of vehicles.
• When wanting to cross the road, pick a straight section, which is not obscured by stationary vehicles, bends, bushes, slopes, rises, etc. Preferably cross at marked crossings, and keep between the crossing lines. Do not cross if the light is red or amber.
• Stop before crossing the road, check right, left and right for oncoming traffic, and only cross when clear in both directions
• Walk briskly when crossing, do not run, while listening and on the look-out, especially for turning vehicles. ‘See and be seen’. Cross straight across, do not jay-walk/run.

Runners often cross some distance before, and then diagonally across, running some distance with their backs to oncoming traffic. During road races marshals often regulate the route and encourage runners to keep within the demarcated running pathway, allow traffic to pass. During time trials runners sometimes act like unruly hooligans.

The markings (left below) of our running club’s newly marked time trial route intrigued me, in that some appear to suggest to cross diagonally, some distance before a turn in the route, with some runners even making double diagonal (2nd or right below) crossings.

I am far from perfect, but generally exercise good safety. However, I’ve encountered a few too-close-for-comfort encounters with vehicles

Wasted, or idle time, when all you want to do is run

Who also seriously dislike the idle (and wasted) time before races are set off? Recollections of being one of a range of milling and mulling crowds of runners (and walkers) awaiting set-off (and sometimes getting going after set-off, shuffling ahead for quite a while) comes to mind.

Perhaps it is worse for introverts, or the productively inclined? Historically, when I noticed tips about how to be more productive, it irritated me, because often the things mentioned are things I am conditioned to do—a natural mindset?

Furthermore, I am not skilled in small talk—the polite conversation about insignificant things. Chitchat fillers of idle time, when there are important things to accomplish (that needs getting done).

These, added to an anxiousness about being late, getting lost, getting delayed due to traffic jams or parking constraints; all together causes frustration.

There is a degree of belonging—of being part of, and of encouragement, when participating in a club’s time trials. The faster runners ahead, prompting a little more effort to try a keep up. The breathing (or footsteps) behind, to try staying ahead. However, fellow club members have not become more than running acquaintances.

Is it rude to want to arrive just in time for the time trial and to prefer to disappear on completion? I’ve only been a member of a physical running club for a short while. Previously, for some time, being a member of a virtual club, where I found the hospitality gazebo daunting.

Gaiters, the alleviating-accessory for other-than-road running

Vegetation has been growing crazy with all the good rains we recently experienced and started seeding. Experienced any niggling scratching from something in your socks or running shoes lately?

There is a simple preventative solution: Gaiters!

Not referring to neck gaiters, or differently called buffs, tubular bandanas, or scarfs to wear instead of masks.

Justin Housman wrote in a post titled ‘To gaiter or not to gaiter?’ that he was not quite aware “how many rocks, bits of sticks, weeds, stickers, thorns, sand and other annoyances got into [his] shoes until [his] gaiters started keeping those things out”.

Gaiters were originally made from leather or canvas; and still is for more severe conditions. Gaiters for trail running, hiking, walk-in-the-park or orienteering; are commonly made from plasticized synthetic cloth such as polyester, and often available in beautiful colours (or plain for the more conservative).

Trail-running gaiters are simply a piece of fabric covering the opening of your shoe to prevent sand, dirt and small rocks from getting in and causing hot spots and blisters. They can add a good measure of especially comfort (or prevent discomfort) and protection.

I got my first set of trail mini gaiters from Trailshed and subsequently two sets from FundamentallyKim. Simply slip them over your legs before putting shoes on, then lower them into position after having tied your shoes. There are also all terrain and waterproof gaiters, made from leader, canvas, or oilskin, for other kinds of running applications.

Loathing travel for running

I love seeing and experiencing different places, it is the schlep of getting there that is puts me off.

I’ve got marvellous memories of places where I’ve run … and recollections of tedious journeys.

I experience discomfort not being sure I am on the correct road, and battling with map interpretation while driving quite nerve-wrecking. Added to that the worry if I’ve allowed enough time, can really turn me into a nerve ball. I found Google Maps to be a comforting blessing, provided the 100% correct destination has been specified, providing both direction and estimation of time required.

I find the monotony of white lines passing tedious. Nice scenery helps, but only to an extent. Good music adds a dimension of pleasure, but with limitations.

I dislike the anxiety of being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic while the clock is ticking; of fellow travellers taking chances, pushing in ahead, etc. The rush for available parking space can really escalate my anxiety levels.

I prefer to sleep until I naturally wake up, which is relatively early. Inevitably, depending the distance required to travel for a race, that could be one, two or more hours earlier. Instead of just cooperating, my body goes into resistance-mode.

I much liked the trail runs arranged at or near a reserve (a 'runcation'). This enables upfront travelling, arriving the day or night before, and ideally sleeping within walking distance of the start. (However, not keen on shared ablutions. Prefer a self-catering unit, within which to exercise my personal preferences and peculiarities pre- and post-run.)

I seriously considered the 2020 Run-your-City in Durban, which unfortunately got cancelled due to Covid. I would have flown, rented a car, and stayed on the Golden-Mile in order to walk to the start.

I treasure the freedom of a neighbourhood run (especially if it includes some park); at a time that is convenient to me; with zero wasted time travelling (or worse sitting in traffic).

myrun relaunched Sunday 14 February 2021, yes Valentine’s day, under the 1 February amended level 3 Covid-Disaster Management Act Regulations. We agreed to participate at a nearby venue. Set the alarm on Saturday night, but I woke up fifteen minutes before it went off. I started preparations, but when I woke Martie (my wife), I mentioned my ever-so-slight reluctance. She offered that we could do a neighbourhood walk instead, and asked what would I prefer. I weighed up ... and balanced … we slept further and done our previous (prior to blockwatch patrolling) walk, looping/snaking through an adjacent suburb. Unfortunately, Martie tripped and fell on a reasonably even, narrow tar-strip, on a sidewalk. She is experiencing serious discomfort from her bruises, as I am composing this post.

Developed a preference to running in my neighbourhood

Being a late-in-life starter, preceded by walking parkrun, and hesitant to run-on-own, my running evolved through mainly organised trail or night runs. Felt comfortable with structure, marked routes, relative safe environment, and the sense of community.

Then Covid-pandemic lockdown from midnight 26 March 2020 put an end to all it.

Along with the easing of the risk-adjusted restrictions, my running from home around the neighbourhood evolved. I found I developed quite a fondness for changing into my running outfit, going to the gate, starting my sport watch, and going off. Varying the routes some, and returning home when done, rehydrating and shower. No driving anywhere and back home after.

Covid ‘did it to me’	Pre-Covid
Alternating most days between running alone or walking with Martie, my wife Were a few individually tap-and-go timed night runs and myruns Adjusting running timeslots to the weather conditions and other commitments	parkruns on Saturday mornings Trails, myrun or occasional road-race on Sunday mornings Tuesday afternoons spruit-and-park runs One other night run, mainly on golf courses Walking the other days with Martie, my wife

Observing on social media what running others report on, there is some vague inkling. Noticing events being advertised, I experience some consideration, which seldom goes over to action. Reflecting on my reluctance, the possible reasons are:

• The flexibility own time selection offers.
• Covid-infection anxieties (and non-masked fellow participants)
• Disappointments of event cancellations and/or postponements resulting in clashings with other diarised happenings
• Unpredictability of the weather (spells of torrential rain experienced and adverse trail conditions)
• The inconvenience involved in travelling to venues
• Experiencing a generalised reluctance

Curious (and a little concerned about my generalised reluctance), I Googled a bit and found some fascinating literature, such as:

• Tips on overcoming embarrassment (how sad!) of running in public
• Tips on running safely (and confidently) outdoors
• Why neighbourhood running (or jogging) is the best cardio
• How to make the most of your neighbourhood run
• A scholarly research article: Barnfield, A. 2020. Orientating to the urban environment to find a time and space to run in Sofia, Bulgaria. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 55(5), 544–562. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690219826494.

The researcher qualitatively explored how runners orientate themselves to a time and a route to run. The research entailed participant observation, running diaries and in-depth qualitative interviews with runners, having asked them to think through the many processes involved in learning and maintaining a physical practice in an urban environment. The article identified key issues to add to the body of knowledge about improving running in cities.

Running is deemed an accessible and ‘time-friendly’ method of health maintenance, which is also my personal experience. The research explored four main themes that runners tackle to commence and continue, namely: route, time, obstacles and air-quality. Literature suggests that those that are running in their own neighbourhood are having a higher running frequency compared to those running outside their own neighbourhood. Accessibility, as well as types of neighbourhood are important factors.

An experienced runner shared that “a runner is an ‘accomplished sensualist’, the changing ground under foot providing a wealth of information about the physical environment, corporal sensation and memory” (p. 546). A study found that the choice of route is strongly influenced by convenience and ease of flow, such as the lack of disruption and free movement.

De-coding of physiological experiences of the running environment are of significance, such as the pleasure and comfort, or discomfort, pain and even injury associated with the running landscapes. Urban runners need to develop a specific set of skills attuned to the urban environment, and its myriad of obstacles and dangers.

The article touches on special types of backpacks for those running to work; and on smartphone applications to map routes and register distances, speeds and durations.

We often encounter other walkers and runners on routes through our neighbourhood. There is an active Walk/Run-for-Life branch. My own running club (inactive for some time due to Covid) recently moved to an adjacent neighbourhood where weekly time-trials would soon recommence.

No matter how much I eat at least my shoes still fit

Familiar with the popular meme ‘no matter how much I eat at least my shoes still fit’? Sorry to be a spoilsport, it turns out it is false.

Saw a tweet by a prominent ultra-runner, sharing that she was getting rid of old shoes and found some heels she cannot even fit her feet into, because her feet are probably two sizes bigger. I wondered and Googled, as one does.

Reality: ‘Feet will get bigger on most of us as we age’ due to various reasons, such as:

• The tendons and ligaments in our feet lose elasticity, which result in longer and wider feet.
• Increased weight puts pressure (added gravity) on the pads of your feet, making them spread.
• Development of bunions and/or hammertoes may lead to needing to wear bigger shoes for comfort.
• Increased retention of fluids in particularly lower limbs may result in bigger feet.
• Hormonal changes (women in particular) due to pregnancy/ies (relaxin produced by the placenta, to soften the cervix, might also loosen the ligaments in the feet); or enlarged uterus (which may cause oedema, or swelling, of feet and ankles).

Another prevalent meme ‘use it or lose it’, appears to be very fitting. If you want to keep the weight down, you need to exercise regularly and manage your consumption; and if to retain elasticity, you need to stretch and exercise.

Time trials

Having progressed (pre the Covid pandemic) from weekly parkruns, to also night runs on golf courses, and while searching for opportunities, I discovered open-to-public club time trials and decided to give it a go. I perceived it as safety in numbers, plus logging one’s time would result in Discovery Vitality points.

Time trials (TT)—in French: contre la montre, literally ‘against the watch’; in Italian: tappa a cronometro, ‘stopwatch stage’—is deemed a race of truth, because the outcomes depend on each athlete’s abilities. Granted that many sport club time trials are social events.

Stop watches dates back to 1776, named ‘Chronograph’, by Frenchman Jean-Moyes Pouzai. Fifty years later Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec refined it when ruler Louis XVIII wanted to know how fast his ponies were running on the course. Fast forward, analogue stopwatches made way for digital stopwatches, and today every running watch and smart phone has a ‘stop watch’ facility. parkrun discontinued the use of stop watches altogether, only making use of the parkrun Virtual Volunteer, their official timing and scanning application available free of charge from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.

Keen just to run (and acquire points) I arrived in good time and joined edge of the gathering, observing, as introverts do. The gathering (pre-Covid restrictions) was counted down and took off out of the club grounds to the streets of the suburb where it is located. The route was not well marked, but there were sufficient participants to follow. At the 5km-10km split, I decided to take the 10km. Big mistake. The participants were suddenly few, and generally faster. Not long and I found myself faltering, not quite sure where to turn. To make matters worse, other independent runners were also about. I eventually made my way back to the club grounds.

Fast forward to the current Covid pandemic. In the pre-Covid racing world mat-to-mat timing became a common sight. Devices such as Mobi (previously posted about) developed a footprint, which presented a ready-to-use solution for individualised start-and-finish timing under Covid restrictions. Other race time-keeping service providers, such as BoutTime introduced similar timing bands.

Is it a matter of adverse rather than the therapeutic effects?

During 2004 I experienced substantial discomfort, if not downright pain, in my left foot and decided to consult a podiatrist. He did a thorough physical check and sent me for X-rays, which turned out to confirm his suspicion: a condition called anisomelia (aniso + melos, or unequality of the limbs)

	Left	Right
Femur	50.9cm	49.9cm
Lower	40.9cm	41.2cm
Total	91.8cm	91.1cm

A leg/limb length discrepancy (LLD) of 0.7cm (7mm)

As podiatrist done then, he wrapped both feet in plaster; took the moulds (casts) gently off while still soft; and I received my first set of orthotics about a week later. They lifted the upper-side of both feet substantially, resulting in having to replace several of my shoes with a size bigger and with laces only (no more slip-ons). Even had a special pair of sandals made by combining a pair of size 12 uppers on size 10 soles.

Worn the orthotics religiously; acquired several pairs; and had them reconditioned from time to time. My orthotics served a good therapeutic purpose.

Being a late-in-life started-runner (end 2014/early 2015), I observed some adverse effects. Often developed a hard-skin spot on the inside of my left foot. When done longer distances, even noticed some blood accumulation under the skin. I would treat the spot and I would get better, but redevelop.

As I increased the frequency of running, I found that I often developed pain inside both feet, or in some toes. Been experiencing these discomforts during and after running.

Done mostly trails or night runs on and around golf-courses, and occasional road races. Acquired both trail and road shoes. Seen an article which indicates that podiatrists differ in opinion if orthotics should be worn on trails or not. I stuck to mine.

As result of the Covid pandemic, I’ve been running mainly on suburban roads. My road running shoes started showing real wear and tear, and I decided to replace them. I traced my feet to get a more accurate measure, and found my right foot to be 28cm, a cm longer but slimmer, than my left foot, which is visibly wider.

I considered a proper fitting but then bought a pair of Altra (Paradigm 4.5), known for width and zero elevation. I decided to 'test' some theory and has been running and walking for the past week, mainly on roads and sidewalks, without orthotics. I experienced that my feet needed adapting to the Altras, but I am not experiencing the previous discomforts.

Is it a matter of the orthotics causing adverse rather than the desired therapeutic effects?