Running Sandals

Minimalist Comeback

While walking around barefoot has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, "minimalist" running has been a recurring, if inconsistent theme. Not for injury reasons (daily jogging shouldn't hurt) but more a case of lack of venues. The soccer fields near my home are now fenced off and driving to the beach at low tide is great, but not quite "out of the door". Sure, barefoot strides and sprints in the local greenbelt are great in summer time but I was looking for another way to incorporate minimalist running into my weekly regimen with little fuss.

Enter running sandals. Inspired by the likes of Cucuzzella, Budd, Rana et al., I recently decided to invest in a pair of Yeti running sandals to satiate my inner gazelle. So far. so good, I'm happy to report. Competing (read: participating) in middle distance running on the track early this year inspired me to improve my running form and fitness. And while I'm a long way away from justifying lacing up a pair of spikes, some happy sandal jogging is bound to add some spring into my stride.

La Passeggiata

Walking the Walk

Walking isn't prominent on the agendas of most endurance athletes. But it should be. Not the fast walking variety, otherwise known as a speed-marching or power-walking. Rather, a slow to brisk walk, preferably in flat shoes or barefoot. 

Whenever I think back to my times of intense work combined with travel, chasing sporting goals or overcoming poor health walking is one thing that stands out. The simple act of walking has been, both consciously and sub-consciously, part of my life and sporting regimen for as long as I can remember. Rewind to my student days in the mid-nineties, walking fairly long distances was an integral part of getting to and from class, and, unknowingly, an essential complement to a low running mileage made up almost exclusively of fartlek. Many years later, and recovering from a trauma injury, I walked an hour each way to and from the office as part of my self-driven rehabilitation. Then there were a couple of stints in Europe, working in the intense and unstable environment that is professional cycling. Walking was one of a few simple activities that kept an element of balance and refreshment, two factors that are fairly at odds with that sort of working environment.

Barefoot Joy

Freedom Afoot

Barefoot running is a passion of mine, and has been for many years. There is a beach fairly close to where I live, one that stretches for a few kilometres to a river marking my usual turnaround point. I watch the tide tables on a regular basis, looking for convenient times on the weekends when low tide is predicted and schedule by barefoot forays accordingly. Having been out of town for quite a while, my beloved barefoot sessions were regulated to whatever grassy fields or parks I could find on my working travels. When possible, evening walks without shoes were a great way to end hectic days and soak up local culture, but couldn't replicate the joy of striding along a beach. So it was with much anticipation that I headed to the seaside on my return to home shores recently. Possibly the first thing I noticed was the sheer freedom, freedom of movement that is, indulging in a purely natural activity in the most natural of environments. That and my running gait adjusting to the ebb and flow of the waterline.  A greater refresher in feeling and flow indeed.

The Kenyan Way

Living Lean, Winning Big

Many a Western athlete travels to Kenya in order to benefit from the high altitude and the plethora of elite training groups. But that is only part of the puzzle because not too many truly embrace the lifestyle and live like a Kenyan athlete. Live like a Kenyan athlete? Well, a simple lifestyle of morning, midday and late-afternoon running is complemented by making ones own food on a gas stove, cleaning ones own shoes in a bucket and just resting in the most spartan of living conditions could pretty much sum up the daily existence of the worlds best.  A roof over their heads and running water is pretty much all they need and, for the most part, is pretty much all they have. And this extends to the top athletes for that matter.

The Passeggiata

Winding Down

One of the perks (for me at least) of working and travelling in professional sport is the opportunity to soak up foreign culture and, having been privileged enough to do exactly that for an extended period last year, I've certainly been able to do exactly that.

European culture is steeped in both history and idiosyncrasy, the two most often complementing one another. Enter the passeggiata. Roughly translated as a short stroll after dinner, I did much of this whilst on the road last year. The pace and intensity of the pro sport environment is as intense as it is intoxicating for good reason; the fans want to see a show, athletes want – and need to – perform – and the sponsors have expectations. Add in incessant travel and hectic competition schedules and it is easy to lose easy to get caught up in a bubble and lose perspective. So a little time to oneself is essential to maintaining a little balance.

Svein Tuft. Primal Pro Cyclist?

Staying Natural in an Artificial World

For a man who eschews social media like the plague (but has almost two million Twitter followers), Svein Tuft could rightly be described as a rare bird, especially cycling terms at least. A late starter in a sport that demands total dedication from a young age, the free-spirited Canadian rider has an intimate understanding of his body and what it needs. He wants to be healthy and fit once his career is over, which is at odds with typical approach of performance and results, health later. Oh yeah, your health! Yes, whilst Svein acknowledges the training requirements of a top flight professional cyclist, he is also very dialled into his health and general well being. Dichotomous perhaps?

Slow Weights. Real Strength.

Little Bits Often

Before qualifying as a land surveyor, Vuyisa supplemented his income working at a Cape Town nursery. Already a decent runner (sub-2:30 marathoner), he reasoned that his upper body needed to be strong in order to be a more balanced athlete. Running to and from work everyday (Gugulethu to Constantia and back), Vuyisa would randomly do a dozen push-ups here and a dozen sit-ups in between pushing wheelbarrows and carrying flower punnets. It helped me keep strong because running was making me thin, he said.

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Dr Phil Maffetone's 1:59 make excellent reading. While the title might lead readers to be believe that Phil's work is specifically aimed at the elite marathoner aiming for the elusive sub-2 hour mark, the principles that are outlined apply to runner's of all abilities. Yes, we can all learn something from "1:59." Like getting strong, for instance.

Brad Weiss' Strength

The Other Discipline

Take a look at this great close up image taken by Dan Hugo. The scene is a track session on the Hawaiian island of Maui and the athlete in picture is one Bradley Weiss. By now, most will know of the Stellenbosch triathlete's monumental victory at the XTERRA World Championships. Great running form is on display in this shot as Brad readies himself for World Championship glory only days later. But a closer look reveals an impressive musculature.

Almost every sinew of Brad's physique is visible – the term "skinny fat" certainly does not apply here. Sure, hours and hours of endurance training and racing have sculpted South Africa's latest World Champion into a lean and mean racing machine. And at 59kg, he certainly is lean. So it might come as a surprise to many that the diminutive Bradley Weiss is a dedicated disciple of the strength training, more specifically heavy weights and plyometrics.

The African Way

Keeping Soft to Race Hard

The above image could sum up part of the psyche of the African running elite. The setting is a windy Cape Town evening, more specifically a grass field outside one of the Mother City's more exclusive hotels. The runners in picture are going through their usual pre-race preparation, jogging laps of this green patch for around half-an-hour, the circumference of which amounts to maybe a few hundred metres.

Svein Tuft's Morning Zen

Barefoot on Grand Tour Duty

Caleb Ewen delivered for Orica-SCOTT today. The diminutive Aussie timed his sprint to perfection to win Stage 7 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, thanks in no small part the rest of his hardworking Australian squad. There'll be celebrations in the camp tonight no doubt and rightly so. But one thing's for sure - one of the Orica boys will be out walking around Molfetta tomorrow morning ahead of the long haul to Peschici, getting himself ready for his day's work.

Pro cyclists don't like to walk. Watch the morning descent on the breakfast buffet at a World Tour stage race hotel and one could be forgiven for witnessing a proverbial death march. Slow shuffling predominates, where the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other seems like a monumental effort. Foot speed is slow and exaggerated where body language seems to wish for a motorised shuttle service. You mean we've got to walk there? Sometimes facial expressions say it all.

Moving Forward with Adam Hansen

Getting Low, Wider Angles

While André Greipel captured the Maglia Rosa in spectacular sprinting fashion this past weekend, one of his key lieutenants continues to go against the proverbial grain in order to maximise his leadout duties. Yes, Adam Hansen might be in the midst of the 2017 Giro d' Italia (and his umpteenth Grand Tour) but the Australian (or is he Czech?) strongman sets the standard as far as extreme bike positioning goes.

"The UCI rule is there for a reason," says Adam of the saddle setback regulation. "It's advantage to be sit further forward on the bike as you can get really 'aero."

Caroline Wostmann's Patience

The Instinct of the Hunter Gatherer

I read a great short essay the other day. Written by a highly-respected sports chiropractor, the post featured one his clients and her road back to full running fitness after a serious accident. Focusing on her bio mechanics and rehabilitation thereof, it was the phrase "she is persistent and patient like a hunter gatherer" that really stood out, one which sums up what it really takes to be fit and healthy.

Fantastic stuff and a great take-home message.

It was only a few weeks ago that I learned of a similar case study. Chatting with one of South Africa's professional running team managers, he related how his top athlete withdrawn from the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon. She had a hamstring niggle, he said, and reasoned that her decision to "pull the plug" at the 11km mark was the correct one. Comrades is her main focus so being instinctive and sensible are key to the bigger picture.

What with all the media attention and expectation that is part and parcel of being an elite athlete, it is tempting to try and "push through" the pain and hope that "things sort themselves out." But "winging it" doesn't always work. Sincere kudos to Caroline Wostmann for having the courage and common sense to make what must have a tough call on Easter Saturday. Yes, that little voice of reason inside our heads (aka Intuition) always has the right answer. The aforementioned 'chiro says we should be persistent, patient and kind to ourselves and he is so right.

Hope the training is back on track Caroline Wostmann.

Patience always wins the day!

Frans Claes and Sebastian Carabin: 10th GC ABSA Cape Epic 2017

Self-Financed Privateers: Daily Posture Resetting.

The night before a big stage can be an time of introspection, especially when hovering just outside of the top-ten on overall classification. While the top pro teams are well represented, a closer look at the GC sees a persistent "Surnamed" team mixing it with the"Big Boys."

But Frans Claes and Sébastien Carabin are also big boys, just self-funded ones at that. Paying their own way to South Africa and ably supported and managed by loving family, the Flanders-Walloon duo are representing their home country of Belgium with distinction. And with tomorrow seeing massive climbs and rugged terrain in Africa's Untamed Stage Race, look for this consistent team raising a few eyebrows in the next twenty four hours.

Sphinxing for top-ten!

Anti-Hacks

The Fire Outside

As far a new-age nouns go, “life hack” is a term that can be difficult to digest. Loosely defined as a “trick shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life", it seems that everything we do these days can be accelerated/improved/tweaked by some hack or other. Ever noticed people rushing to and from a yoga class? Speed things up to speed up even more seems to be the common denominator, even in pursuit of a quiet mind.

But what about slowing down and enjoying the simple things in life? Yes, there might be various sleep hacks out there but sitting around a fire shooting the breeze is still among the most relaxing and social things around. A wise pundit once stated that “a quiet evening of calm socializing or reading and a dark environment is the best transition to peaceful sleep. Just like jogging with your dog improves overall fitness.”

Make a fire. Walk the dog.

Downward Dog?

Off Season View

Stepping Back to Move Forward

The sporting off season. Does such a thing still exist? One certainly has to wonder given European riders winning South African mountain bike events in November. Dig a little deeper and one realizes that the key to late-season (and in-season) performance is embracing the colder climes of winter, stepping back a little and indulging in other activities.

Many Euros spend an extended period OTB (off-the-bike) and for good reason. Locales like Switzerland and Germany are covered in snow, making qualitative and quantitative saddle time a non-starter. Sure, indoor trainers do help but “the secret” alternative is hiking and cross-country skiing. Similar muscle groups are used, thus taking care of the physical aspect. More importantly though is the psychological relief. Yes, one has to love riding bike to excel but “too much of good thing aint a good thing anymore”.

Konny won Wines2Whales and was right up there at Cape Pioneer Trek along with Daniel. Both of these guys are solid professional riders with stratospheric aerobic capacities. Yet they both also know when to turn “it” off. Two weeks skiing, two weeks riding in Mallorca, two weeks skiing, then go to South Africa is how Konny likes to start his year. Daniel’s last key workout before Cape Epic a few years back? Placing well in a massive cross-country skiing race that took several hours. He does it every year. Needless to say that the excitement to get back on the bike is compounded by good condition and a clear head.

There might be no snow in SA but one can always walk. And walk far.

Works for Adam Hansen.

Good for the heart but also for the head.

Pro Sport Humanity

Racing Season to Family Season

While sport can be all consuming and even cruel, the human aspect can often be neglected in the haze of training, racing and numbers.

It is the day after the completion of a week-long cycling stage race here in South Africa. And for at least one elite participant, this means the start of a family holiday. Bike racing might be this guy's primary form of income but the 2016 racing season is now a thing of the past. His bike will stay in the bike-bag, cycling gear will be replaced with civilian clothing, mornings spent racing will involve family outings to sightseeing locales and the most important piece of athletic equipment will now be a backpack designed to carry his young son on idyllic forest walks. Racing tactics will be a far off thought as the body and mind regenerates and revitalizes, daily massage treatments being replaced by extended sleeping and simply just time spent with the family.

Vielen Dank für eine tolle Woche Daniel und Konny. Genießen Sie den Rest und bis zum nächsten Mal, kümmern.

Athletic Limiters

Of Fluff, Crap and Over-Analysis

I’m in nostalgic mood thanks to a couple of present day podcasts. It often seems to be the case that something I see or hear in daily life triggers a memory of something profound, or even trivial for that matter. Music, for instance, is synonymous with times past and one can often make a direct connection to a month, week or even day by hearing a single song. At least I can anyway. Then there are the cases of conversations – or podcasts in this case – that bring back things long forgotten, which can have relevance in the present day.

Phil Gaimon’s recent Real Talent podcast with Mike Creed is as entertaining as it is insightful. Two of professional cycling’s more no-conforming and offbeat characters, Gaimon is currently riding in the pro peloton while former-rider Creed now coaches USA Para-cycling after a two year spell with the now-defunct Team SmartStop. Both interesting guys with a world of knowledge and insight gained from an oft-trial-and-error approach in finding their respective ways.

Simply Running

One Size (Doesn't) Fit All

It has been two weeks since the Alistair Brownlee and Gwen Jorgensen were crowned as Olympic Triathlon Champions. While both the men’s and women’s races were highly tactical and attrite from the gun and particular on the bike leg, great running performances from both Brownlee and Jorgensen were key to their securing their titles.

But here’s the thing: they both run differently. That’s right, if you take a closer look at both athlete’s running form, and foot-strike in particular, you may notice that Brownlee runs on his toes while Jorgensen is more of a heel or mid-foot striker. Yet they both could be described as gazelles in running terms.

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It has been a few years since Christopher McDougall’s excellent “Born to Run” launched barefoot and forefoot running into the public conscious. Much has since been written and debated about the merits of this notion and a whole sub-industry has sprung up (and in some countries come and gone) around the minimalist footwear movement. And while the notion of going back to our Paleolithic roots does have substance and validity, the fact of the matter is that not everybody has the strength or ability to run in such a manner.

Le Tour Letters

Care and Commentary via Cursive

Thursday 14 July 2016. If you are a cycling fan, a day that will be etched in one’s memory as the day Chris Froome fell, ran and rode up Mont Ventoux. Only a day earlier the Nairobi-born Brit had thrown down the gauntlet in the crosswinds of Montpellier, compounding his critics intimating him as boring with a display of brute strength on a stage usually reserved for the sprinters. I’m just enjoying my racing, he said, in the aftermath of the echelon-havoc. So it was with some surprise to witness Froome’s – and the peloton’s – vulnerability the very next day. As the road veered up the “Bald Mountain,” the Kenyan-South African-Pom was striding out in hard cycling shoes sans-steed, and with not a little panic.

Strength Training at Home