I first ran with L two years ago at Priest Rock. We did 10 miles that day and I
was toasted at the finish, unable to keep up in the downhill race. Since then, I
have run with him a couple of times on Mission Peak, and we did a 50km where
he beat me by one hour.
Sunday morning, we started at the McAbee entrance of the QuickSilver park and
did 13 miles in the hills. Running beside L, I could compare our styles and
especially cadence. Mine was much higher both uphill and downhill. It was not
because I liked it particularly but I've learned that I had to run that way in
sandals. My steps were shorter but they engaged the glutes better, gave me
speed, and most importantly kept the impact on my feet mild.
Short strides were the reason I could run uphill as steep as Mission Peak. Leaning
forward, I couldn't help but starting to trot, however slow it might seem. Sharp
downhill, where even people wearing cushioned shoes had to gingerly walk, I
would run to the bottom as it felt natural and fun. Sure, I had to run from the
knees instead of hips. But let me tell you that running beats walking anytime,
not just in speed but also that it seems less tiring on steep paths.
The only case where gravity seemed to work better for runners in 30mm
cushioned shoes could be when the downhill slope was gentle. But even that
might be an illusion.
My objection to overly-cushioned shoes, or over-protection in general for that
matter, is that it takes away the precious anti-fragile process where we learn
from mistakes. And mistakes in the right dose are the best teacher because they
hurt. The pain that one can handle is essential to one's growth. When things are
too easy, we stop improving and start backtracking.
"Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your
perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define
their reality through misery and suffering." -- Agent Smith, The Matrix.
Examples are everywhere: people get used to chairs and sitting toilets and lose
their mobility, invent tools and lose strength and endurance, get GPS and lose
mental sharpness and sense of direction, etc. These damages only become apparent
late in life. Where does civilation lead us? One may wonder. I don't know but
would try to stick to the Tao: 知其雄, 守其雌. In this case, I understand how coushioning can help, but opt out.
My Z-Trail has a 10mm cushion and my goal is to return to the 5mm Z-Trek.
The Zefal hydropack (my new $35 investment) worked very well. It was not
marketed for ultra-running and appealed to my specialization-averse gene. I even
took out the 1.5L bladder and put in a 22oz squeeze bottle. The fully loaded $2
plastic pouch rode along on my back snuggly before I needed it around mile 10.
When the weather gets hot, I can add a second bottle for a long run. On race day,
I will only need one. I can keep the empty bottle there before filling it up at each
aid station. I can get creative by mixing my own energy drink.
From the Priest Rock 10-miler, I have improved. I led most of the run and L
couldn't lose me anymore. It definitely gave me confidence in sandal-running.
