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[charlesr]

I left my HRM behind today. Which is probably why I went so fast. I didn't really know how fast I was going until 8km when I realised I was having a lot of trouble breathing

Newton MV2s are half price - crazy minimal shoes with zero drop - quite fancy trying them.

http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/shop/men-running-shoes/newton-mv2-performance-racer-white.html

[Terry Tibbs]

Just had a look. Shame there isn't an outlet nearer to me. I'd like to try a pair on and just walk around a bit. I paid ?85 for my last pair, so I want to take my time with the next purchase and be totally sure.

[charlesr]

And if you are't used to minimal zero drop, you'll need another pair of shoes to go with anyway, until you get the hang of them.

How about a Brooks Racer ST5. These Zoots look cool too, although well pricey

Although being an adidas fan, if I needed a bit of stability, I'd be all over the adistar boosts

[Taka]

A tip I've always found helpful is trying shoes on nearer the end of the day to factor in swelling. I didn't realise how much my feet swelled until I ran the London Marathon earlier this year - ouch!

My own observations regarding shoes out right now and coming out shortly suggest that the industry is beginning to dial itself back a little regarding minimalism. For a long time, it was all about more cushioning equals better shoes, which we now know was completely wrong. Then the industry became obsessed with less equals more ala the Vibram Five Fingers and everybody rushed out to release zero drop and nearly zero drop minimalist shoes. Now, shoes seem to have hit that Goldilocks period where they're happy to float in the middle with a little cushioning and a slightly lower drop.

[Terry Tibbs]

Well, I'm heading into town today to try on a few pairs at the sports shop, and see if any feel right. Probably won't make the purchase today though.

They stock most of the well known brands. Just need a bit of stability, room to spread out, relatively lightweight, and I'm good to go.

[Terry Tibbs]

Also, to give you an idea of my ability, my fastest 10k is just over 49mins. That's on a flat course. Still proud even though it aint that quick, as I worked hard for it. My next target is < 45min, but I'm realistic about the training hours I'll need to invest to get there.

[Terry Tibbs]

Anyone taken up running for new year? Seem to be a few more folks out pounding pavement than usual. :-)

[charlesr]

Yeah, seen loads of people out in hivis vests and stuff!

http://www.jantastic.me/ Sign up. I'm in the adidas boost team.

I pinned a 5k at lunch today with ~4m15s - 4m30s km. Not bad considering it was through mud and sludge and water. Hitting the slopes next week, so I'm taking my inov-8 terrocs with me to go for runs on the snow.

[Terry Tibbs]

Nice going on the 5k. I've been getting out loads over xmas, as my gift to self was some new Sauconys. Been getting on well with them, but picked up a weird injury on Monday, which I'm being careful not to aggrevate. Feels like bruise on the underside of my foot behind the second toe. I'm still running, but not pushing too hard. Hope it's gone by Saturday for my LSR.

[Terry Tibbs]

My target for 2014 is 1000km. :-)

[charlesr]

Excellent!
Don't do the LSR (or any other running) till it stops hurting - that's my advice! Take it or leave it.

Also if all is well, try and make it a LSR with a bit of fast too. Otherwise you'll always be a long slow runner I favour the middle section to ensure a nice warm slow section afterwards, but if you leave it till the last section, ensure you do a few minutes warm down as well before stopping. Most importantly, enjoy yourself.

[Terry Tibbs]

Hmm, I know you're right here. It's just so annoying not being able to run because of some little niggle. But yeh, if I'm sensible I won't run tomorrow. All being well I'll be back to normal soon. I'm doing my next LSR with a friend, so I'll see if he's up for some faster sections. I'm sure he won't mind - he's fitter than me. :-)

[charlesr]

Do you think the shoes have caused the pain, or overtraining, or actually bruised it on a stone or something?
Do you run heel, mid or ball? If ball, are you perhaps landing too far forward on the toes?
Shoes done up tightly enough?

If you must attempt the LSR and aren't sure if it's ready, be prepared to do loops of 2miles or something so that you are never too far from home to call it a day. Also means you can leave a bottle of water by your house.

[Terry Tibbs]

Sound advice. I think what may have caused it was a combination of new-ish shoes and a hard session, which was meant to be a recovery run, the day after a 12k. I've had the trainers since just before xmas and they do feel generally very comfortable. But, I do know that it takes a little time to adjust when you switch brands. Maybe it was too much too soon. I'm a midfoot runner anyway, but these shoes do push me forward a little bit, which could also be a factor.

[Taka]

Also bear in mind that if you're doing two consecutive days (or even two runs in one day), the cushioning of the shoe may not have had adequate time to recover and reform. I have two identical pairs of shoes that I alternate to ensure they're always at full potential and it helps lessen the wear and tear so it's not so dramatic.