Ask Jason!
I’m preparing to fly to New York City to hold some clinics at the Merrell tent during the REI Summer Streets event in SoHo tomorrow (Saturday), which means a fair amount of down time in airports and hotels. What better time to have an “Ask Jason” post!
Here’s how it works: post your question in the comments section, and I will answer it as soon as possible.
Feel free to ask about anything, including:
- Barefoot running
- Minimalist shoes
- Ultramarathons
- Trail running
- Training
- Crosstraining
- Other running topics
- The RV life
- Teaching
- Meaning of life
- Politics
- Pretty much any other topic that may be interesting…
I’ll answer the questions as soon as possible. Have fun with it!
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88 Comments
John Riffelmacher
August 15, 2012Jason,
I have been very seriously contemplating trying to organize a beer mile and a beer 5k (possibly a beer 8k as well) in Bay City Michigan. I have a few ideas in mind for the title, as well as the course. I think it would be best if it were a night race in late august/early september as nobody needs to get drunk at 7 in the am. My question is how would I go about starting to gather a solid staff and financial interests? I’m fairly sure the local brewing company would be interested but I have yet to get past the planning stage. Obviously I would need a presentation, but where would I go from there?
Rich
August 10, 2012How long should shoes like the NB MR10 last? since there’s really no structure or support, just padding underneath, shouldn’t they be ok for like a zillion miles as long as the stitching doesn’t come apart? Not sure if I need to replace mine. Thanks.
Holly
August 7, 2012I’ve been wearing Kinvara2′s for the last 6 months + working on my form. It has gotten a TON better – eliminating my over reaching, heel strike gait. I also alternate in Altra Intuitions for short 3 milers once a week. I am doing my first trail half marathon in November and want to start training with a trail shoe. I live in northern Michigan so the trails are woodsy (leaf covered in fall), sandy, muddy, gravel, root covered, not rocky. What would you suggest I try? I tried on the Brooks Grit at the running store and wasn’t in love. Thanks!!
alvinj88
August 8, 2012check out the columbia ravenous lite..swimoutlet has it for $29..freaken good deal if u ask me
alvinj88
August 7, 2012which running style do you prefer? chi running? pose method or natural running?
Tony
August 7, 2012Jason:
Just finished reading your book and am ready to take the barefoot plunge! One question I have is what classifies as a hill repeat. I’ve heard very technical definitions from running 400m on a 6-8% incline to just finding a hill and climbing it. Wondering if you were operating with a definition in the book or just freewheelin’ it? Thank you.
Nikita
August 6, 2012Hey Jason,
What shoes do you wear on trails?
Thanks
Glenn
August 6, 2012Having some pain in my patella/patellar tendon? This is particularly evident when I am in a deep squat, even just bodyweight. Any ideas on the cause being running related?
Jason
August 6, 2012I have chronic patellar tendonitis that flares up when I run in raised-heel shoes. It also flares up when doing squats… if I have bad form. It was originally caused by an injury unrelated to running.
When doing a squat, your shins should be as close to vertical as possible. Your feet should remain under you knee, so the motion is more like sitting back on a chair.
Bare Lee
August 7, 2012Man, I would stop doing the deep squats. Just do 1/4 or 1/2 squats. The knee is a very fragile joint, the least evolved for bipedalism, and poorly constructed for bearing a lot of weight at much of an angle.
Glenn
August 7, 2012In regard to raised heels, I wore a pair of Nike Frees on a run the other day (my minimalist shoes were full of burrs and prickers after I had to bushwack it to save time due to a bad combination of short shorts and bowel flare up)… long story short, it was a weird (read: bad) feeling going back to raised heel shoes for running. I never realized how much my form has been altered since going the minimalist/barefoot route.
Janice
August 5, 2012I’ve been a barefoot & minimalist runner for almost 3 years now and I love being barefoot. I’ve been off for a month with a severe case of achilles tendonosis (I actually have a lump on my heel still) and will likely be off for another 4 – 8 weeks. When I return to running, should I go back to barefoot or go with a 4mm or 8mm drop to help with the achilles issues I’ve been battling? Does Merrell make a shoe with a 4 – 8 mm drop?
Jason
August 6, 2012Janice- I like the idea of using shoes for rehab purposes. In your situation, a raised heel shoe should help alleviate the symptoms. I’d gradually move from a shoe with a raised heel to a zero drop shoe over the course of a few months or so.
Merrell does make the Mix Master Arc, which has a 4mm heel. It’s a heavy-duty trail shoe, though.
There are quite a few other options out there from other manufacturers… I’d check far and wide.
Arun
August 4, 2012Are you following the Olympic track and field competition? Who are your favorite athletes?
Jason
August 5, 2012I’m not much of a running fan. I causally follow ultras, but that’s about it. I’d rather participate than spectate for most sports, though.
Chadisbarefoot
August 4, 2012Hey Jason,
My question is a bit more *ahem* intimate. How in the world do you find the time or place to have alone time with the wife? Do you send the kids elsewhere? Are you ninja-esque? Do tell.
Jason
August 5, 2012We convince them it gets windy on a regular basis.
Bare Lee
August 4, 2012Hey Jason,
They say to run barefoot, all you need to do is take off your shoes and run. However, I’m almost always already barefoot before a run. Can I just run? Or do I need to put on some shoes, take them off, and then run? Please clarify.
Slightly Gebrselassie
August 4, 2012Pardon me for butting in, but I think I can a answer that one. It took me a while to figure it out, as, like you, I was too close to the problem. Then it occurred to me how I could get the best of both worlds: just wear one shoe. I know: it’s obvious once you’ve heard it, isn’t it? Once I’d seen the light (while watching Monty Python’s “Life of Brian”), I gave it a try on a local route. It soon became apparent that the bare side wanted to go faster than the shod side, so I did the route clockwise, then repeated it anti-clockwise. Now, I run spiral-shaped routes up and down hills for added interest. Hope this helps.
Bare Lee
August 4, 2012That’s a brilliant tactic Mr. Slightly. I’ve been stuck inside for weeks now, trying to figure this out. However, if you could clarify one aspect of your hybrid solution I would greatly appreciate it. Do you start with one foot shod, take off that shoe, then put a shoe on the other foot and run? Because the problem for me is that I’m starting bare on both feet. Or do I start barefooted, put on both shoes, then take just one off and run? While ‘take off your one shoe and run’ would save time over taking off two shoes, I still don’t know if I can run on the other foot if it’s already bare. More paralysis by analysis and I’m missing another day’s run. Also, as a semi-shod runner, do you draw suspicion from both the shoddie and barefooter camps? And besides, how do you know if you’re running clockwise if you’re running bare and thus, presumably, without a clock. Have you tried skipping?
Slightly Gebrselassie
August 4, 2012What to do? How about putting shoes on and calling it barefoot running? A bit radical, I know, but I’ve a funny feeling it might work.
Bare Lee
August 4, 2012Slightly Gebrselassie
August 4, 2012Skipping: genius!
Jason
August 5, 2012The trick is to know your route well. Wear one shoe on the foot that will be on the outside of the majority of the turns. It creates a slight “banking’ effect that will facilitate your running. Otherwise run normally.
alvinj88
August 7, 2012I run minimalist monday, wed, fri or sat..run shod when I wanna go fast and far during tues and thursday..sun is recovery for me..if i dont have the itch to run
karen
August 4, 2012Jason-I am running my first marathon in late September and have decided to go for a 50k the following weekend (on road). Is this a stupid idea? Also, took my first barefoot run yesterday, only the last half mile of my run, but it felt awesome!!
Jason
August 5, 2012Back-to-back long races? Go for it!
Be careful with the 0k, though. If you’re not feeling it, don’t push your body too hard. You’ll still be recovering from the marathon.
Joe Riffelmacher
August 3, 2012Jason,
I’m planning on attempting my first 50 miller next year. I live in a flat part of Michigan, and I’m looking for something easy-ish. What race would you recommend? I’ve done North County Trail (marathon distance) before and I’ve read about the Woodstock races.
Joe
Jason
August 5, 2012Joe, Woodstock is really the only other MI race I have experience with, though my friend Andy is the RD for the Marquette 50. I think that course is a little tougher, though. Try ultrarunning.com’s online calendar (http://www.ultrarunning.com/calendar.html. They rank races by terrain and elevation. Look for a 50 miler with a “1″ or “2″ for terrain, which means the course will be relatively flat.
Good luck, man!
John Riffelmacher
August 3, 2012Do you find it easier to get drunk after long runs? It seems like after a longer run, if I go out I’m feeling the effects much more quickly even with proper hydration. I’m not complaining, it’s pretty awesome actually.
Jason
August 5, 2012I haven’t noticed much of a difference personally, but I also haven’t paid too much attention. I usually need a few hours to recover before hitting the beer too hard, though. This one could make a worthy experiment.
Glenn
August 3, 2012Great idea for a post !
Hannah C
August 3, 2012My friends are not runners. How do I convince them to crew for me? The best option so far would be a clever application of chloroform followed by dragging them into the woods. They would most likely need me to get home. There must be a better way that would eliminate the side effects of arrest and imprisonment.
Robyn
August 3, 2012I was thinking about tempting my friends with beer/liquor and food. I think it’s time to get more runner friends. How do you make runner friends?
Jason
August 5, 2012I find beer/liquor and food are great ways to make runner friends!
Most of the people I tap for crews and pacing are runner friends. Most of us sort of started ultrarunning around the same time and have learned from each other.
Online forums and local running clubs can be great ways to meet new runners that will eventually serve as crew members.
If you insist on drugging them, consider slipping them a mickey.
[Seinfeld reference, anyone?]
Ben W
August 3, 2012I’m wondering how I can maximize my barefoot running within an hour time limit.
I have been running barefoot, skin to ground, since June. I now can run about 4 miles on the sidewalk without problems. But, I’m slow, running an average of 14 minute miles. It seems too easy. And now, if I just add mileage, in order to increase my workout, It’s going to take more than an hour to run. With family commitments, that presents a challenge.
Should I just relax and take it easy and let the speed and distance come naturally, or should I put some real effort into building speed? From what I’ve read, a lot of barefooters recommend against aiming for more speed, as if it were running for the wrong reasons.
NickW
August 4, 2012Ben, I’ve seen this very sentiment a lot with us barefooters. I don’t agree with it completely. I agree that if you are new, and running bf-s-t-g from just this June it may still be early for you, to add speed early on might be disastrous. Now, after a period of time or so (depends on the person just how long as some transition in a few months and some years) you might be able to add some speed workouts. There is a lot of debate on this, but I don’t think that we as barefooters need to focus on just running slow and boring like. I do believe that we need to give our bodies enough time to transition though before we add speed work.
Ben W
August 4, 2012How do you know when you are ready? I’ve done some short burst of “speed”, 9-10 minute mile pace, as well as 1 mile at that pace, and it felt great. I didn’t experience any problems afterwards. In fact, sometimes I think my form gets better when I’m going faster. It seems to smooth out easier.
I tend to be cautious though, so I haven’t done a ton of this, since so many recommendations caution against it. The boundary between complete beginner, and moderate beginner is ambiguous.
NickW
August 4, 2012Honestly, it’s damn difficult to know when anyone is ready. While going faster you may feel smoother, but if memory serves me correctly running faster has more impact and it’s easier to get stress fractures. One thing to do would be to actually stop during your run for a couple minutes and do a check to see how you feel. Sometimes you may have a pain that your body doesn’t “feel” or notice while running but while stopped for those couple minutes you will notice.
Another common piece of barefooter advice is to not add both distance plus speed in the same week, let alone workout. I don’t know how true this is, but it might be something for you to keep in mind as well. Good luck with what ever you do. Hopefully Jason can give you better advice.
Ben W
August 4, 2012Thanks! : )
Jason
August 5, 2012I would agree with Nick’s answers. There’s nothing wrong with attempting to get faster. I wish more barefoot/minimalist runners would do it.
Bare Lee
August 5, 2012Ben, I agree with what Nick says. We both have felt better running at faster paces. Whether or not it’s too early for you, only you will know, but why not trying to knock just a minute off your pace every week or month until you get down to 10 mm pace, and see how that feels. That would mean running six miles in an hour, which is a decent workout. I personally find it very hard to run comfortably at anything more than 10 mm pace, and would eventually like to run my long and slow distance runs at 8mm or better.
Jason
August 5, 2012Based on my experiences, most people do less thinking when running faster, which translates to better running form.
Ben W
August 5, 2012Great answers! Thanks. And Thanks to Jason for putting in the time to answer all these questions.
Rich Frantz
August 6, 2012My suggestion would be to run with a heart rate monitor and do some reading on the Mafetone method. Your speed will improve over time, not quickly, but it does. It has for me, and without injury.
greg boytos
August 3, 2012ever get blisters under your calluses? is there a way to avoid these?
also what are your thoughts on barefoot plyometrics? find some soft ground?
and what are some solid options that are similar to the mix-master as far as zero drop shoes with a bit more padding?
Jason
August 6, 2012Hey Greg, I have gotten blisters under calluses in the past. It was a result of bad forms from running too fast on a rough surface without proper training.
I’m a big fan of barefoot plyometrics… for most exercises. I prefer hard surfaces due to stability issues.
As of today, there aren’t a ton of zero drop shoes with more padding. There’s the Merrell Bare Access and the entire Altra lineup… but that’s about it. There will be A LOT more options from many manufacturers by Spring ’13.
Jason
August 3, 2012Hi Jason,
Thanks for all the great info on your site and contributions on other sites. Nice community these BFers.
I’m starting with 1/4 mile BF runs and so far so good. I have traiils behind my house and dont know when i could get back on them considering I’m just starting the program. I bought montrail trail shoes earlier this year but I’m heasitant about doing anything but BF until I’ve progressed further. I have Merrell trail shoes for walking around and may use these when I’m ready, in place of the Montrails. I now have minamilist shoes for running, walking/casual use and work.
Any suggestions on sticking with the program vs mixing trails ( which i cant do BF)?
Thx
David
August 3, 2012Hi Jason-
So I started the BF thing about a month ago. And I figured I was doing it right…walking, with barely any running, on trails. Nice trails.
So my plantar fasciitis came back (hadn’t seen it in years) and I just kept on going, but doing less distance, with some foot massage added in.
The PF went away after a few weeks, but left me with what appears to be peroneal tendonitis on my right foot. I can now walk about a mile every third day BF, or cover any distance (again, walking) in some stiff raised-heel arch-supported hiking boots.
I am bummed.
I have more trouble balancing on my right foot than my left. So I’m working on some balance drills. Also some strength exercises (mostly raising up on my toes & goofing off on stairs). Also using a massage-dingus.
Anything else I ought to try? I want to give this BF thing a serious shot, but sheesh.
Jason
August 3, 2012PF symptoms can be caused by a tight Achilles and/or soleus. Make sure your heel is touching the ground when running (unless sprinting, but don’t sprint yet). Treat the syptoms by rolling the bottom of your foot, calf, hamstrings, and quads with a rolling pin.
David
August 3, 2012Yeah, but the PF is gone. I used a vibrating massage-thingy instead of a rolling pin. Worked really well. In the past I’ve used various stretches that worked too, sort of.
It’s the peroneal tendonitis that’s bugging me now. I kinda hope it’s the last thing to pop up before I can run barefoot…especially since at the moment I can’t even walk very well.
barefoot everett
August 3, 2012Preparing for my first marathon in october. The steamtown marathon in Scranton pa. Not so much worried about the distance as I am being able to complete it barefoot. I run primarily on some pretty rough trails and have no problem with my feet but when I add asphalt I tend to over stride and get some blistering on the balls of my feet especially my left. I don’t care about my time my only goal is to finish without walking and without shoes but I will have my Lunas in my belt pack if I have trouble. Any tips besides more time on blacktop to get my feet ready for a barefoot asphalt marathon?
Jason
August 3, 2012Stop overstriding.
The best way to do this is shorten your stride and/or speed up your cadence. Make sure your foot is landing under your knee, not in front.
Daren
August 3, 2012I’m having issues communicating with my cat. Is it possible to teach him English or me cat and if so , how?
Jason
August 3, 2012It’s easier to meet them in the middle by learning their language. Use this:
http://speaklolcat.com/
Slightly Gebrselassie
August 4, 2012Have you seen a wonderful documentary called “Up”? Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQb84PNxu5A&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Cat and, for Pat below, bird versions of this wonderful invention are bound to follow. Squirrel!
Neil
August 3, 2012Any suggestions for management of a 2nd metatarsal stress fracture? I guess I got up on my toes too much while doing some speed work or a track. Running in a pool to maintain conditioning seems very boring and I do not necessarily want to wait until I am pain free (as per conventional medical wisdom). Thanks
Jason
August 3, 2012Stress fractures are tricky. Not letting it heal properly will probably result in reoccurring issues. Non-flexible soled shoes may help with immobilization to speed the healing, but otherwise I’d follow the advice of your doctor.
Ehd
August 3, 2012Do you ever see anyone successfully solo (meaning, no crew) ultras?
Jason
August 3, 2012Most people run bub-100 milers without crew or pacers. About half of 100 milers do so sans crew/pacer depending on the race.
I’ve done one hundo without crew/pacers… it was definitely more difficult.
Eli
August 3, 2012I am considering living full time in an rv and I just want to stay in one place- how expensive would the campground be?
David
August 3, 2012My wife and I have done this. But the answer to your question looks like this: anywhere from under $200/month (near Port Aransas, TX) to over $1800/month (New Orleans, DC, other fancy parks). YMMV.
Sometimes you can buy or rent some land & live there without hookups, too, if you’re willing to put the time/energy into it.
Okay, I’ll shut up & let Jason answer.
Jason
August 3, 2012David’s range is pretty accurate. Our lowest was $10/month (Wikiup, AZ) and most expensive was around $900. We avoid the “resorts” though.
If you’re really into the low-cost living, just camp on BLM land or “The Slab” for free… if you’re in the Western US.
Kurt Stein
August 3, 2012I found an old post of yours where you say that you really enjoy running in a pair of Luna Sandals and you give them (and huaraches in general) a pretty favorable review.
Do you still ever run in huaraches? Has your opinion on them changed any?
Thanks for answering these questions!
Jason
August 3, 2012Huaraches were great when there were no good shoe options and I ran on the easy Midwest trails. I still use Lunas for casual wear, but wouldn’t consider them for anything but a road ultra. Their lack of protection would require me to slow down unnecessarily, and I go slow enough as it it.
They’re simply too much of a disadvantage compared to a well-fit trail shoe.
Nick
August 3, 2012You and Shelly seem to do a lot of trekking through the mountains for extended periods of time. What do you do with your kids while you guys are out? Since you are always travelling, you can’t just drop them off at grandmas. Do you just lock them in the RV and say “See you in 8 hours?”
Jason
August 3, 2012Our niece Stephanie travels with us and acts as our nanny. We couldn’t do what we do without her.
Leosha
August 3, 2012Hey Jason,
I want to become a decent Ultrarunner and have a pretty good base for running now. I’ve been thinking about going to the coaching route, but I’d rather out that money into traveling to different races, gear (winter running will be upon us before we know), and just traveling in general. As a grad student, I can’t do everything with limited funds. Do you have any books you’d recommend for training for ultramarathons? Thanks, man. I love this blog!
Jason
August 3, 2012‘Relentless Forward Progress”, “Breaking Through the Wall”, and “A Step Beyond.”
I also recommend Kevin Sayers’ site:
http://www.ultrunr.com/
-and-
http://irunfar.com.
Andrew Klein
August 3, 2012Though they are often joked about, I have a serious question about shorty shorts. Does the increased ventilation help prevent chafing on long runs, or is a generous amount of skin lube still recommended?
Serious stuff out of the way; how short is too short?
Jason
August 3, 2012Yes, the increased ventilation helps keep chafing to a minimum, along with limiting sodium consumption (will be discussed in a future post). I still lube up on anything over about 20 miles, though.
As far as too short? I draw the line at French bikini cut.
Marius
August 3, 2012Hi Jacson,
I’m reading your posts for some weeks now and I find them very useful. I’m new to ultra-running and the experience of other ultra-runners is helping me.
I read some reviews about shoes but I didn’t found a full equipment description that you need in a ultra, let’s say one that could take place in bad weather(rain / wind). What would you choose for pack, jacket, trousers, socks, gloves, hat, lights, food, etc ? For example I’m not sure how big / heavy the vest/pack needs/should be to be able to carry all the necessary stuff. What is the minimum stuff you would take in a 100 miles race ?
Of course the equipment is not enough, and you’ll need to be prepared physically and especially mentally to finish the race, but at least will alleviate the hard sides of an ultra.
Marius
Jason
August 3, 2012I carry as little as possible. Minimally, I usually have a water bottle or two, safety pin, and super glue. The latter two are for foot injuries. If weather is cold, I may use a layer or two of clothing. I rely on aid stations and my crew and/or drop bags for everything else. I tend to pack food, additional clothing, extra shoes, and a more elaborate medical kit in drop bags.
Rich Frantz
August 6, 2012What sort of foot injury would you use a safety pin on?
Jason
August 6, 2012Blisters.
Jason
August 6, 2012And digging out slivers and thorns.
pat
August 3, 2012Jason,
I am fairly new to trail running. But the few times I have gone out I notice that there are lots of birds along the trails singing songs in their bird language. Why is this so? Is there a way to find out what they are singing about?
Thank you,
Pat
Jason
August 3, 2012Try Google Translate: http://translate.google.com.
HeatherW
August 3, 2012In your opinion, how often should trail runners participate in trail maintenance? Do you have a personal goal, and have you met it?
Jason
August 3, 2012Most people support the idea of trail work, but few people actually do it. I don’t do enough, but I don’t have specific goals. I enjoy doing trail work because it’s another excuse to get outside. I also like manual labor, so it’s a win-win. I’m not a fan of huge organized work parties. I prefer to do trail work with a small group of friends.
Larry S.
August 3, 2012Hey Jason,
Love your your refreshingly honest blog. Any advice on sore achilles tendons? My chiropractor believes that shoes with a very strong heel counter is the answer.
Keep up the great work.
Jason
August 3, 2012Make sure your heel is touching the ground when doing anything other than sprinting. Rolling the calf with a rolling pin (not those dumb-ass foam rollers) to alleviate symptoms. A raised heel can alleviate acute symptoms for a short period of time to allow tissues to heal, but strengthening/ elongating should be the long-term goal.
Larry S.
August 3, 2012Thanks!
Ben W
August 3, 2012Best tip of the day! Just rolled the calves….feels great. It really loosens things up.
My wife said, “Remind me not to use that for food.”
I replied, “Don’t worry, I’m not letting you have it back. It feels too good.”
Thankfully it’s the third rolling pin. Not a real point of conflict. : )
NickW
August 4, 2012Just curious Jason, why are you against the foam rollers? I feel like I can get deeper with mine, but maybe I’m doing something wrong…
Jason
August 6, 2012Too soft. The hardness of the roller allows for more pressure, which results in more effective rolling. If you want something harder with a larger diameter, use a section of 3″ or 4″ PVC drain pipe.
And I’m slightly put off by the crazy price of foam rollers (or “The Stick”).
Steve @ Wild Runner
August 3, 2012ok, so here goes with the first one.
We’ve discussed this slightly before, but it is on the subject of teaching.
now, qualifications are not everything, but unless one has many years to gain a high profile in an area, do you think that qualifications are a good way to gain a foothold into teaching. I am talking about natural running technique, functional movement etc. To become an ‘authority’ will take years and years, a certificate, for what it is worth, can give one a leg up to actually be able to start teaching and learning as one goes.
What do you reckon? I’m not talking about duping hte public with worthless quals, but if the prerequisite to be able to teach was, say 10 years experience in an area, a lot of people would be excluded, and many of them would make great teachers.
Advice and ideas much appreciated. BTW, this ‘ask jason’ thing is a great idea.
Jason
August 3, 2012For some professions, certifications are a good idea. Think medical field. Fitness is a little different. It’s important to have a foundation in topics such as anatomy and physiology, but specific schools of thought (Pose, Crossfit, etc.) are, in my opinion, nearly worthless.
I’m an advocate of self-learning. Learn all you can from multiple perspectives, put the theories in action, and most importantly, make a significant contribution to the field by doing something new, unique, or just flat-out awesome.
In regards to natural running, read this thread: http://thebarefootrunners.org/threads/getting-started-as-a-coach.6893/
I post as “Last Place Jason.”