Cross training - a sensual treat

With the half marathon behind me and a few easy 3 milers clocked this week I thought its time for some fun cycling in the name of cross training. Hooked up with a friend who was eager to ride on a saturday morning. The evening before the ride it rained heavily so we were skeptical of the next morning. I woke up and saw that it was turning into a beautiful dawn. So out came my cycle and within no time I was on the road with wind in my hair and thin rays of the sun on my face. The inner ring road to my frnd's place was almost empty and the sound of tires turning on the tarmac was music to my ears. Of course I had my favorite telugu songs providing pleasure to my ears from my nano. There is a soft delicate serenity in listening to "Mounamela noyi" while riding a cycle on an empty road. Its just you, the mute efficient means of transport powered by only human legs with its wheels silently turning, the soft cool breeze, droplets of sweat on the brow, tree lined wide roads and the soft music lilting in your ears. A glorious experience.
I reached my frnd's place around 7 am. Within five minutes we were out of the house and towards IIM Bangalore campus. People were coming onto the roads getting about their daily lives. We went through a vegetable, flower market with aromas of curry leaves, fresh ginger, garlic wafting through the air and filling the whole place. The festive preparations for diwali were obvious from the huge heaps of marigold piles on the road sides. The whole scenery was a treat to the senses. Then we passed by the madiwala lake. Thoroughly unmaintained and left to the vagaries of whoever fancies doing whatever with it the lake still didn't lack the natural beauty every natural creation inherently has. The hyacinth growing unchecked added lot of verdant green to the picture. We finally reached the campus. The very entry into the campus was surprisingly cool compared to the relative hot on the roads outside. The lush green environs, rain soaked trees, well maintained roads, grey buildings housing academic excellence, long verandas, pergolas, creeper lines stone walls gave the whole milieu a beauty unique to campuses. We found a small cafeteria run by a friendly mallu. Parked our cycles and ordered for some hot chai and bread omlette. Over chai breakfast sitting on a stone bench it was a delight catching up on favorite books, movies, everything under the sun. The surrounding Deva ganneru (Divine oleander) trees had abundance of birds looking for their share of food. Bird watching was a treat there and I tried clicking some pics of these feathered friends with my mobile.
The buildings in the campus are all set in grey concrete or stone. Some of the walls are lined with paintings to add a dash of color but time seems to have made an attempt to blend them with their surroundings. They all have lost their color and turned grey too.
After soaking in all that the campus could offer we headed back home. On the way we stopped to down a refreshing glass of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice with a dash of lime and ginger. That brought us to the end of a perfect beginning to the weekend. Yeah, we did plan to do something similar next weekend. Am also happy I got to ride about 30 km thus providing a harmonious perfect blend of physical exercise and sensual treats. I love bangalore for what it offers in the form of excellent weather conducive to such pursuits.

Kaveri Trail Half Marathon

This was my first trail run and the second half marathon. I was not my 100% when I woke up at 4am. Following the instructions of the RFL team I drove my car to Cubbon Park (Queen's statue) and parked it by Koshy's restaurant. It was too early for any traffic to trouble me so it was those rare moments when I made it through MG road at more than 20 kmph. There is something about early mornings that turns me on. I am totally a morning person and despite knowing that circadian rythms differ by individual, I just dont get why some people don't get up before sun rises. Anyway, I got the RFL bus taking us to Srirangapatnam. Between a few dozes and a few pages of a book I carried we reached the rendezvous. The whole thing started a bit late. I was worried about the sun and the rising temperature. But the verdant surroundings promised some shade and cool breeze. There is a small canal flowing next to the route, lots of trees, muddy path. The whole setting promised a great run. I wanted to try this with my VFFs (vibram five fingers) and so that were what i was wearing. I was a bit skeptical if they would hold up to the trail. We started about 30 mins late around 8 am. Had some friends with me back from work so it was a chatty few miles. I didnt know what was in store for me so my main aim was to finish it. Soon I found that my greatest nemesis on this run would be the rocky patches on the trail. Later someone told me the rocks were recently strewn around the trail to provide some solid ground to the bullock carts.

First 10k was an enjoyable run though I dreaded every rocky patch we came across. The rocks were on average the size of a cricket ball and had some painfully sharp edges. So along with the grass, mud and water I could feel the rocks too through my VFFs. And soon it began to hurt. By the 16km point (it was an out-and-back route so the actual mark was 4k I guess) I could take it no longer and decided to walk the route. I did come across some fellow runners who were curious about my funny looking shoes so the walk wasnt as bad. I tried running once I felt better but my feet just didnt let me. It felt like I was stepping on spears. I finally finished the run in 2:39 hrs.

The best part of the run was yet to come. After collecting the certificate and the lunch coupon I joined the group already frolicking the cold cauvery waters. There was a small catchment supply water to the fields and stepping into it was a treat to the bruised legs and feet. I checked my feet and as suspected they had 3-4 blisters on each feet. Am sure am going to flaunt them as some medals hehehe.

After half hr of fun in the water I came on ground and applied a medicated oil all over my legs and feet. The whole routine of cold water and oil massage seemed to have done wonders. The pain started to recede and I was back on my feet. The next stop before lunch was a coconutwallah. The huge tender coconuts by the banks of cauvery after a hard run was god-sent and I quickly downed the water and was smacking my lips.

Lunch was a decent fare at the nearby resort. The resort was also by the Cauvery river and everyone enjoyed the whole deal to their hearts content.

The bus journey back to bangalore was un-eventful except for a huge downpour. Overall it was a well spent Sunday though I was wishing RFL organize its runs on Saturdays so the we can nurse our bruised legs on a holiday :).

Well I ran my first trail run and live to tell a beautiful tale.

From Kaveri Trail Half marathon

Flower thieves

They sneak in everyday morning, plastic bags in hand

In their day lives they are fathers, mothers, sons or daugthers

But they work with the precision seen only in pros

When they approach the flowery boughs

With the deftness of a gymnast they lean over

Plucking flowers with one hand and bagging them with the other

They occasionally look over their shoulders with tact

To see if anyone caught them in the act

These flower thieves come in all sizes and shapes

Some are fair, some are dark, some fat and some are thin

Some are smug, some are sad, oh there are others with a sinful grin

The flowers resist the dastard act with all their might

But with all the tugging and plucking its a pitiful sight

Once the collection is done and the bag is full

They move on with their bounties to lay them at some altar

What an irony, a murderous act is done in the name of God

The flowers are cut, blossoms, buds all alike

The beauty of another morning destroyed with vengence

The trees and bushes sawy to the wind as if in protest

The same wind that should have carried the frangrance

Moves on disappointed yet again, wondering why

Man wants to posses and make his, all that is beautiful

I move on with the wind and start running again

Wishing to find a beauty untouched

waiting for Godoth

Friendships are like runs and friends are like running routes. As you keep running on those very same routes you develop a familiarity. Your feet get used to the ups and downs, the rocky paths, the occasional lovely parks, the sunny patches and the shades. You develop a relationship with the route. As soon as you start on it you know what you will see and feel. What to anticipate and what not to. You tend to like some routes, some you dont. A few become your favorites, your best friends. When you drive by them, you remember the hardest gradients and how you handle them. So routes are for long runs, some for short. You like some a lot when it is hot and sunny as they offer lot of shade and comfort. But one thing you forget is the fact that you never run the same route again. They keep changing everyday, evey moment. They get painted on, trees get cut down, new buildings come up, some become one ways, some gets their roads broadened, others get narrowed. And once you dont run the route for a while, may be you moved out of town,  you lose the touch. You still might know where it takes you or how it feels, but it has changed a lot. You both dont have that thing for each other any longer. But some runners still live in the fantasy of running their old pals, thinking nothing has changed. They keep waiting to run that same route again, to feel that old glory. But the wait goes on as the route has moved on on its own path slowly but surely.

its not about the shoes

I just realized something. Though I have been going on and on about VFFs, its not actually about the shoes. Its actually about "no-shoes". VFFs only help you get closer to the ground. So if there is any magic in running with the VFFs, its the fact that the cushion that has been getting between the ground and feet is now gone...well...almost gone.

After a couple of runs I figured my nike+ is giving only 92% accuracy. It could be due to the placement of the chip. As compared to the previous shoe the chip is now a little high up on my foot. So I decided to calibrate it. I checked on google maps the nearest half mile and decided to do a round trip. But I wasnt sure about the accuracy. That left me with the option of using my bike. So at the crack of dawn I set off on my bike with my odometer on. I was surprised to see that gmaps was spot on with distance accuracy. Both gmaps and my cycle computer agreed on the half way point for a mile from my house. I rode back home, parked my bike in the garage and set off on my calibration run. By the time I completed the one mile, my ipod nano was saying I completed 1.08 miles. When I confirmed the calibration that it is one mile it gave me a message that the calibration was successful.

I keeping meeting the usual suspects on their morning walks and now they seem to be getting used to my feet-in-socks. And am getting used to them too. They dont seem so weird anymore.

Vibram five fingers

As promised here is a review of running in Vibram five fingers (VFF). First a little bit about VFF. VFF is a "shoe" sold by a company called Vibram. Vibram has been into soles for a long time. And this is one of their very recent foray's into direct to consumer products. VFF is fashioned to be the closest thing to being barefoot. It has a rubber sole with a cloth/polyamide upper. What is unique about this shoe is it is more like a glove to the feet, with pockets for toes and all. So once you wear it your feet will look like they have a snugly fitting glove on them. There is no cushion in the sole and you can literally feel the texture of the ground when you walk in them. You can get more details on how they look and various styles they have available at http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/. I used the model that says "KSO"

 I came across these on my recent visit to US a few weeks back. Their appeal to me was in the fact that they are the closest thing to barefeet running and I have been yearning to run barefeet but was daunted by the fears of injury and feelings of vulnerability. I was excited to find a product that could fit my needs. So I went to a local store in Lexington KY which was listed as the local stockist on the VFF site. But to my frustration I figured they didnt carry my size in the style I wanted. They offered to order them for me but werent sure if they could deliver before the end of the week, which was when I was heading back home to India. So I spent good part of an evening online to find a shopping site which offered to get them delivered to me in 2 days. I placed the order and waited, but they couldnt ship it on schedule. After multiple phone calls they offered to ship them to India without any additional shipping charges. I knew it would be sometime before I can lay my hands on them, but I didnt have a choice. So I agreed not to cancel the order with the condition that they ship them asap. I reached India last Monday and was eagerly waiting for any news on the shipment. To my further frustration USPS didnt have any update. So I was in a state of limbo for 4 days waiting on my toes for the weird looking shoes with toes. Finally they arrived on a cloudy evening and the mailman had a grin on his face seeing my excitement. 

The initial attempt was a bit clunky with multiple toes trying to get into single toe pockets. After a few attempts and expert suggestions from my dear wife I could finally fit my feet into the shoes. First impression was they looked as if I had artificial feet on, but were surprisingly comfortable and true to the review I had read it was the closest thing to being barefeet while still having my feet covered.

Thanks to my body's inability to cope with jet lag on traveling back home I was up and ready for a run pretty early next morning. I also decided to use the nike+ ipod chip with VFFs as I like to log my runs on the nike site. A good half hour was spent before I figured out a way of achieving this feat. Basically I stuck a velcro onto the back side of nike+ chip and stuck it onto the adjusting strap of VFFs. It felt secure and seemed like it would work. I decided to do a small 2 miler as I had a longish bike route planned for the morning with a friend of mine. Also I was a bit apprehensive about foraying into the unknown. With my ipod nano blazing Abida Parveen's sufi numbers I set off on my run. The initial warmup was a bit clunky before I got the hang of it. Then I started to enjoy it. The ground beneath my feet felt alien as I could literally feel it. I could even feel the gulmohur buds strewn on the road due to a morning wind. The roughness of asphalt, softness of a muddy track, an occasional pebble, a gulmohur bud, stalks of dry leaves all started to make my tactile perceptions come alive through my feet. It was like an un-explored land which was always there but was never ventured into. Once my mind was past the sensual pleasures the run was offering I started to observe the differences between running in normal shoes and running in these foot gloves. I felt I wasnt pounding the ground as much and the flexibility of the my toes and arch was helping me glide forward and taking pressure off my knees. This seemed to be enabled by the lack of a hard shoe cushion and shoe upper holding my feet back. But my calves were bearing the brunt though the pain of lactic acid accumulating in the calves was only a reminder that I might be using muscle groups which I hadn't so far much used in running. Despite the lack of cushion my feet felt comfortable and natural and I was surprised that there was no portion of the shoe which pinched or made me feel I needed to adjust. It was almost perfect, a literal glove-fit. Of course I did attract lot of stares from people taking their morning walks. The 2 miler which I averaged at a pace of 7 didnt feel like a 7 it felt much slower. I don't want to jump the gun and attribute it to some magical alteration in the way the shoes helped me run. Atleast not before I run more in these over the next few weeks. But overall it was comfy, felt natural and am already looking fwd to my next short 4 mile run the day after. Am trying to gradually move up the mileage and keep testing the waters in this un-chartered territory of running without cushioned shoes.

Day 3: I decided to do a 5k today feeling more confident from the last run. Getting into the shoes was easier than earlier. My toes slipped right into the pockets. Its amazing how body learns new stuff. The warm up was not as clunky as the last run. Looks like my feet and body are getting used to these new contraptions. It was a fairly cool morning and I found that my legs warmed up faster than usual (it could be due to anything ...cant attribute it to the shoes...yet). When I hit the uphill portion on the route I could feel an increased strain in my calves. I also realized I had a tension in the body, which may be due to the fact that my feet are relatively unprotected. But I eased up a bit and the rest of the run was a breeze. I am seeing a definite 10% improvement in my pace.

Despite all the good things I seem to stress upon I would suggest a definite easing-in plan rather than a big-bang approach in adapting to these shoes. Especially if you are not used to walking barefeet for extended period of time. Small initial runs should help you understand what works for you. Our feet are used a thick cushion beneath  them and a change to just a thin sheet of rubber is drastic and needs a slow and steady cajoling. But its definitely worth it...I cant wait for my next run. This time it will be a little longer one...you can see am getting impatient :)

 Some pics that i took to give an idea of using the nike+ chip http://picasaweb.google.com/gkrheera/VibramFiveFingers#

PS: Do not drive wearing them ...the rubber is not thick enough to shield your feet from the hard pedals....and the clutch (if you live in a country where Auto transmission is un-common)