So three months on.... Just how have I got on using these Newton trainers? If you want my honest answer and current status, rather badly actually.
I can see the logic and advantage of running mid/forefoot, which is exactly what it says on the box of this marketing. They do not hide away from the fact the changes needed to make in your own running style to make these trainers work for you, with the enclosed ten-point leaflet!
OK I was prepared to try this. It's just as you may have seen in my other blog articles, I'm getting a bit long in the tooth now and probably the saying you can't teach an old dog-new tricks is a real lesson to be learnt?
I train regularly running to my latest music playlist and trying various routes and trying interval training etc. I can comfortably now manage to run or at least get around various 10K and Half Marathon events and have taken part in the Flora and Virgin London Marathons. My next aim is still too improve on my current times and now eagerly await the 2012 London Marathon Ballot result, which will mean slowly increasing my mileage between now and then assuming I can find a way into this marathon.
As you know increasing mileage can increase the chances of injury anyway but using these Newton's now with this in mind for me is going to be a huge risk to take to run in next years London Marathon which is now seven months away. Since June, I have worn these trainers (drum roll) two or three times PER month and afterwards suffered such shocking calf pain that it actually has stopped me running. I really have tried to stretch out my calf muscles, use a foam roller very regularly, and have a sports massage monthly and even cheated before runs applying some sort of deep heat rub to warm up my calf muscles allowing them to be more forgiving. Still the pain experienced after a run makes me walk with a hobble and the pain is too the extent that I cannot stand on my tiptoes let alone walk on my toes. The calf failure is that severe.
I ran a Dartford half marathon in July and I felt... OK(ish), allowed myself time to recover and started my training again for a 10 mile race in Stevenage in September. This race obviously being shorter than a half marathon I had high hopes for this race. A) To perform well for our team to win its category. B) To race and beat a friend. I prepared for this event as per normal and was actually quite confident too as in myself I felt well. (Even Achilles tendonitis has been behaving). Alas on the day it was a complete disaster! After four miles, I knew something was wrong. One lap down and 5 miles to go I knew my race was over as I ran with a hobble and my mind switched to willing the mile markers away. The Garmin beeped every mile reminding me I was well off my usual pace.
Needless to say, my team contribution on the day was rather shocking and I am sure our team captain and manager will reflect back and think twice now for selecting me for the team. They do not need to say anything to me, as I know myself I am disappointed with this effort and my mate beat me with ease. I finished in 1hr 9 minutes where as a ten-mile course in February 2011 (Sidcup 10) I had finished 1hr 4 or 5 minutes. I keep getting told you can't always run as fast as your last race or get PB after PB but I've kept on running all year I felt well and the only difference was just in wearing these trainers (through the pain(. I came home cursing these trainers! And contemplated burning them. I took pictures of them to shove them onto eBay as they still look new! The mileage I have run in them is actually still quite low. I looked at Sweatshop's website to resort back to my old faithful Asics 1160's before they bring out the 1170's at full price.
I had thought trying Newton's in June would be ample time for me to get used too and hopefully run a marathon in them next April. Three months later, I'm sorry I have to admit but I have absolutely no chance of running the full 26.2miles and I'm going to jump ship now and revert back to my usual running style and reliable Asics. I don't think I will sell the Newton's them but keep them for maybe 4k sprints I have at Bluewater's Saturday 4K meet ups because at the moment that's about as far as i could comfortably run?
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