What’s most amazing about Dr. Roberts’ column on barefoot running is what’s missing. You can instantly spot when someone knows nothing about barefoot running when they talk about “building up callouses on your feet” or “maybe it’s okay on the beach,” or “you need to gradually transition with thinner and thinner shoes.”

In other news — I am getting back into my running; I actually went out for 30 minutes on Sunday and need to pack another 7 sessions in before my race at the end of the month. That’s going to be a messy one, but I am trying to put together some focus and put all my efforts in training for my first 10 miler in October.

This is a guy, who I think is around 5′10″, so while 170lbs might be a little heavy for a non-muscular person of that height, it’s certainly not a weight I imagined would be the cut-off for someone to take up running again, especially since he said he needed to lose another 10lbs to get there. That makes him 180lbs now. I weight 100lbs more than that, and yet I don’t give a second thought to running (or attempting to) at my size.

But am I too big to be a runner?

So the question is: should I even be trying to run at my weight and size?

I’m happy to say that I am carrying a lot of muscle, so I imagine “only” about 70lbs of my overweight-ness is fat, for an average person of my “ideal” (according to BMI) weight, but it’s still weight that would be hitting my joints as I run. Should I be attempting to? Or should I work on losing the weight first, which will take forever?

My response? I walk around every day with this weight. I walk a mile, twice a day, up and down hills with this weight. Shifting to a shuffling run won’t do me any more harm, providing I don’t heel strike excessively, than doing this much walking.

I’m not a fitness professional (in case you were wondering! Ha!), nor do I know any beyond the internet inside my computer, nor have I consulted with any regarding this. I just like to think that I know my body.

It’s All About Heart

In my esteemed opinion, you can do anything providing you’re not going to keel over dead from it. For me, that means ensuring that what I’m doing won’t cause my heart to stop, which is generally an indicator of deadness. So, when I go running, I’m not trying to do 6-minute miles. I’m generally happy with 10-12 minute miles, since it’s not like I’m in a hurry to get anywhere.

But how about you? If you’re a porky plodder, are you comfortable with running even as a “plus-sized” (don’t you hate that expression?) athlete?

The first goal is, as my recent posts suggest, simply being able to run properly. Despite having four 10Ks behind me, I have never been able to run for more than 2km without needing to stop to walk. Also, since the BUPA 10k in May, I hadn’t run hardly at all until 3 weeks ago.

So, right now I’m doing the Couch to 5k plan, and my first goal is, by the end of October(ish), to be able to run for 5km non-stop. At the moment I’m simply aiming for time, but once I get to week 6 or so of the C25K plan I will take my Garmin out with me to measure the distance I’m plodding.

After that, the next goal is to manage 10K without stopping. This will be a HUGE feat, and I am wary – but excited – of attempting it. If I can manage a full 10K without stopping by February 2010 I will be a happy bloke.

Once that is in place, I’ll be aiming for a sub-60 10K. That’s goal 3.

Once I manage that, what then? Will I go on to 10 Mile, half-marathons, or even full marathons? No idea. I’ve often said in the last year that once I hit a sub-60 10k I’ll retire, but we’ll have to see 1. how effective running is on my weightloss, and 2. how much I’m enjoying it.

Finally, weightloss-wise: I am over 19st right now. By May 2010 (for the BUPA 10k) I want to be 16st or under. That’s 8 months to lose 3+ stone. That must certainly be doable!!!

It would also give me the chance to try out the Chi Running techniques I’ve been reading about to sort out my running style from shuffling pensioner to actual athleticism.

So I went out for a spin around Tooting Common, 3.1km all told, in a frightfully slow 26 minutes. The Chi Running techniques, when I remembered to use them, were actually very helpful. I’m sure it’ll take a few more spins to get the hang of it but I did find myself able to run at a reasonable pace (14km/hr at one point – woosh!) without too much extra effort. Lovely!

So here’s to more than one run a month this year.

PS: also tried out some proper stretches and leg drain thing from the Chi Running book, and my legs feel fine. Amazing!

I was supposed to be going for 45 mins, but lasted 10 before I turned and ran back home, with freezing fingers. Perhaps some gloves are in order. And warmer layers. (A chance to buy more running stuff, perhaps?)

But my legs held up much better than I’d feared, so that’s something.

Anyway, went out today and was hoping to do 7km, just ‘cos, but only managed 6.25km (including the run/walk home), with a 5km PB of 39′08.

Very pleased.

That will give me three months after the November race to build up my pace and endurance – it will possibly be a 3 hour race if I don’t get faster (really, all I need to do is cut down on my walking; I think my running pace – somewhat plodding – is ok for now). My current average pace is around 8.20/km so a half would take me about 3hrs. Which judging by past results of the Brighton half, would have me competing for last place.

It’s all very exciting!

A slow one, on pace to beat my 5k PB by only a minute, and my 10k PB by only 4 minutes. The Hampton Court 10k race is 4 weeks away, so a little bit of work to do. I haven’t been going for many runs at all, spending too much time concentrating on weights, so I will need to get out in the morning for a 10-20 minute spin every other morning, and longer runs in the evening 2-3 times a week.

Needless to say I was bloody crackered at the end.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention: I’d forgotten to blog my run on the 20th – 2k in 15 minutes 10sec. That was a fair go I think.