Libyan Challenge

Ok, me and my dad are booked on this Libyan Challenge now, and in order to make it truly worthwhile we need some donations. Its on the 22nd of February (a month from now).

Short blurb:
190km foot race in 75hrs, everything carried on the back except water which is stationed about every 25km. Sleeping in the desert, temperatures very low at night and up to 40c in the day.

Half proceeds to New Foundations, half to Juvenile Diabetes.

SHORT VIDEO:


SPONSOR ONLINE HERE (Its very secure and takes 2 minutes)

On a side note, am pursuing the possibility of returning to China after summer to finish my degree out there, but thats a side story.
Slap bang in exams right now, so training has taken a serious back seat, as has most things. Last exam on the 27th, then can train properly for the Libya run.

Ankles were feeling shot after a 23km run in december, so have stopped running until the actual event. Instead just going to do long endurance sessions with general movement using simple things like climbups and jogs etc.

Hope everyone is well, dunno if anyone is really reading this anymore haha, all good!
much love,

j

Vibram Fivefinger KSO's Review

I got sent a pair of Vibram KSO's from Fitness Footwear to help me train running in.

I was running regularly during October and most of November, perhaps 30 miles or so a week so nothing crazy. Basically just been trying to prep for the Libyan Challenge still. Been only running in a ball to heel fashion, in some fairly thin soled trainers because I have just gotten more used to it and prefer the technique to the 'normal' heel to ball action, which now feels very heavy and stressful in terms of impact upon my legs.
However, I have managed to pick up an ankle injury which has stopped me from running at the moment. Its right at the point of the tendon insertion at the inner ankle bone, so tendonitis or sprain is what I am thinking, so currently rehab-ing that.

I did get to do about 10k or so in the KSO's though, and got a good feeling from them in general. Basically, they are very, very similar to running barefoot, except your skin is protected. I know it kind of defeats the point in terms of developing the sensitivity of the sole of the foot, but the shoes enable you to keep running beyond when your soles are torn to shreds, which I have experienced already on some of the nastier pavements here in Sheffield.

The ball to heel technique is a serious challenge for the calfs in the beginning of training it, but after experiencing no muscle soreness after 25k runs using this way of running, it was suprising and refreshing to get some soreness the day after running 10k in the KSO's. Obviously they really enable you to work the entire foot and leg. About a year ago, about 1 mile would have been fairly punishing on my calfs and legs in these, but I feel a lot stronger in that area now.

The shoes themselves are pretty simple, with some very resistant rubber on the bottom, and stretchy synthetic on top. This means you have to get the sizing pretty much exact. I have pretty small feet and squeeze into size 7 kalenjis snuggly, and the size 40 (6.5) KSO's are a decent fit for me. Too much room will mean blisters are likely to develop when moving in them. The velcro strap enables a tight fit, and once on they really feel very comfortable and almost part of your body.

In terms of parkour and that kind of thing, I havent actually tested them for that. I think they would get shredded apart fairly fast, especially around the top of the toe where the rubber meets the upper mesh material, so basically I am not going to use them for movement like that. Plus I don't think they offer much above barefoot training in parkour, and the high price tag (around 80 quid) means that they aren't the kind of shoes you can wreck and replace cheaply.

For running, chilling, climbing and other things, I think they are pretty appropriate. I do however, think that running in them could seriously ruin somebody's legs if they are not prepared for it. I would thoroughly recommend looking at barefoot running techniques and easing into it very slowly, because as I have found out, ankle injuries and the such are pretty easy to pick up from this kind of running.

Check out Barefoot Ted for an ultramarathoner who uses Vibrams frequently for long distance events.
The official Vibram Finger website.
For UK suppliers, Fitness Footwear.

jellytots and bananas

First, thanks everyone for all the comments, want to meet up with bobby, brad and others since its been too long. Really like seeing how other people are doing so thanks for comments and your views, love ya's all,

Just have to give a shout and bigupsness to chase and the 3run guys for the video they just released at www.3inspiration.com
These guys have been constantly on the grind and are elevating their stuff in terms of skills and professionalism so much support to them! Loved the video,

Been back at Uni for 3 weeks, really enjoying my course and has got past the point of fearing deadlines or doing work because after being in China, I really enjoy it all and actually find the economic policies of china post Mao-era pretty interesting, although i couldn't tell you what it is! So just staying on the grind with doing me translation tings and reading etc,

Very much enjoying training at the moment. In practical terms, I am running quite a bit in preparation for the Libyan Challenge next march, bouldering indoors, some calisthenics, lifting couple times a weak just deadlifts and a few basic exercises, and aside from that some basic movement training. Booked in for the PKGEN Rendezvous 3, of which I have a feeling I am going to get destroyed at. Still training parkour, but not with the striving that I used to have, just in terms of enjoyment and enabling myself to move, adapt, and play. So basically I am training without any underlying motive, just for the sake of doing it with no stress, which is awesome.

Also if anyone doesnt keep a training diary, I really suggest you do. I have one that I have kept since 2 years ago and its really great looking back and seeing how mindsets, priorities and methods adapt and change over time.

Been doing a homeless outreach every saturday evening as well with guys from my church here, which has been really good for me. Has really blown a lot of my preconceptions away, like meeting a homeless guy who graduated from the same uni as me with a degree in geology. We basically go into town with food and hot drinks and chill with them for a couple of hours, just being there to give food and chatting to them. Quite a few regular faces which is wicked since you get to know a few of them better. We all meet them near the main bar strip, so you can feel the counter-cultural nature of it when students and such are going past dressed up and going out clubbing or whatever.

Meanwhile, here is some torch bombing:

soopadoopa.

Beenaweewhile.

I haven't written anything for a while....for no particular reason actually other than I haven't really been bothered or compelled to.
Back to uni on wednesday, so the holiday since coming back from China is quickly drawing to a close. China seems like a bit of a blur, and has been an excellent illustration of how fast life can pass by.

Summer holidays = Good.

Past month I havent really trained much, if at all. Something has changed since before when i used to only think about training. I started getting back into drawing and painting very suddenly, shortly after the drawing session that was had at Soul Survivor. So been doing that a lot to be honest. In terms of me as person, I think I have changed quite a bit. Things have fallen into perspective a little, for me in regards to my life anyway. I feel like something inside me, the obsessive nature that used to drive me to think about and train parkour/movement/whatever everyday, has died. Its actually weird because it has taken place over the past month and is actually quite a huge change. I just feel like parkour and movement has been moved from being the only thing in my vision, to something at the side in balance with everything else. Its still very important to me to move and be healthy, but I do not feel the same internal pressure or obsession to excel at it, but instead to enjoy it and just use all forms of movement to stay strong and able. Being a Christian has changed me the most since now all i want to do (although i fail often) is be in God's will for my life, so thats my main focus, which I am still having to work on. So basically parkour/movement has taken a more, what i think for me, balanced place in my life and I feel more open to everything else.

One recent venture is Mangoshoguns, which has been set up with my good friend Mat. Basically we are trying to get opportunities to do spray paint commissions for whoever, and have just today finished painting a company's van, which was pretty stressful!
Anyway, check out the website by clicking the tag below and give us a holla if you want anything done!


hope everyone is well, always good to here from peeps so give us a shout,

j

Return Home

I returned to the UK on the 2nd of July, about 2 weeks ago, and have been pretty busy and very happy since that time up till now.

Did the London 10k on the 6th barefoot, but unfortunately I picked up a bit of a knackered ankle from it. During the training for the 10k, the runs were going alright, so I think it just needs a bit of rest at the moment from any overuse, but regardless completed the goal of running the 10k barefoot. Not sure of the time because didnt really care too much, just ran!

The summer is promising to be fairly busy, with a few projects on the go and trips here and there. This month is the Trace Gathering, as well as the exam for the BPCA qualification that I am yet to get. Next month Jason, my dad, my brother and I are all heading to the Niger Delta for New Foundations, planning to build training equipment for the kids out there to play on and have something to do in the area. As well as this will be all the seeing of patients and treating as well as checking how things are going and just seeing what needs to be done basically. No thanks to Gordon Brown screwing up the ceasefire out there, now the Niger militants are hating on England, so we are Scottish from now on *wink wink*.

Been training a bit since I have been back, and its incredible to see the progression of everyone after 10 months of leave. Loads of new faces in Cambridge and just loving hearing about all the new things that have been accomplished, certainly a heck of a lot to get my teeth into once the ankle is cleared up. Fallen straight back in love with the Cambridge scene and the town itself, loving it. At the moment just settling back into some good practice and play, trying to get stronger and just get out and train.

Film of the Month: "Into The Wild " (thanks Bobby)