Long Beach Marathon 2016

Long Beach Marathon 2016
By Alan S


Hello my fellow barefoot people,

I am relaxing with my feet up after a day of barefoot gardening thinking about my race last Sunday 10/9/2016.

I ran my second full barefoot marathon (first one was in May 2016). Its hard for me to even imagine that I am a marathoner and a barefoot marathoner as well. Just last year someone referred to me as the barefoot running guy and I thought it was weird I wasn't super accepting of the term. It bugged me more that I wasn't accepting the title as much as I felt a new responsibility of carrying that title. So now, I am both happy to carry the title as well as be an ambassador for barefoot runner. Maybe completing a few races running barefoot has changed me. So, I ran the Long Beach Marathon. It was cool...

The Long Beach 1/2 as well as the full marathon are very barefoot able. I was not the only one running barefoot. Barefoot Alberto ran, I think his 100th marathon, and we said hello to each other. The first 4 miles are on the streets/ freeway connected to the port of LB, heavy truck use, and it is rough asphalt in poor repair. The next 4 are heavenly smooth along the shore front and bike path of the beach. The last bit is a mix of different road surfaces and qualities. I was pretty tender after 22 and stuck to the painted lines for help to the finish. This could have been because of the roughness of the roads and or my bit of under training on road surfaces past 20 miles, I ran sidewalks mostly after 18 in training runs.

I had a personal goal of under 4 hours (last marathon was 4:25). I paced with the 3:45 group up until mile 21 and just slowly faded off that pace, though not my intention, I just couldn't keep up. However, I finished at 3:56, which is my new personal record.

My next run will be the Catalina ECO marathon, which is a mostly trail race. I'll be either running it in my VibramFFS or my Luna sandals, I have yet to hit long trail runs to help me decide.

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Alan



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Great job Alan! And cool that you ran into another barefooter. I've not yet that wasn't prearranged, but perhaps it is more possible on the more well known bigger races. Good luck on the trail marathon, that is something I'd love to do but just have never been able to get used to running in footwear again after the big change. I'm still hunting for that all grass or soft pine needle trail marathon though!
 
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Mirrored on the home page. Thanks for sharing and congrats!
 
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Nice one! Hoping to complete my first barefoot half in April! Maybe someday I'll see you out there!
You can now that you have decided you want to. 90% mental. I completed my first barefoot 1/2 in February of last year, after that and ramped up to my first full by May. You can do it!

Ps 1/2 Marathon is a fantastic barefoot distance!!!


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Great job Alan! And cool that you ran into another barefooter. I've not yet that wasn't prearranged, but perhaps it is more possible on the more well known bigger races. Good luck on the trail marathon, that is something I'd love to do but just have never been able to get used to running in footwear again after the big change. I'm still hunting for that all grass or soft pine needle trail marathon though!
Training is a ton of time... I have only "run" into other barefooters at big races and have been the only one several times as well. My feet still fit Luna sandals quite well, my go to night running "shoe". I also have a pair of VibramFFS and use them on occasion, but I have short little toes and they can fall out of the pocket if I don't wear socks. I like trails but I live in the suburbs of Los Angeles and Orange County, so it is dedication to a schedule for running trails, I mostly run roads by the beach.


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You can now that you have decided you want to. 90% mental. I completed my first barefoot 1/2 in February of last year, after that and ramped up to my first full by May. You can do it!

Ps 1/2 Marathon is a fantastic barefoot distance!!!


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I feel good. Did 7.3 yesterday. Having some heel pain though, that I hope works itself out.
 
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Training is a ton of time... I have only "run" into other barefooters at big races and have been the only one several times as well. My feet still fit Luna sandals quite well, my go to night running "shoe". I also have a pair of VibramFFS and use them on occasion, but I have short little toes and they can fall out of the pocket if I don't wear socks. I like trails but I live in the suburbs of Los Angeles and Orange County, so it is dedication to a schedule for running trails, I mostly run roads by the beach.


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Have you tried Shammas Sandals?
 
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FYI,

Alberto was mentored by the legendary Barefoot Todd.

I believe Alberto runs just about every marathon in Southern California, including the Lake Tahoe Triple!
Report from Lake Tahoe Triple (2013)
http://barefootrunning.com/?p=7684
 
FYI,

Alberto was mentored by the legendary Barefoot Todd.

I believe Alberto runs just about every marathon in Southern California, including the Lake Tahoe Triple!
Report from Lake Tahoe Triple (2013)
http://barefootrunning.com/?p=7684
I just met, "ran" into, barefoot Todd at the AREC Wednesday night run in Long Beach last week. I wanted to gush more on his achievements, but I didn't get a chance to talk to him after the run.

I saw Alberto at my first barefoot marathon the OC marathon back in May. It is so encouraging to have such great role models running these races. I also ran in to barefoot harry who doesn't have a online presence but I have seen him at a couple of races as well.

See you at Surf City Ken Bob?

Alan S


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Fingers crossed. I'm starting to get some left hell pain. I fear it's plantar fascitis again. But I may just choose to ignore it if possible.
"Left hell pain is what it can be too!" :nailbiting: