Road surface is my major obstacle right now ...

[Bare Lee]

Ok, here's what http://www.slurry.com/index.php/paving-services/chip-seal.html says:

"Are there different types? Different stone sizes give different surface textures and are use for different traffic situations these may range from sand, 7mm(1/4 inch), 10mm ( about ½ inch), 14mm ( about ½ inch) 20mm ( about 4/5 inch) and 25mm ( 1 inch).

They are used for different applications.

Binders are selected for the type of job. Binders may be emulsified asphalt or other material, emulsified polymer asphalt, latex modified emulsified asphalt, rejuvenating oil modified asphalt emulsions or hot applied binders with asphalt rubber or polymers.

Seal types include, sand seals for low traffic roads and paths, reseals for existing pavements, modified seals for cracked pavements, multiple coat seals for heavy traffic areas or where a smoother surface is required."

BL: So there are three variables: size of rock/gravel, type of binder, and type of seal.

 

[NickW]

I never knew there were different types of chip seal. All I ever grew up with were like the ones I pictured. I'll have to go look at images of the other stuff and see what that's like. Maybe people here aren't as super human as I've been imagining (see my pics of chip seal earlier, ouch). I've been kind of feeling way behind the curve thinking wow, I could never run on stuff like that even though I've been running for a year barefoot. Heck I hit a little bit of rough blacktop (maybe a type of chip seal I never knew about?) and I try to find grass as soon as possible.

 

[Robin]

Ouch this hurts just looking at pictures of it My attitude right now
is that some surfaces are just not challenges I want to take, kind of like
the whole hot asphalt in the summer thing... Never had a desire to
challenge a bed of hot coals either

I feel the same way,We admire unshod societies but must not forget that they've been bare their whole lifes.We" can't make up for that in just a year or so....

 

[Robin]

Also, I hear a lot of people say they run on chip seal. Now, if you can't run on that image of 3/4" above you probably can't run on true chip seal (see image below). I grew up in a state (Montana) that still uses the true chip seal method. This is literally where they lay down hot tar and then spread 3/4" cleaned gravel over it. How many of you consider just rough blacktop chip seal? Is it this stuff below? If it is I give you mad props because I could not run on that stuff without some sort of footwear. (This is not meant to sound rude, I am just really curious how many actually run on real chip seal)
View attachment 535View attachment 536

This stuff's in my driveway,wouldn't want to run on that for an hour!!From my mailbox up to the rear entrance is far enough!

 

[NickW]

I looked at google images and most of the images seem to look an awful lot like what I had shown in my pics of chip seal... Is there a different name or something that you looked up Lee?

 

[Bare Lee]

This stuff's in my driveway,wouldn't want to run on that for an hour!!From my mailbox up to the rear entrance is far enough!

Ya, our driveway has a lot of gravel, with cement where the tire passes. I can walk on it better now that I run barefoot regularly, but I wouldn't want to run on it. Don't need the challenge and there's lots of better options close at foot.

 

[Bare Lee]

I looked at google images and most of the images seem to look an awful lot like what I had shown in my pics of chip seal... Is there a different name or something that you looked up Lee?

I just typed in 'chipseal,' after realizing that there is no such thing as 'chip-n-seal.' But if you think about it, it wouldn't make sense to call crushed gravel chipseal if there's no sealing involved.

 

[NickW]

Ya, they don't typically seal from the top though so if what your running on is black it's probably blacktop, where as if it's just rocks that are in place from the tar on the bottom then it's probably chip seal. When doing chip seal they lay down the tar or whatever they are using and then lay the rocks down on top of it. After it has hardened they may or may not sweep away the left over loose rocks on the surface. I just watched a video on how chip seal is done which is just what I thought I saw from sitting in road construction every summer in Montana.

 

[Bare Lee]

Ya, they don't typically seal from the top though so if what your running on is black it's probably blacktop, where as if it's just rocks that are in place from the tar on the bottom then it's probably chip seal. When doing chip seal they lay down the tar or whatever they are using and then lay the rocks down on top of it. After it has hardened they may or may not sweep away the left over loose rocks on the surface. I just watched a video on how chip seal is done which is just what I thought I saw from sitting in road construction every summer in Montana.

Well, according the definition I found at the top of this page, there are binders, and there are seals. But I'm certainly not in a position to argue which definition is correct. Just trying to let you know what I was referring to. When I say I run on chipseal, I mean it's like gravel except the gaps are filled in partially by some kind of sealant. If there's another term for this, I'll be happy to use it.
The main point is that the partial filling-in makes the surface doable for me, although, as I said, it does fatigue me faster, even as it provides a sort of massaging effect.

 

[NickW]

Here's a pic of Dan (paraganek) on chip seal. Talk about a stud with rough stuff. According to his blog he ran 6 miles on this stuff.

 

[Marco1971]

Yeah ... that.

I can't do that.

 

[NickW]

Well, according the definition I found at the top of this page, there are binders, and there are seals. But I'm certainly not in a position to argue which definition is correct. Just trying to let you know what I was referring to. When I say I run on chipseal, I mean it's like gravel except the gaps are filled in partially by some kind of sealant. If there's another term for this, I'll be happy to use it.

I wasn't trying to argue. I was just explaining the process as I understand it. Yes, they certainly have different binding agents and apparently they have different sizes of rock that they use for chip seal. Maybe what you run on is chip seal that they laid the binder down thicker so the rocks they laid down on top sunk down deeper? I don't really know, but I know that they can do this.

 

[Bare Lee]

Here's a pic of Dan (paraganek) on chip seal. Talk about a stud with rough stuff. According to his blog he ran 6 miles on this stuff.
View attachment 538

Yep, that's it! The chipseal lake path I run on is 1.7 miles around, and I run around it two to three times. In the winter, above 20F, just two times is my max, but perhaps this coming winter I'll be able to manage more.

 

[Bare Lee]

I wasn't trying to argue. I was just explaining the process as I understand it. Yes, they certainly have different binding agents and apparently they have different sizes of rock that they use for chip seal. Maybe what you run on is chip seal that they laid the binder down thicker so the rocks they laid down on top sunk down deeper? I don't really know, but I know that they can do this.

Yah, I'm not trying to argue either, just want to understand. In that pic I see the same surface I run on, whatever it's called ... Although I swear I see some kind of tar sealant on top of the rock.

 

[NickW]

Ok Lee if you're running around on stuff like Dan is then I bow to you as well... I can't do that at all.

 

[Bare Lee]

Ok Lee if you're running around on stuff like Dan is then I bow to you as well... I can't do that at all.

Well, I'm hardly a badass, so I would think it's just a matter of time and you'll adapt. You can already run twice as far as me . . .

 

[NickW]

I mostly only get to run with a stroller so in my neck of the woods we don't have chip seal or anything even close for me to run on. I will probably not be able to run on stuff like that for a long time. I hardly doubt I can run twice as far as you, unless you are running at a much faster pace than me. If you ran at my pace I'm sure you could run same distance.

 

[Bare Lee]

I mostly only get to run with a stroller so in my neck of the woods we don't have chip seal or anything even close for me to run on. I will probably not be able to run on stuff like that for a long time. I hardly doubt I can run twice as far as you, unless you are running at a much faster pace than me. If you ran at my pace I'm sure you could run same distance.

Every time I try to run over 5-6 miles, the repetitive stress is too much for me. That's partly why I decided a few weeks ago to keep things in the 3-5 mile range and try to up the pace. The other reason, of course, being the plodding we both dislike. So perhaps another 2-3 months staying under six miles, and then I'll see where I'm at. I'll either keep pushing the pace, or try to get up to at least one 8-to-10-mile run a week. I know my lungs and legs can handle it, but not my metatarsals. My feet get a little achy when I go longer, and I'm being ultra-cautious about TMTS/TOPF. Continued weight loss will help as well . . .

P.S., I personally couldn't imagine running more than three miles with a jogging stroller--it's a lot of work.

 

[NickW]

I just cut back to where I am only doing up to like 5 miles or so max because like you, I am wanting to concentrate on speed and hills for now. Maybe I will get back to the longer distances when I have lost more weight too. Anyhow, I've been on here way too much today and I really need to stop procrastinating from studying for my finals...

 

[Bare Lee]

I just cut back to where I am only doing up to like 5 miles or so max because like you, I am wanting to concentrate on speed and hills for now. Maybe I will get back to the longer distances when I have lost more weight too. Anyhow, I've been on here way too much today and I really need to stop procrastinating from studying for my finals...

Agreed, I woke up with a rare stomach ache, and have been using that as an excuse.