Okay, so it wasn’t the best idea I have ever had. For the last several months I have changed my running style and in turn, my running shoes.

For the most part, things were going well. I was running several kilometers in my generic crocs everyday with no side effects. I could run longer, faster, and had no pains at all. So I decided to put it to the ultimate test. I would run a half-marathon with my new running style and wearing my crocs.

Since I had run most of last summer in crocs, the pair I had lost almost all their tread and were quite slippery. So I dug down deep and forked over the money for a new pair (all 4oo yen, about $4). The grip was certainly better, but there was something I noticed as soon as I put my feet in them, they seemed harder. I think it may have been this that eventually lead to my downfall.

Having over a month until the marathon I had plenty of time to work them in. Running a 3-4 km a day seemed no problem at all. I had no blisters and my legs were fine. However, when I decided to run to the video store and back (about 10 kilometers) I started getting pains in my left knee around the 7 km mark. I am not sure the exact reason, but I believe it has to do with the increased hardness of the new shoes, where I am placing the weight on that foot, and how much my foot is slipping each time it hits. I ran this route twice more in the following days with the same result.

Since my leg was pretty sore, I went to a massage therapist who said that I had put a lot of strain on the muscle on my outer thigh which goes through the knee. The only thing I could do was let it rest and stretch.

The marathon

After arriving on Irabu island, we had to wait about a half an hour for a bus to take us to the start line. They hadn’t prepared enough transportation, and I ended up just barely making it. I was checking in my bags and registering my number when the shot went off. Not the best start.

My goal was to try and keep the pace that I normally ran with with my shorter runs, though I didn’t know if that would have actually been possible or not. However, having starting late and at the very back, I was well towards the front and going strong after about 10 km.

Unfortunately, it was also at about this point that the knee pain really started to kick in. I managed to run through the pain until about the 15th km and then finally started walking as the pain increased. From this point on I ran a few times, but the pain was so great that I could only do it for a short distance. At certain times I wasn’t even sure if I was going to be able to finish. Which was too bad since I still had a lot of energy left and my muscles felt fine.

It wasn’t until I actually finished and looked down at my feet that I saw the immense blisters I had developed. It was actually a little scary. I just hadn’t really noticed them because of my knee.

In the end I accomplished what I had set out to do. That is, to run a half-marathon in crocs. Turned out not to be such a good idea, but it was fun. Now to either find a better shoe or adjust my running style to get rid of the pain.

Below is the coverage from Miyako TV. I run by at 4:30 to pick up water.

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