I've not posted on this topic (or any other - busy busy busy) for quite some time, but I think the PF is finally dead. I've run 3 marathons in 3 weeks, plus other training runs, and although tight calves and utter exhaustion have been a factor, PF hasn't.
So, what finally made the difference?
Calf stretches and standing on one foot were important, they've really helped to improve my posture and loosen my calves (now my hamstrings are a problem - there's always something...).
But the one thing that made all the difference, the thing that took me from mild PF to knocking 30 minutes off my marathon PB in 3 weeks, was reading & following the advice of Barefoot Ken Bob and Malcolm Balk.
It turned out I was running with tight calves all the time, and my legs way too stiff. Once I found out that by bending my knees deeply I could run in minimal shoes with relaxed calves/feet without banging my heels, it all came together.
Look how deeply Moses Mosop's knees bend in this video. I was lurching along on straight legs, taking all the bounce on my instep and calf.
Those huge muscles in our thighs, we evolved them for a reason. They're the ones that take the bounce.
So just like skiing, the exhortation is too 'bend the knees'. Barefoot Ken Bob says he's never seen anyone bend their knees too much, but almost everyone doesn't bend them enough.
Bending the knees shoves your body upright - you can't stoop with properly bent knees - as your thigh comes up on the forward stroke it pushes your torso straight. That means that you can breathe better, which makes the whole thing easier.
I still get tight calves after a very long run, but that no longer translates to PF.
The stretching, core work and balance work has taken me down a new path into yoga & balance, which will hopefully improve my posture & general health even further.
