Congrats on your achievement and thanks for sharing a bit of that experience with us.
I'm trying to build up my cardio so that I can hold a brisk jogging-pace for a few hours, with the plan to start trail running very soon.
I have a question for you about footwear: what style of shoe do you think works best for trail running? I've already bought a pair of zero drop New Balance trail running shoes that are basically a thick pair of socks with rubber soles on the bottom, but I'm not convinced that they'll offer my feet enough protection or support for long outdoor runs.
What's your view on this, if you don't mind taking the time for a poor soul like me ;)
hi.... I think it depends on your age and the number of hours you have spent in a regular heel to toe drop running shoe. changing to a minimalistic shoe can cause achilles and other problems as well as ankles to twist if you have any weakness there. I found it impossible to run trails in the flats as my feet are accustom to a more cushioned shoe with a heel to toe drop. I bought a pair of Brooks trails Cascadia and wore them the next day in a race and had no blister or discomfort whatsoever. I love them. I broke my ankle end of march ( fibula clean through while running on Table Mountain ) 6 weeks in a boot - 6 weeks self taught rehab and then I was back on the trails in these shoes.... no problems. You need to make sure the shoe has a decent grip and does not chafe against the achilles and offers padding to prevent bruising under the feet on the stones. Just make sure you do a lot of ankle strengthening exercises... if you have access to a flight of stairs running up and down is great cardio :)