Does being fat help barefoot transition?

I bring up the question because it's something that I was thinking about . . .

As I've posted before, when I first started running I was in motion control shoes and I was experiencing horrible shin splints.  The only reason I kept running was because I had already signed up for a training program at my local YMCA for the Salinas Valley Half Marathon.  I enjoyed the program and we got plenty of advice on training, injury prevention and treatment.  I liked it enough that I signed up again earlier this year to get more out of it.

But by the time the training program started, I already had several months running a couple times a week in minimalist shoes (Merrell Trail Gloves and New Balance Minimus Trail) and still building my comfort level of no heel shoes.

Now as to the question:  Does being a fat person help to transition into barefoot form easier than being skinny or not as fat?

I would argue with a vehement YES!

First of all, the fat person needs to have the willingness to do something in the first place.  In my case I had two choices:
    Suffer a life of meds, depression, increasing weight 'cause of depression.


    Fat Bastard: "I eat because I'm unhappy. I'm unhappy because I eat. It's a vicious cycle."
   
And slowly spiral into my own stinkin' grave unless I dive because of some coronary!
        OR
    Get off my fat ass and DO somethin'!

 I can't remember what he did, but I hope I don't get that funky looking waddle on my chin!

Once willpower has been assessed and the feeling is positive, what next?

I chose running.  I'll tell you, it was a bitch-and-a-half!  The motion control shoes weren't helping me aquire this Love-Of-Running I'd heard so much about.  I got lucky and heard about Born To Run by Christopher McDougall on I think the Runners World forums or something.

That just spiked my curiosity and picked up the book.  Wow.  What a revelation.

The thing is, not a one of these people who had begun minimal or barefoot running were in my shoes . . . fat.  Most of the runners were runners already with injuries or curious about this movement.  Others had no choice like Michael Sandler who would not take no as an answer!  I'm not saying my condition was anything like Mr. Sandlers'.  Mine was preventable from the beginning and I chose to let myself go.  My struggle now is to start at the bottom of the hill and bust my ass back up it.

So when I began running, I started out ok.  Then it got painful.  I went through so many different styles and fit of motion control shoes because the shoe people at the sports shoe store didn't know any different.  They were truly helpful, except for me.  I stuck with the last shoes I got from them because they did help some, but I was still working hard to prevent the worst of the pain with exercises and stretches.  Even taping!

With Born To Run, I started looking into barefoot form.  I got some chintzy flattish, still cushioned shoes and began running again.  It was several months after my abysmal half-marathon and I hadn't done any running since then.  So I started out slow using the training calendar I had used for the Y.  A couple of months later, the Merrell TG's were released and I attempted a run in them.  By that point I was running about two miles twice a week.  So I went out for my two mile run thinking I was ready for it.

I got a quarter mile into the run before turning back.

My calves were a bit sore the next day, but not as bad as I'd read other people saying they could be.  They felt like I had a good hard work out.  Being the lazy bastard that I am, I suspect by cutting my run short because I started feeling my calves saved me from the excruciating pain a lot of more experienced runners feel when doing TMTS (too much too soon).  Of course being fat helped in that department.

Being fat forced me to take it slow.  There's a psychological and an obvious physical barrier preventing me from pushing WAY TOO FAR.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still pushing.  Just not as much as a conventional runner would.  I'm still slowly increasing distance and speed.  Taking Caballo Blanco's tips of first working on smooth, then easy to get fast, I'm still working on smooth.

I can get a sub 9 mile on a track.  But you're only getting a mile.  If I'm feeling good.  I can probably do better than that now and get a lot closer to 8.  I'm doing much better now than I did before the SVHM.  I can probably get pretty close to a two hour finish.  My feet don't get as exhausted now than they did before.  But it's taken me a YEAR to get this far.  And I still have a lot of improvement to work on.

I'd like to get to two hundred pounds by January and I truly believe I'm going to do it.  It's only another 30 pounds away.  I dropped 20 in about 5 weeks.  I have about two months to make it work.  I know the holidays won't make it easy, but I have a lot of opportunities to run while waiting for the daughter to get out of whatever event she's at.  I want to be able to run 5 miles three times a week.  And I'm gonna enjoy every mile of it!

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check. especially this longish post.  run smiley :)

Loaded evening!

Yesterday I had started out the day with a pretty good idea of what would be happening in the evening after work:

 - get out of work
 - head over to Toro Park for my run
 - cool down after run and pick up godson from practice
 - drop off godson and head over to store for Halloween stuff
 - get home, eat, catch up on 2nd episode of Terra Nove and 3rd episode of New Girl
 - shower, sleep

Uh, not quite.

 - get a call at work from cuz
  - cuz working overnight
   - need a bit of help
    - need sleep and kids need attending to, please
    - OK!
 - get out of work later than usual, 5:30
 - rush to Toro Park (moving violations involved)
 - get to park with enough time for a 20 minute run
 - no time to cool down
 - rush godson to car, head to cuz's house quickly but lawfully (kid in car)
 - get a call from cuz
  - DRAMA
   - daughters' recent ex shows up attempting to make amends with rose in hand
   - he came by bus, she's had no time to sleep
    - she's gonna be a zombie-like at work cause she has to take ex back home
    - daughter still needs ride to Confirmation class at 7pm
 - get to cuz's house, she hands me a check for daughter's Yosemite retreat
  - forgot cash for my promised half
 - head to bank with daughter, pull out cash
 - arrive at church 5 minutes late (apparently no biggie)
 - look for retreat organizer
  - can't interupt his class, but secretary is available (woo hoo)
 - hand over cash
  - where's permission slip (sonova!)
  - call cuz, no slip available
  - ask secretary if she has a spare
  - takes 10 minutes to locate
 - begin filling out slip
  - need insurance info (crap!)
 - inform secretary I'll be back
  - secretary informs me she splits at 8:15 on the dot!  (moving violations time)
 - arrive at cuz's house.
  - not there yet!
 - finally arrives handing me insurance info
 - fill out info and head out the door
 - get to the church (again with violations involved) and find secretary with 5 minutes to spare
  - she was packing up!
 - hand her permission slip and cash
 - get my receipt, thank her and head out to wait for the daughter
 - daughter's class doesn't let out til almost 8:30!
 - finally get her in car and wait for ALL the other parents to give up room to leave parking lot
  - have a nice conversation about ex and she's still on the fence
   - I remind her that I never liked her ex.
    - she's now on my side of the fence :)
 - take her to the cuz, say my goodbyes
 - go to indoor mall (blagh!)
 - go to Hot Topic (blargh!)
  - only have white powder make-up. still need white grease make-up
 - head over across the street to strip mall Party City
  - line out the freakin' door!
   - fortunately, line is for morons buying expensive one-time costumes
 - pick up grease paint, pencils and other doodads for costume ($12)
  - DONE
 - forgot other items for daily grooming
 - head back across the street to indoor mall
 - go to Bath & Body Works for awesome shaving cream (C.O. Bigelow aka Proraso rebrand)
 - starving
  - go to Panda Express (bad but oh so good)
  - grab kung pao chicken bowl with steamed rice
 - finally head home

I should'a had some water, but I said screw it.  I grabbed a Ruination, plopped down with my Panda and chopsticks. Grabbed the remote and VOD'ed Terra Nova and New Girl.

I was nodding off by the end of New Girl.  It was the wedding episode and fuckin' hilarious!  And it don't hurt Zooey is smokin hot and cute in the show.

Terra Nova was pretty cool with the tiny pteradactyls and all. I went to bed without a shower.  I pulled the sheets this morning after my shower and shave so don't worry.

So it was a pretty hectic evening.  I'm gonna have a little training session with the make-up tonight to iron out what I want to do.  I'm thinkin a zombie skull.  I'll even post a pic so you'll have at least SOME idea of who's posting up all this garbage.

I'm still debating a run tonight and right now I'm thinkin' I might.  A pretty good chance . . .

GD

p.s.
too lazy too check. especially on this one . . . run smiley :)

My "Long" run . . . blagh!

Yesterday I posted that I had planned on running my old 4 mile trail.  I did and I did okay.  It just was a bit harder than I expected . . .

After the last couple of weeks of running the trail inside Toro Park to the Howling Windmill, I was finally getting comfortable and fast.  I was doing good time there.  I thought running the old residential trail would be a bit easier.  It kinda was, but not as easy as I hoped for.

As usual I started out a bit stiff.  The ankle was a bit of a bother and the funky leg was buggin as well, just not as much as last week . . . so I guess it's on the mend.  The problem for me was that I never really was able to completely relax.  What I used to do was that I'd run about half a mile which would take me about four and half minutes.  Then I'd walk about a minute and I'd be able to run comfortably and relaxed.  I haven't been doing that on the Howling Windmill trail because it'd be hard to get started again.  It's much more hilly and it's easier for me just to go.  So I thought I'd give that a try.

I should'a stopped.

I ran all the way to my usual turn-around for my shorter residential run, no stops.  I seriously considered turning back to just make it another 2.68 mile day.  But it'd bug me if I didn't do this, I had already told someone I was gonna run 4 miles. 

By the way, great motivation tool.  Tell people you're gonna do something and it makes you keep yourself in check . . . if you're honest with yourself first.

I walked about a minute and said "Screw it!  Let's do this Bitch!"  So off I went . . .

I had to stop one more time to that turn-around.  I actually kinda like the last quarter mile of this run.  There is this really rocky, gravelly path that leads to the bridge and it feels real good, what with my Bikila LS's.  It helps to wake me up and concentrate on my footing. 

Oh, speaking of which . . . I did press down on my big toe during the run.  And my ankle doesn't hurt as much as it did.  I'm also not as stiff.  I'm gonna continue this even when walking.  It seems to be helping.

By the time I got to the bridge, I was exhausted.  I walked up the hill (cause . . . there's a hill) and took in the view.  It was dusk and everything had that eerie look to it that also made everything look beautiful.  I guess it was the endorphins finally kicking in, but I was ready for round two!

I was still kinda stiff, but I felt a bit more relaxed.  When I got to the parking lot where I had initially stopped there was a hottie with a black lab mutt.  Nice.  I'd seen her before and she usually kicks my ass on this run.  I start out before her and she always beats me back to the start.  Teasing me with dat ass!

Another GREAT motivational tool.  Find something to run down!

Anyway, she saw me running from the copse of trees.  It looked like she had just arrived there and she immediately took off before I got to where she was.  Now what typically happens is that she begins to pull away and dat ass teases me until I can't keep going and have to stop.

NOT TODAY!  WOO HOO!

This time I was within 20 paces of her and I enjoyed that view up until the last half-mile where she had to stop and walk.  I passed by and smiled and waved to her as I did.  She just looked at me dumbfounded as I went by.

Boy! Did that feel good!

I made the run in more time than I wanted, about 43 minutes.  But if I keep up with this and don't get discouraged, I feel I can only get better.

I'm going for another run tonight.  It'll most likely be the Howling Windmill run cause I have to pick up my godson from practice.  Which is cool.  I think it's actually helping now, instead of hurting.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  and REALLY run smiley >:)

'Nuther no-run-weekend . . .

Whelp, I did it again.  Or more like I didn't again.  I had planned to go running Yesterday morning on a 5-miler, but didn't.  Too lazy in this case, too.

What did I do?  Glad you asked:  Saturday, my brother was the cook at my moms restaurant so that meant me getting there early to help my mom de-stress.  I was there til closing then went home.  I had wanted to go to Great America with my cuz and the kids, but I didn't get enough lead-time to ask someone to cover for me.

I may be able to do something about that this coming weekend, though.  Apparently Great America only has the Haunted Halloween attraction available from 7 to midnight, Friday thru Sunday.  My cuz had taken the kids Saturday morning thinking that they would be there all day and enjoy the park until closing.

They did.

Unfortunately, they close the park at 5:30 and re-open again at 7 for the Haunted Halloween portion of the night.  In other words if you wanna stay, you gotta pay.  Again.

How fucked up is that?!

In this case my cuz didn't put up much of a stink about it because she'd been up all night.  Her company will be heading out to Yuma next month and they're in preparations for the move.  She's been going in a 3am and staying for her 8 hours.  So she was pretty tired when she took the kids to the park.  She had tried to nap in the car, but it was a freakin' hot day!  So they left at the end of the day and she crashed out.

Sunday is FOOTBALL!  In our case, pee-wee football for my godson.  In short, they lost again.  Temperatures were high, so were the tempers.  A lot of kids were snapping under the heat and pressure.  One kid in particular was actually mouthing off to the ref, then his coach.  My guess is he'll be suspended from the next game.  A very entertaining day to say the least.

Yes.  I. Am. A. Jerk.  :)

Everybody likes a bit of drama.  Especially at the expense of little ones.  Why do we like scaring little kids during Halloween?  Cause it's fun!

Today after work I'll be heading out to the old Toro residential trail for a 4-miler.  I may try to push for the 5, but at the two mile marker it starts going uphill.  Steeply!  So coming back should be a bit easier.  It IS downhill.  I think I'll just do the 4 and attempt to run it with only a couple of stops.  No metronome since that seems to make it a bit easier right now.

Also I'll be following a tip I got from Tuck of Yelling Stop who in turn got the tip from Lee Saxby and will concentrate on pressing my big toe down on each step. 

Lee Saxby as you may or may not know is one of the preeminent gurus on Barefoot Form.  He trained as a Pose Coach with Nicholas Romanov, who developed Pose Running.  If you're not convinced about the validity of barefoot style running, try running on ice.  Mr. Romanov did it and looked badass!

Lee Saxby also seems to be the voice of VIVOBAREFOOT.  There are several videos available on their website on training.  GREAT VIDS!  Check'em out.  VIVOBAREFOOT has a developed a coaching program in which right now there seems to be some debate about whether it's really necessary seeing as how barefoot running is supposed to be natural and we should immediately do it correctly.  To quote John Pinnette, "I say nay, nay"!

I, for one, wish there was someone local who could have mentored and helped me transition quicker and less painfully than I did.  I'm not saying my form is perfect, but I believe I pretty much have it down.  But I guess that's a plus . . . ?  I stuck it out and continued stumbling until I wasn't stubbing my toes any more.  Not that I was stubbin' toes or anything . . . much.  I read as much as I could and took what advice was out there in the barefoot world and adapted it to what I needed.

I still haven't gone barefoot so I can't change my name yet to Barefoot GD.  Soon maybe, but not yet.

GD

p.s.
too lazy.  run smiley :)

Ankle Pain . . . and stuff

This last week has been a bit of a bother.  I've had this sharp pain in my ankle when I twist it to the inside.  I can prevent the pain by relaxing the foot and just exerting pressure only when I need my foot to hold me.  So now I have to focus on staying completely relaxed throughout the run so as to not cause any discomfort to EITHER leg.  Remember, the other leg has the pain on the back of it.

But this is weird: when I get to the turn-around point in my run, most of the pain is gone.  I usually rest a couple of minutes (because it's uphill all the fucking way) before heading back to the start of the run.  After a minute or so into the run, I just run.  I let my mind go and kinda daydream for the next 10 or so minutes.  By the time I reach the end and I'm stretching,  I realize that the last bit was really fun!  I'm wishing I could have gone further.  The only reason I don't is because I've gotta pick up my godson from his practice.

But I have a long run planned for this weekend, Sunday morning hopefully.  I'd go tonight, but I'll be leaving work a bit late . . . and I'm a bit concerned about mountain lions.  They've been spotted on 68 on the Monterey side, but those bastards have a wide home range.  Gotta get me neck knife, or sword.

The daughter has a homecoming game tonight.  I'm not sure what here involvement is with that because she isn't part of the JV or Varsity cheer squad.  All I know is that she'll be going to the dance after the game.  I'm picking her up after cause her mom will likely still be crashed out.  She has work reallllly early.  Like at 3am early.  She said she'll probably try to make it in earlier cause she's taking the kids to Great America.  Formerly Paramount's, now Six Flags.  I wish I could join them, but I have to head over to the restaurant tomorrow afternoon.  If I'd had a bit more time, I could've planned it out better and had someone cover me.  Now I'll be stuck with my brother as the cook and I'll have to play the mediator with the customers who show up.  My brother sucks as the cook.

He can cook!  But he's just so  . . . sloooowwwwww.

I'm gonna need a beer after that.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

Haven't lost . . . haven't gained either!

So, I've been off the 4HB for a while now.  I know I should be on it.  I've been floatin' under 230 lbs since I stopped.  I think what has been helping me keep in line is the running.  Though it can be uncomfortable early in the run, I begin getting into it by the last half.

One of the things that 4HB tells you to do is stick with the same meal for the week.  My problem arose when I really stuck to that idea throughout my experience with it.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm usually happy when I have something to eat for lunch and I don't have to drive out somewhere.  The closest place to grab something is 10 to 15 minutes away.  Or I can grab something from the lunch truck . . . IF I can find it!

Naw, I'll be back on and with a better meal plan in a month.  Why in a month?  Cause that's when the cuz leaves and I begin watching the daughter at her place.  Easier to control myself without all the junk usually found around me at MY pad where my adult siblings usually keep junk around to satisfy their junk food habit either because of lack of self control or, as in the case of my brother, the ganj . . .  And he wonders why I don't partake of the weed.

Tried it once . . . nearly died.  I burnt the shit outta my esophagus while inhaling.  Nobody told the n00b how to inhale.

And I really have no interest in trying it after considering most eeeevery stoner I know.  Not a pretty picture.  Besides, I want to be a better role model for the daughter and my godson.  I'll keep my vices to expensive beers, ales, and other alcoholic beverages.  Why expensive?  If I can't afford it, I can't buy it.  Therefore I savor every sip.

Damn.  Now I want a beer.

So what is my beverage of choice?  For a while now, I've been diggin' IPA's.  Specifically Stones Ruination.  Now, here's the deal.  I'm allergic to something in IPA's and to a lesser degree, other beers.  I don't know what it is, but I always get stuffed up and begin sneezing.  But I LOVE the flavor so much, I don't give a shit!  Which is another reason why I can control my "genetic disposition" to alcoholism.  That's another topic for another day.  Suffice to say, most of my family members are functional addicts to one thing or another.  Either chemical or emotional.  Pick something, and I can find someone.

I see signs of those traits in the daughter and godson and I'm gonna fight my hardest to make sure they don't let those demons control them!

Wow.  Talk about a tangent.

The point of this post was to give you (whomever is reading this) and update as to how I'm progressing.  The weight issue is on the back burner for about a month.  The running is progressing nice and slow.  I'm going to try going for a long run on Sunday.  I believe I should be more comfortable now with the long run.  It'll probably be only 6 miles with plenty of walking somewhere in there.  But it's only one day a week and it shouldn't be too bad.  I'll be bringing some water with me, because I think that's what was hurting me on my previous long runs before the SVHM.  Maybe a handful of sunflower seeds at the halfway point for a bit of energy.  It shouldn't take me more than hour.  I think I can do an hour.  I hope.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check. run smiley :)

I've got a question . . .

. . .  not that anybody really reads this, but here goes:

Everything I read, running related, says that when you have a pain not an ache, you should stop and assess.  Here's MY thing though, I have a pain that only hurts when I'm running wrong.  When I'm relaxed, it's just a background ache that I can deal with.  At the end of the run, I'm relaxed enough that when there are hairy parts of the trail, I easily adapt to the terrain and nothing is aching or hurting.  So, should I stop running for a while til the ache completely dissipates or just continue and listen to my body and focus on form?

Until I hear otherwise, I'm gonna continue with the run.  I feel that my form can only get better and that these issues I have are my body telling how to improve.  If I had to rely on running for survival, I'd have to keep going and adapt.  I'm adapting.

And I feel that the pain is going away . . . slowly.  So I gotta be doing something right.  Right?

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check. run smiley :)

Dear Diary . . .

 . . . not really.

Anyway, so I went for the run last night.  Ooof, was it hard.  I guess I didn't fuel up well or this weekend was just too long.

For some reason my left ankle hurts like a moe foe.  And only when make a turn to the right.  It hurts above the inside ankle joint, directly under that protruding part of the ankle.  It doesn't feel like a bone injury.  More like a tendon or a muscle . . . I don't know.  As long as I go relaxed and exert no force with that foot, it doesn't bother me much.  I mean I can apply pressure to it, it's just limited to certain movements that hurt.  Weird.

I did my usual 4 minute warm-up run, walked a minute and began the run.  Because of the unevenness of the trail, I've had to use the metronome.  If I don't, I find myself stepping too fast or too slow.  A lot of ups and downs.  I can almost run without it, but I need to get more comfortable with the trail.

As I was running though, I came up all ninja-like upon two ladies yammering it up, walking up the trail.  I didn't mean to sneak up on them, but when I did get to them I did the courtesy "on-your-left" call.  One said "OH!" which made the other lady turn around and exclaim as well then she saw me and let out one hell of a scream which made the first lady scream just as loud.  Nearly blew my ears out.  As I was passing by I apologized, but I don't think they heard me, they were laughing so hard.  They were explaining to each other why they screamed.  Funniest shit ever.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

Dear Diary . . .

. . . wouldn't it be weird if I did start out every entry that way?  Because, sometimes, that's what it feels like.

Well, according to DailyMile, I haven't gone for a run for FIVE DAYS!  But that's just wrong!  If I went for a run on the 13th and today is the 17th, I've only missed 4 days.  And today won't count if I get a chance to go for a run tonight.  So 3 days in between without running.  So THERE DailyMile!

Bastard.

This weekend has been once heck of an up-and-down, roller-coaster weekend!  Friday after work, I went to help out at my moms restaurant.  Originally the plan for after helping my mom was to take the daughter, her bf and two of her other friends to corn maze of Swank Farms out in Hollister  We'd gone a couple of weeks back and I enjoyed it, what with the treasure hunt and all.  This time, we were to go at night when they do the whole haunted maze thing.  People hiding and scaring ya.  They also have a haunted house.

I was just a taxi . . .

That was cool though.  I was tired and I could take a nap in the car.  When I was out of the restaurant, I called the daughter, but most of her friends wouldn't be able to join us (i.e. the bf couldn't go).  We'd postpone it for Saturday.  Saturday was gonna be BUSY . . .

Saturday involved a catholic retreat.  In this case, it involved kids and sponsors (godparents) involved in Confirmation to go to this retreat and get to know each other.  Now . . . for me, this was a surreal event. 

I grew up in a catholic home.  My family primarily spoke spanish when I was younger and as I grew older, english.  I was born and raised in Salinas on the east side, so I had peers with similar upbringing.  In other words, I grew up in a conservative home.  Which is a rant I can go on as to how I don't understand how hispanic households being conservative are brainwashed into be liberal Democrats!  MORONS!  Sorry.  Like I said, another rant for another time.  So, being from a conservative household with certain catholic expectations, this retreat was a bit of a culture shock for me.

I grew up with the whole idea of church being a somber event.  You learn from it and try to ingrain it in your daily life as best as you can.  Any church related events outside of the actual church, like  catechism, was also a conservative.  Maybe a bit less restrained, but conservative none-the-less.

Saturdays event . . . whoa.  The event leader is a lawyer with a shit-ton of energy wich he then osmotically infuses the into the surrounding teens who are already Monster'ed or Red Bulled out as well.  Oh, and how does he then award said teens break out of their shells?  With $5 Starbucks cards!  He had 40 of them!

Now you may think  I had a negative experience with this event.  I'll admit, I started out with a VERY pessimistic viewpoint of this retreat.  From the wild-eyed look of David (the Leader-Organizer), I thought this was a gonna be a bible-thumpin' Christ-Saves-US kind of happening.  It wasn't.  I mean, it was, but it actually was a good experience.  I've never seen the daughter this involved with any kind of activity.  She was getting to know new people and she has a hard time with that.  I was very proud of her and I am extremely grateful to David.

He shared a very personal experience, of which I will not talk about.  It is not my story to tell.  If his story is true, of which I do have some reservations about, he has gone through hell and come out a survivor.  I can understand his complete dedication to kids and his hope that they understand that they are never alone.

I believe in God.  But my viewpoint on religion is toxic.  I will not share that opinion with the daughter.  I will only support her in any way I can.  We go to church on Sundays and then after, have breakfast somewhere at which we discuss the lesson for the day and how we have incorporated it in our lives in the past or will in the future.  She should not be jaded.  Ever . . .

GD

p.s.
lazy, didn't check . . . run smiley :)

TPHM run was etter

The Toro Park Howling Windmill run was kinda relaxing . . . in a I'm gonna die, but that's ok kind of way.  It being a slight, steady incline to the HW is a bitch-and-a-half!  But I was able to make it with only one stop there.  Kind of a big accomplishment for me..

I'm still not doing it in the time I'd like, but I guess that'll come with time and dedication.  Back when I was running in my clunky Saucony Progrid Omni 8's, I was running the trail in a faster time . . . but I was also in excruciating pain afterwards. Real bad shin splints that I was never able to fix.  No amount of exercises and or wraps helped . . . ever.

Building up to this practice of barefoot form has helped in making running enjoyable and something to look forward to.  I used to go farther in the clunkers.  But I'd be paying for it after with the shin splints.  I've mentioned it in an older previous post about the process I went through before I stayed with the Saucony's.  The running store I went to is a GREAT STORE (Fleet Feet Monterey).  I must've gone back about five times in a month trying to get fitted properly until I just said screw it and stuck with my last choice because they did help alleviate a bit of pain, not much but enough to continue my training for my first half-marathon.

In the last couple of month, I think they've begun getting on board about minimalist/barefoot form.  They had a guest speaker who was a former professional athlete and chiropractor who had an epiphany once.  Dr. Waddell had some really knarley feet, let me tell ya.  But he showed us some older picture of his feet and they were much worse!  He's been barefooting (truly barefoot) for a couple of years and in that time, his multiple foot issues have slowly minimized if not gone away.  Pretty remarkable coming from someone who should've known this from the get-go considering he's a chiropractor.  But that's only because of the way he was taught, and he also drank the shoe industries kool-aid.  I did notice that he did take longer steps than was recommended and being the nosy jerk that I am . . .

I spoke with him briefly and I mentioned some things that might help him improve even faster.  I know I've mentioned the metronome (set at 180 bpm) here on my blog, but there's also the jump rope exercises that help with your tempo as well.  I took that tip from the Pose people when I first began this adventure.  I've recently seen it mentioned in either BRU, MGBG or even the Runner's World Barefoot forum.  It's the whole idea of getting you used to lifting your feet as soon as you put them down.  The more you use your muscles and tendons efficiently, the easier running is supposed to be.  Quick, short steps as opposed to long loping strides.  The long strides may cause more injuries because of a bunch of . . . I don't know. I don't wanna start talking outta my ass without thinking about this more.  There's a bunch of info on the interwebs that can give you all the proper data.

Anyway, he did take say that he remembered reading about that and that he has done his best to take the quick steps.  And his pace wasn't too far off, but I don't know what he thought of this fat bastard trying to teach him how to run.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check and run smiley :)

Runnin' in the park

It's been a while since my last post.  If anyone cares, I'm sorry.

Anyway . . .

In the last week I've logged in about 4 days of running.  Nothing during the weekend.  I'm so ashamed . . .

Last Tuesday and Wednesday I ran the usual Toro Park Estates route for a bit over 5 miles.  Then nothing.  I had planned to run Saturday morning, but I just could get up.  The change in weather really screwed me up.  It went from nice, warm and dry to muggy . . . blegh. 

Thursday involved going to watch the Salinas High Cowboys Frosh football game against the Hollister Haybalers.  The daughter cheered and the boys beat the 'Balers.  It was a pretty good game!

Friday night again was another football night in which the daughter had to be there to support her cheer-mates in JV and Varsity.  JV beat the 'Balers, Varsity . . . not so much.  Considering the size of Hollister, the pool of kids to choose from should have made this a win for the Cowboys.  But that's just me sayin'.

There was a bit of drama in the ranks of the frosh Cowboys cheer squad, also.  Apparently one of the young ladies had a sleep-over for all the frosh cheerleaders.  Of the sixteen young ladies who were invited, ten went.  The young lady who invited the squad had some beef with another classmate and she asked her squad to participate in some vandalism which involved some toilet paper in trees and such. 

The main conspirator and one other took things a bit too far, though.  Of what the details are, I'm not too sure.  I've heard it involved a very nasty note to the mother of the beefee and maybe some condoms and feminine napkins, possibly used.

To make matters even more interesting, there were parents involved in transportation of the delinquents to said home!  They're having charges brought against them.

Of the participants in the squad, the main two are getting kicked off the cheer team and will not be able to participate in any team sports for two years.  The others have been suspended from any extra-curricular activities, including cheering, for two weeks.

The daughter, thankfully, was not involved in the vandalism.  Her mother is very strict and she obviously wants to keep her kids on the straight and narrow.  The daughter let sink in what might've happened had she been allowed to go to the sleep-over.

But even though she was in no way involved, she and the other cheerleaders have all been harrassed at school.  There was a 5th Quarter dance after the game on Friday, but what was left of the frosh cheer squad was warned against going by the cheer coaches because of implied threats from the young lady her friends who had been victimized by the delinquent cheerleaders.

Ok . . . that's enough of the gossip portion.

Monday and yesterday I changed up the running routine.  I decided to have another crack at my old running trail inside Toro Park.  I usually start at the gates and run all the way to the Howling Windmill.  After mapping it out, it almost the same distance as the Toro Estates run if not a tad short of it.

Monday, it was really muggy.  When I got to the trail at about 6pm, there was a bit of mist.  Halfway to the HW, it begain to drizzle.  By the time I got to the HW, it turned into light rain.  I was struggling horribly to run it completely.  I stopped twice up to the HW and once more on the way back for no more than about a minute each stop.

It.

Hurt.

But for some godforsaken reason, I really enjoyed the shit out of it!  I still don't get it.  I went again yesterday and it was just muggy, and really fucken difficult.  But again, I got a real kick out of it!  I guess I'm turning into a bit of a masochist.

Ladies, I need a dom in my life  >:D

Run smiley friends!

GD

p.s.
 didn't check.  too lazy.

Not much this week . . .

I had that run on Monday of last week  . . . and then another one Saturday.

Saturdays run, I turned off my timer and just went with it.  What I've been doing for a couple of months is setting the timer of my watch for a minute and then go for 3 or 4 minute runs with a 1 minute walking rest and start up again.  I was getting bored with that and it seemed to be getting harder to just run (though I did have several good runs).

I started up my chronograph and did my usual half-mile warm-up run and 1 minute walk to get the body loose.  I always feel the initial run helps, like I'm breaking up the rust from the joints and muscle fibers.  I've NEVER started comfortably.  Then I just went . . . and didn't stop for the whole mile and change until I hit the fence.  And even then I went past it to the mile-and-a-half marker so I could do a full 3 miles.

I did my timed 1 minute walk and started up again.

I just let my body go and my mind ratcheted up.  I started thinking of a bunch of stuff, like what we could do to help my moms restaurant pick up more business.  I went through a few ideas which I noted when I got back to the car.  I was thinking about taking the daughter and my godson to Swank Farms to check out the maize maze (Maniac Maze) . . .

. . . The next thing I know, I'm back at my car.  I do remember smiling and saying hello to other trail runners/walkers and a bit of discomfort along the way, but I just relaxed what was buggin' me and continued on my way.  I tried a new stretch called the Asian squat and BOY, did that feel good!

If you've ever seen it, it doesn't look like much.  You'll find pictures on the web easily just by searching for "Asian Squat ".  Your feet are about shoulder-width apart and then you squat.  Your goal is to get your heels down on the ground.  You may need something to hold on to.  Being that I'm round, I still consider myself fairly flexible.  I can touch my toes without bending my knees.  I can even pull them up and get a good grip on my toes!  The Asian squat isn't easy, but only because I'm not used to it.  I'm not as comfortable as the guys you see in those pictures, but I'm round.  Because it feels so good, I'll be doing this stretch from now on.

There's also another stretch that's Asian related.  The Seiza, which you may have seen martial artists use when sitting on their practice mats or any number of movies with martial artists sitting.  Below are images and an excerpt from Fighting Arts.com. Clicking through will take you to the full article.  It's a good read and informative:

The principles of traditional seiza are simple. Upon sitting, the left leg is bent and moved behind, the toes of the left foot maintaining contact with the floor as the shin in lowered, the right leg being forward and bent. As your buttocks sink the right leg is likewise pulled back -- both feet now being supported by the toes. Only then are the toes allowed to move backward so the instep lies flat, the feet pointed in an a angle (they can be kept apart or the big toe of each foot can touch). The hands are then positioned across the thighs.

That may be more info than you need, but it'll give you general idea of what do for that. 

The Seiza hurts.  But I guess it helps ankle mobility and flexibility which is a plus for a "barefoot" runner.  But it fucken HURTS!  I guess it's because I have all this extra padding on me, you know . . . cause I'm round.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check