The Weekend

It's gonna be hotter than snot and even more sticky this weekend. I've got 6 relatively easy miles tonight and then I have to get going very early on my long run 16 miler so I can make it to the bus on time in Downers Grove to retrieve my kids. It's gonna hurt a bit in these conditions. I need to run it between 7:30 and 7:45 pace. Ugggggh.

BBC News - 'Perverse' animal beer bottles sell out in hours

BBC News - 'Perverse' animal beer bottles sell out in hours

Wow. Even at close to 800 bucks, this beer is gone for good! Sold out in hours! Wanna know how they made the worlds strongest beer "Sink the Bismark"?  Me too.  I'm guessing they used an extreme variation of this video by the same team.  It's a beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin.  Enjoy.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin from BrewDog on Vimeo.

It's the World's Strongest, Most Expensive Beer -- Inside a Squirrel - Asylum.com

It's the World's Strongest, Most Expensive Beer -- Inside a Squirrel - Asylum.com

Thirsty? Got $765 bucks burning a hole in your pocket? A group called BrewDog has not only regained the title strongest beer in the world, they offer their trademark wonderbrew (55% alcohol by volume) encased in a stuffed animal that was once alive! Is this cool or what?

Oh this? It's Just My Meat Necklace.

WTF?!?

Barefoot Chronicles: Sport Kilt Review

Barefoot Chronicles: Sport Kilt Review

Barefoot Jason reviews a kilt for running. It's from a US-based company, Sport Kilt. They sell kilts for casual wear. I've always wanted to try one of these out but I'm already a bit too far out there with the whole barefoot running scene. The kilt itself is made from a fairly lightweight microfiber material. It is a single piece of fabric that is wrapped around your waist and closed with a Velcro strip along the top edge. The front of the kilt overlaps itself about 12-14" in the front. The kilt has a relatively large pocket in the front. I'm not sure the family can handle this one. I am not encouraged by Jason's review that the kilt caused some chafing of the trouser snake. That been a problem with some regular running shorts for me as of late.  I don't like that.

Louiville Update....Like Running In Someones Mouth

On Saturday I did my long run in Louisville.  Wow.  As you know from reading my blog, I enjoy running my mouth.   I don't enjoy running IN someone else's mouth.  That's what it felt like. Louisville is HOT and unshakably humid.  I could not get the heat off me as I ran along the Ohio river.  Don't get me wrong, it was pretty and the trail were it not smothered in humidity would have been a great path for my Saturday run.  My strength was slowly sapped from my bod.  People who live in Louisville must be tough as nails.  If you train in this stuff all the time, any race conditions you ever run in will seem ideal.  I saw 2 trees fighting over a dog.  It was so hot, a group of wino's passed around a dilly bar.  Unfortunately, I did not get any barefoot running in as the trail was too gritty for my ability.  If I have a run over 6 miles I can't seem to master it barefooted.  I can run only very slowly for long distances. What do you other barefooters do?  I'm at a loss.  I really want to get my barefoot mileage up so I can run Chicago but I need to do it without losing all my fitness.  Shev and I did have a lot of fun on Saturday night.  We stayed at the Gault House.  Just a block away, on Fourth street they have a section closed to all but foot traffic with a live band.  Here's a shot of it.

At my hotel was perhaps the strangest convention I've ever seen. It's called the My Little Pony Fair. Billed as the world's first large-scale MLP collectors convention. Hundreds of My Little Pony collectors come from all across the globe to meet others who share their interest over the course of several fun-filled days. I can only imagine the kinky Pony play that must have been going on in rooms on all floors. This annual gathering is the world's largest celebration of everything MLP and brings collectors, friends, and fanatics from all over the world together for a weekend of pony fun! Talk about Pony Fun!!!!

Robot Sex?

I doubt this worked but you gotta admire the effort.....Come to think of it.  I need a way to get Shev's attention when I'm cheering for her in Louiville next month.  This costume should do the trick!

Update on Barefoot Vs Shod Test

 Here is the data from the Barefoot test on the 13th:

I was pretty spent for the last 2 intervals.  I have to say I really didn't want to run the last 2 mile interval but was glad I did in the end.  I got a great workout out of it even if the data was a bit inconclusive.  It's skewed from going too hard for fitness and conditions on the first interval.  I felt very heavy in the Brooks shoe I chose for the test.  I has a lot more heel than my Mizuno's although most folks would call the shoe a racing shoe.  The heel was noticable and really inhibited my foot strike making me work harder.  I wonder if a better test of barefoot / shod would be to run the first one at my perceived 10k or even Marathon Pace effort shod and then follow barefoot with the same HR.  I would get more consistent splits and could adjust for conditions by running by perception.  You can see my recoveries were very long (especially after the first interval).  

Today is a much needed day off and tomorrow I hit it hard again in Springdale Cemetery.  My next long run will on Saturday be in sweltering Louisville, Kentucky!  15 miles of fun!

Main Street Mile on Thurday

 

Two Reactions to Cake

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is causing way too much obesity in the US.  Endurance athletes wouldn't be able to even function on this diet in my opinion.  We consume way too many empty calories.  In many parts of the world they eat meals that consist of smaller portions but also of far fewer processed foods.  I struggle with portion control sometimes however I have in general a much more nutritious diet than the vast majority of folks.  Many of my running buddies have gotten their weight under control but my be missing out on important nutrients by not eating enough fresh fruits and veggies.  It all comes down to 2 things.  Eat less.  Eat Better.

Today I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal (Eating to Live or Living to Eat? - WSJ.com) about why it is that some folks can't seem to resist certain foods while others can easily pass. Scientist studying sophisticated brain-imaging technology better understand how the lure of delicious food can overwhelm the body's built-in mechanism to regulate hunger and fullness, what's called "hedonic" versus "homeostatic" eating.

One thing is clear: Obese people react much more hedonistically to sweet, fat-laden food in the pleasure and reward circuits of the brain than healthy-weight people do. Simply seeing pictures of tempting food can light up the pleasure-seeking areas of obese peoples' brains.

Taco Bell Meat Hose

RICK'S RUNNING, 'NO LIMITS' DESPERADO!: RUNNING WITH SPRINGS! THIS FEELS SO EASY IT MUST BE CHEATING!

I found this at Ricks Running blog. Awesome photos of great running form.....

RICK'S RUNNING, 'NO LIMITS' DESPERADO!: RUNNING WITH SPRINGS! THIS FEELS SO EASY IT MUST BE CHEATING!

Barefoot Test Next Monday (7/12/10)

On Sunday, I ran the Peoria Jaycee's Firecracker 5k.  The run felt very good barefoot and I was happy with my time (19:47 or 6:23 pace).  I scored a 3rd place age group medal.  It was humid and I always wilt a bit in these conditions.  Here's a picture.

Next Monday Big Dog Greg is having me do a barefoot test.  It's a series; 4x2 mile repeats barefoot and shod.   The workout is 1 mile warmup.  Then the first 2 mile set shod at 6:10-6:20 pace.  Check my average and max hr.  Do a full recovery, then second 2 miles on same course barefoot keeping my HR at the same level as with shoes (run by HR not by pace).  Next interval I run 2 mile course with shoes at the same HR as before.  Finally, do 2 miles as fast as I can barefoot (time trial).  This test will yield my barefoot paces and the difference between my shod and unshod paces at this point in my transition.  It should allow Greg to see how much natural fade and unshod fade (indicative of fitness) that is also a variable.  I'll keep you all posted on the results.