Faster Than Schroff (Dedicated to Beating Dave Schroff in All Races)

Anything is Possible To a Willing Mind

2011-07-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Anything is possible to a willing mind. If you are up against the seemingly impossible; look a this for proof positive that you can find your way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-dPjDYVKUY&feature=youtu.be

A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very Core

2011-04-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

WHAT'S YOUR WORKOUT
APRIL 12, 2011

A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very Core
By JEN MURPHY

Noah Hamilton Photography

Bethany Hamilton surfing in Indonesia in fall 2009.

Since Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm in a shark attack in 2003, the surfing champion has changed her life and her training dramatically.

Prior to the attack, Ms. Hamilton had made a name for herself at local junior surf competitions and had hopes of becoming a professional surfer. Then barely a teenager, her workout largely revolved around surfing as much as possible and watching videos of her surfing so she could improve her technique.

View Interactive

Noah Hamilton

Ms. Hamilton uses nylon straps to help her with exercises designed to improve her body alignment.

Regaining strength and balance were key to Ms. Hamilton's return to the surfing circuit. The sport requires endurance, a strong core and tremendous upper-body strength for paddling. She increased her workouts on land, focusing on leg, core and upper body strength and working out nearly twice as hard as before. If she was in the water, she was surfing. "Extra swimming would just exhaust my arm," she says.

Ms. Hamilton's first few months back in the water required adjustments to compensate for having only one arm. She started riding a custom-made board that had a handle to help her duck under the waves. The board was also longer and thicker, which made it easier to paddle. She had to start using her legs more to make up for her slower paddling speed. "Kicking more efficiently with my legs became really important to help me get out past the waves and into the lineup with the other surfers," Ms. Hamilton says.

After the accident, she began working with a personal trainer, in addition to going to physical therapy. About two years ago, she started to focus on postural poses that helped to realign her spine, which X-rays showed had curved toward her now stronger right side.

The 21-year-old still surfs competitively, usually entering eight to 12 contests a year. In 2005, she took first place in the National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championships, and in 2008, she began competing full-time on the Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series. "Soul Surfer," a film about Ms. Hamilton's comeback starring Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid hit theaters last week. Ms. Hamilton says the hoopla that came along with the movie has been a distraction to her surfing this year. "I still plan to compete in all of the events I normally do, but I don't have super high expectations," she says. "I have a lot on my plate."

The Workout

For the past 2½ years, Ms. Hamilton has been working with postural alignment specialist Dustin Dillberg. They train at least two days a week for an hour and use Skype to work out together when Ms. Hamilton is on the road.

Alignment Lessons

Here are two Egoscue exercises that Mr. Dillberg, practices with Ms. Hamilton to aid postural alignment. The Egoscue Method, developed by San Diego-based posture specialist Pete Egoscue, involves a series of stretches and gentle exercises that aim to restore muscular balance and skeletal alignment. Mr. Dillberg says these moves also are perfect for the cramped backs of desk dwellers: "Anyone hunched over their desk all day will benefit from these poses," he says.

1. Static Back Reverse Presses

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Dillberg Integrative Healthcare

Dustin Dillberg demonstrates the Static Back Reverse Press.

Lie on your back with your legs resting on a chair or ottoman. With arms out to the side, bend your elbows so your fists are up toward the ceiling. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together, hold the contraction for one second, and then release. Repeat three sets of 10 contractions.

2. Standing Windmill

Stand with your back flat against a wall, arms out to the side. Bend laterally at the waist, leaning to one side. Bend as far as possible without lifting up the heel or shifting the hips and pelvis. Start with your feet hip-width apart and complete five reps in each direction. Repeat with feet repositioned at three feet apart, five feet apart and then go back to hip-width apart. "You should feel more length in the spine when you get back to the starting position," says Mr. Dillberg.

He adds, "People working at a computer are usually rotating their body from the hip to shoulder, by resting one arm on their desk or using one hand for their mouse. This exercise helps re-adjust the muscles back into proper alignment."

Jen Murphy

Ms. Hamilton practices custom exercises to address the imbalance caused by her missing left arm. Mr. Dillberg analyzed Ms. Hamilton's posture and movement patterns to help design her workout. "Dealing with the loss of a limb, she's always going to be slightly off balance because she will have underuse on one side," he says. "This throws off her center of gravity."

Mr. Dillberg introduced her to the Egoscue Method, a therapy technique that strengthens specific muscles to help realign the body. Ms. Hamilton has a menu of postural therapy exercises that she does almost daily. One exercise is a "wall sit" where she puts her back flat against a wall, with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and weight aimed at the heels. The pose is held for two minutes.

The postural work is often followed by exercises using the TRX Suspension Trainer, a piece of equipment made up of nylon straps that pits body weight against gravity to work the body in different planes of resistance. Ms. Hamilton can loop the TRX cradle around the stump of her left arm to more easily perform movements like one-arm push ups.

In one pose, she puts her feet into the strap with one hand on the ground and her left shoulder balanced on a foam roller. "We use the foam roller almost like a prosthetic arm to perform exercises," Mr. Dillberg says.

Or she might do power pulls, where she grabs the handle and leans back at a 45-degree angle, rotating her entire body toward the ground. She then sits back up while reaching to the ceiling. The exercise is meant to work the obliques and improve hip stability.

"My TRX training has really improved my balance and has built up my confidence in the water," says Ms. Hamilton. "It's been exciting to be able to do so many new exercises with the help of the straps."

She gets in most of her swimming practice when she's surfing. "I mostly focus on kicking because I don't like to use my arm too much, and kicking is important for me in surfing to help catch waves," she says.

At least once a week she runs about two miles on the beach or will take her dog on a hike. When the waves are good, Ms. Hamilton skips her workout and spends two to eight hours surfing.

The Diet

When in her late teens, Ms. Hamilton started eating an almost all organic diet. She usually starts her mornings making a smoothie with açaí, a purple South American fruit loaded with antioxidants. While many athletes focus on protein, Ms. Hamilton is more concerned about eating her vegetables. "I think it's more important to eat the right amount of protein and not go overboard," she says.

She likes to cook what she calls a "reverse omelet" for breakfast, using one egg and adding extra onion, zucchini or asparagus to the pan. She tries to fuel herself with healthy food every three to four hours. One of her favorite snacks is homemade kale chips.

Film Review: Sports drama 'Soul Surfer' skillfully rides a religious wave

Gear

Ms. Hamilton gets most of her surfing gear courtesy of sponsors like Channel Islands and Epoxy surfboards, Rip Curl and Future Fins. She estimates she has around 20 surfboards and more bathing suits than she can count. A TRX Suspension Training kit costs about $190 and comes with an instructional DVD.

Fitness Tip

"It's important to have variety. Find other stuff you enjoy. I love working out and love surfing, but sometimes I need a change so I'll do something different, like play tennis."

Quick Fix

When short on time, Ms. Hamilton will do a postural exercise that takes 30 minutes to perform. She lays on her back with one leg extended straight up in the air and the other straight out flat on the floor, forming a 90-degree angle for 15 minutes, and then switches to the other side. The exercise helps release her lower back and hips. "My hips had been rebelling. They were so tight and it was preventing me from having proper positioning on my board," she says.

Playlist

Ms. Hamilton's iPod is loaded with hip hop and techno, as well as some "calmer" music which she plays while stretching or performing her postural exercises.

—Write to Jen Murphy at

Breaking 2 Hours In The Marathon

2011-04-12T07:55:00.002-05:00

Getting Back to Barefoot Basics

2011-01-27T14:52:00.000-06:00

So you think you are interested in trying out barefoot running? How exciting! Barefoot running for me has evolved from a curiosity to a bit of an obsession but I don't place myself in the same camp as the die hards. I am still undecided as to whether barefoot running is going to be feasible in this town for marathon training because we have so many months of terribly cold weather. The conditions make it tough to maintain the foot conditioning required to go longer distances.

Many people ask about barefoot running when they really just want to go minimalist and that’s OK. By minimalist, I mean you prefer less shoe such as a flat or a rubber covering like the Vibram Five Finger. I also include the famous Huarache sandal in this camp. The Minimalist approach is a lot simpler to do. But be careful, though you CAN come up to speed in less time you need to be very careful because can easily over do your abilities. For you may get up to your shod speed and distances before your body has adapted to the bio-mechanics. Consider the impact all the years in shoes has had on the muscles in the foot bed. The shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendon. I know a few friends who have developed Achilles injury from over use of Vibrams. In minimal shoes the heal is gone and your Achilles tendon and muscles need a good amount of time lengthen and strengthen.

If you want to go totally barefoot, I recommend you go pretty much cold turkey. This will definitely make the transition go faster. Start by doing some walking on challenging surfaces to condition the soles. When you do start going a bit further, carry a pair of shoes (no socks are needed) with you. This is true especially for longer runs while you are just getting started. You will thank yourself if you get a ways out and have trouble.

I find the most difficult surfaces are the roads less traveled. The low traffic rural fractured rock composite that Peoria loves to put down in neighborhoods. These areas tend to have unswept or non-existent sidewalks. Be prepared to experience a few bad days. You will develop a few blisters, scrapes and cuts. I can remember when I was just starting looking at a few roads with disdain. Give yourself a break. You’ve been running a LONG time in shoes. Barefoot nirvana won’t happen nearly as fast as you envision it happening, but it will happen if you stick with it. Be stubborn!

I now have a bunch of barefoot 5k’s, 2 half marathons, and 2 marathons completely barefoot. I am 1 for 2 in the half marathon meaning I wasn’t quite ready for the road course for the Delevan, IL 1/2. For this one I had to put on shoes (but I finished). For the marathon, the first was in Baltimore and with no expectations I ran with shoes in hand just in case and put them on at mile 24. If I hadn't had them I problably didn’t need to do this but was afraid of damage. My feet looked no worse after it than after any other marathon with shoes. I ran a marathon in Huntsville 4 months later in 2009 and totally shredded my feet. The difference was in the road surfaces. In the future I feel Chicago would be a GREAT marathon course for barefoot running. Had I not gotten injured I was going to attempt a 3 hour pace last year there barefoot. All those cars make for a very smooth roads.

To build up your distance, try to run on sidewalks at first but only if they don’t have a bunch of cinders and gravel deposited from the snow plows. After that, pick some of the smoother roads that are composed of more asphalt than rock. By that I mean the darker black ribbon smooth roads you find around towns in Illinois like Morton and Chilli. In my opinion, Morton and Chillicothe have some of the greatest barefoot roads (as does Kona Hawaii ;-)). As far as trails, the EP trail is very good as are the paved parts of the Rock Island Trail. The gravel parts are a bit tougher to learn on because of the fractured gravel (it’s sharper than natural pebbles). When you do run in the street, if possible get more out in the road than on the shoulder. The cars wear a smooth track that really helps when you are learning. Finally, treadmills…. What can I say. I have one and run barefoot all the time on it in the winter but its not quite the same as a street. Your feet soles will not maintain the toughness but the feet will get stronger.

Finally, don’t think that you can’t get injured or that it will solve all your injury problems because it won’t. You will still have running injuries albeit hopefully less severe if you run far and fast. I’m coming off a heal injury that really bummed me out because I was starting to run about as fast without the shoes last summer as I could with shoes and that was getting exciting. Now I’m only running 1 or 2 days a week as I try to climb back on that horse. It’s taken me about 2 years to get to this point but I no doubt did a lot of stupid things causing me to progress slowly.

Regardless of whether you go completely barefoot or minimalist, your knees and hips will thank you but at times the skin on your soles will curse you . I figure a scrape or cut is far less serious than a hip or knee problem. Also be prepared for many folks (including your spouse) to just think you are nuts. For me that part is probably deserved for many reasons. Running barefoot is just one of them.

Here’s a great blog for you check out. Barefoot Angie Bee http://www.barefootangiebee.com/

Good luck and hope to see you out there this summer!

Kicked Out Of Disney

2010-12-07T21:33:00.000-06:00

If you get kicked out of Disney for drinking, don't ask, “Then who’s gonna watch my kids?” Security takes that shit seriously.

Julian Romero Runs Chicago....without shoes.

2010-10-11T13:45:00.002-05:00

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com/video.

Study: Abstaining from Alcohol Significantly Shortens Life

2010-09-17T11:23:00.002-05:00

Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life

New research shows that those who imbibe are less likely to die than those who stay dry.

Surprised? The tightly controlled study, which looked at individuals between ages 55 and 65, spanned a 20-year period and accounted for variables ranging from socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. Led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin, it found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks per day. I am thinking I may just live forever. So far so good.

http://www.mnn.com/food/wine-spirits/stories/study-abstaining-from-alcohol-significantly-shortens-life

Publish Post

Deep Fried Beer -- Thanks Rich!

2010-09-17T11:15:00.000-05:00

Texas Chef Successfully Deep-Fries...Beer!

I sincerely hope the committee that hands out Nobel Prizes in the science fields have taken notice of one Texas chef who recently achieved a gastronomical breakthrough: deep-fried beer.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/hunting/2010/09/texas-chef-successfully-deep-friesbeer

This is off the Richter scale of "What not to eat".

Publish Post

Mirinda Carfrae run form analysis

2010-09-14T12:35:00.001-05:00

This run form analysis of Miranda Carfrae is absolutely without question one of the most interesting videos on the subject I have ever viewed. This woman holds the Kona course run time record of 2:56. Enjoy.

Healing and Unlearning Bad Behaviors

2010-09-10T10:11:00.001-05:00

So, I'm waiting in the doctors office, I have to get my car over to Kauth and Meuyer's by 5. Shevs picking up the girls. The receptionist is a young hottie. She reminded me of that girlfriend in "The Glades". She escorts me into a bare room with an examination table and 5 magazines, all over a year old and with benign titles e.g., Womans Day, People, Newsweek. It's been wild month. I've been to a Kiss concert and Shevs Ironman competition. This time has been fun.

I was out running in Morton a month ago. After 3 brutally hot days, this one did not disappoint. Already 94, the pavement glistened the radiating air. Barefoot, I was keenly aware of the surface and all its imperfections. I trotted gingerly, my Achilles were sore from Greg's brutal schedule. I couldn't muster much better than a 9 minute pace but sweat was gushing from my pores. Something was giving in my ankles. I felt completely unmotivated. Were I a better planner or more disciplined I would have not enjoyed those extra glasses of wine last night and gotten my butt out of bed. At nearly 173 lbs, I was as heavy as ever although I was running 45-55 miles a week.

I had gotten so worn down I no longer took time to stretch or to do any cross training. I just wanted to eat and drink when I got done with my workouts. This is not a good place to be for mentally. So, when I got home that night after only completing half the prescribed distance and none of it at the prescribed pace I again began feeling the stiffness returning to the ankles. The right ankle was swollen noticeably. I had to do something or risk a big setback. So I quit.

I've been injured before from too much, too soon and recognized the train light heading my direction in the tunnel.

In hindsight it's been very good for me to mentally reboot and I don't regret the pause. I needed to work on some of the non-running aspects of my life and rekindle the furnice.

A knock on the door and Dr. Rians enters. He's accompanied by an intern with who looks about 25. He's carrying a folder with my MRI. Good news. No stress fracture. It's a condition called Synovitus. The lacy tissue surrounding the ankle produces too much fluid making the joint painful and swollen. I still can't run but isn't restricting my mobility. I can handle all the day to day walking and I can swim and bike although biking too hard still aggravates my ankle a bit. So for now, I am working on losing a few pounds and doing some of the exercises I should have been doing all along. I am strengthening my core and stability muscles used to run and swimming and biking. I'm enjoying playing games with my girls and goofing off.

Stay well!

Found a price tag fail that you'd all enjoy!

2010-08-20T11:01:00.002-05:00

The Weekend

2010-07-23T14:52:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-23T12:31:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-22T15:12:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-07-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

WTF?!?

Barefoot Chronicles: Sport Kilt Review

2010-07-20T12:29:00.005-05:00

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

2010-07-19T12:47:00.002-05:00

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?

2010-07-17T13:28:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-14T12:27:00.004-05:00

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

2010-07-13T10:33:00.005-05:00

Two Reactions to Cake

2010-07-13T10:31:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-07T12:20:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-07T10:32:00.001-05:00

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)

2010-07-06T13:43:00.003-05:00

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.

And the Award For Best Perfor`mance Goes To.....

2010-06-29T15:33:00.005-05:00

At Faster-Than-Schroff we write about so much more than running. I've been pretty busy lately just getiting chores like laundry and housework done that I've not really had much time to post anything. The readers email are going unanswered and the junk mail piling up on my butterfly fuck swing. Time to get back to work. Let's begin with a piece on sexual health......

Being in top physical condition requires that we take a look at all aspects of health to include nutrition, meditation and stretching but being in top reproductive condition is also important. Weak legs can be a sign of severe genital fatigue and sap seconds from endurance events. Whether or not you choose to have sex while training for your next big event are decisions not to be taken lightly. Regardless, you know my positionj on being minimalist here. By that I do advocate and insist you guys be barefoot during sex. Pronation has no impact on this topic. But sex has an additional emotional effect that not only effects the athlete but the athletes partner. Being in a committed and deeply satisfying relationship is a lot of work (just ask my wife). When it comes to sex, emotions and feeling are just as important as performance. It's very complicated.

I was reading a piece in Men's Journal last week that found most women will at some time or another, fake an orgasm. I am shocked! When a man discovers their partners o-face is fake it can be devistating. I immediately began r extensive research on the internet. After viewing what must have been hundreds of hours of film and pictures I have determined when a woman fakes orgasms it can indeed appear very realistic. Trust me. I looked at A LOT of sites.

Recall how Meg Ryan's character in the film “Harry Met Sally” was able to demonstrate how well women can act at faking an orgasm. She went through the orgasm sequence at a restaurant, fully dressed, head back and moaning, so dramatically that a female patron declared, “I'm having what she's having.” Those women who know the truth laughed loud and long, while men chuckled too.

I decided interviewing my running buddies might shed some light on this most delicate subject but none of them seemed to have a clue. Mike Srouse (I changes some letters to protect his identity) said "Rob, I don't know. My wife's 100% totally satisfied with me. It's just never been an issue." Sean Robertie (also not his real name) said "Rob, i'm not bullshitting you. In my marriage it never happens... The wife is always so blown away by me she can't speak for hours. Perhaps we are just fortunate. To recover from me she finds that sleep helps. It usually it takes 2-4 days before she's completely right again.".

'You guy just don't get it.' Ken Heckler (again) suggested.... 'Being a physical therapist I understand the female anatomy in such detail that make the typical OBGYN asking for my advice. It's really all about setting the mood. I use clothing to enhance my sexuality even at work. When I put on a great looking outfit it just sets the mood for great intimacy. I'm really happy with my official NASCAR approved Jordash jeans and my velvet thong. They highlight the important stuff. As for the sex event itself, I like to make really fast race car sounds right before she explodes! VVVVVVRRRRROOOM VROOM!'

Schroff (his real name) was dumbfound. He was no help at all. A self proclaimed virgin. Apparently he's saving himself for his wedding night or he might be afraid the extra cardio would negatively affect his training.

Experts in the sex field (and I mean doctors guys...) say the best way for men to be totally sure a woman is not faking it is to do a brain scan while performing any sex act. Heightened brain activity in the left frontal lobe is a dead giveaway. Be sure you keep plenty of conductive gel handy for the electrodes. Brightly colored feathers taped to each electrode can help to keep the mood from changing while applying the apparatus.

READERS COMMENTS:

Shev Comments: I don’t fake it. I’m real and I keep it blunt. Not only does he have to perform to the utmost standards, but he also has to entertain me. If he's not 100% on his game once we get started I’ll show signs of boredom real quick with a loud, obvious sigh or just be like ‘get off me if you’re gonna bullshit around, I don’t have time for this’ He really is faster than Schroff.

Staley Comments: My fake orgasms are practically academy award winners. I swear sometimes I get more involved in seeing how convincing I can get and watching the reaction of the “under-performer” who now thinks he is the “King of the World.” However, if with my stellar performance he takes too long to get to the point, my “go to move” is faking a charley-horse or some kinda muscle related pain. This again requires another chances to exercise my acting chops. Like the man said “All the world’s a stage.”

Beth Comments: I’ve been faking it for a while and propose that those who should continue to fake it take a two-pronged approach. Yes, the requisite moaning is necessary. If your able to speak in tongues even better. (I’ve never been able to let go and speak in tongues because I think I’m just too aware of myself.) He’ll think he’s gotcha. You want your faking to be multi-dimensional. God I hate those jeans he always starts out in.

Amy Comments: This is not a drill! ... It's a miter saw...please familiarize yourself with my power tools! After he falls asleep I just email him my complaints so he can deal with them at work.

Doreen Comments: I try to just sort of react to his get me in the mood plot twists. Having 2 PHD's helps. I've never faked an orgasm but I think it's because I never put out if I am not in the mood yet I have learned to accept that he always will be. Its not easy being devastatingly attractive and being married to me all of the time. Also, I think its OK to just distract him with beer.

Beth Comments: Ewwh!! Yuck!!! I accidentally found this site in my finance's browser history. Now I think I need a shower. I feel the same about sex with David as I do about the toilet paper in the bathroom. I go in thinking hopefully it's going to be long and useful, but it always ends at the wrong moment. Fortunately I can bluff like a Vegas poker player. After his 45 second performance he falls asleep and I can play my good hand. Deal with it.

Grandma's Marathon Race Report

2010-06-28T12:56:00.000-05:00

I survived Grandma's Marathon in Duluth Minisota and ran actually faster than I planned. I don't feel bad. I'm ready to begin my cycle for Chicago. The guy below is Dick Wilde. I met him at the party after the race. He won the first Grandma's ever with a time of 2:14.44. He's run 76 marathons under 2:20!

I have to say the party was the highlight along with all the incredibly friendly people of Duluth, MN. In truth I'm ecstatic about how well I did. I didn't think I was in much better than 3:20 shape but I just sort of went with how my body felt with the thinking that I wanted to hit the half feeling good enough to pick it up a bit. It was a bit warmer than the weather forecast and a bit windy but overall a pretty good day for racing a summer marathon. I appreciate all the help from you guys. I'm back in a condition I can build some speed with.

Here were my Garmin Splits so you can look at HR and pace (looks like a HR of 160-165 is where my body runs best for this distance?).....I set the watch to autolap every 4 miles. In truth I didn't really look too much at my watch after the first 8 miles. I was mainly focusing on being consistent. I wanted to get arrive at the half in condition to get tougher for the second half. Miles 20-24 were the most challenging mentally for me (see lap 6 below). Perhaps adding a bit more mileage to my workouts will give me more mustard for this part of the race. Unintentionally I started to slow and my hr started to drop during this period of the race. I tried to pick it back up and dig deeper to keep it together for the last 2+.

Now I hope to extend my barefoot mileage to be able to run fast barefoot at Chicago. I have my work cut out for me.

Be Strong....Keep Thinking Those Dark Thoughts.

2010-06-28T12:46:00.002-05:00

Research by Kurt Gray, a doctoral student in psychology at Harvard, shows that a person's physical endurance increases if they perceive themselves as good or evil. "Evil" acts in particular give a person a large boost in physical strength. How cool is this!

From the article: “'People perceive those who do good and evil to have more efficacy, more willpower, and less sensitivity to discomfort,' Gray said. 'By perceiving themselves as good or evil, people embody these perceptions, actually becoming more capable of physical endurance.' Gray’s findings run counter to the notion that only those blessed with heightened willpower or self-control are capable of heroism, suggesting instead that simply attempting heroic deeds can confer personal power."

I'm now going to recommend you all start thinking bad thoughts at about mile 20.

Last Night's 12 Miler (almost all barefoot) Getting Ready For Grandmas

2010-06-09T09:03:00.003-05:00

On Sunday I received a phone call from one of race people at Grandma's. He had noticed I was registered as Barefoot Rob and was wondering about the unusual name. He asked if I'd just run San Diego. I hadn't. After Huntsville I registered under this name but as I've been struggling to get back into condition I've fallen off on the barefoot mileage in order to be able to run Greg's paces. I told him my dilemma an asked him to switch my name to Rob Fennell so as not to offend any barefooters who see me running if I am in shoes. Don't get me wrong. I still run a portion of my mileage barefoot and have raced a 5k but as it's warmed in Illinois in order to run with the guys and to complete the very difficult schedule I've had to do many of the workouts in shoes or sandals. I'm toying with the idea of running the Grandma's marathon barefoot but with less than 2 weeks to go I'm not sure I've got the foot conditioning I need. I ran last nights paced workout barefoot or nearly so. I used the East Peoria trail because of it's relatively smooth finish. I put the Vibrams on at mile 8 and finished the last 4 in them. Overall my pace was fine but my feet were hurting at the end. I did no damage to my soles but feel I lack foot toughness.

Now for something completely random: I found this video on youth and ageing and it speaks to me.....

Irony at BP's Gas Pump

2010-06-09T08:41:00.002-05:00

Shrek Savvy Fancy Free

2010-06-04T10:58:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago the family traveled to Carbondale, IL for a swim meet. We had a GREAT weekend. My girls had a swim meet so we booked a cabin at Giant City State Park. Southern Illinois is like a whole other world. The park was beautiful and the cabin was quite reasonable. Two things happened that were noteworthy. First, this was the second time we have traveled to the park and this year just like last there was a Pitt Bull Association holding some sort of event. Now where I come from Pitt Bulls eat people. Being barefoot and running the perimeter of the area of the event many unsociable dogs were being kept in cages in the back of 4 wheel drive pickups that were larger than RV's.

I wondered if there weren't a few overly enthusiastic owners who held a higher sense of confidence than they should and also wondered whether one of their dogs would see me, instinctively know I wasn't one of their kind and eat me. Then I heard a loud snarl and low and behold a dog at full speed launched across the yard and attached a guy in a rubber suit. It was a demonstration of how to use your pet as a weapon. All this was happening while a few feet from them their kids were laughing and playing on the swings. Thankfully I went unnoticed. I think I could hear banjos and I started having flashbacks from that movie Deliverance......

On Saturday we decided to go to the stables to get in a family horseback ride. Too cool I thought. We get to the stable and filled out the waiver. My girls were saddled up on beautiful but smaller horses and my wife was given a horse named Playboy (well endowed I might add). Then I got a look at my horse.....er well. Kaila was giggling to her sister. "Look dad's getting Shrek! HHHHAAAAAHHHAAAA!!!!!". I quickly corrected them. "She's not a DONKEY shes a mule!" It was no use. Its very hard to look cool on a mule I found. I think its the ears.

Anyway, this morning, I opened my mailbox and find this letter. Evidently I impressed somebody.

Enjoy.

Chilli 5k -- 19:43 (I'm happy)

2010-06-01T09:32:00.001-05:00

Being barefoot only cost me about 15 total seconds. Mile 2 was a 6:30 (had a gravel stretch that I danced around) but I finished my last 1+ at 6:15. It's a great course for barefoot running. Smooth. In addition to the 5k completely au natural, my warmup and cool down were done in the sandals. My age group was wicked fast. It's not often that a guy like Pat can go sub 17 and get 3rd in his age group and 5th overall. That was pretty cool for me to see all those fast over 40 guys go at it.

It was fun watching my daughter run her 5k. She was a very nervous 10 years old. She had the goal of not stopping to walk and ended up winner her age group. She's a great kid. These are pretty long distances for young kids. She doesn't train and I think that's best. At her age it can be damaging for her to run too many miles plus you want her to develop a love for the sport. Her goal was 30 minutes and she came in about 15 seconds short. The great thing was that she won $125 gift certificate to Running Central. Thanks Adam & Marie!!!!! She's stoked to get some new gear. Running Central did a great job of supporting this race as they do all things running in town. We are so lucky to have a store of this caliber in town. Not having to go to a big box retailer to find some crappy gear in a store that mostly caters to golfers, camping and basketball is really nice. Running Central focuses on running and track and field and they get the right gear with the knowledge to use it correctly. I highly recommend them.

Race conditions were warm. The upside is these early warmer races and test runs will be helpful for Grandma's if it turns out to be warm. The heat wont be a surprise.

Sunday I ran my 16 on the East Peoria trail at about 9am. It was pretty warm, about 85 F. I thought it would be good to get some more hot weather running in. I developed a couple of hot spots on both feet during the run. It's the second time these darn Huaraches have done this too me. It could have been the cumulative of running fast barefooted yesterday or it could be what sweaty rubber does to feet. My feet are not fully conditioned/toughened to the point where I can handle this much back to back volume and intensity in these shoes. I tend to have bad judgment of what I should be wearing on my feet. In hind site, I probably should have worn shoes and gotten the distance at pace in. I wanted to push the limits of my minimalist shoes to ensure I was ready both physically and also from a foot toughness standpoint for my marathon. The two goals sometimes work against one another. Because of my choice, I'm nursing sore pigs. Nothing serious. I had to walk an aweful lot of the last 6 this morning. I was so disgusted I turned off my GPS watch and cursed the path back to the car. This walking bugs me more than the sore feet. I was on a 7:50 pace till mile 10.

Having a 20 miler scheduled for next week makes me VERY happy. I feel it will give me much needed confidence that I have gotten enough cardio base running in. I'm not so concerned about having a perfect taper because I am looking at Grandma's as a building up for the fall marathon(s). If I do Huntsville, I'll evaluate after Chicago, it will be in shoes. I think I'll run this marathon more conservatively than some of my previous attempts. I'm just fit enough to think I can run faster than I am really capable and then be upset with a poor showing.

I don't think I'm believe yet I am as fast as I can be. I've been making lots of progress but I had lost a bunch of fitness from where I was trying the barefoot experiments. Although I enjoy this part of running, I am not ready yet to concede the seconds to father time. The great thing is that my knees and IT bands are in excellent shape. I know it's very odd but it's fun for me and that's what it's all about in the end for a guy with my mid level running ability. I'm never gonna get paid for this so I'd better be having fun or why bother :-)!

My Inner-Croc caught on Video

2010-05-28T11:18:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since my last post. Sorry about that. I've had a serious case of of blogger block. I found this on a friends facebook page and thought this is perfect for FTS! I'm struggling to get my head back in the game. I believe we all have a subconscious part of ourselves that caves in to the moment and is purely interested in pleasure. It what makes us choose short term gratification over long term happyness. It's what takes over in the addicts head and screws up lives. It's prehistoric. I call it my Inner-Crok (as in crocodile). I'm constantly at war with it.

What's been happening in my world? Well, I've been trying to get my fitness and speed back. Last year I pretty much tried going cold turkey and run all my runs barefoot to see if I could transition completely. When it got cold I spent the winter running on my treadmill barefoot. The result was unfortunate. I had a lousy barefoot run at Huntsville, AL. I completed the course but did tremendous damage to the bottoms of my feet and nearly needed medical attention. It was a gritty course with lots of course neighborhood streets. I walked a way more than I wanted and finished just under 4 hours. I was hoping to run a 3:30. After all the indoor running, I ended up with feet far too tender for the roads.

Discouraged by a total lack of drive and fitness, a friend also struggling with different issues asked if I'd run one day a week with him in shoes so he'd have company. Like any addict, once I stepped into the shoes I've quickly become even more dependent on them. I enjoy the ability to run faster pace work and the roads around my house and to run a marathon training program with Blair Dog coaching. In Peoria I have so much grit, crappy unswept shoulders with chips and debris that it's been difficult to go fast. Taking a break for a short Hawaii vacation in Kona, I realized just how bad my roads were compaired to the strip of road near my vacation rental. That week I was able to do quite a bit of barefoot running with no injury. I also had some better luck with my Huarache sandals.

I'm registered to run Grandma's Marathon in a few weeks and am running about 50-60 miles a week currently.

I've moved toward the Huarache Sandals for my middle distance runs and am encouraged by the results. They appear to be a viable alternative to barefoot running but with enough protection I can run faster. However, the shoes have not been quite reliable enough yet. I'm not sure if it's the shoe or if it's how I am making them.

Initially I purchased a kit from Barefoot Ted consisting of a sheet of Vibram Cherry rubber and some hemp lace. My first run was a 10 miler where I gave myself bad rope burns. I've since altered the way I tie them and switched to some quarter inch leather strap and have had better results. I completed a 20 miler last week but had a break at about mile 16 that I had to stop for about 10 minutes to fix.

I purchased a large roll of the rubber material on ebay and tried a few different laces. So far the leather has been the best but it still breaks too often for me to have confidence in them for a marathon. Regardless, I might try them for Grandma's (June 19th). I made a pair for my 8 year old daughter as well and she seems to enjoy her pair.

On Wed, I ran a test run Boredom and encountered a new problem. It was really muggy, the first fast longer run in the heat for me. I did go out WAY too fast but also had a setback in that the shoes started really slipping climbing Detweiler Drive. My feet started to incur blisters so I bailed at mile 8. I had to borrow a cell phone from a stranger to get a ride from my wife. Humiliating! I'm still trying to figure these things out. I may try gluing some thin suede to the sole to give me more comfort but this will only make the shoes thicker which kind of works against the benefits of being barefoot.

Delavan 1/2 Marathon Race Report

2010-03-22T15:21:00.002-05:00

Here are my Delavan Splits with HR data. Lap 6 was a stop I made at 5.71 mile mark, the water station. I had stashed shoes. The pavement was pretty rough and I decided my feet were taking too much abuse to continue. Lap 7 was me changing shoes. Lap 8 was at the 6 mile mark to get me back on track with the course markers. Lap 5 & 14 were the most directly facing into the wind.

If you take the pit stop out for shoes, I averaged about 7:20 pace. It was not as fast as I hoped to go but I'll take it. Overall, with a warmup I got about 15 miles in for the day and a good workout to boot. By Mile 11 I was getting depleted. I didn't take any gels and didn't get lunch so that may have been why. Also the wind induced speed changes may have made me tired. It was your typical Delavan blustery day but I didn't get hurt and actually got training benefit from it.

Signs You Are Over Training

2010-02-23T15:36:00.006-06:00

1. You consistently miss your workouts.
Despite the fact you know you are capable of running the distance and the pace you fail in either or both of these criteria. Often you feel a sense of frustration that leaves you wanting to hit it even harder. An early indication can be prolonged recovery from typical training sessions or competitive events. Back off.

2. You are feeling tired all day after a workout
Do you feel like you need a nap all the time? Are you dragging yourelf from place to place?

3. You seem to be hitting it hard day in and day out.
Is every run a tempo run? Do you and the guys get into pissing matches each an every run. Stop participating in the Ego Racing Series and realize every workout has a purpose. You need to train other systems as well if you want to get better. Stick to your plan!

4. You ache all over
Your muscles are sore to the touch and bending over or walking down stairs hurts. Take a few days off. Do you experience GI disturbances? Are your limbs feeling especially heavy? Do you experience chronic respiratory infections? All can be signs.

5. You seem to be getting less lean despite the fact you are working out more and more
Are you working out more but losing "leanness"? You are probably not burning fat but instead are draining the muscles of the glycogen (sugars). You are no doubt burning a TON of calories but very little of it fat. You need to slow down for a large bulk of your training. Harder is not better all the time. Understand your heart rate zones and paces.

6. You have lost your motivation and are not interested in running?
The whole point is to have fun. I doubt your getting paid to workout. Don't be so myopic and goal oriented you lose sight of the fact that the journey is more important than the destination. This is your bodies way of telling you something but, like depression, it might not be obvious to you at the time. Mood disturbances (depression, anger, anxiety), general fatigue, frequent illnesses, loss of energy and vigor, feelings of heaviness in the limbs.

7. A higher than normal resting heart rate first thing in the morning.
First thing in the morning...e.g., 10 beats over what is usual for an individual.

Ok. Help me out. Can think of others?

Period Shoes for Women

2010-02-16T13:46:00.021-06:00

First there was the Rebok EasyTone. These women's shoes are built to tone and firm a girls posterior while she walks the mall in search of chili cheese fries and a new purse. In exchange she got to walk around looking like she had a club foot. Very sexy! It was very clever of Rebok. People love a quick fix. These shoes are billed as an easy way to get those chiseled cheeks without the time consuming workouts.

Now Asics is one upping Rebok by introducing a shoe that adjusts itself off the hormonal changes that naturally occur before and during a womens menstrual cycle. This one is not for vanity but for health! It's called the Asics GEL-KAYANO 16. I prefer to call it the PMS trainer. It contains cushioning cells which expand and contract in harmony with a woman's hormones (I wish I was making this up). Thankfully, now a girl doesn't have to be (at best) in a wheelchair, or in extreme cases, bed ridden because her shoes hurt so badly she can't walk those cursed 3 days each month!

According to Asics: "When oestrogen is high, and a woman is at her most fertile, the arch drops. Later in the month, when she is menstruating, levels of the hormone are low but her arch is raised." So we need to be checking out our women's training shoes and hitting on them when those Asics are in low arch mode. Hubba Hubba! Me so hoooowrnhey ;-).

Here is the actual news story about the shoe: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1249982/Running-shoe-women-adjusts-according-time-month.html#ixzz0fjEPmuBj

I remember when I was a kid my best friend Ron and I were playing and his mom told us to go to the store and get her some tampax. We were pretty nervous. She may have also wanted us to pick her up a pack of smokes. I'm old enough that this wasn't such a ridiculous request nor was there any danger of us a) having DCFS called or b)being denied a pack of smokes just for being 12. Those were the good-ol days! We took his little brother. When we got to the checkout with the box of Tampax the guy at the counter asked my buddy if he knew what these were for. Ron, a consumate smart ass put his hand on his bro's head and said, "Oh these are not for me. They're for my little brother. He's four. We saw these on TV. The ad says you can swim and ride a bike if you use these and my brother can't do either." I could have NEVER said that to a grown up. Even today, I'm the kind of guy who blushes when my wife buys a month worth of toilet paper at Target. I try to hide by the magazines hoping nobody recognizes me. I don't want everyone to thinking, here come the Shitzoids. The've got QUITE a GI problem I see. Must be a diarrhea induced by poor hygiene. Poor shucks....constantly crapping all over themselves.

Not to be outdone by the shoe giant Asics. I am coming out with my own line of shoes that can be made from maxi pads. I think I can get Adam at running central to carry them. From a marketing standpoint they will be popular with both the minimalist (low flow) runners and the folks who well, let just say, need a bit more protection.... If you want an advance pair you'll have to make them yourself. I plan to offer 3 convenient sizes: (1.) Regular, (2.) Light and (3.) The Damn has Broken.

Here is the prototype shoe I'm basing my design on. I plan on giving my wife a pair for her birthday this year (shhhhhhhh!).

I'll need four maxi pads to make a pair.

The selling points are:
* Soft and Hygienic
* Non-slip grip strips on the soles
* Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh
* No more bending over to mop up spills
* Disposable and biodegradable
* Environmentally safe

Rumor has it the Asics PMS Trainers will be offered with a GPS soon. The Asics PMS-GPS. You'll now have a crazy bitch who can find you. Run fast guys!

Muscle Tone Is A Function of the Nervous System

2010-02-07T10:36:00.003-06:00

I was reading a post on fitnessblackbook.com and came across an interesting story on muscle tone. The piece reinforces a thought I have about conditioning. Specifically, the role the brain and nervous system plays in getting fit. Muscle tone is a function not just of building muscle mass but as much a function of the nervous system. Muscle tone is an "electrophysiological" phenomenon. Getting stronger is also largely a function of the nervous system. The greater the nerve impulse to a muscle…the stronger it contracts and the greater force that muscle will generate. As a muscle becomes stronger, your nervous system becomes more efficient at sending strong signals to that muscle. Over time, the muscle will have a greater "ionic flow" even at rest…AKA greater "muscle tone".

I had a friend of the family and co-worker suffer a stroke recently. Fortunately for her it was rather mild and she is expected to make a full recovery. Her rehabilitation is what I find really interesting. When she describes her exercises she uses terms like fatigue and straining to get the muscle to do what it needs to do. The stroke occurred recently so the muscles have not broken down or atrophied. What she is experiencing is a weak signal being sent from the brain.

All this makes me realize how important it is to train the brain. If you want to get fit and make gains you need to do your drills as importantly as you need to run the miles. Both reinforce good signaling and help to make you fit.

If I Spray....

2010-02-05T21:38:00.001-06:00

Enjoy.

A Mountain of Weight To Lose?

2010-02-05T20:47:00.004-06:00

(stolen from technology review)
Want to drop a few pounds on your next vacation? Head for the mountains, the taller the better.

The researchers found that basal metabolism increased at high altitude, though it's not clear why. Levels of leptin, a hormone known to suppress hunger, also increased, perhaps in response to decreased oxygen. Participants ate less, even after symptoms of altitude sickness had disappeared. And they continued to eat less after returning to Munich, at least during the four week follow-up period of the study. The research was published this month in the journal Obesity.

Tuna with Wine, Tomatoes, and Herbs

2010-02-03T13:06:00.002-06:00

I saw this at Eat, Move, Thrive

(Tuna with Wine, Tomatoes, and Herbs)

3lbs Tuna Steaks, Very Fresh, Sashimi grade if possible

Sea Salt (Optional if Strictly Paleo)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

3lbs Tomatoes, blanched, peeled seeded and chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano

1/4 tsp. Dried Thyme

1Cup Dry White Wine

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste

3 Tbsp Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

Warm your oven (175 deg. F or your oven's lowest setting). Season the steaks with pepper and salt (if using). In a heavy skillet, sear the tuna quickly in olive oil over high heat then transfer to a cookie sheet or Pyrex dish in the oven to keep warm. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium, add the onion, and cook until softened but not browned. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, and dried herbs. Reduce to a simmer and let bubble away for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce becomes rather thick. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and tomato paste and reduce until the sauce is once again quite thick. Taste the sauce and correct for seasoning. Plate the tuna steaks, spoon the sauce generously over each steak, and garnish with parsley.

Single Women Eat Salad

2010-02-03T10:43:00.010-06:00

I read an interesting story in a blog about women and food. Researchers have set out to prove the anecdote about women and salads. According to the research study, young women use food choices to send signals to potential suitors. So just like their clothing and jewelry, they tend to pick meals to enhance their desirability to the opposite sex. According to a story in The Guardian: "The salad leaves are meant to say, 'I'm pretty; I'm attractive; I take care of myself',"

I can't speak for all guys, but when I was young and single, messages from attractive women had better been sent with a bullhorn. If they had big breasts, then signals needed to be prefaced with a ball peen hammer. I wasn't exactly what most researchers would call subtle!

One really interesting aspect of this study was that the pressure increased with the number of potential partners around. Conversely, the men didn't watch at all what they were throwing down their gullets. Fist pump and belly smash!

Science Direct

In a naturalistic study, we investigated the influence of gender, group size and gender composition of groups of eaters on food selected for lunch and dinner (converted to total calories per meal) of 469 individuals (198 groups) in three large university cafeterias. In dyads, women observed eating with a male companion chose foods of significantly lower caloric value than those observed eating with another woman. Overall, group size was not a significant predictor of calories, but women's calories were negatively predicted by numbers of men in the group,while the numbers of women in the group had a marginally significant positive impact on calorie estimates. Men's calorie totals were not affected by total numbers of men or women. This study supports previous investigations, but is unique in making naturalistic observations.

I have two little kids, both girls (ages 9 and 11). So this is fascinating reading for me. At this point they have no interest whatsoever in impressing boys. They generally wear thier meals about their faces and think a good burp followed by a fart is hilarious entertainment. What this study says is that at some time in the future this will change for them (and for my wife and I).

I guess I am not surprised given the weird relationship Americans in general have with food. Women are trying to impress potential mates by limiting their food intake, a display of restraint, or control. This is a woman who cares about her appearance, who is not a greedy pig.....

Marathons Make Your Muscles Old

2010-02-02T15:30:00.006-06:00

Some evidence suggests that marathon running can be making our muscles old. Now despite the fact I have been feeling old today, this blog post kind of makes me wonder. But don't get me wrong; I have no intention on giving up what I really enjoy. I'm guessing Cigars and Bourbon have deleterious effects on the body as well.

http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2010/01/marathons-make-you-muscles-old.html

Last Nights Pool Party

2010-01-28T13:43:00.007-06:00

I was dragging a bit

Last Night's Pool Party or as Neltner called it: :The first event of the ego racing series, went better than expected -- I ran hard, hanging with Scott and Schroff up to tower from pool. Scott and David were being kind and didn't drop the hammer on me. We've pissed on each other much worse in past runs. Being the first run outside in a while, I have to say it was really fun. My shoes did not go unnoticed and were the brunt of many remarks. We had a good group, Mike Krause, Me, Jeff Neltner, Scott W, and Schroff. At the tower we got a drink. Returning, I ran the second 4 easy with Mike Krause downhill who was relaxing that night as it was his first run in a while. I figured 3 miles of tempo work was plenty for me considering my fitness and my first start outdoors. I wore my Mizono Wave Universe's. Temp was 27 degrees and no wind. Very compfortable temps. Wore 2 ls tek shirts and tights. First run w/ shoes in 2 months. It was good weather for the run. My HR was pretty high going out 170-175 w/ max of 183. You can see by the link below at the halfway mark all my vitals go way back down as I jogged back home downhill. Total mileage was 8 for the night w/ 15 minutes of stretching after.

Here is a link in Training Peaks to my workout. It's kind of interesting to play around with the buttons on this web page. It gives you a lot of detail.

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/A4M4X2KWJSFMLQEP42RRNAJVGA

I may bag today. I was tired this morning. I think the cold weather and a bit of speed play took a bit more out of me than I initially noticed. This morning looking in the mirror, you'd have thought I had been out at the bars. Good time though.

Click on Picture for Rest of Story.....

2010-01-25T19:43:00.002-06:00

Tonights 10

2010-01-20T22:03:00.004-06:00

It was horrible weather so we cancelled the 1st pool party of the season. I was looking to get some physical abuse from the gang. It was not gonna happen because the streets were covered with a sheet of glass ice. So it was back to the treadmill. I did 10 miles total with 3 x 1.5 miles @ 6:27 pace. Man am I out of shape.

Copper River Coffee and Tea

2010-01-15T10:07:00.003-06:00

Most of the coffee shops I go to don't do coffee well. I can't tell you how many times I've had the sinking suspicion the person making my coffee doesn't actually drink the stuff. So when I find a place that's different I like to point it out. I went to Copper River this morning. Copper River is a coffee house locally owned in Peoria, IL that specializes in gourmet espresso beverages, whole bean sales, and loose leaf teas. They have a decent selection of single source small batch coffee's for sale all clearly marked with roast dates and all fresh.

Copper River Coffee and Tea is the continuation of what used to be Kade's Coffee and Tea. Formerly the manager of Kade's, the current owner of Copper River was approached by the owner of Kade's during the summer of 08' and was asked if he would like to purchase the assets of the company, essentially, buying everything that made Kade's what it was. The owner of Copper established Copper River Inc. in October of 08' and at the cusp of the new year had purchased all the equipment and inventory of the former company, officially opening Copper River on January 2 of 2009.

Their mission as stated on their web site is to providing the best quality of coffee you can find and to make all your experiences enjoyable. They strive to find ways to cut the artificial out of their drinks and to provide a high level of freshness. As such they do not use powders or pre-mixes. They provided great customer service. They are not yet up to the level of the very best coffee houses in the state such as Coffee Hound in Bloomington. But if you have a question concerning a drink or about a particular single origin coffee, they will probably have the answer.

The employees are expected to learn as much as they can about coffee and tea, and their web site claims employees are encouraged to take their own initiative to go to seminars, check out other shops states away, or read relevant literature.

At the current point in time, they are slowly coming into their own with roasting operations here at our shop. They have a small 4lb roaster. I bought a lb of espresso blend from them as I am totally out of beans. The beans were not roasted on the premise but they were roasted by a local roaster. I didn't ask who. Leaves and Beans perhaps? I am going to buy beans on Tuesday. They are going to roast on Monday.I don't know what beans they are getting specifically. Because of the small capacity, they can't produce enough inventory for all their needs.

I asked for a skim milk latte and a single shot of espresso. Both were decent but not up to the extraordinary level of a shot from Coffee Hound. The guy doing the art messed it up but the owner or manager, I'm not sure which, was patient with him and told him not to sweat it. I am sure they will eventually get it down. The shop was fairly busy.

I would say they are the next best thing to CH in the area but they are close enough I can easily stop by. It's certainly the best coffee house in Peoria. The cafe is warm and inviting. It would be a nice place to sit and read a book. I don't know if they have wi-fi. They have a drive through. You can talk with the baristas who are friendly enthusiastic young guys that seem to be fairly knowledgeable. It's not in a great location for foot traffic but War Memorial gets fairly busy and that might be enough to keep them viable. Coffee is a brutal business. In the end it will come down to whether they can differentiate from all the other coffee shop / cafe's in town that really are not about the coffee.

I hope they do well and continue to build on their enthusiasm. Go give them a try. I give them a thumbs up.

2010-01-14T14:58:00.002-06:00

Races I'd Like Run 2010

I divide my season up between A, B, and C events. The A events I consider to be most important. B events are important for training measurements and C races are just for fun or as to be incorporated as part of my workout schedule.

C February 13 -- Wildlife Winter Trail Run 6k
B March 21 -- Delavan Frostbite 1/2 Marathon
C April 3 -- Springfield 1/2 Marathon
C April 24 -- Wildlife Prairie 5k Trail Run
C May 1 -- U of I Marathon
C May 29 -- Chilli River Run 5k
B+ June 19 -- Grandma's Marathon
C July 4 -- Firecracker 5k
C July 17 -- Evergreen Tri (Sprint Distance)
C July 24 -- Iron Abe (Sprint Distance)
C August 7 -- Canton Triathlon (Sprint Distance) -- Triathlon
C August 15 -- Brimfield Old Settlers 5k
C August 22 -- Pigman 1/2 Ironman -- Triathlon
C Sept 15? -- IVS Half Marathon
C Sept 18 -- Morton Pumpkin 10k
A October 10 -- Chicago Marathon
B April 2011 -- Boston Marathon

How Different A Running Store Can Be

2010-01-14T11:10:00.006-06:00

Pat Rizzo visited Peoria last November. He made some great comments on his blog. We had him over to the house for the Screaming Pumpkin planning meeting. Check out his post blog post

Rich Giebelhausen's New Bike

2010-01-14T09:04:00.005-06:00

Rich sent me this photo with the following note:

I have attached a picture on my new bike. I really enjoy getting on it, getting in some quality "riding" time and it is so comfortable when I get into the aero position!!!

Peg doesn't advise me to ride it around Morton. She would prefer I took it out of town - like a real long ways away.

I am at loss for a name but it definitely needs to have a female name.

Rich

Barefoot Owie? Try Gorilla Glue

2010-01-14T08:35:00.003-06:00

I've not tried this but it sounds promising. Fellow barefoot runner Tellman Knudson sent this email in....

Gorilla Glue:
For the first few months of this run I was trying all sorts of products to protect my feet after suffering cuts and blisters. I tried this “Tough Foot” stuff meant for sled dogs (literally. I had to order it from a vet). We tried soaking my feet in an iodine/alum concoction. We tried super gluing wounds.

But finally, through much trial and error, I’ve found the ultimate solution to barefoot running wounds: Gorilla Glue.

When the good people at Gorilla Glue came across my article in Men’s Journal last month, they got a hold of us and shipped us all sorts of product. I’ve got enough glue to get me and my and feet across the country now, and Lauren (the marketing director) even threw in a bunch of hats, tee shirts and gorilla tape.

Thanks, Gorilla Glue! I bet you didn’t know how well your magic goop helps to seal up sole holes and foot woopses. You guys are helping us get across the county, and in turn helping homeless youth in America. Please make sure everyone at your company gets a big “Thank You!” from the RunTellmanRun crew.

SHABAMBO!

-Tellman

Tillman the Bulldog

2010-01-13T13:39:00.003-06:00

Enough about pigs. Here is another example of a truly smart dog. His name is Tillman. He's an English bulldog with unique skill -- skateboarding. If you haven't seen this little guy go it's worth a minute of your time.

Why I don't Have Monkey Feet

2010-01-12T16:33:00.007-06:00

Ok. I may have too much time to think about junk like this but I know why we don't have feet more like monkeys. Monkey feet are awesome and superior in so many ways! A monkey can hold food and grab branches with them. That would be very useful imo. It would be so cool to be lounging at a bar somewhere with a cold frosty mug held by my foot while my hands are free to run through my fine dew.

HUBA HUBA!

Realistically I doubt you’ve ever wondered why humans don’t have long, prehensile toes that would turn our feet into extra hands but i'm gonna tell you anyway -- it's because our stubby toes are custom-made for running!

If we had long toes like monkeys, although we could write our grocery list out with our feet (hey honey, you think my handwritings bad just imagine how bad my footwriting would be), it would require so much more energy to run and generate more shock than short toes. Our stubs are one of many cool adaptations that have helped our Savannah-banana dwelling ancestors chase their prey. Being the fattest back then was no doubt VERY sexy. It was a sign that you were a good provider. Hey babe....you can't see my ribs! Short toes made the blubber easier to get at (not to mention farming and then McDonald's but that's another story)

Most primates — including our closest relative, the chimpanzee — have proportionately longer toes than humans. Ours are dwarfish and two-dimensional digits are capable only of extending and flexing. Most animals that run, also have extremely short toes. Dog's and cats have paws composed almost entirely of palms.

Fat Bastard (pictured above) would have been the Bill Gates of the stone age! Today, thanks largely to McDonald's he's a dime a dozen.

The importance of running to early Homo (and by early homo I don't mean Schroff'y AM jog) is, of course, conjectural. But it does make sense: few other animals are capable of long-distance running, and none can do so under a blazing sun. (Wolves and hyenas, for example, require cold weather or nightfall for long-distance hunting; otherwise they overheat.) Endurance running might have set early humans apart from the pack.

Our anatomical stub toe features make lots of sense in the context of savannah hunts-marathons. Other advances like our achilles tendons that act as springs to store energy, our hind limbs have extra-large joints not to mention our hairless buttocks with muscles perfect for stabilization (and very sexy I might add). In addition we have regions of our brains uniquely sensitive to the physical pitching generated by the motion of running -- ahhh the runners high!

Our stubby toes must have been all the primate rage back in the day's when youtube was just a dance recalled by memory in front of a tree.

So accordingly, we humans are tricked out for endurance running. Running a LOOONG way is much of what makes the human body the sucess story it is. And running far, we are the best long distance animals, is our specialty not speed. From the animal perspective, we’re actually terrible sprinters. So don't ever try to outrun that tiger! They don't even have toes. HA --Helgeson tastes like chicken.

Running is very different from walking. During the moment of propulsion, when one foot is in the air and the other is on the ground, between one-half and three-quarters of a body’s weight falls squarely on the forefoot. When you’re walking, before you push off to start the next step, your other foot has already hit the ground. You’ve transferred some of your body weight. Your toes have to do much more work in running, to push you.

If we had monkey like feet we'd be screwed. Increasing toe length by just 20 percent produces a doubling of motor force. Think about the action of a see-saw: levering force is magnified by the distance between pressure and a fulcrum. Also the longer toes require an additional energy investment when "braking," or using them to guide the forward-falling motion that underlies both running and walking.

The additional work required by long toes, and a resulting increase in muscle stress and damage, likely made those freaky feet cousings of ours a victim of natural selection.

So how did our ancestors, those weak little primates, kill big animals?
The answer is that we chased them. We made them gallop. They can’t pant and gallop at the same time. We can run down a gazelle not through speed, but through endurance!

Of course, in the modern world of grocery stores and restaurants, long-distance running is a recreational activity, and hard-soled shoes absorb much of the shock felt by a bare foot. Freed from ancient evolutionary pressures, what will happen to our feet?

It’s too soon to tell, and nothing at all may happen, but that’s generally a question you could ask about many features of the human anatomy and I'll talk about some that perhaps in another post.

My prediction -- the pinky toe is doomed! Kramer from Seinfeld disagrees

It isn’t required to push off, there’s talk in Vegas about whether the useless toe is eventually just going to disappear. Who knows. But don't bet it all on the one that went wewewewe all the way home!

Imfamous Dreadmill Workouts By Blair and the Big Dog

2010-01-11T13:42:00.004-06:00

Due to the nature of the lousy weather and terrible road conditions out there we’ve put together some sample treadmill workouts to keep you busy this week. Keep these in a file and use them throughout the winter. If you must go out, dress appropriately, be safe (remember the cars are much bigger and faster than you are), and if you’re running at dusk/dark, wear plenty of reflective gear.

Blair and The Big Dog

TREADMILL WORKOUTS

PICK-UPS—Warm up 4-6 minutes

Run for 40 minutes with a 30-second pick-up at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 minutes. After each pickup, ease back to a relaxed running pace. Pick ups are fast, steady runs but not all-out sprints.

HILLS—Warm up 4-6 minutes

Break next 15-20 minutes into 5-minute segments increasing the incline of treadmill 3 to 5% without increasing speed. Run at that incline for 3 minutes and lower incline to 0 for 2 minutes. Repeat these incline changes 3 to 4 times.

Cool-down 4-6 minutes. Total time: 23-32 minutes.

HILLS #2---warm up as above

2 min at 3% grade, 2 min at 0%

2 min at 4% grade, 2 min at 0%

2 min at 5% grade, 2 min at 0%

2 min at 4% grade, 2 min at 0%

4 min recovery at 0% grade

Recover at slower speed/no elevation.

TEMPO RUN—Warm up 4-6 minutes.

Run tempo for 10 to 12 minutes—may want to do this tempo X 2 with 4 minutes of recovery running between each

Cool down 4 to 6 minutes.

Total time: 18-36 minutes

PYRAMID WORKOUT (keep treadmill at 1% grade throughout this workout)

Warm up 4-6 minutes

1 min hard, 1 min easy; 2 min hard, 2 min easy; 3 min hard, 3 min easy; 4 min hard, 4 min easy; 3 min hard, 3 min easy; 2 min hard, 2 min easy; 1 min hard, 1 min easy.

Cool down 4-6 minutes

BIG DOG’S INFAMOUS TREADMILL WORKOUT

Warm up 6-8 minutes

4 X 90-seconds hard (keep treadmill at 1% grade during hard efforts)—with 90 seconds recovery jog/run between each

Then, run easy for 3-4 minutes after your last 90-second interval

1 X 6 minute tempo run (approx 5K pace—keep treadmill at 1% grade)

Cool-down 6-8 minutes

QUICK INTERVAL WORKOUT (20 MINUTES)

Warm up 6-8 minutes

4 X 1 minute (1% grade)--- with 1 minute recovery between each

Cool down 6-8 minutes

400’s ON THE TREADMILL (30 MINUTES)

Warm-up 6-8 minutes

6 X 90-seconds (keep TM at 1% grade) --- with 1 min recovery between each

Cool-down 6-8 minutes

INTERVALS FOR SPEED (28-32 minutes)

Warm-up 6-8 minutes

8 X 1 minute hard (TM at 1% grade) with 1 minute recovery @ each

Cool-down 6-8 minutes

12-15-08

While thinking about dreadmills I found this great little gem on Flowtrack.org. It's a VO2 test produced by Robert Gary, coach of Brian Olinger, Dan Huling at Ohio State. I am going to set a date with Blair to have one done for myself.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Friday Morning Treadmill Workout

2010-01-07T19:22:00.004-06:00

I did another 4 miles this morning on the treadmill keeping my heartrate below 155. I found this video when I was looking for a visual to go with this post. I couldn't find one but this IS none the less very funny. Ouch!

Funny Treadmill Faceplant Fail - For more funny videos, click here

Bobby McFerrin Is Effn Awesome!

2010-01-07T18:23:00.003-06:00

It's really cool to see someone with a command of his audience. Enjoy and follow along -- out loud.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Seasonal Poem: Winter by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

2010-01-06T10:30:00.004-06:00

Winter

by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Shit, It's Cold!

The End

I love this poem for all it says with so few words. Its starting to snow and it's not going to stop anytime soon. Good luck to all my friends going to run with Mickey. I know of Dawn Helgeson, Ed Simon, and Mindy Elliot. Rock the magic castle! I did 8 easy on the treadmill tonight trying to keep my heart rate under 145 bpm. I had to wind the pace all the way down to 9:40 at the end. I felt like I was crawling but its just what I needed. I might have the HR wrong. I won't know for sure till I get tested by Blair. Greg and Blair are working on our plans for the coming season. Last night we all gathered at One World and enjoyed a great evening together. I'm getting excited about making some breakthroughs. My next marathon will hopefully be Grandma's with a pre-race focus on Delavan. I'd like to take my barefoot running to the next level and BQ at Grandmas. One step at a time it's really all about the journey. Stay warm and give yourself some extra time to shovel tomorrow!

Cheers,

Rob

Thinking About Trying Barefoot Running?

2010-01-03T18:30:00.005-06:00

Whether you want to try to run barefoot, in minimal shoes, or you just want to know what all the fuss is about you might check out this for starters. If you are interested in going barefoot you might want to start with 30 minutes of barefoot running / walking each day to allow for a thickening of the sole and to develop the foot muscles and allow the tendons and ligaments to adapt. Begin with walking barefoot at every opportunity and when you find time to jog barefoot gradually increasing the time and pace. At first, I would not rely too heavily on the minimal shoes such as the Vibram Five Fingers (VFF) until you get a base of barefoot running. Then use them only after you've gone a few miles completely barefoot even if its cold. The VFF's can give you a false confidence and you can easily overdo it so be cautious. Don't get me wrong they are a great piece of gear. If your one of the Peoria natives help support the local running scene by getting them only from Running Central. After 3-4 weeks, the plantar skin will become sufficiently robust letting you go longer and more frequently barefoot. You'll be able to run a bit faster. To facilitate adaptation, do some strength drills for the foot and ankle, including foot inversion, toe flexion, and walking on the balls of the feet. Walking on uneven surfaces will also help stimulate the plantar surface and provide increased sensory feedback.

Good luck! Enjoy your barefoot running.

My Running Goals for 2010

2010-01-02T11:07:00.002-06:00

I am thinking about 2010 and what goals I hold for this year. This year I hope to finish my barefoot transition such that it becomes second nature to run without shoes. A couple of barefoot milestones I would enjoy this year would be:

Lose 10 lbs
BQ at the marathon distance
Run an 18:30 5k sans shoes
Complete the IVS 1/2 without shoes (very tough course for bare feet)
Run freely through the rough roads of Holly Hills and Boredom
Finish the season with no injuries

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T10:10:00.009-06:00

No running for me today but I may find motivation to do some core work (MAYBE). I had a great time celebrating new years with the Krauses. Shev and I went to their home with with the kids to celebrate the last hours of 2009. I finally got to see Schroff again. It had been quite a while but he's doing great and seems really happy with his new girlfriend. Mike's brother John is the most amazing cook. He made us fish tacos that were awesome. I Being the designated driver I focused my zone on the kitchen crowd enjoying these amazing dishes being prepared. In addition to the tacos we had sushi, hummus and baba ghanoush with garlic pita chips. The owners of the Coffee Hound Steve and April were there as well and brought a couple pounds of esspresso blend. Bar none, Coffee Hound beans are among the very best you will ever find. They have 2 shops in Bloomington/Normal Il. The picture above is actual latte art from the Coffee Hound. The make an art of coffee regardless. None the less, I over did it with the espresso. It was special for me as my girls experienced their very first new years eve party (my daughter lambasted me for telling people). At midnight fireworks were brought out at the kids lit sparklers. Fun fun.

Back in the saddle (er treadmill that is)

2009-12-30T21:13:00.003-06:00

After almost 3 weeks of healing (i.e. drinking bourbon, wine and eating copious amounts of doritos) I finally got back on that donkey. My back has been killing me. I'm guessing it's not from overuse (if it is I'm in real trouble). Went to see my favorite chiropractor, Dr. Church and he straightened me out but I am still tender. Mt my left foot still hurts a bit from Huntsville. I did the "fat burn" workout on my treadmill. Set it for 35 minutes, max grade 5%, max speed 8.0 mph. I'd call it a medium effort success. Looking forward to more tomorrow. I don't have a plan yet.

Dear Subway Please Stop Doing This

2009-12-30T17:57:00.001-06:00

Scott Willi's Advent Calendar

2009-12-26T17:52:00.004-06:00

Rocket City Rocks

2009-12-18T15:37:00.006-06:00

Huntsville AL
Rocket City Marathon
12/10/2009
3:49

Even though it's number 2 for me in Rocket City. When I came to town it was for a very different kind of event. I was coming this year as a new kind of runner. A barefoot runner. Even though I sort of was familiar, I was so focused on breaking 3 hours last year I didn't pay any attention to roads from my new perspective. In fact, this being only my second running of a marathon barefoot, I am not exactly sure I would even know a good course if I saw it. There are not a lot of folks to ask about these matters. My assessment from Saturday now is that Huntsville is a very fast course if you wear shoes. Just looking at the faster than normal average times for my age group indicates that most who come to town, come to race fast. Unfortunately, for a guy with no shoes, the roads, especially in the neighborhoods, are quite rough. It was so chilly that morning I decided to wear socks for the first few miles. I ended up wearing them for more than half the run but I suspect I'd completely worn holes in them much earlier. They did seem to keep my feet warm at the beginning. By the halfway point my feet were hurting badly enough I had to step up on the sidewalk and slow considerably. I ran the first half in about 1:40. Two factors also contributed to my poor showing. I was not able to do any real tempo work on roads. My barefoot transition is still early and it and the miles of chip seal in Peoria prevented that. Secondly, it was quite chilly. I wore tights, something I've never done for a marathon. By mile 15 I was considering stepping off the course as I realized my feet would pay a steep price if I continued but being my last marathon of the season and not having ever completed a marathon without shoes I decided to press on to the finish. By mile 18 I was walking regularly and stepping off the roads into yards and sidewalks to minimize the pain. When I reached mile 20 it was all I could do to muster the will to finish. As I arrived at mile 25 I was heartened by the knowledge I would soon be done and I put on my best face and finished. One other barefoot runner, Matt Jenkins from Macon, GA was there and wrote similar comments about the rough roads. I don't know if I can learn to overcome this kind of surface but I might need to if I want to continue my barefoot running. Peoria, my home town is paved much the same making it very hard to do pace work barefoot. If you read this and have any barefoot tips I can use please comment. Overall, I'm happy with my run. When I finished and went inside it became evident how much skin I had taken off my feet. I hobbled up to my room and my wife filled a pillow case with ice and dumped it in the tub. I soaked my feet in ice water and noticed they began to bleed like two stuck pigs. After pulling them out of the water and tramping across the bathroom floor for a towel I looked down and noticed the mess I was making. I tried to wipe it up with toilet paper but being hobbled I mostly smeared the blood. I threw a hand towel on the ground to step on but my feet continued to bleed into it. When I finally got the feet wrapped and I got dressed the bathroom looked like a serial killers crime scene. Yuck! A week later my feet are much better but still not healed enough to run on.

2009-12-18T13:03:00.000-06:00

Officially Faster Than Schroff*

2009-12-17T13:23:00.013-06:00

Sometimes you feel like you really earned something and sometimes, well, it just kind of seems made up and not real. I'm still reeling from this. Could it be the shoes? Could it just be dumb luck? Could it be a major breakthrough on my part? Sometimes it's just too hard to say. As we move into the New Year, I think it is safe to say that I am officially faster than Schroff in the marathon. He beat me in every other distance we competed in for 2009 but at distances that really count I ran 2 marathons and both were better than any recorded time Schroff turned in. I could have used either, however, my Huntsville time of 3:49 was good enough. I must just be blessed with more slow twitch muscle fibers than the man I owe my reason to blog. Who really knows for sure? It may also be a miracle. I have been praying a LOT! Better luck next year David. For the record, Schroffy, all you would have had to do was show up ;-).

Why no shoes for Huntsville?

2009-12-14T11:20:00.016-06:00

Running barefoot is a way of taking a chance at remaking myself if only a small part. Sometimes you need to shake things up to make yourself feel alive. Saturday, I decided to test my limits and in so doing became my best despite the fact my fastest marathon was more than 50 minutes faster than this day. Also, I didn't achieve all my goals. I wanted to run fast enough to qualify for Boston (3:20). I didn't. No matter either that a month earlier I ran a marathon almost completely barefoot at a faster pace. This day I went the whole distance. I like to put my goals out there; put the them far enough in front of you that they are obtainable if you stretch but are not a given. Then go for them with all you have. Sometimes you won't make it, but like Adam White once told me: "Rob, there are no failures only degrees of success". Saturday was a success. I remade myself.

In order to achieve this goal I had to break myself down first. Think of the analogy of the clay vessel. Clay is molded to form a cup. It's the non-being utility of the clay the cup initially depends in order to become something of value. Therefore we must first turn such non-being (potential) to our advantage and get the most utility from it's powerful yet untapped potential. By re-thinking what it is we have always done, and then tying a slightly different approach, we just might surprise ourselves.

Sometimes its the reinvention that is the hardest thing to overcome. We get stuck in a metaphysical sense. What if we are already something but it's not what we really like? What if that something we are, is imperfect or of lesser value than what we know we can become? Isn't it better to be remade rather than remain intact but without fully realizing our potential? I say NO. Sometimes we need to be broken down and pounded back to the dust; only to be whetted and turned back to the clay. By being reborn through our destruction we are returned to our non-being (potential). Why? All because we can serve yet a greater purpose than the vessel we once were. It's a powerful idea. Never stop pressing yourself no matter how silly it seems.

How to Survive the World

2009-12-08T22:21:00.001-06:00

Barefoot in the Moonlight

2009-12-02T12:56:00.020-06:00

Last night was a beautiful evening for a run. I enjoyed the full moon and the view of it made of the Illinois river valley from Grandview drive. It was nothing short of breathtaking. The river was calm except for the churn of the current and the moon lit the scene with a warm glow. My run was about 12 miles and started from my house. I'm running much more comfortably without shoes.It no longer seems strange. I still have a rough time on Mt Hawley road but it's slowly getting easier. I was about a block from home when I realized I didn't have my Vibrams. I normally carry them on longer runs "just in case". It was a first to go that far without spare tires ;-). I was OK with that and didn't bother returning home for them. I've not had real problems with foot wounds in a while. When I finished I recorded 11.78 miles. Id have done 12 but nature was calling. I admit I did run cautiously. I didn't have spare shoes and was afraid of landing on something nasty. In the end it was all good. I've not done much barefoot running in the dark but now I am a bit more experienced. Some positive aspects of running barefoot in the dark are that it forces you to focus on sensory feedback and not rely so much on your vision. Relaxing more and trusting myself, I was feeling my feet landing on the ground instead of anticipating the pain of a sharp pebble...in fact, looking down was pretty much pointless.

Peaceful Warrior Recommendation

2009-12-02T12:52:00.002-06:00

Getting ready to race, you never feel 100 percent ready. No matter what training you’ve done. Some amount of self doubt is probably there and that’s natural. Dealing with this in a healthy way is important to achieving your goals (what ever they be) on race day. IMO, at the level you are all at, the marathon competition is mainly an internal battle. It’s less about out kicking the guy next to you as it is about staying focused and sticking to your plan but also keeping and regaining your ability to fight pain and fatigue. Sure you got to be fit. But also, it’s all about overcoming the struggle within your mind to maintain composure (and regain it when you lose it) to overcome the demons of doubt in your head. To help get your minds ready for the battle ahead I highly recommend the movie Peaceful Warrior. The importance of achieving a mental mindset is overlooked as a performance enhancing tool. Clearing the mind of all the unneeded trash on race day will make the difference between a good day and a great one. I hope you check it out, you won’t be disappointed (and your wife won’t be bored watching it either). There are no ordinary moments in this film. I believe it can be helpful.

Woodway Speedboard

2009-11-30T14:43:00.006-06:00

This treadmill is a big deal. I don't see many new products coming to market for runners that have the potential to be game changers. This is. It is a non-motorized treadmill that reacts to your changes in pace. Also, the curved board prevents heel striking. Now if they could come up with a way to monitor your workout and to change the incline you'd really have something. The thing that's gonna keep it out of my living room is the $6000 price tag! Still it's pretty cool.

Watch this video for more:

Bacon and Beer!

2009-11-24T08:25:00.003-06:00

Rich G. sent me this picture. Wow. Bacon and Beer what a way to enjoy the holidays!

Your a Homo. If You Recieve This From Me It Means I Hate You.

2009-11-18T20:44:00.014-06:00

I admit I am immature. I came across this product the other day and just had to get it on Faster-Than-Schroff. I would guess their milk is flying off the shelf in certain cities. Do you know what homo tastes like? Drink this milk at your own risk. Do you think I can get the Nielson company to sponsor Schroffy? It would be great to see there "Tastes Like Homo" slogan on his singlet at the next 5k.

Tonight was another crappy wet night for a run. However, being totally out of shape somehow made for a double negative and turned the whole run into a positive. I ended up only going a few miles but barefoot through the Hawley Hills Hell Hole as I now refer to it. It's Peoria's sharpest chip sealed neighborhood. What a pleasure it is to run in. Almost like sticking your foot into the mouth of an angry pit bull with each and every step. Someday soon I hope to be able to actually run all the way around that block without stopping to wince in pain.

Here's a great idea for an email you can send to the next jerk who forwards you one of those stupid chain emails. Enjoy.

Tuesday's Workout Treadmill 9 miles

2009-11-17T22:32:00.004-06:00

I get SO bored. I start speeding the belt up just to get done and then I die because I'm NOT fit for the pace. Treadmill running is like running without a soul. VERY DISCOURAGING!

LA Times -- Tips on Barefoot Running

2009-11-17T13:38:00.003-06:00

The following is from the LA Times. Click here for the link.

By Roy Wallack
Gear
October 5, 2009

Now, about that workshop: Why would there be a need to "learn" something as natural as barefoot running?

Barefoot-running guru -- and workshop leader -- Ken Saxton used to ask that same question. But over the years he's learned a few things, such as how to curl the toes up on the forefoot strike to avoid toe stubs and to lift the foot straight up off the ground rather than pulling the heel up first.

His basic rules of barefooting now include the following:

* Never heel-strike. Land on the forefoot, with an erect back on a bent leg.

* Quickly lower the heel so that the foot is flat on the ground.

* Strive for a rapid turnover. The less time your foot is on the ground, the faster you are and the less you get injured. Lift the foot straight up off the ground

* Run quietly. "You know you're a good barefoot runner when you scare people as you pass them -- because they can't hear you coming," says Barefoot Julian (more commonly known as Julian Romero, a Caltech doctoral student). "You're really good when you can scare a dog."

* Finally, don't have too much fun at first. "Avoid RBES -- the 'Running Barefoot Exuberance Syndrome,' " Saxton says. "People get so excited that they run too much too soon and get hurt, especially calves and Achilles. So build up slowly."

Katy Onstad, a 26-year-old information-technology specialist, knows all about RBES. A five-year runner who had completed 10 5K runs but then developed shin splints, she read "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall in two days, bought a pair of Five Fingers, found Saxton’s website and drove down from Lompoc for the recent clinic. At the end of that day's 4-mile barefoot run, her stubbed toes were bloody. A couple days later, she couldn't walk.

"My Achilles tendon was so swollen that I could barely get out of bed," she said. "But I know it's the right thing. So I'm going to take it slow, increase 10% a week until I'm running barefoot 100%."

But not everyone thinks that's such a good idea, she says. "The funniest thing was when I told my mom about it. She said, 'Oh, Katy, don't you already have enough problems with your feet?' "

health@latimes.com

Sunday's Long Run Workout

2009-11-15T16:36:00.004-06:00

Ran 9 barefoot on the treadmill. I guess 9 is the new 18. I'm out of shape.

Hell be damned

2009-11-14T22:18:00.002-06:00

Tonight I took on my petrified cottage cheese roads. The city of peoria SUCKS!!!! They've decided my neighborhood streets were in need of a resurface job despite the fact they were fine. They coated them with what I can only decribe as sharpened petrified cottage cheese. All summer while trying to master barefoot running I've had to dance my way out the door for the first 2 miles and hope my feet didn't turn to hamburger before I hit Prospect. Tonight, I read Ken-Bob's posts for courage and went forth to face my fears. I ran 6 miles on the absolutely most retched streets in town. My hood. I survived by relaxing relaxing relaxing. Some dits of a woman pulled up beside me in her minivan to say "Sir, are you ok?". I replied, "Of course I'm not ok bitch! But thank you for asking. Go back to your couch!" (ok I didn't) But Ouch!

Love,
Rob

Anthony Edwards Prepares for NYC Marathon

2009-11-14T12:21:00.006-06:00

This really made me laugh.

Anthony Edwards returns to TV in the NYC Marathon from Anthony Edwards

2009-11-13T14:39:00.005-06:00

Robot Cow Rectum. For Educational, Not Recreational Purposes

2009-11-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

Screaming Pumpkin Race Report

2009-11-03T09:03:00.001-06:00

I thought you might like to see a clip from Friday evenings Screaming Pumpkin Marathon. The race start shown in the video was actually the 5k that accompanied the event. The marathon had a staggered start for teams and runners. It turned out to be a great evening. Unlike most marathons, this one was a prediction run where watches are not allowed. There was a LOT of partying going on around the start later that night. Let’s just say the Gatorade bottles of some spectators were holding some pretty unusual recovery drinks. The runner finishing closest to midnight was the winner. FYI, I am the one in the gorilla costume. I have a good story surrounding the race. We took Shev’s Murano to the Lower Glenn Oak Pavilion to drop off tables and chairs etc. It was getting late so we left to get ready. We planned on picking up the kids at school and heading home to change into costumes. Shev was planning to go as Gene Simmons of Kiss fame. On the way to school she was rear ended. Fortunately there was no damage to the car but the ensuing chaos meant we were late picking up the girls. I was behind schedule and needed to get to the park so I headed out without Shev. She was still putting on her makeup and had to get the girls costumes ready. I was at the race and swamped with entrants and an hour later I was really beginning to worry about where the heck she was. It was getting so close to start time. I had left my phone in my car. I finally got a relief assistant so I could go to the car and get it. I had 20 missed calls all from her. Turns out, I failed to pull our side door shut and our dog Daisy had escaped. She wandered over to the (yet to be introduced) new neighbors, the O’Brien’s and bit their dog so badly it needed medical attention. My dog has sensitive skin so I had previously taken her collar off. Animal control was called and they were in the midst of chasing her down the street when Shev noticed the ruckus. She managed to talk AC out of impounding the dog. Shev was in a panic and reluctant to go over to the Obrien’s house to find out what was happening because she had her Kiss makeup on. She figured figure it couldn’t possibly go over well looking like she did. Turns out they (fortunately) didn’t press any charges. Whew! We are definitely now the biggest rednecks of the hood. Look to the Fennells for car crashes, cops, dog fighting, and Kiss costumes.

2009-11-02T18:56:00.001-06:00

Boulder's Naked Halloween Run

2009-11-01T08:54:00.003-06:00

By STEPHANIE SIMON

BOULDER, Colo. -- This city has always taken pride in its liberal-to-the-point-of-loony reputation. But this Halloween, one of its wackiest traditions is under siege: the Naked Pumpkin Run.

A pumpkin runner
The event is exactly what its name implies. Scores of men and women pour into downtown streets for a late-night jog, wearing not a stitch between the jack-o'-lanterns on their heads and the sneakers on their feet.

For nearly a decade, naked pumpkin runners did their thing unmolested, stampeding through the frigid dark past crowds of admirers who hooted, hollered and tossed candy. But last year the run attracted more than 150 participants, and Police Chief Mark Beckner fears things are getting out of hand. "It's a free-for-all," he says.

So he intends to stop it.

He will station more than 40 officers on the traditional four-block route tonight, with two SWAT teams patrolling nearby. All have orders to arrest gourd-topped streakers as sex offenders.

Runners and their fans are outraged.

Read the story in the Wall Street Journal

High-School Running Champs Lose Crown Due to Illegal Undies

2009-10-29T22:27:00.002-05:00

Used shamelessly without permission.
by Mark Hyman (Subscribe to Mark Hyman's posts) Oct 28th 2009 1:41PM

The Hereford High School Bulls lost their championship at the Baltimore County cross country races because one runner was wearing the wrong underwear. Credit: Algerina Perna, Baltimore Sun

Victory goes to the fleetest, right? Not this week. Not in Baltimore County, Md.

A boys' cross-country team sped to victory in a high school championship only to have the triumph overturned for a strange reason: Illegal shorts.

Race officials took the crown away from the Hereford High School Bulls because one of their runners ran the race wearing black compression shorts with visible white stitching under uniform pants. That broke Rule 9, Section 6, Article 1b of the National Federation of High Schools' rules which state: "Items displaying seams stitched on the outside of the garment in a visible contrasting color to the undergarment will be illegal beginning with the 2009-2010 school year."
Nobody seemed happy about a big meet being decided by a runner's flawed choice of undies.

"It's an unfortunate situation. We have the utmost respect for [Hereford]," the coach of another team in the meet said to the Baltimore Sun. "They can take the plaque away, but they can't take away the race," Hereford's co-coach Jason Bowman, told the Sun.

Small uniform glitches leading to big disappointments aren't as rare as one would think in youth sports. In March, a Chicago high school basketball team lost a hard-fought game due to uniforms with bad stripes.

Yes, folks, bad stripes.

North Lawndale College Prep showed up for a game with stripes that breached a rule mandating that basketball shirts be one color from the neck to the armhole to the bottom of the jersey. The penalty for donning the non-conforming shirts was a free throw awarded to North Lawndale's opponent (which it sank). Final score: Centennial 66, North Lawndale (with bad stripes) 65.

ParentDish sports reporter Mark Hyman is the author of Until It Hurts: America's Obsession With Youth Sports and How It Harms our Kids (Beacon Press). Have a suggestion for an article on youth sports? Contact Mark at pdyouthsports@aol.com

Helocopter!

2009-10-29T15:35:00.001-05:00

Way more daring than barefoot running!

Tonight's 15 Miler

2009-10-28T23:41:00.002-05:00

Finished in about 8:40 pace. I am definitely not feeling fit after 3 days off. Had 15 on the schedule and ended up doing 13 completely barefoot and using the FF's for the last 2. I just didn't feel like runnig over the chip seal at Kellar School. I'll take it.

Weds Workout -- Whew!

2009-10-21T21:05:00.003-05:00

Ok I'm whooped. I did 5x2 mile repeats at GMP-15. I recovered to a 120 bpm heart rate between sets. I wanted to quit on the last one but my wife egged me on. I did it but had to put my monkey feet on for #4 and #5. 12 miles total on treadmill. Zero incline at 6:29 pace. I would say it was and 8.5 to 9 degree of difficulty.

Risks of Death in Marathon are Still Relatively Low

2009-10-21T21:01:00.004-05:00

Lately we've heard a lot of press surrounding the deaths of marathon runners. A study presented during the American College of Cardiology scientific session in Orlando, Fla., reported that the risk of sudden death during a marathon is 0.8 per 100,000 people. The risk is greater during triathlon events, which include running, swimming and cycling. In the triathlon, the risk of sudden death is 1.5 in 100,000, according to the report. The incidence of sudden cardiac death in young adults has been estimated at 0.9 and 2.3 per 100,000 for non-athletes and athletes, respectively.

By comparison, the risk of dying in childbirth is 13 per 100,000 births. The risk of dying from diabetes is 23 per 100,000 population. The risk of dying in a car accident is 1 in 6,700.

Buckle up. Your much more likely to die on your way to the marathon than in it!

Rethink Barefoot Approach With Transitional Footwear

2009-10-15T12:59:00.007-05:00

Here is a different way to think about those transitional shoes.....

The transitional shoes are only part of the story. They can extend your mileage and get you that extra edge or they can hinder your progress. You have to use them correctly or you won't get good results.

My first go at barefoot running failed. I tried to transition using the five fingers and couldn’t make the leap until I went cold turkey. I was stuck in a “not quite barefoot” transitional state. I now think the shoes slowed my transition because of how I used them early on.

Prior to my change, I was using transitional footwear to strengthen my feet. I figured, strong feet were a necessary precursor to running barefoot. In a short amount of time, I was running almost as many miles in my Vibram Five Fingers as I could in my shoes. I was definitely runner farther and faster than I could have possibly run barefoot. In hind site, I had not changed my form to a more gentle technique – well, O.K. I may have been running more gently than I did in supportive footwear, but, I was not running as gently as I do currently in bare soles exposed to the ground. It’s a catch 22! This was the “reason” I was weaing VFF’s to begin with.

By bypassing, both the learning I was close but not quite there. My old running style was present to some degree; with the literal pounding out of more miles than my feet were ready to withstand. I was setting myself up for an injury.

Now don't get me wrong. I wear my VFF’s all the time. But instead of thinking of them as transitional footwear I think of them as spare tires. They are the shoe I put on when I’ve gone as far as I can barefoot first. I only start with them on a run that was preceded by a difficult barefoot run where my soles may have been injured. I just need to let the skin heal. When I wear them I try to concentrate on using my barefoot form. Not my old shod running form! I had to get the technique down first and that was frustrating because it meant a ton of really slow miles first.

First Barefoot Marathon Attempt

2009-10-13T17:33:00.004-05:00

Last week I traveled to Baltimore for work and to spend time with friends in Baltimore. I also traveled to make my debut attempt at a barefoot marathon. Because it was a working week I had more late evenings with less than ideal sleep and not quite the kind of diet I would have liked. I had little confidence as my barefoot running had progressed only to the point I could run about 10 miles on pavement with any regularity. I'd never ran the course and didn't really know what to expect. I landed a week early and decided to do my long run for the end of the week on the Annapolis trail that begins at the airport. I was delayed and by the time I ate and got to the trail it was late afternoon. I had a crappy run and my feet were worn down after only about 6 miles. I had to put on my ballet slippers and jog back home only completing 12 miles. My confidence was waning.

For the race I decided to walk to the start at Camden Yards as my place was about a mile from the start and I figured it just wasnt worth it getting the car out and trying to park it. It turned out to be a good decision. I had a nice leisurely walk to the start and recieved many comments about the Vibram Five Fingers I got from Adam at Running Central. I had also put mole skin on the balls of my feet. My plan was to take the shoes off just before the start and hopefully get 6-12 miles on the moleskin before it wore through. I hoped to pace at about 4 hours. From my training runs it seemed appropriate.

I carried the shoes and lined up in the starting corral. About 3500 other runners were competing. The weather was 68 degrees and cloudy. I wore a hat but no sunglasses as it wasn't expected to be very sunny. The mole skin didn't hold. About 100 yards past the start it started to work loose and withing a few steps it was left on the pavement. It didn't really phase me as I figured I'd just see how things went. I didn't expect much and planned on this as an opportunity to evaluate how my barefoot running was progressing.

I purposely left my garmin back at the apartment thinking I'd be more relaxed not worrying about pace. About a mile into it and I felt the 4 hour pack was a bit too easy (at the time) so I just ran like I felt. By the half I'd caught the 3:30 pack and was feeling pretty good. By this time I'd run on just about every kind of road surface and grade imaginable. My feet were tender but ok. I let the rush of the moment carry me along and although I had a few bad spots, they eventually went away. By mile 18 my feet were pretty tender. At 23 although I really wanted to finish barefoot I thought better of it and put on my Vibrams. I really slowed those last 3 miles in but I was elated and very happy to come across at 3:36.42. I ran about 40 minutes faster than I thought I was capable of and definitely went further on surfaces I'd never had successfully traversed before. I can't wait for Huntsville!

Cheers,
Rob

Thursday Night's Run Was Good

2009-10-02T13:17:00.005-05:00

I have to admit I was curious how my feet would react to the wet and colder road. I had a mid-week long run to do. I went 14 miles barefoot with no problems. I was pleasantly surprised to complete the run with only a bit of soreness in the feet. My hips were still not functioning like I want them. I took an ice bath followed by a warm shower, dressed and headed out to a great party with the PATFC F.A.S.T. runners at Olivers in the Heights.

14 Miles 10:09 avg pace.

Why Is It That We Run? -- Brad Henz

2009-10-02T13:15:00.001-05:00

Why is it that we run? For some of us, it is for the sheer enjoyment of being out in nature with nothing standing in our way except ourselves.
For some, it is a resurrection of self, a reminder of who we are. It is a test of the mind, the body, and the soul. Each of us has a different reason. Some of us want to stay thin. Some of us want to get thin.
Some of us want to be fast. Some of us just love being out there.

I run because I enjoy it. I enjoy the camaraderie, the friendships, and the sharing of something greater than any one of us individually. I will be honest, there are days I don't feel like going out there on the roads. But I do. When I get moving, there is nothing better than feeling the wind on my face, the burn in my muscles, and seeing the ground fly by underneath my feet. The hardest part can be just opening the door and walking outside.

I also love coaching.

Synergy, the movement of many of us in the same direction with the same goals, is one of the reasons I enjoy coaching. Did you know that when Kristi and Angela ran their 800s together on Tuesday, they ran 5-7 seconds faster each time, than when they were on their own? Seems pretty magical, but it is the synergy of team work. The movement in a direction together.

It is no surprise to me that many of you are improving. Why? Because by being consistent and putting in the work, you will REAP what you SOW. Running is all about consistency and staying with it. In 4 weeks, FAST will be over, but I highly recommend that everyone continue on. We will be starting a winter FAST program in December, once a week, to teach the benefits of base building and how to do it. You will still get your 12-16 weeks of tailored programs, but we are looking to have more clinics to help teach you as an athlete. I hope to see many of you out there! Even if you do not partake in the winter FAST base building session, continue on with your running. You will surprise yourself. Why start over when the weather gets nice again in the spring? Build upon the previous training and the winter building! Each year compounds itself on top of one another to help you become a stronger, smarter, and faster athlete! Think about it!!!

I have been honored and blessed to be surrounded by such a GREAT group of people for this inaugural FAST program!

Could Bearsharktopus Threathen Screaming Pumpkin?

2009-09-30T15:09:00.009-05:00

Shev did Ironman Wisconsin in Madison a month ago and had I known it I would have never let her in the water. I found out the night after her race they found a dead body floating!!!! Yuck!!!!! It's true. She was pretty nervous and didn't know why. She's kind of psychic and I didn't just want to write it off to pre-race nerves. Well, today we found out why. They have a really nasty beast in that lake. It's called Bearsharktopus and it's really scary! Here is a picture of it.

Whew! It's my understanding that peeing in the water can attract this beast. Be careful Shev! Ironman can be dangerous. As for you pumpkin heads. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid. Wisconsin and Illinois are separated by only an unguarded border with little more than a toll booth attendant to stop him. Could Bearsharktopus exist in Springdale cemetary? God help us if it does.

KFC Introduces New Family Size Nugget

2009-09-29T14:05:00.001-05:00

TheOnion.com

Rich Giebelhausen is Crazy!

2009-09-29T08:06:00.002-05:00

I'm scared of heights. I can hardly watch!

Honda's High-Tech Unicycle that Drives Sideways

2009-09-28T14:20:00.002-05:00

Ok. This is pretty cool. A unicycle designed by Honda that can not only balance using robot technology but is capable of traveling sideways. I do think it needs to be taller though. I'd like to be about 20 feet off the ground!

Rich Giebelhausen's Auckland 1/2 Marathon Race Report

2009-09-28T09:21:00.003-05:00

Well, that was an interesting race. Pretty much makes the IVS Half Marathon look like a flat course!!

It was very challenging and what really added to the fun was for over half the course we had to run on sidewalks. They wouldn't let us run in the streets because they were real busy. The problem was the sidewalks were right next to the streets. Most of them were concrete and you had to deal with all the curb and driveway elevation changes. It seemed like your feet never had a level or even surface to land on. I am not real (actually, I am awful) good on uneven surfaces so it added to the fun: an interesting twist to the race since I don't wear my glasses when I run. The side walks were narrow so passing was a challenge in spots.

I am not trying to sound like I am complaining but it wasn't easy - as my time shows it. I think we are a little spoiled with how big races are run in this country. It was well run but not being able to use the streets; well that was different.

Here is a link from my Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13543784

If you click on the elevation tab, you will see what the course was like - over 2,900 feet of elevation gain! The first couple of climbs were manageable but starting at the 8K mark the fun really began. It just didn't let up until about the 12K mark. Some of the switchbacks were very tight so doing the inside line would just add to the misery. In theory, you would think the downhill would help but the legs were trash by that point.

Rich

Rich and I were talking last night at the Tri-P social at Old Chicago. In addition to the World Championships and the 1/2 he decided to do a bit of bungee jumping. Here are a few shots. Would I do it. No! Not just no. Hell NO!!!

Screaming Pumpkin News

2009-09-28T09:08:00.006-05:00

We ironed out many issues at our meeting of pumkin heads on Sunday. David, our race director is really doing a great job of keeping us on track. This event is going to be awesome. The Striders are pitching in and Mike Lewellen is going to map out his famous 5k route. The band is a definite as well. We were given a look at the beanies as well. They are going to be really nice for winter runs. The orange color adds to the pumpkin theme. I need to order the finishers awards and we still have a bunch of work. Overall it turned out to be a very helpful meeting. Collin Krause makes a mean Latte. If you are interested in registering either as an individual or as a team go here:

www.screamingpumkinrace.com

2009-09-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

Barefoot Running Hurts So Good

2009-09-25T11:12:00.018-05:00

Barefoot running makes me happy. It's not because it's more comfortable than shoes. In many respects its not. Like most things in life there is both pain and pleasure to be had here. There is an upside to pain and suffering; feeling alive. By making myself uncomfortable I appreciate the pleasure on a deeper level than I ever could without knowing these two sides of the coin. By getting out of my comfort zones I make new personal breakthroughs. To really know a thing means to also know it's opposite.

When I go too far with my barefoot experiments I experience pain. It starts out small like mild sunburn and over time gradually increases. If I go too far beyond what I've done prior and before I am ready, I develop sores on the bottoms of my feet. It's a fine line. As I practice being barefoot by running more and more miles, I push back the time until injury occurs. Like pressing a knife, you have to know how far you can go. Although frustrating, I enjoy the challenge. You have to try and sometimes fail if you hope to get better at anything. On a normal run, without a new limit to be found, I enjoy the warmth of road worn soles in the same way someone might enjoy hot peppers. It's pleasure of a much more natural feeling than running in shoes. I get a lot of feedback from various surfaces; texture, temperature, moisture, etc. My feet grip and release and I get all kinds of sensation. You might be surprised how good running without shoes makes you feel.

2009-09-24T14:32:00.001-05:00

Barefoot Workouts of Late

2009-09-24T09:24:00.004-05:00

Sunday -- 14 miles w/in foot paws.
Monday biked for 30 minutes low intensity
Tuesday -- 8 1/2 with Ron (ankles were extemely sore at start and got better later in run)
Wed -- bailed. My right ankle was swollen so I didn't chance it. Came back home and played basketball easy w/ my kids. I did see Neltner and Bill Evans running. They looked like they were feeling great!

Faster Than Schroff (Dedicated to Beating Dave Schroff in All Races)

Anything is Possible To a Willing Mind

A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very Core

WHAT'S YOUR WORKOUTAPRIL 12, 2011A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very CoreBy JEN MURPHY

A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very Core

The Workout

Alignment Lessons

The Diet

Related

Movie Clip: 'Soul Surfer'

Gear

Fitness Tip

Quick Fix

Playlist

Breaking 2 Hours In The Marathon

Getting Back to Barefoot Basics

Kicked Out Of Disney

Julian Romero Runs Chicago....without shoes.

Study: Abstaining from Alcohol Significantly Shortens Life

WINE & SPIRITS

Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life

Deep Fried Beer -- Thanks Rich!

Mirinda Carfrae run form analysis

Healing and Unlearning Bad Behaviors

Found a price tag fail that you'd all enjoy!

The Weekend

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

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

Oh this? It's Just My Meat Necklace.

Barefoot Chronicles: Sport Kilt Review

Louiville Update....Like Running In Someones Mouth

Robot Sex?

Update on Barefoot Vs Shod Test

Main Street Mile on Thurday

Two Reactions to Cake

Taco Bell Meat Hose

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

Barefoot Test Next Monday (7/12/10)

And the Award For Best Perfor`mance Goes To.....

Grandma's Marathon Race Report

Be Strong....Keep Thinking Those Dark Thoughts.

Last Night's 12 Miler (almost all barefoot) Getting Ready For Grandmas

Irony at BP's Gas Pump

Shrek Savvy Fancy Free

Chilli 5k -- 19:43 (I'm happy)

My Inner-Croc caught on Video

Delavan 1/2 Marathon Race Report

Signs You Are Over Training

Period Shoes for Women

Muscle Tone Is A Function of the Nervous System

If I Spray....

A Mountain of Weight To Lose?

Tuna with Wine, Tomatoes, and Herbs

Single Women Eat Salad

Marathons Make Your Muscles Old

Last Nights Pool Party

Click on Picture for Rest of Story.....

Tonights 10

Copper River Coffee and Tea

How Different A Running Store Can Be

Rich Giebelhausen's New Bike

Barefoot Owie? Try Gorilla Glue

Tillman the Bulldog

Why I don't Have Monkey Feet

Imfamous Dreadmill Workouts By Blair and the Big Dog

Friday Morning Treadmill Workout

Bobby McFerrin Is Effn Awesome!

Seasonal Poem: Winter by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Thinking About Trying Barefoot Running?

My Running Goals for 2010

Happy New Year

Back in the saddle (er treadmill that is)

Dear Subway Please Stop Doing This

Scott Willi's Advent Calendar

Rocket City Rocks

Officially Faster Than Schroff*

Why no shoes for Huntsville?

How to Survive the World

Barefoot in the Moonlight

Peaceful Warrior Recommendation

WHAT'S YOUR WORKOUT
APRIL 12, 2011

A Surfer and a Phenom at Her Very Core
By JEN MURPHY