Random Post

Just once, I'd like to get an invite like this!

The Goal: To run a sub-5:00 mile barefoot.

Here is a find! It's a blog I follow because he reminds me well, of me. My site is a personal dedication to beating Dave Schroff in races of all distances. This blog takes a similar single minded goal as it's over reaching theme. Its written by Andrew Cox. Simply put, he is all consumed to run a sub-5:00 mile barefoot. Unlike me who's well on my way to achieving my goal, he's just starting out on his journey so you can still get in on the ground floor. He's not barefoot yet but transitioning with his Vibram Five Finger shoes. Adam at Running Central sells these shoes. Go pick up a pair an try em out. Enjoy.

Dave Schroff, Coach Greg, Barefoot Ted and the Tamaharra Tribe

My blog title has been (appropriately) irreverent for the last year as my bud Shroffy works out the root cause of his foot troubles. I am still committed to being faster than him. He's in trouble though so I guess I'll throw him a tootsie roll. He has a bone edema (bruising of the bones in the feet) and a case of planters thats keeping him out of my sites for the season. Hopefully he'll get it straightened out soon and I can go back to bashing him like an unwanted step child. Till then, heal up and get faster. I need a target!

While I'm waiting. I'm actuually still recovering from an overuse injury myself. Although it sucks being injured I'm enjoying an off season of doing some other things besides running. I'm cycling, swimming, lifting and most importantly, experimenting with barefoot running and minimal footwear. I am thinking about trying a pair of Hurrache Sandals. My fellow minimalist Barefoot Ted sells kits and complete shoes. I've made a few other posts about them. If you missed it check this out.
Anywho. They look really cool. Coach Greg's books got me thinking about how much things change and how much the stay the same. Here's an old ad Bill Rodgers ran back in the 80's touting the tribe that made this shoe famous.

Last night was a great time. I headed to the track for Team Steam. Scott Willie and I did the workout early so he and I could help out at practice. Coach Greg shoes up with 2 great old running books. He knows I have a love of these things. They've yellowed over time and orinally cost less than $2 each. Too cool. I love the old shoes in the booklet. Here is what they looked like.

What a great looking shoe. Man I wish I could get a pair!

Beer is Better Than Water after a Workout

This week has been a wirl wind of traveling without much running or exercising. I visited my Mom who was graduating from Ministry school in Charlotte and then it was off to Baltimore for work. I made it fun by taking my daughter. I am signed up for the Steamboat Classic 15k run on Saturday. I'm not sure WHAT I was thinking. With all the lack of fitness I've managed to accumulate, it's gonna have to be a training run this year. I think I'll wear my monkey feet though just to see how that feels. I briefly entertained a barefoot attempt but those streets are brutal. I am ok with that. Barefoot Julian gave me advice to work on running sidewalks more till I get the technique down. In Charlotte I did 2 back to back 6 milers at about 9:20 pace. The second day my feet were pretty sore. I don't think a 15k on the streets is in the cards.

Now to the beer. It's always a tradition after Steamboat to have a few cold ones after the race. My wife sent me this link.

Evidently they now have scientific proof that beer is best after a training run. Ok. I can live with that.

No Evidence for Cushioned Control

I have been challenged by some who see me running barefooted or marathon training in flats. They insist I am setting myself up for catastrophy. They have been taught a marathon shoe should consist of lots of padding and control to be safe. I worry just the opposite may be true and that we are actually creating more problems because we are using these shoes. Recently, a scientist at the University of Newcastle set out to answer the distance shoe question. Research of the scientific literature supporting a heavier marathon shoe was done by Dr. Craig Richards. Dr. Richards found that although many manufacturers of running shoes were making claims supporting the use of cushioned control shoes, the global pool of sports medicine research contained nothing to support such claims. I found this article the other day. It's very interesting. See this link for more info.

I've been fascinated by this subject because I have personnally noticed that runners wearing these types of shoes tended to run unnaturally. They would often heal strike and it appeared the energy is directed not toward propelling the runner forward, but up and into the knee and hip. It looked to me as if the legs were being thrust into the torso. It just didn't look right. To get at what I am trying to describe, I found a video demonstrating the difference between how natural running is altered by such shoes. Dr. Richards calls such shoes a PCECH shoe. It is defined as a running shoe with pronation control to prevent thee ankle from rolling in and an elevated cushioned heal. The video does a great job of illustrating how such shoes alter the way we run by making a recording of the same runner on the same day. The clip is two videos side by side demonstrating how a runner uncoached alters their gait based on wearing a PCECH shoe.

The subject demands more scientific research. Based on my personal experience and review of the current literature. I do not to use such shoes. I have moved toward a more minimal lowered heal shoe for long distance running. My marathon shoes are considered by the conventional running shoe community to be 5k flats. When I am running very short distances I may even go completely barefoot. I wan't to go fast and be healthy. Until I discover hard evidence to support such shoes, barring serious injury, I am sticking with this strategy.

Daisy Ruins Breakfast

Grapenuts. God I must be ancient. I usually put plain yogurt on top and add fruit. No honey, no sugar. I just love this cereal. Today I read in the Wall Street Journal the brand is in trouble. Although I wasn't personally named in the paper, I am (apparently) one of about five people left in the world that still eats them. It could be they don't resonate with a younger, hipper, Obama nation. It could be they are neither made from grapes or from nuts. It could be they are as hard as gravel. I don't know. But, it's with some trepidation I write this post. My fingers on the keyboard might as well be the boot of the hangman. I am kicking the last breath from the condemned man when he's going down. Because if you are like me, after this, you'll never be able to eat them again without gagging. I am in the kitchen enjoying breakfast. I have my grape nuts in my bowl and a shot of espresso next to it and life is pretty good. Then I turn to see Daisy, my 7 year old boxer, enter the kitchen. She looks longingly at me munching on my bowl. It's a gaze of fellowship and of longing. She's drooling and has somthing instantly recognizable all over her face. It's not the first time.

She's retarded! She's drooling because she's imagining the treat I MUST be eating. Thankfully for me she was wrong. Looking at her, I almost dropped my spoon. I knew! I'm going to gross a few of you out. She had gone down into the basement and gotten into the cat's litter box. She ate about 6 litter crusted cat turds and came up from the basement with much of the evidence sticking to her jowels. Yuck-Barf-Yuck....Day OVER! Granted, we are both mammals, but for the love of god how does a creature manage to have that kind of perspective? When I look at my cat I think, "what an unclean disgusting animal". He's probably got rabies or pin worms from eating rats or dead squirrels from the back yard. Idiot head, on the other hand sees an organic vending machine dispensing delicious confections to be savored.