Running Revolution

Barefoot running, as a movement, has been slow going, but making ground. A sure sign of growth is the small town where we live is not a running mecca for sure, but we have two running shoe and gear stores and within 3 miles One of them sells only minimalist shoes for casual wear to running marathons.

I purchased my Vibram five finger shoes from this place. During their Black Friday sales I went back and bought two more pairs of barefoot running shoes. I'm now equipped for any situation and all terrains. I really like them all. 

I just ran 3 miles in one of the new pairs of barefoot shoes. It was my second outing in the shoes. The feel in my lower body during and after the run is fantastic. I really must find a 5K race to run and really test the barefoot shoes. Even without a race under my belt, I am an all in convert and happy to share my experience as the barefoot revolution continues.

Run naturally.

Tom

Praying through the Seasons

Fall. Winter. Spring. Summer. 1996-1999 I parked a mile away from Emory University and walked to campus every day. During those years I really grew to have a concrete appreciation for the individual seasons and the transition between them. During my daily trot I prayed. Part of the language of the prayer included gratitude for the ability to acknowledge and appreciate the forces of nature.

Over time this evolved into a deeper relationship with creation. Stewardship, environmental concerns and the like took root in my lifestyle, and continues to inform my habits and practices. Back in the late 90s I fantasized about writing an inspirational piece. The working title was to be, Praying through the Seasons. The work never came to fruition, but my commitment to live in harmony with nature continues to bloom.

Run. It’s natural.

Tom

For the White Horse

Michael Randall Hickman ran by many names such as the Gypsy Cowboy, Micah True and most recognizably, Caballo Blanco. Regardless of moniker, he ran. He was an amateur fighter, a serious runner and the charismatic key figure in Christopher McDougall's best seller, Born to Run. I just finished reading the book and learned that Caballo Blanco died in March of this year while running in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico. After reading the book, I, like others feel as though Caballo met with a fitting end.

 

Even with 20 years of running history I found many take-aways from the book. Among those were Caballo's zeal for running and simple living. In honor of the man I only knew through pages of a book I set out for a long run in uncharted territory. I ran through woods, over fallen trees, across packed red Georgia clay, sand, gravel, through brush, mud and even crossed a stream in two places. As I ran, I tried to be mindful of what it means to truly live, to appreciate the gift of running and to be free.  

 

The water was cold and the extra miles led to a little soreness. I pushed through not in a morbid sense memoriam, but in celebration and gratitude for the reminder that running and the wherewith all to do it regularly is a gift.

 

Muchas gracias Caballo Blanco. Correrse con Dios.

 

Tom

Work Out In The Yard

Last year I posted a piece entitled “Farm Fitness.” In short, I wrote about how breaking ground for a garden made for a good workout. Many fitness advocates advocate working in the yard with flowers, a garden and the like as a good means of physical activity. Generally, I agree. You sense the hedge I’m sure. Active and physical activity can be two very different things.

This year I expanded our garden, which entailed increased labor in the beginning and for maintenance through the growing season.  However, I got a little carried away with the urban garden thing.  Last December Shannan and I visited ECHO garden in Southwest Florida. While there we learned about the wick garden. This allows you to grow plants without soil.

Yep, I had the same response, “I’ve got to give this a try!” So I did using carpet a medium for the roots of a cucumber plant to spread. It did okay. I also repurposed a toilet and grew peppers and basil.  Though we added a bit of fun to growing and eating vegetables, these methods of gardening didn’t take much energy to start or maintain. That’s just me being silly to say that working with plants doesn’t always lead to burning calories. Nonetheless, I, too, am a strong advocate of working in the yard with plants and vegetables.

Grow things for food and aesthetics. Exercise the old fashion way. Run.

Tom

Five Finger Follow Up

Greetings!  I put up a goodly number of miles wearing the Vibram foot glove in the last few weeks. Here's the good, the bad and the low down on the five finger running "shoes."

Good:

I like them. Running in the Vibram have added a novelty to an activity I've been doing for twenty years. That part had been much appreciated. During and after a run I can feel different muscles being used in my feet, especially the top. Also I can feel an interesting sensation in my calves and quads. All the books and articles mention this will happen and point out the benefits or running closer to a natural stride.

 Bad:

My left achilles tendon was sore after my third outing in the Vibram Five Fingers. Prior to that day, I had slowly worked up to three miles in the shoes. On this day I ran 1 mile on an indoor track, one mile on a treadmill and a mile on the street consecutively. During the run and immediately after all was well. Later in the day while driving I noticed the pain in the tendon. This lingered for a week. I scaled back to only running 1 to 2 mile runs on the treadmill with the Vibrams and longer runs in my regular running shoes.

The Low Down:

I returned to the Vibrams this weekend and ran just shy of five miles on trails and the road. The tension of the back strap pulled a bit on my left tendon, but nothing serious. The run was a good one. I found myself much more attuned to the terrain, not in watching my step, but in feeling the ground as I ran. I liked that. I intentionally ran over gravel. I felt that, too, and didn't like it so much.

In the last half a mile I ran through a patch of grass and my feet got wet. It was beautiful autumn day, 67 degrees when I hit the road, so wet feet didn’t present a problem. The style and fit of the shoe doesn’t lend itself to rubbing a blister like running shoes when they get soaked. As winter approaches the cold will most likely present an issue for me. I bought some five finger socks to prepare for cooler temperatures.

Here’s the final word. I'm in for more miles in the Vibram’s five finger shoes. I must admit, I’m curious how a race will feel in these bad boys.

Run Naturally!

Tom

Run to Relax

I read a book that suggests making a list of words, phrases, names or even pictures which bring joy to your life. The idea is that when you get stressed or upset the list can act as a mood shifter. I figured no harm could come of such an activity, so I made a list. I admit I rarely refer to it.

 

Recently I found myself bound much too tightly due to traffic, being late for meetings and behind on projects. By the time I arrived home from a hectic day I wasn't so much angry, but I was tense. Shannan and I had a plan for the evening, I really needed to let go of the frustration. So I turned to my very best mood shifter. I went for a run. I double dipped and listened to a Hall and Oates concert while grinding out a few miles. I must confess the combination of mood shifters worked like a charm. 

 

There's a fair amount of empirical evidence related to how exercise can reduce tension. Listening to some of your favorite music in the process doesn't hurt a bit.

 

Get in a good mood. Run.

 

Tom

Research. Race. Remember.

What a magnificent October sky! Race morning felt like an early fall experience described by a poet laureate. Shannan, her parents and I joined 3000 others at Emory University for a 5K race/walk to raise money for cancer research. This was the second year of the Winship Win the Fight Against Cancer race. Last year, Shannan and I participated as Shannan's mother, Helen, was receiving treatment at Winship. What a grand occasion to return and have Helen participating with us. Even better, Helen took third place in her age category!

 

Shannan and I have long lasting ties to Emory. Our parents worked there, we both attended college there, we both worked for the University and much more. Like most mainstream institutions of higher education construction seems perpetual on the campus. Buildings are always being reshaped, renovated or altogether removed in the name of progress. I decided to take my pre-race run around campus to reacquaint myself with the place. I jogged up to the Anatomy Building where my mother worked for more than twenty years. It, too, has undergone expansion and a face lift, yet enough of the old exterior remained to reach deeply into the recesses of my memory.

 

Much like last year, I paused to remember the life of the woman who raised my brothers and me, and who bravely fought a monumental battle with cancer. It was one thing to give her name, Jackie LaPorte, on my race application noting I would run her in memory. It is entirely different to remember. I do remember. Via the race I sought to honor my mother. I planned to run well. And so I did.

 

Run for a reason. Cling to fond memories.

Tom

Made the Merrell Down and Dirty

As you know, I spent some time bemoaning not being able to run in the Merrell Down and Dirty race last month. As a cathartic practice I wrote a piece for this blog site. That helped me to let go of the race and the lost registration fee. Another interesting thing came of it, encouragement. I managed to buckle down, work through some things, readjust my schedule and so forth in order to make the race. Shannan was a great cheerleader and help in the process and at the race itself. I thank her for all the help and motivation she offered.

Race morning I planned perfectly. I chose the appropriate clothes for the race and afterwards. I remembered to tape my shoes (a trick I learned after running Mt. Marathon in Alaska). All I had left to do was run. So I did. Conyers Olympic International Horse Park provided a beautiful setting. The folks at Merrell provided a fun and challenging course. I admit I fell off of the 3rd of consecutive tiered balance beams, otherwise I fully engaged every other obstacle. In the end, I confessed to Shannan that these “adventure” races are a bit silly. I realize I have competed in one a year for three years in a row. That may be enough for me, but I encourage you to go out for adventure races.

Run wild.

Tom

Change in plans

I registered and paid the nonrefundable fee of $90 to run in the Merrell Down and Dirty 10k mud race. The worst part is I paid extra money to run in the 10K rather than the 5K. This brain surge was driven so that I could encounter more obstacles. I didn't anticipate obstacles not on the track. Life dealt me a radical schedule change. I’ll have to give the race a miss due to extenuating situations beyond my means of control. Woe is me!

Under every set of circumstances I am a penny pincher. Yet somehow I've preregistered for as many as 15 races and had to opt out at the last minute. I'll never add up all the money lost in nonrefundable fees. That would be torture. Speaking of never, I have finally learned my lesson, thus I will never participate in a running event where I cannot register on race day. Paying a couple of dollars extra is offensive, but not as bad as the total loss otherwise.

 Register and run.

I recognized the psychological power of the pen. I wrote this while lamenting about the down and dirty race. Afterwards I put my head down and focused. I worked hard and we reorganized some other things. In the end, I did get to run in this race. I post a piece on the adventure run soon.

This blog works wonders in my life. THANK YOU!

Tom