I watch Biggest Loser with my wife each week. There, I said it.
Before the three triathletes that follow this blog all jump ship, let me explain. I like the show because I think it encapsulates hope. To watch people take themselves from 400 pounds and drop an entire person is incredible. So yeah, I know its a little cheesy, but its also inspiring. It also make me realize why people watch soap operas: compared to these people struggling with weight, my personal weight problems are trivial and I will succeed..
So this week Jennifer got eliminated and during her little farewell monologue, she said, "I was broke when I got here."
Yeah, me too. I thought. Somethings broken and that is a big part of this journey for me. Figuring out what is broken and how to fix it. It made me want to go run.
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| The Fingers |
So confession #2 - I have been wearing Vibram Five Fingers shoes on the side. On the advice of Thomas, my ultra running friend, I read the book Born to Run awhile ago. I found one chapter in particular interesting, where Christopher McDougall lays out the history of the modern running shoe and why those shoes are actually promoting injury in runners. Since the books release, there has been an avalanche of articles about this topic in the running media and minimalist running shoes are the current fad.
I had a conversation with Thomas about this chapter when i read the book and we both agreed that what McDougall was saying made sense. Thomas began wearing shoes until they literally fall apart, like lovingly breaking in a baseball glove and I found the Vibrams that are mentioned in the book.
The thing that McDougall writes and that everyone else seems to agree with is that you have to make the transition gradually, running barefoot (lets say minimalist) a little at a time, working it into your routine along with your normal shoes. You have to give your body time to make the adjustment. Taking this advice, I have been wearing the shoes just walking around and have made some small runs (1-2 miles) at a very slow pace (13-15 minute miles). I have been reluctant to go full speed.
Something about the statement, "I was broke when I got here." really resonates. There are just so many things I want to fix as I make this journey to November and beyond.
Short on time, got to get to work. Supposed to do a 30 minute easy paced run today. Time to give really running "barefoot" a try. I head over to Sunset Park with my Five Fingers.
There are several trails at Sunset Park, which I believe is the biggest recreational park in town. In the center of the park is a lake stocked with rainbow trout. Ducks and Geese live on the lake and model boat racers use the lake as their race course. Around the lake is a 1 mile firm dirt trail that is basically flat. Seemed like the right foil for the fingers.
I stuck with the idea of an easy effort around the lake for a firm 30 minutes. I put on the Ipod and sang to myself as a "talk test" to make sure I was not pushing too hard. Easy effort I kept reminding myself, just 30 minutes and out.
Consistently, my heart goes bananas for the first five minutes that I run. It then settles down and I can go for a while. Today was no different, cruising along singing a little Blind Melon and feeling good.
I use Nike+ along with my Garmin. If you have never used it, a woman (or man) talks to you through your headphones as you hit markers (time, mileage, etc.) during your run. I hit the first loop and the chick in my ear tells me that 10 minutes have elapsed. Wow, that's a pretty fast pace for me. I'm moving at 5K speed, but I don't feel like it's a 5K effort. I'm singing...I don't normally sing during a 5K effort. I keep going, Radiohead keeping me company.
On the second lap, I'm a little past where I was when she told me 10 minutes for the 20 minute announcement. I fight the urge to gun it.
I admit on the last 400 meters of the third lap, I turned it on. The idea of a sub-30 was just too much to take. Discipline will only go so far...
28:52 / 2.97 miles
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