Slim Down

A lot of the blogs I read are diet/fitness related, and they always have really insightful tips about healthy eating and exercise.

Here? Not so much.

I say eat what you want and if you're not happy with your body...well, I can't help you. I'm not an expert in anything health related and I don't act like I am.

I am however an expert in Jurassic Park quotes, but that may not help you do anything. Ever.

But I have discovered a great way to lose weight quickly! Just follow these easy steps:

1) Take LSAT.
2) Apply to law school.
3) Get in to law school.
4) Go to class.
5) Take both research final + Torts midterm + turn in first memo (EVER) in span of five days.

AND CHA-CHING! You'll drop weight like a prize fighter.

Seriously, my mileage has dropped to below 10 miles a week (far below it...try like, 4 miles) and I've managed to lose weight by stressing out.

I know I'm just losing muscle that took me a year and hundreds of miles to accumulate, so I'm not exactly jazzed about it.

BUT I feel a comeback coming...

Epic (fail) Return

HEY HEY!

Ok, so I haven't posted in two months...epic fail. But I have a good excuse! I'm a 1L! That's a totally legit excuse, right D.A.R.?!

Anyway, I didn't run that Downtown Doubler and I haven't trained for the L'Ville half. I haven't posted on Run the Ville and I haven't posted a +10 mile run since my marathon.

But the world keeps spinning!

But I have kept running, just not training. I'm running 100% in my Five-Fingers, even on the treadmill...which, I must say, is quite the audio-sensory experience with the THUDTHUDTHUD sound feet-with-no-padding-on-treadmill makes.

What can I say about being a 1L? Well, the most frustrating part of it all is the constant feeling of being one step behind. Even if I've read and briefed for class, there is always something else I could be doing.

For me, one day ahead is behind. There is no such thing as "being on top" of things.

I fully plan on diving back into training come Christmas Break. So I'll go retool the ol' race calendar and see how it goes.

Hope everyone's training is going well...I can't wait to cross (any) finish line again!

M.I.A.

Sorry for the lack of posted...I just finished my first week of law school today.

Needless to say, it's been a bit time consuming.

However, I'm still running (or trying to) and I have a new race on the calendar: The Downtown Doubler!

It's a 15k/30k that starts and ends downtown.

Gonna try it "barefoot!"

The Downside

I swear my KSOs are have some sort freaky hippie voodoo built in...

Shin splints? Gone.

Sore hips? Nope.

Runner's knee? VANQUISHED by the power of barefootin'!

They have also encouraged me to get as much trail running in as I can because running down a muddy, root riddled trail is a BLAST in the Fivefingers.

Today I came across three bunny rabbits on the trail and they didn't even bat a furry eyelash at me. It's like they could sense my good barefoot vibes! (Or they thought I was just a harmless vagrant wandering the forest...either way).

So...what is the downside?

I took off the nail polish from my toenails and they are straight up NASTY. They don't hurt, but they sure look like they should.

No pictures of the uggle toes, sorry folks. It's too soon after lunch for that.

In other news...I finished my first ever case brief for law school orientation! And when I reread my work I noticed I typed "TRAIL court" instead of "TRIAL court" at least 7 times.

The freaky hippie voodoo is seeping into mah brainz!

New Feet

I took the plunge..

And bought a pair of Vibram Fivefingers KSOs.

Let's get the FAQs out of the way...

- Yes, I run in these.
- Yes, I can run on the road and gravel.
- Yes, I can run for "long" distances.
- No, they aren't water shoes (but they can be).
- No, they don't slow me down.

The Fivefingers replicate the sensation of barefoot running and allow the body to run as biomechanically "correct" as possible.

Ever since I started wearing my KSOs, my runner's knee pain has completely subsided. I also feel "lighter" without my Brooks weighing me down.

It takes a couple of runs to toughen up your feet (heels especially), but I'll take a couple of blisters over knee or hip pain any day.

Trail running is especially exciting in these babies...they let your toes grip on the roots and rocks as you hop through the woods.

I know that most runners I encounter think I'm nuts, but hey-- to each his own. I just call them Hybrids for my feet.

Muddy

Yesterday I felt like punishing my legs, so I took my run off-road.

I followed a little XC trail around the park and then cut back through my new favorite trail. Running in grass really jacks up the cardio intensity, and I really (really) need to get my aerobic level back up to where it was before my little hiatus.

This time the trail was muddy and slick...I almost ate dirt a couple times, but managed to keep my balance.

So far I've stuck to my 3 Day Training Plan:

Sunday: 5 mile "long" run (still trying to get my mojo back)
Monday: Cross
Tuesday: 4x400 on the treadmill
Wednesday: 3 miles on the TM (torture)
Thursday: 3 mile tempo/trail run

On to the weekend and hopefully a 7 or 8 miler in the country.

Have a good one!

Barefootin'

I really want a pair of these babies:


Barefoot running = less running related injuries.

Something to think about for all you runners out there suffering from ITBS and the like.

The ultimate question is: do I have the guts to wear these in public?