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?

Wanted: New Training Plan

With all this slacking and school prep, I keep forgetting about the half marathon in October.

I can't 100% commit to running the thing until I get a better handle on my school schedule (which is TBA at the moment).

I know that I will make time to run...there isn't a doubt in my mind about that. But if the past year has taught me anything, it's that running and training are two different monsters.

Running is fun and casual. Training is fun and...stressful.

Runner's World has a Three Day Half Marathon Training Plan that might work for me:

Tuesdays: Speed work
Wednesdays: Tempo runs (starts at 3 miles and tops out at 8 miles)
Saturday OR Sunday: Long runs (6-12 miles)


Seems pretty flexible...I'd add a couple days of crosstraining. Also I may convert Tuesdays into short distance tempos rather than gut-busting speed sessions, although a little speed work certainly wouldn't hurt.

But can three days a week get the job done?

Until I settle on a plan, I'm just keeping it steady as she goes as far as running. Hubs and I are running tomorrow, and I'd like to get 5 miles with some trail running thrown in for good measure.

Now I'm off to kayak with my coworkers (and I'm totally counting this as crosstraining).

My First Trail Run

Knee still hurts, but not enough to stop me from getting out in this GREAT weather and running.

And today I tried my hand (and feet) at trail running...

And it. Was. AWESOME.

It was a "short" 1.25 mile loop, but I went the wrong way (a couple times) and ended up doing 3 miles on the trail.

It took a while to get used to that wobbley feeling in my ankles, but then I felt like I was absolutely FLYING down that trail.

It was certainly a different running experience-- now my calf and quads are more sore than they've been in a long time.

But it was rewarding enough that I will do it again...and soon.

Heck, I've even made a new blog tag for it-- that's commitment!