The Last Man to Run

A while back I thought I was more capable than I am. Well, maybe I forgot I'm not as young as I used to, or maybe I am not as smart as I thought I was... regardless, I ran way more than was advisable for me and as a test of my ability and capability; it was just stupid! However, I accepted a challenge to do a 10 miles run when I wasn't at that level yet. It was roughly a 150% increase from one week to the next. Sure I did it! It felt great finishing it. Great bragging rights! But here I am, over a month later still paying the price of over-reaching. It was awesome to be able to see how you can push your body to do some crazy things you never thought you could. It was great to overcome the mind and the body. It's not just mind over body, but also will  over mind. The mind will tell you you can't. Your body will tell you you can't. Your will is the only one who believes in you. Let me tell you something, your will sometimes can be very ambitious--too ambitious fo...

I haven't written in a while. It has gotten harder to get out and run. I'm still doing it. It just seems that since I started improving and getting compliments from most people who know me, I have become complaisant. A word and attitude I hate but something that is very much a part of me. Yes, I became somewhat happy with where I am and I haven't been working as hard as I should or as hard as I know I can. I am not making progress towards my goals. It's time to take it to the next stage. I mean it's time to up the running and time to get where I originally intended, which is to sculpt my body and become strong enough to do a hardcore obstacle race such as the Tough Mudder. Today I hit the gym hard. 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 squats with 25lbs in cowbells. I did sets of 20s in order to ease my way into it and make sure I could finish the sets. This is where I stand as of this picture (6-23-13). I want to see how much progress I can make in 1 month, even 1...

When I went on my first run ever, it was a lowly 2 mile run on some lower class barefoot style  running shoes. All I wanted to find out was how hard it would be for me. I figured I could at least finish, I wasn't in that bad a shape. It was more of an assessment for me and a test to see if running was something humans really were born to do, if so, I should be able to do it. And if anyone wanted to disprove it, it was me. It's very interesting to see how sometimes one simple action can lead to major changes. My change started with running those 2 miles, and here I am 9 months later and my life looks and feels quite different than it did in May of last year. What started with running is slowly turning into a life style change that is going farther and farther into actually caring, really caring, about what I do with my body. I am researching and learning all kinds of things about how to live healthier more naturally. It's crazy. Purple Beauty 1/2 a pomegranate 1 Ban...

TRY THESE AND FEEL BETTER I dare you to try eating any of these meals and not feel better. I also dare you to try them and tell me they are completely horrid and inedible. These are pretty healthy meals and they are easy to make. They are simple, which your body loves , and they are tasty enough for you to enjoy them. If you are looking to eat something that will leave you full, energized, fueled and feeling light, then these meals are for you. They are easy to digest because they have high contents of enzymes (digestive aids naturally found in plants) and because unlike animal proteins, it doesn't sit in our stomach for hours before being broken down. They have plenty of nutrients which fuel your body without the extra calories and high sugars or fats in other foods. Getting good fuel in our system allows us to function better, clearer and avoid feeling tired or druggy (which I actually like to call it draggy). We don't have to give up taste, we just have to retrain...

2012 brought with it one of the biggest surprises of my life. Against all my previous beliefs I started running, just running. I always swore I'd never do this thing, this boring activity, this... running... thing. "Know Thyself" This is probably one of the most under-appreciated worthy goals in life and one of the last things I thought I'd get from running. The goal of knowing ourselves should be up there with winning a noble prize. When I first started running, I still was a bit discriminating against it. My perception was still that it was a mind-numbing boring activity, so I'd take my audiobook with me and listen to it as I ran. However, after some problems with my smart phone I saw myself forced to run without it. This left me alone with my thoughts and it would allow my mind to be aware of what was going on in the moment. This is much harder because you are aware of every twitch, every discomfort, your heavy breathing, etc. It is in these moments that...

You look at those pictures and you'd think I failed, right? November 2012. 165 lbs May 2012. 170 lbs                        You look at those pictures and you'd think I failed, right? The biggest farce, scam, misconception - or whatever you want to call it - in the wellness world is the "losing weight" concept. "Oh, I need to lose 10 pounds", or "I need to lose some weight", "I need to lose a lot of weight, though" blah blah blah blah blah... It's the most ridiculous way of thinking when it comes to your health. Really? Is that what you really need? Even further, is that what you really want? Probably not. Let me explain. (By the way, please pardon my ultra sexy and stylish superman pants, I obviously didn't remember I had them on when I got the picture taken.) If I was taking "weight" only into account when evaluating my physical state, I would have an argument that the 6 months I spent trying to change ...

Some people will say that running is crazy. I think running is mental. That's right, in any way you wanna look at it. We put ourselves to this intense amounts of pain, unnecessary pain. Running is mental, and here is what I mean: Running is Mental. A lot of us know we'll never win a marathon and that we'll be glad just to participate and finish one. We train so we can get all of the pain without necessarily any of the glory. Who does that? It's a little normal that some people run with a purpose, i.e. losing weight, heart health, but others simply just... run. Marathons are 26.2 miles of constant running. Have you ever measured that with your car? It's far. Running that much is mental. Ultra-runners must be crazy. Who gets up before dawn to run 50+ miles in one sitting? The bad water ultramarathon is some 135 miles in the freaking Death Valley desert. Who does that? That's crazy, right? It's gotta be. It's definitely not normal. "Normal...

Ever wanted to do a Ragnar? Here are a few "soundbites" if you will, if you want a bit of insight about it. A Ragnar can be torture or a lot of fun. It just depends on who you ask. Really! There are some people here who look like they can't wait to hit the next Ragnar. And then there's people like me - probably not many - who are just thinking "ok, been there, done that, mark it off, don't need to do it again". LOL Aside from that, it has been a good test and exercise of will over mind. Oh yes, and the elements. It was freaking cold here in Las Vegas, I think the only thing I did right in preparing for this was bring 2 sweaters, 2 long sleeve shirts and flannel pajama bottoms. Without those items I would have not been able to survive. It was that cold. There are a couple of things that could have made this a great experience, not that I didn't have fun; it's just that it could have been so much better. I think the problem here with me was t...

For someone who said he'd never take up running, doing a Ragnar might seem a bit of a stretch. Even in the leg I chose is one of - if not - the easiest of them. Still, doing 12 miles in one day seems like quite the undertaking for me right now. I don't know why I let people talk me into this. Or do I? I think deep inside I really wanted to do it, I wanted to find out if I could really do it. I've been pushing my limits quite a bit lately and this might be a more measurable (and visual - show and tell) way to accomplish the same. At least I can get a cool story out of this, a small bragging right. 12 miles in one day. 12 miles is what I have done in, maybe, a week before. In all honesty, the last man to run is really living up to his name; and might, for all intents and purposes, live up to it in the race and be the last man to run through his leg's check points. It's also a lot more involved than I imagined, had I known everything you have to do to run this thin...

I'm looking more like I want to. Running is the best slimming exercise I have ever tried, and I have tried lots. I'm not done yet but I'm reaching my goal and I have made good progress. Look at my pictures, end of May to mid-October. Running is effective. Enough said.

It's been a bit of time since I have had time to publish on here, which is too bad because I had one of my most exciting experiences ever. I went for about 5 miles a couple of weekends ago. And while I paid for it later, I will say it was well worth it. My knees were actually inflamed by the end of the day. In my inexperienced opinion, I must have been doing something wrong, something incorrectly with my form. That was a fair price to pay for the exhilarating experience that is Runner's High. My friend Will got me to push myself yet again. I was really worried and afraid to go for 5 miles because it sounded intimidating but more than anything I didn't want to be lame and slow Will down.Fortunately he's very good at dealing with my rookie-ness. This allowed me to push past mile 1, then uphill onto mile 2, then down hill for mile 3 and then... boom!! There it was. I remember thinking "I feel good, I'm feeling pretty good right now" then I just kept g...

This week I have tried to go hit it hard, but after only half a mile, wear out sets in, it becomes a mental battle just to keep going for that first mile. Mile 2 seems almost unreachable. At least that's how it was 3 days ago. I ran again last night, it was cold, and that made it a bit more painful than usual. Because I've never done that before, my chest became yet another thing to battle; another element to try to push out of my mind. I tried to go for a fast mile and after less than half a mile it became painful to breathe. You know, that blood taste feeling in your mouth. It was hard and discouraging. However, I did another 8 minute mile, which is my fastest mark to date and I hadn't done that in a few days. That was a little encouraging but just a little, after all I am not training for a sprint but for endurance and distance. Does anyone have any tips for running in the cold? I'm still feeling its effects in my esophagus. Thanks for the comments and advice....

It is totally logical to rest and the concept of recovery. However, I have found through unfortunate circumstances that even what seems like just a little rest can be detrimental. I was sick for almost a week and then I traveled for work for almost a week, back to back. This made for 1 run in almost a week and a half. I tried going for a quick 2 mile run last night and after the first mile was done, so was I. The side shin splits were burning so bad, and it didn't matter how much mental toughness I wanted to apply the pain got me. Last time I ran I did a fulfilling 4 miles, and I swear it wasn't much harder than last nights 2 miles. The moral of the story: Resting does have value. Too much rest seems to have no value. At least not for starting amateurs such as myself. I did read an article about Bernard Lagat, the U.S. Olympian who's pushing the boundaries of running and age. Most people figured he'd be out of his prime and competitiveness because he's 37. Yet,...

I had an interesting thought today. I went out for a run, predetermined to push myself a bit more than I had in the past. I set a distance goal in my head and then went for it. 2 things happened: ONE: I made it in better fashion than expected. I went from point A to point B without stopping - something I didn't think I was ready for at least for a couple of weeks. And TWO, when I shared my accomplishment on Facebook, someone commented "I wish I could do that too"; which evoked a series of thoughts in my head, leading to this one in specific: there are no rules when you go running. Anyone can do it, but you have to want to. I didn't just wish I could do it, well, maybe once upon a time I did but that was never enough. I decided I would go as far one way or another. I didn't worry about the details i.e. my speed or how often I would stop. I just started reading a book my friend, running partner and volunteer trainer Will lent me - Runner's World Complete B...

Sometimes you should push yourself as much as you believe you can handle, because you know what you can do and when it's too much. Sometimes. Then sometimes, you should find a way to be pushed and find out just how far you can really go. Especially if you're not being honest with yourself anymore. I might have been at that point, maybe, maybe not; however I ended up being pushed and I'm glad it happened. The same friend who took me to get a gate analysis, and get my awesome shoes, tells me he can get me ready for a half marathon in a month. Ok. I'd love to see that. I'd LOVE to do that, so here we go. I'm going to let him push me and see how far I can get; because honestly speaking I never would have pushed myself that hard. We went out for a run at 6:45 which is a push in and of itself - it's the first time I've been up before 7am in a LONG time - and hit the chilly pavement on a chilly morning yesterday. By the time everything was said and done we...

I finally was able to run 2 miles non-stop. Not a big deal for most, but a big deal for me. The farthest I had done without stopping was maybe 1.2 miles. This time it was actually closer to 2.2 miles. It was also the last time I ran in my Fila Skeletoes (I got my new Brooks PureContact the 2 days later). In the book Born to Run, Caballo Blanco tells Chris McDougall that the first step to running like him (caballo) is to make it easy. That is what I focused on this time. I wasn't worried about time, or speed or what anyone thought. I was only worried about making it easy. This meant going very slow and really concentrating on my form. Slow and steady wins the race? Maybe. Maybe not. But I dare say that because I didn't do any recovery walks I actually ran the 2 miles faster than I have before. It is also worthy of mention that I did this mainly because of how much my feet had been hurting, probably mostly from using my skeletoes - which saddens me because I loved them so ...

THE NEXT NEEDFUL STEP: In my last posts I've shared how much my feet hurt. It could be that I was too much gone-hoe about running, but I don't think that's it at all. It could be that I went recklessly gone-hoe. Yeah, I can go with that. The thing is, when you're going to do something you've never done before and that you're not a fan of, it's hard to go at it half-heartedly; you have to overcompesate - I think - and go bold. That being said, there probably is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. I might have gone a little too far into the extreme when I decided to go barefoot style. For someone who hadn't ran before - as in the sport of running; running for an extended period of time or distance - it might have been a wise deed to ease my way into the whole thing. Barefoot style running does have its advantages and it got me excited enough to start running, but for a newbie, it is just too much too early. They gave me a good running form (this ...

In my last post I told you all about how I am having a hard time with pains and aches derived from bare foot style running. The ball of my foot, in both feet, feel bruised and tender when they cool down after not using them for a while. They are especially tender in the morning, but as soon as I start walking they get better, that being said, I don't think it's good that they hurt this way in the first place. I am looking for ways to make things better. I am pretty sure my feet are hurt. I want to help them heal, however, I don't want to do it with ibuprofen, I don't want to become dependent on those pills to log my mileage. That'd be miserable and needless to say a bad thing for my insides - can you say ulcers? Essential oils have had a long standing reputation for their all natural healing properties. Oils such as Wintergreen, Peppermint and Balsam Fir have great healing properties when it comes to relieving pain, reducing inflammation and increasing blood fl...

I didn't know what to call this post, but I wanted to share something with you. Running is still painful , I am not going to lie to you and tell you that it's fun and I am having the time of my life because I am not. My feet hurt in the morning, when I do go out and run, it is painful right off the get-go. I find myself stopping more often because I don't want to hurt myself. It is definitely time to go and get some non-minimalist shoes. I love my FILA Skeletoes but I think I am just not ready for them. Any suggestions?  I have been icing and that seems to help. I am also now taking a ligaments and muscles supplement - I'll let you know how that works. All this being said, and after I have helped you decide to chuck this silly running idea right out the window and be done, may I get you to read just a little bit longer? I'm not going to go back on my word and flip flop like a desperate and inexperienced politician. I still stick to my word that running is...

So, as it turns out I'm not indestructible - it's been a rough couple of weeks. I really felt that I could just put on some barefoot style running shoes and be ok. My reasoning? Since I had never ran, actually ran, in my life, I had no bad habits to put me in physical danger. Well, aside of doing something stupid which did lead me to a foot injury that lasted 2 weeks, no major injuries have come to me. However, there is something that's not adding up. I hurt. Every! Day! Every morning. Is this normal? And if it is, do people actually get any pleasure out that? That is commonly known as masochism.  Usually you are told to transition from regular running shoes into barefoot running. "Why in the world would you bother with barefoot style?" You might ask. Well, it turns out that according to many sources and running experts, barefoot running is the most healthy form of running. Ergonomically, it's how we're meant to run. A lot of people don't agree with...