The Last Man to Run

HOLY COW!! HOLY COW!! I just wanted to see if I could do something I always said I'd never do and couldn't do. However, I think I just found the most effective gym membership. Ok, look, I know it's still nothing to write about - despite the fact I'm doing it anyways - but the truth is that I have made more progress with my physical goals in 2 weeks than I have in 6 months of gym work and diet. Granted, I didn't work out faithfully, but in 6 months I should have seen some progress. It's not like I had been eating whatever I want during lunch break. Truth be told, most times I don't even eat a real lunch. So, again, it's nothing to brag about but I just want you to see the results of 2 short weeks. Heck, I would have been happy to get them in a month and a half. Now, do you think I'm motivated to keep going? Do you think I have found another reason to run? And do you think I am becoming a believer? This is 2 weeks of light work (light work doesn...

I've been running basically every other day, this is my 4th run, and I wanted to make it count. So I set out on an easy route that we usually drive, it's longer than I have done but it's a straight shot. No turns. Getting up there got to be a little hard, I got winded a couple of times and the bottom of my feet were hurting again from the unaccustomed style of running-barefoot, which causes you to slap your feet a little more when you run. However, it keeps you from using your heels as a landing pad for all of your body weight multiplied by the force you're landing with. As I was getting to the half way mark of my run, the sun set and I came to a rather dark section of sidewalk. I felt a car pull next to me. It was a cop! He was scouting me!! Apparently, a man with a Camelbak and barefoot running shoes looks suspicious, which is refreshing since I actually thought I could only look ridiculous. "Yes, Mr. Officer. I did go buy these funky shoes so I could pull...

DISCLAIMER: I do this for all those who have wanted to give running a try but don't know how to feel about it. I hope my experiences will allow you to vicariously live the first and most feared days of training. Ok. So this time was only a little over 1 mile, but the fact that I even went out after the beating I took last time, makes me feel like a new man. Are you wondering what it feels like to not run and then push yourself hard? Let me answer in 2 ways. 1- On a personal level: It feels awesome. Learning or re-learning that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, is really empowering. It doesn't matter if it's a great distance or not. All that matters is that it's a challenge to you, and that YOU accomplish it. You are only accountable to yourself. In fact, this makes it easier to get out and do it. No one is going to tell you that you didn't do as much as someone else on their first try. However, this is also why it's so dangerous, because n...

Ok, it wasn't a 10K or anything impressive - (are 10K's impressive? it sounds impressive but maybe I'm just making myself look like an even bigger running virgin). My first shot at running was a humble 1.8 miles. Just from my house to the city library and back. I didn't set out to inspire anyone, however, usually that would be a drive for me. A distance worth driving is too far to walk and much less to run. This is why I thought it'd be a good goal, I'd be pushing myself but at the same time and in a worst case scenario I could drag myself the last 3 blocks. Also, it is a decently trafficked area on either side of the route so someone would have noticed my unconscious body on the sidewalk - and hopefully someone would have done something about it. So, I put on my Fila Skeletoes shoes (more on this later), secured my Camelbak - pathetic I know, but just in case, after all I didn't know how my body would respond not only to the physical aspect of it but...

"Born to Run my ###! Running is for fools!" That's what I have always said and always truly have believed. My name is Brigham Iraheta, and this is quite the fun experiment. I hope you enjoy it and that you can find something helpful to you - even if it's just forgetting about work for a bit, because you're probably reading this instead of doing your job. I won't tell. "Why? Why? What's so fun about running, going from point A to B? At best that's like being a more mobile, faster zombie - which would be catastrophic, actually." No way! If there's not a basketball, football, soccer ball or even volley ball to go after, don't even bother trying to get me involved. I need an opponent across the way to put to shame - or accuse of cheating if I lose - otherwise I'm not going to mess with it. That was me 2 months ago. Then again, back then I also looked like this. Look, I know it's nothing impressiv...