KathyG's 2012 Awesome Mentor Group-Full up (Page 12)

I've actually gotten hit while running across a cross walk as a woman rolled through her stop sign (I jumped up onto her hood).  The woman's excuse was that she was from Rhode Island and didn't know where she was going.  I asked her whether there were stop signs and cross walks in Rhode Island and she sped away. 

I feel like there needs to be a public service campaign about sharing roads with bikes and pedestrians (for both the drivers of cars and the bikers and pedestrians). 

Kelly,

Tough to understand how folks are driving and being so oblivious to surroundings.

I almost was hit twice by the same mailman within a mile. I went to the post office and complained to the manager.

I have a pair that I used for doing weight lifting.

For me at my age trying to change the way I run would likely lead to injury. If you have been a shoe wearer for most of your life, big change.

I have seen folks here on BT get them and go run 3 miles or even a 1/2 Mary right after they got them.  The adaptation to them would be best to wear them around home, walks with them then very short runs or part of a run with them.  Lots of folks have calf issues if the start wearing them to quickly yet some folks love them.

What did your niece's thesis conclude?

I wear barefoot shoes Vivo Barefoot Neos casually and pretty exclusively. BUT. I only run with them max one run a week generally on the shortest day. Never gone long enough to encounter pain of any kind. 

I also have a pair of VFF Sprint, but sometimes they bother my pinkie toe (which I guess are longer than normal). I like wearing them at the gym.

Thanks for the info. I think I have a test scheduled on the 23rd, so we'll see what comes of that. Definitely think the fan may be an issue - I've been using a fairly puny box fan.

dp

Congrats on the first steps!!

Yes the Air KIng is great strong fan...I can only use the highest setting when doing zone 4 or 5 intervals.

I'd also recommend reading the power book put out by Skilba....I think it is better than the Coggan power book more geared to cyclists. Both of Skilba books will help you understand training with power. First book helps with understanding of the second one specific about power for triathletes.

I spoke with my podiatrist about them a few years ago. He knows his stuff: he has been the medical coordinator for the Olympic marathons and race walks on numerous occasions, is the team podiatrist for both the Thrashers and Falcons, as well as a consultant for many of the collegiate athletic programs around the southeast. His take at that time is that the barefoot running trend is "great for business."

having grown up as a redneck kid in the south I hardly ever wore shoes, except maybe to church on occasion. I still spend a vast amount of time barefoot, or at least in stocking feet. For as long as I can remember I have done my cool down runs after speed work on the track in the infield grass, barefoot. I am not sure why or how that started, except that it feels awesome to run barefoot in grass. I am not really a VFF guy, but I have been running in Nike Frees for a number of years and have run up to the marathon distance in them and wouldn't think twice about running further. But even with all that, I do believe my doc when he says they have been good for his business!

Hey Amanda - you very well could be on to something relative to exercising on your concrete floor and how your feet feel. Your floor is made out of reinforced concrete which is very hard on your feet. That is why you see a lot of us nuts running on the street when we should be up on the sidewalk - as hard as it is, the asphalt of the street is WAY softer than the concrete sidewalk. I haven't ever done the insanity workouts, but I have friends that do - and it sound like they can be hard on your feet.

the run/walk strategy is a brilliant way to start distance running. I actually used this method years ago to finish my first marathon in 3:25, which at that time was just 5 minutes off a Boston qualifier for me.

and believe it or not I am a little jealous of you! I have many, many races that I cannot even remember, but everything about that first one is as if it was just this morning. Standing on the beach looking out at those buoys - 400 yards seemed like forever! Your first race is kinda like your first kiss: it is scary, awkward, exciting, and you will do it all wrong. Like your first kiss, you will wind up all sweaty, and your friends probably even dared you into it. You will never ever forget it, and you won't be able to wait to do it again!

Hey everyone-

Unscheduled rest day yesterday for me.  Feeling sick (congested chest, cough, very sore throat)!  Plus work and board activities held my attention!  I feel like I've slipped.

Had two wonderful 8.5 mile runs over the weekend.  Tomorrow will be back to the pool.  Rest of the week is iffy because husband and son are going on a winter survival camping trip in way northern MN this weekend.

I saw the discussion of VF shoes.  The sister of a friend suffered with severe PF for over a year and in desperation tried VFs and found great relief.

Everyone is doing a great job with consistent training.  I so appreciate this group to keep me honest and on track.  Thanks, everyone.  Kathy great new to be back on your feet.  This down time must be pure agony.

It's better to skip workouts and allow your body to recover from the bug.  Here's hoping that your body gets rid of this quickly!

Susan and Mike - I'm with Kathy - rest up and live to fight another day.
My general rule of thumb is that if I am sick above the neck, I will still give it a whirl, albeit at an easier intensity. Below the neck - and it is a day off for me. The neck is a gray area. I HATE HATE HATE a sore throat. I don't know what it is, but a sore throat is one of the few things in life that really puts me in a foul mood. Completely irrational, I know.

For all its other health benefits (both physical AND psychological), endurance training really can compromise the immune system. Based on past history, I know I am due a good bug soon. My germy students have been back from the holiday break for about 10 days now, and the studio is like a petri dish. I spend about 12 hours per week in close contact with the students, and we are REALLY hands-on in the work. I wash my hands about a billion times a day - any other advice from the group on avoiding the sickies this time of year? Sounds like there are at least a few of us that could use it!

Hi Amanda.  Just keep plugging away.  I avoid insanity workouts.  For that matter, I barely do any strength training because it doesn't fit into my schedule very good.

Swimming is my limiter.  I clearly remember not even being able to do 25 yards of freestyle.  Now with some work I can swim a straight mile.  It took time and dedication to get to that point, though.  I'm still bad at swimming and I'm always going to struggle.  I kinda enjoy the struggle, though.  I guess that's why I haven't switched over to duathlons! 

OK sickies!  I agree with the neck theory.  I keep my workouts really super mellow if I'm sick and abandon the workout if I feel like poo.

I work at a gym.  Lots of germs flying around.  I wish people would clean their machines when they are done.  I clean every machine before and after I get on it and then wash my hands and face.  I'm not sure it helps but at least I'm doing everything possible to avoid some germs.  I got pneumonia last spring.  I DO NOT need a second round of it!  It was horrible!

That was pretty much the conclusion my niece came to in her paper. In a nut shell, the human foot has evolved to be in shoes and as such our gait has changed. If you are a person who frequently is bare foot, such as myself (love to garden barefoot) you may not have much problem with converting to minimalist shoes. That said, I am sure it would be a slow transition regardlessdue to the change in gait especially when running.

In the end, I guess I'll never know unless I try them! Thanks for all of the feedback!