Barefoot Running Style 101

It will be 1 year in March since I started running as a hobby, sport, and form of exercise. Previous to last March I could barely run a mile to save my life. Since then I have made leaps and bounds in my abilities and knowledge about running. The first month I began in the pair of sneakers I'd had since age 13. In that month I managed to irritate my right knee, causing even my pathetically short-runs (at that point in time) to give me pain. I knew something was wrong, but wasn't really sure what. I figured that since my shoes weren't falling apart yet, they were fine. After seeing some ads in the paper for running shoe sales, however, I headed to the store. Walking in, I fully intended to buy a normal pair of running sneakers. Walking out, I held in my hand my first pair of Vibram 5 fingers.

I posted last year a fair amount on my experiences and love of 5 fingers, so I won't reiterate too much of that now. Those shoes were the beginning of a learning curve for me about my whole form of running. Since then I acquired a pair of Merrell barefoot shoes, which I currently run in.

Barefoot, or minimalist shoes, as they are often called, opened up new possibilities for me in running. The idea was to get me landing on my forefoot, instead of my heal, as with traditional cushioned shoes. As I transitioned to this new form of running, my knee pain lessened and eventually disappeared. I was thrilled. At Christmas time I bought a book called "Barefoot Running," by Michael Sandler. This book covers all the bases of real, actual, "unshod" barefoot running. Before reading it, I was sure I would never even try running without shoes, but after a few chapters, I was convinced I would try it come spring.

The point that the book makes over and over is that we are misled about the concept behind shoes. We often think or hear, "Our feet are weak, which is why we need to protect them with shoes and cushions." Fact: shoes actually make our feet weaker by confining them and not allowing us to use their natural muscles.

Our feet are one of the most amazing parts of our body. They are a giant mass of muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and nerves, all designed to carry us, whether walking, running, or doing any other activity.

What I have discovered from this book, and by practicing the techniques therein, is that I have incredibly weak feet. I realized that I wasn't truly running by landing on my forefoot at all, just merely landing less on my heal (still not that great an accomplishment).

My run last week broke my person distance record with 8 miles. The downside, however, is that my muscles were tired, I was lazy in form, and my right ankle began to give me grief. I knew I needed to go back to the basics again, working on strengthening my feet and running light.

Today was my first day back out since last Sunday. I didn't go far, but focused on engaging my forefoot and toes, letting my foot act as the spring that it is, absorbing the shock, and preserving my other joints. The distance was far enough, but my feet felt so much stronger. It is liberating to be able to have stronger muscles in my feet. I know it will be a longer process working up distance this way, but I know the results will be worth it. By running the right way shod, I hope to be better prepared for going "shoe-less" this spring.

How weak are your feet? Can you pick up things with your toes? Can you hold a gold ball with your toes for more than 30 seconds? All good things to try to test whether you suffer from the effects of a shod nation.

Denial and Anger go hand in hand

Have you ever noticed that denial and anger walk closely together. I suppose I knew it to be true, but unless you are confronted with it, well, denial is denial after all. Denial often results for me after bad news. I get upset initially, and anger soon follows. Bad news can make me so angry that it almost seems like it can't happen, isn't happening, won't happen, all in the effects of denial. This was the case for me this week with some news I heard. Right now I don't feel like elaborating, so I'm just going to be vague. Sorry if that annoys you.

It doesn't really matter what the news is, however, more that for me, I had to learn a lesson the hard way that anger and denial really aren't the best ways to deal with tough stuff. It got me through this week without feeling too much emotion, however. I wasn't hurt, I wasn't all that sad, I was just angry.

Today all that changed. The news confronted me, directly from the person it concerned, making it impossible for me to deny and be mad. The reality began to settle, and the wall I had so carefully built this week fell down all at once. There I was, feeling emotionally naked, in front of more people than I care to remember.

I know I'm not the only person this has happened to. Lots of people build walls every day to keep their emotions hidden, in-check, and away from onlookers. This works for a while, and it makes us feel safer. But in the long run, it only makes the pain cut deeper, and exposes us at the worst times.

What have I learned from this experience? I really need to spend more time with God when faced with difficult news and situations in my life. He already knows my heart, so its okay to let the barriers down for Him, and let Him teach me what He will in that situation. Also, I need to remember to trust Him. He's big enough to take care of the things I have no control over. After all, He wants whats best, even more than I do, and only He knows what that is.

Married With Friends: chronicle 1

Having another adult in the home of a newly married couple does change things, even if that adult is a friend. Adam's face is still the first one I see in the morning, buy shortly after that another face and voice joins us for breakfast. It's no longer solitude that greets me when I come home at 2:00 but another voice, and usually music, country or classic rock.

It's taking some getting used to and some training. The first couple times Adam came home and instead of seeking me out to talk to first, it was Sunny. Right then I decided that in order for our living situation to work, we all have to be up front and honest with one another, rather than let small annoyances build up to the point of an emotional explosion.

As silly as it seems, it's often the little things that annoy in the long term enough to cause problems. So far we're taking one step at a time and it's going okay. And yes, maybe I'm a little selfish to feel I need to make sure I'm still #1 to Adam, but it helps me to know things haven't changed too much.

Married with Friends: the chronicles

Toady begins yet another chapter of our lives. As a few family members have coined it, "The honeymoon's over." Adam and I don't look at it that way, merely a change.

Adam's dream of starting his own business with motorcycles, bees, and more has become a reality. For now, he continues to work at Dailey's, with the hope to soon be part time, but the business has taken off. What has helped to make that greatly possible is the addition of a business partner: Sunny Tier. Adam and Sunny have been friends for as long as I can remember. Both grew up in Vermont in family-run businesses. Both aspired to start businesses of similar nature themselves. The result is a combination of businesses, including Motorcycle restoration, Bee keeping and honey sales, and Sign work. Sunny and Adam will be working together, assisting each other in the various ends of the business.

What does that have to do with the honeymoon being over? Nothing. What made it possible for Sunny to come up here from Tennessee and begin this venture is the ability to work closely with Adam, planning, building, growing, and creating a business together. For the time being, that is all happening under our roof. Sunny is living with us during these beginning stages of the business. We just so happened to have a rather private guest room, complete with its own bathroom. Dad fixed the shower valve, so now the bathroom fully functions, though it still needs to be completely renovated at some point.

Today was move-in day. Reminded me of moving into the dorm. That wonderful state of having all of your belonging in the middle of the room, trying to figure out where everything should go. I was truly amazed by the organizing ability of men. I was under the impression that only women enjoyed organizing. Seeing Adam and Sunny work together to find places for things was quite amazing. Now that I know he's capable when motivated, I should enlist Adam next time I go on an organizing spree.

I have a bright outlook on the living situation between the three of us. Sunny's space is downstairs, so if he wants to be away from us, he can. He also plans to spend the first weekend of every month with his parents, which will give us time to be just Adam and I again. I'm sure there will be times when we get on each other's nerves. Thats life. But as long as we're able to respect each other and allow space when needed, it should work out well. More on that as time goes by.

Always playing catch-up

Active bloggers put me to shame. Their creativity, time, frequency, all point to things I lack in my blogging. Truth is, there are just so many other things that take up my time. Yes, I should be a lot more flexible working part time, but there always seem to be things that need my attention more than the computer. Heard it all before. I'll stop making excuses.

Whats been going on? Well, I got my first haircut today in 8 months. I think thats a new record for me. The goal was to let it grow out, but then as I spent money other places, I just could never justify the extra on a haircut. Lame I know. But I finally got around to it, and boy do my ends feel better. I even added a little side bangs. :)

As for those little things that keep me busy:

1) Running 

     This unusual winter we've been having has allowed me to continue running outdoors through the winter. Its a good thing too, because I've discovered its not nearly as much fun to run on the treadmill. Its no wonder so many people name it "the dreadmill." The days I don't go outdoors are usually spent lazily indoors. There is just something so invigorating and freeing about running down the dirt road, in the cool air, seeing the beauty all around this place I live. I wouldn't trade it for the fanciest gym. 

2) Church duties

     In addition to my regular church offices, one of which is assistant treasurer, I recently became the treasurer of sorts of our pastor's non-profit: TLC Humanitarian International Missions. The duties are light, however, I do need to come up with an organization for the separation of funds, which will test my excel skills. 

3) Snowboarding

     Even though we've had quite the crappy winter in regards to snow, the mountains have managed to make a considerable amount of the white stuff, allowing us to hit the slopes a number of times. We've been out 3 times so far, 2 of which were at discounted rates, and one was free. We have a tentative plan to try it again on Valentine's Day, when there happens to be a 2-for-1 at Bromley. :) 

There really are many other little things, but those are just a few. For now, "thats all folks."

Resolutions and a Pig Story

The beginning weeks of this year find me in a much healthier state than I was not long ago. December brought the culmination of my growing sweetness addiction, contributed largely by the overwhelming amount of baked goods coming out of our kitchen at work, and the regular amount of holiday sweets. Sweets have always been my weakness. When I was young, I was known to eat half my dinner, not because I was full, so that I could save room for dessert (clearly the best part of the meal).

Up until November, I had been running consistently since March when I first fell in love with it. As the holiday came on, my time became more full, and my afternoons just didn't allow me to take a break to run. Not only was my sweet appetite increasing, but my activity was decreasing. Bad combo. I felt icky. Disgusted with myself. I knew I was eating an unhealthy amount of sugar, but I just couldn't say no. They beckoned to me, at work, home, parties, church. The list went on.

As many people know, no one can break addictive behaviors without at least wanting to. It wasn't enough to think that the extra sugar and lack of exercise was bad for me. I had to actually want to change things. Do you know what it took? Coming down with the typical after Christmas, sweet-attack cold. I had been fighting one since Thanksgiving, but my immune system finally gave in. Sick as I was, I knew it had to stop.

I knew myself well. Trying on my own to say no wasn't going to cut it. All it would take was the sight of a sweet and my watering mouth and the resolution would be out the window. So I decided to make it a matter of prayer. God is certainly capable of being strong for me, so I left it in His hands. No, that didn't mean the cravings disappeared and that it was a simple matter. But depending on Him to overcome instead of me, the pressure was off. I knew I could do it because the battle was already won, and I didn't have to do the fighting.

At the beginning stages of this change, I found myself relieved from all of the holiday stresses. I had time to run again. And run I did, against my initial aversion to the cooler weather. Second day out I tried out a route I hadn't run since I hurt by foot back in the summer. It was a glorious run, even in the light rain. My love of running was back.

As I continued to run most days and cut back on excessive sugars, I began to feel better. I even started eating better. I know, I know. Having a degree in Nutrition should mean that I was doing this already. What can I say. I'm human. Not perfect. And a human with a sweet tooth at that. But I have to say that God has blessed me with a newfound love for running, and I am grateful for that. I have always enjoyed exercise in all of its various forms, but previously, not running. This past year finally broke my dislike of running, and I am thrilled to have a new sport.


Now that I've rambled on about all that, did I mention I had a pig story to tell?

Last Friday I set out on a beautiful, cool day to run around the block (somewheres around 4 1/2 miles). One of my heals had rubbed a blister the day before, so I started off with a bandaid and a happy heart. A mille in, the bandaid had been adjusted once, and was beginning to fall off. Setting aside caution, I pushed forward, stepping gingerly to avoid excess pain. I chose to go the direction that allow me to go down the big hill instead of up, as I was not feeling incredibly energetic that day. Three quarters of the way around the loop, I spied a large creature standing in the middle of the road. I wasn't quite sure what it was at first, but as I approached, its shape identified it as a pig. A LARGE pig.

 It wandered back and forth across the road. A car passed me, driving slowly. The pig walked right up to the moving car, sniffing it, and almost brought it to a stop. Having heard a few negative pig stories, I was cautious as I moved forward. When I was still about 20 feet away, the beast finally spotted me, snorted, kicked up its hind legs, and ran off in the opposite direction, proving that though fat, the pig was fast. Even though it ran only a few feet, I was quite sure I didn't want to meet it up close. As I had no reason to believe it would get out of my way, I unhappily retreated the way I had come. By the time I finally got home, I was exhausted and had a large blister. But I had a great story! And I burned 722 calories to boot! Almost 6 miles under my belt. Not bad for an otherwise uneventful afternoon.

The Sweetest Time of Year

Hello. My name is Ashley Howe, and I am a sweet-a-holic. Its true. I've known it for a long time. At times I've fought it, tried to be good, cut refined sugar out of my diet, but at long last, I cave, and the cravings begin again. The holidays are a death sentence to sweet-a-holics. Its bad enough to fight cravings the rest of the year, but when gathering, party, and celebration are all accompanied by sweets, lots of them, its bad news. Cravings get stronger, we get weaker, oh yeah, and if we don't exercise, Fatter! ha!

Needless to say, working in a kitchen is no help for my addiction, especially in the last couple months. The previous 2 months have been building up to today, the participant holiday party. As this is my first year at BPI, I didn't really know what to expect. Did we really need all the sweets we were preparing? I didn't know, but I was sure it was going to be too much. Day after day we made and froze cookie dough. We made cakes and breads. Fudge and dips. Everything you can imagine having at a holiday party, we made it. And....sampled it. A lot. After all, the cook has to make sure it passes the taste test. Right?

I spent the better part of my day today just baking cookies. Its safe to say I baked over 20 batches of cookies, not including the angel food cakes I made, and all of the other treats we put out. And do you know what the result was? The thought of sugar actually makes me sick! I literally came home, exhausted, and when the image of that overflowing dessert/food table entered my mind, I almost gagged. How can we consider it a "happy" holiday when we aid ourselves and others in entering a sugary coma. Am I being dramatic? Probably. But seriously, it is almost disgusting how much sugar goes into common holiday treats such as cookies, brownies, cakes, and especially....fudge. Ick. Fudge should be taken right off the menu. Seriously.

It was like my weakness got a reality check.

Will sugar always temp me? More at some times than others. My resolution, however, is to be aware of how much sugar goes into the food that I make. I want to make a conscious effort to cut back on the refined sugar, and implement healthier ways to cook and sweeten recipes. The choice is yours. But for me, I know that if I don't get my addiction in check soon, I'll be a Type 2 diabetic later on for sure.