Running, Running and the looks you get when you are carrying your shoes in your hands instead of on your feet!

So my foot has mostly healed from an injury I had picked up a while back (and promptly ignored for 4 months) after a week off.  The physical fitness test I have been training for was postponed due to the injury. While I would like to get this done and over (in a passing way), I can't complain about a few more weeks to train!  So Although my running for the physical fitness test is only 1.5 miles, I have mixed distance into it - as I view myself as a distance runner.  Saturday I did 10 miles, 3 miles longer than I have run in the last 16 years.  (my knees still hurt from this stupidity).

So this week I have limited my running, 2 five mile runs earlier in the week, and a 3.5 mile run yesterday, with the last half mile in bare feet.  The times haven't been horrible - but a 45 minute five miler, or a 29 minute 3.4 miles are certainly not the sub-20 5k I would like to get back to.   They say slow and steady wins the race, so I will keep my progress going - even if it is slowly.. Though with fall here, and winter approaching, it means the race season is mostly done.  This bodes well for next spring if I train all winter.  I did my last 5k in sub 24 minutes.. Perhaps I can shave 4 minutes off over the winter?

So, the last 1/2 mile last night was in bare feet. I have been doing alot of reading on barefoot running and the benefits that it can offer. The problem being my feet have been in shoes for 35 years, so I need to build the muscles and tendons up to the idea of doing their actual job.  All of the sources online for barefoot running, or for running in the vibram fivefingers - That you start out VERY slowly.  Hence my 1/2 mile run.  For the record, most of the sites I read DID mention 1/4 of a mile, not 1/2... And my calves are certainly quite tight and sore today.. 

Running barefoot was interesting.  Down hills seemed far less controlled, possibly due to my paranoia of foot-pain... But I imagine as my feet toughen up and I get over my mental blocks - that aspect will become far less of an issue (I hope.)  I don't know yet if I plan on actually going with the whole barefoot running concept, or if I am just building up strength for Vibram Five Fingers, or just to make my feet stronger.  But I have to admit, IT would be pretty cool to line up at a local road race with no shoes on.

On a funny note, I headed out for my run last night, and right at the beginning I went by the person who runs my kid's after school program.  On the way back (in barefeet), there she was again! She asked why I didn't have shoes - so I showed her they were in my hands!!!

She may think I am a bit odd...

Foot-Technology..

An amazing thing..   When I began to run 20 years ago, American runners knew that you needed good shoes to protect your joints as you ran.  More padding, such as Nike added with the "Air Max" would help protect your joints from pain and damage.  Everyone understood this fact, and bought the best shoes they could afford.

I recently ran Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, the story of a 260 pound man that wanted to run, and wouldn't accept "modern medicine's" response of - a 260 pound man can't run without pain, and eventually ALL runners are going to face injury.  His research took him to a tribe in Mexico made up of the greatest runners that mankind has ever seen.  They ran in sandals.

There seem to be several different shoe choices now - for those that want to run "like they are barefoot", but without the danger of glass landing in your foot.  From the Luna Sandal (sold by Barefoot Ted from the book Born to Run), Vibram Fivefingers (with toes!!!), Runamoc, or even Nike Free Run+ we can now spend $85 or more to run like we have no shoes on!  (There are those that suggest we can run like we have barefeet for far less money.. But that involves a level of bravery that my poor sensitive feet don't yet grant me..)

There is a series of experts that are well regarded that point out that barefoot running (or minimalist running) strengthens the foot, and changes your running style in  such a way as to help prevent injury.  When you don't heal strike - you don't send the same level of "jarring" up your legs and back.  The suggestion is that Running shoes, while trying to "fix" our stride - is actually causing us damage. (Podiatrists are NOT fans of this thought process).  With my upcoming Physical Fitness test in a week and a day, now is not the time for me to be experimenting with new running styles, yet I do look forward to passing my PFT (and having my broken toe heal) so I can try out a pair of the Vibram Fivefingers and see how they work!

First Post..

Hello to the no-one-out-there that knows this blog exists!  But perhaps eventually someone will trip across it - and it's always nice to have an introduction to help "set the scene."

Welcome to "OddFutures.wordpress.com."  Why OddFutures? 

1) I have been looking at life for the last year or so, and realized that my life - while relatively pleasing, is seriously..... Average.  It gives me a decent amount of pleasure as I get up, kiss the kids and wife good-by, go to work, come home, kiss the kids and wife hello, eat dinner, watch tv/play on the computer and go to bed.

Add into that equation: Cub-master for the local cub scout pack (which my wife and I currently run - she is also the troop leader for the Girl Scout Brownie troop), Karate Dad (and participant) and Dance dad (though to be fair - my wife almost always handles the "bring the daughter to dance" part). 

Take all of these things into consideration - and I have a fairly non-odd present.  So why "Odd Futures?"  Well, last year I began to look at ways to change things around. 

• I applied to the United States Naval Officer Candidate School, but was to old to be selected. 


• I have an application up in front of the July 2010 board for direct commissioning to the United States Naval Reserve Supply Officer Corps.

I also felt that "Odd Futures" was very fitting - as we live in a truly amazing age.  Despite the fact that our politicians are to busy pointing at each other's faults to accomplish as much as they could - there are those truly trying to accomplish something they believe in.  They are looking for something to truly better this country - and they exist in both parties, and outside of them.  I see the potential for some great things to look at there - in regards to our future as a country and a world.

There are also incredible things happening in the scientific communities, with technology (have you really stopped and thought about what an IPhone or an Android Phone can do today?  It does more than the Star Trek communicators!), and in so many other fascinating aspects of life. 

"Normal" isn't what it used to be.. The world is quite odd.. and its future looks that way as well..