Changes keep coming

So sometime in the evening after Sunday's run I noticed I had developed a huge blister on the side of my foot. That's what I get for not using some anti-chafe gel, I suppose. In order to give my feet time to rest I've been hitting the elyptical this week instead. Unfortunately, that's extremely sweaty work, and given that I already sweat at a very high rate while indoors anyway, this can lead to much awkwardness. Today I was drenched so bad I actually couldn't maintain a grip on the handlebars, they were slicked down with sweat that badly. I ended up having to just kind of lean on the machine for the last ten minutes or so. This was in itself a problem however, because of my headband. I recently picked up a Halo brand band, which is supposed to funnel moisture away from your eyes. What they don't tell you is that it only works when you hold your head level (which most of us do while running, which is what it's designed for), but leaning over, like when riding a bike, causes all the sweat to just drip down your nose instead. So I had to keep throwing my head back every time I felt a cascade start. It was very distracting, did not help me concentrate on the workout at all. I may have to try something different tomorrow.

Also lately I've been reading more snippets from Brazier's book, which gets real intense real fast. While I find myself intrigued and entranced by his diet regime, I don't think it's something I could ever entirely follow, not in it's base form. It is such an austere, focused diet that I have to question what it is that Brazier thinks people are trying to get out of food. Certainly not taste. That does seem to fit with the theme of it all though, given that the diet's focus is on maximizing energy output rather than being concerned with more humanistic aspects.

Allow me to ellaborate for the unfamiliar (or those too busy to read at length from Brazier's blog). The Thrive diet is an extremely focused Raw Foods Vegan Diet. No Corn, no Gluten, no Soy. The remaining sphere's of consumption can be called limited at best, Draconian at worst. The core of it lies with eating leafy greens in order to "cleanse" the digestive tract, followed by a modest selection of fruits, faux grains, and nuts to complement dietary requirements. I could imagine a professional athlete following this diet quite rigorously, as well as a few orders of Buddhist monks. However, the layman require's an additional, simpler element to their daily fair: taste. As one cannot live on bread alone, one cannot also consist for long on a diet of Kale, Spinach, and Hemp before one goes completely mad.

While I will certainly be adapting some dietary changes based on what I've been reading (and already have instituted many of them, for much the better on my training I might add), to believe as the author does that this is a diet that could ever be applied to "the common man" is utterly laughable. For one thing, most people don't have the time or monetary resources that such a diet would place upon them. Also, while I am sure that the thought of a Raw diet holds much credence down where it is warm year round, such as California, here in the cold north I would decry you to find a common worker who is willing to come home on a frosty day to a dinner of cold lettuce. In short, the diet is much like asking a man in a wheelchair to run a marathon: better to get him to learn how to walk again first, then worry about the more lofty goals. Until the entire world can be fed comfortably, such a diet is only obtainable by a lucky few in the bourgoise class, and only those that have something that they place more important than the taste of their food. Much of what upper society eats may be empty of any nutritional value, but I'm guessing most will continue to choose the pie over carrot, even when they know what it means in the end.

Alright, this rant has waxed on long enough. For the record, I really do like what Brazier is attempting to achieve through his work, it's that he appears to have bit off a bit more than he can chew here.

Rain Puddles

Oh boy, was this a day of ups and downs. I was half certain there for quite a while that I wasn't going to get a run in at all. I had originally planned to take Kami with me out to Enumclaw, where we would hook up with my dad and take a lovely journey through the country, them on bikes, me on foot. Of course, I woke to the site of pattering rain this morning, but after several scans of the Doppler I determined that the clouds were moving South and that we would probably have clear skies soon. Sadly, and much to my chagrin, the clouds were in fact moving north, and the rain continued for almost two hours after we arrived. I was just about to give up and head back to Tacoma when the downpour slowed to a trickle. A group consensus was reached that we should make an attempt at the trip, although shortening it a bit, and off we went.

Of course, there were more problems. My Camelbak got a plug in it right off the bat because I hadn't mixed up the powder in it sufficiently, I forgot both my cell phone and the bagel I had been planning to bring along, and my pedometer's battery died about a mile out, so I ended up running the whole thing having my dad shout out mileage and speed to me from the other side of the road. On the whole though it was very pleasant, with only a few light sprinkles of rain here and there, and even a bit of sun during the middle of it. Totaled out to somewhere around 23 miles in about 3:15, although I can't be certain of the exact distance.

In other news, I'm still reading away though the novel Once a Runner, although I've also started reading Brendan Brazier's Strive book on the side. Kami and I have been adopting a bit of his Vega brand of products into our workouts, and I wanted to know a bit more about the philosophies behind them. Haven't read much of it yet, but so far it seems to confirm that I'm on the right track with what I've been doing about my training and recovery plans.

So, while three more weeks of tax season remain, I should only have 2 more Saturdays where I go in. After that I can begin expanding my training regime a bit more, traveling a bit farther for my workouts. I've got plenty planned here locally, but I've also got some ideas for a few more exotic locals to travel to do some running. Of course much of that hinges on the weather, and if the rain continues in the coming months like it has been, I'm going to be sorely undertrained for Sun Mountain regardless of how many miles I put in. So here's to hoping for some clear skies!

Mid week Post

I've now run for 4 days in a row, including my long run on Sunday. If I'm lucky I'll manage to make a total of six days in a row, with a speed interval tomorrow and an easy run on Friday. Also on Friday I'm gonna do a test run at the gym with my new trail shoes, help break them in a bit before I try to take them off road, so to speak. I attribute much of my recently found strength to getting a good boost of protein right after I finish my runs. Hopefully my energy levels will keep up as well.

For this weekend's run I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will be nice, because if it is I'll haul out to Enumclaw early in the morning for a run in the country. My father already offered to follow me on his bicycle for company, and I think I've convinced my wife to get up early with me, throw her bike in the car, and tag along as well. I could have quite the entourage following me if this keeps up!

Finally, I also signed up for membership to the American Trail Running Association, since it comes with subscriptions to both Running Times and Trail Runner, as well as a discount to Ultrarunning Magazine. Not that I'll be renewing my membership to that one any time soon; until I've successfully completed an ultra, I'm not worthy to look at its hallowed black and white pages.

Alright, signing out.

Quick Entry

Bleh, just a quick post and then I'm off to bed.

I haven't had many opportunities to post lately (well, I have, but when the choice is to write here or to sleep...), but hopefully that'll get better in another month here. So close to the end of tax season! Of course that hasn't stopped me from logging some miles, as you can see below.

Point Defiance Run

In other news, I have been reading several new books lately (well, "new" being a relative term- one of them was written in the 70s), and I finally managed to pick up some new running shoes this weekend, a pair of New Balance 993s, and those Salomon XA shoe that I had been eyeing. Hopefully they'll prove to be worth the investment.

After taking a hydrostic measurement test the other day at the gym, I've come to the startling conclusion that I'm not getting enough protein in my diet given the number of miles I've been racking up. Hence our kitchen has been rapidly filling up with various sources of protein-goodness. I've actually been keeping track in a log to make sure I'm getting enough over the course of a given day. Also started taking a protein shake right after one of my workouts, something I used to do on a regular basis but then fell out of the habit. I can't remember the reason why. In any case, we'll see if it helps at all.

Alright, this post was quick and dirty, but I'll try to get some more up there soon. Just a little over two months now until Sun Mountain, still so much training left to do. Time to start hitting the trails!

Road to Recovery

So ran for the first time in almost a week this morning. Managed to log a solid 7 mile hill workout in before heading off to the office, which I find rather impressive considering that I still can't really breathe out of my nose.

Still hoping that the weather will cooperate with me this Sunday for my run. Most likely it'll be off and on showers, gettting more frequent the closer I get to the mountains. Well, a little rain won't be too bad, so long as the temperature stays at what it's been the last several days.

Alright, and that's it. These 10 hour work days really cut into any spare time I have in the evenings.