My running hauraches have arrived

The first pair of running shoes I ever received in my mailbox

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

A few weeks ago I was provided an opportunity to test a pair of running huaraches made by a company called Invisible Shoes. These shoes, provided either ready-made or in kit form, are copies of the sandals worn by the Tarahumara natives that were featured in the book "Born to Run." I decided to try the kit option which involves punching a hole in the supplied 4mm Vibram rubber outsoles and threading the laces to achieve a correct fit.

These huaraches will provide an even more minimal experience than my Hattori's and while I was confident that my transition from Kinvara to Hattori would go smoothly, I have some concerns about how I'll do with these sandals. It's not that the huaraches provide zero cushioning that concerns me, it's the form factor. I don't like open shoes or flip flops and I worry about the lace rubbing against the inside of my toes as I run.

In the past I thought that the lighter the shoe I wore, the faster I'd run. I've since changed my viewpoint and I'm not expecting to run faster with these huaraches. This morning I returned to the road at 4:00 AM and ran my usual course wearing the Hattori's. My pace today was no faster (actually a bit slower) than my normal pace, despite the fact that the Hattori's are half the weight of my Mirages and almost a third the weight of my GTS-10's. Despite these differences I usually run at about the same speed. Perhaps the huaraches will surprise me.

Running daily beats fried clams

Some people think this stuff makes you gain weight

I'm back on the work week schedule and, after two weeks, I'm taking my usual Monday rest day. It was great to be on vacation in New Hampshire and Maine. Although being away from home often presents situations where the availability of healthy food choices is low, I managed pretty well. I believe that is due (at least in part) to running every day while on vacation.

Although I've seen articles that claim that running isn't an effective method for losing weight, I strongly disagree. I lost almost 20% of my body weight in the three months after I returned to running in 2008. Aside from suddenly being very active, that change was also due to focusing on portion sizes and better food choices. Today, as a 20 mile per week runner, I eat smart but I don't diet. No matter what, my weight generally stays within a pound or two of my targeted range.

As long as my clothes fit I never really think about my weight. But after a week of fried clams, chowder, pizza and other "vacation" foods, it's nice to finish in the same shape that I started.

My workouts by the numbers

Today's run (street): 3.5 miles

I did my last workout of this vacation today; a mid-morning run around the neighborhood. It was the thirteenth day in a row where I've either run or cross-trained on the elliptical machine. A check on Daily Mile showed that I've done 24 workouts over the last 27 days. You'd think I'd be in better shape!

Although my activity frequency is high (90% days per month), my running distances have mostly stayed under 5 miles over the last few weeks. I blame the heat and some exceptionally busy weekends this summer for that and I know I'll need to get my base back up to 6+ miles as I prepare for the Dirty Sock  and Great Cow Harbor 10K's.

This morning the sun was less intense than yesterday and that helped me move briskly over a route that took me around, and then through, my local streets. I tried to focus on my form and to notice if my arms crossed my chest, which I now know is a sign that I'm reaching the point of fatigue. All systems seemed to be working well today and I finished up with a sprint on the final quarter mile that left me panting and soaked by the time I reached home.

Tomorrow means a return to the train, the subway and lots of meetings. My vacation has been great and, with a diversity of activities that included our visit to New Hampshire and Maine, it felt endless. But there is, of course, an end and I'll experience that when my alarm jolts me awake at 4:00 AM tomorrow.

Emerging Runner's Weekend Video Report

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 3.1 miles

The heat continues into the weekend and although I don't always enjoy the pool as much as my family does, I'm loving it right now. My plans for getting out early for a run got derailed and I didn't arrive at Stillwell until after 10:00 AM. It was hot, but not as bad as yesterday, when the temperature display in the car read 113°. I hoped that the tree cover would make the trails a cooler place to run than the road.

Later, the display showed 114°

There was plenty of activity in the woods as I followed the trails. I had chipmunks and rabbits cross my path multiple times and, at one point, a bird flew in front of me along twisty trail, tracing the ground like a cruise missile. Less engaging were a few mountain bikers who didn't seem to care about others on the trail, flying by without giving any ground to runners.

Even with the coolness of the canopy's shade, the heat and humidity started to get to me and I diverted to a different path on my second loop that brought me back to the trail head after 3 hard miles. I've been thinking about adding the occasional video to this blog and, perhaps, adding video to my reviews on Runner's Tech Review. My first "Weekend Report" is above. We'll see how it goes.

Sweat equity

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

Nature's sunlamp

"Brutally hot" is the only phrase that came to mind when I stepped out this morning for a run. The sun was baking, the humidity was thick and it wasn't even 8:00 AM. I'd convinced myself that, despite the heat, I could get in a good workout by running at an easy pace.

Anticipating the worst, I wore a Colombia Omni-freeze PFG hat that is both light in color and weight and has sweat wicking technology that helps keep you cool. I also wore my Craft running shirt and Pearl Izumi racing shorts. This combination gave me my best chance at staying comfortable in temperatures that will exceed 100° today. I set out for a three mile (or so) run, looking for shade wherever I could find it.

I made my way up the first long street that rises through its length before leveling off  at the end. I knew I was moving slow and checked my Garmin to confirm that fact. I'd forgotten that today was a weekday until I encountered all the cars, recycling trucks, camp buses and landscapers along my way. I even crossed paths with another runner who looked at me but made no acknowledgment of my presence. I'm not sure if it was rudeness on her part or heat stroke but she looked extremely exhausted.

I felt fine for the first mile and a half but the sun, heat and humidity did start to get to me. By the end my running form felt similar to my last miles on the LI Half Marathon. Unlike that run, this morning I had no knee pain and I still had some energy in reserve. It made me think about the humidity and heat I'll face next month at the Dirty Sock 10K.

The last half mile of my run seemed to take as long as the previous three and I welcomed the sight of my driveway as I came around the final curve. I thought about running into the backyard and jumping straight into the pool but I didn't want to soak my best running gear in chlorinated water. Tomorrow is supposed to be similarly hot so I'll probably go out earlier than I did this morning. Even though I didn't run fast today, I certainly feel I earned the workout.