Pictures From a Nice Walk

New Shoes

I got a new pair of running shoes! The Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 15 running shoes. I'm really excited to run in them. I walked around a lot in the store, and did a tiny jog outside the store for about a block, and they felt amazing. I tried a few others but ever since I started running a lot in high school the Nike Triax shoes have always fit my feet the best. A lot of my team mates liked Brooks and New Balance, a few had Asics, but it was always Nike Triax shoes for me. Almost every time I bought a new pair I would try the other brands, but this line of shoes fits my feet the best. With this new pair, because I'm used to the pair I bought about nine years ago, it feels like I'm running on the spring floor at the gymnastics club my wife coaches at! Maybe I just forgot what a really nice pair of running shoes feel like when they're new, but they feel fantastic. I'm really excited to go for a run in them. Expect a new podcast episode to drop next Monday.

Running Won't Kill Your Knees!

Shoes No More?

Here is some more inspiration for you to start, or keep running. I've always heard that it's really hard on your joints, particularly your knees. Well check out this NPR article, where they write that a lot of research is showing us now that running does not kill your knees. That's something that has always been in the back of my mind as I thought about running for my whole life. Something else in the way of running research that has caught my attention recently is the idea of running barefoot. Apparently it's a lot healthier for you than running in highly padded shoes. Shoes tend to make you strike the ground with the heal of your foot first, where as running barefoot you strike with the front pad of your foot first. This creates a lot less force on your leg, and people around the world like Mexico and Kenya have been running barefoot for years. So with that I am for the time being A) not going to buy a new expensive pair of running shoes, and B) going to give this barefoot running thing a try. Hopefully I've got some fun running segments and a 6 mile goal achieved to report to you next Monday!

Ultra Marathon Man

So, I mentioned that I was going to listen to the Running with The Pack podcast this week to try and get myself motivated to get some runs in. Well, in Episode 37 I heard them talk about a book called Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. I picked it up via audio book through my local library's wonderful website. Let's just say I'm inspired. This man Dean Karnazes is amazing. He is probably the most inspirational athlete I've ever read of. Check out the book if you need a kick to get off the couch and get your running shoes on. There's a movie too if you're not the book reading kind. You're welcome.