Back running

Hey there,

I had a good week, 5 runs last week, a couple walks, and one swim.  Pretty good for a retired triathlete.  I've gained a bunch of weight since IM, but I'm happy to say I'm starting to shed again.  Saturday's run I finally started to feel smooth again and the sub 8 min pace started to feel like it's supposed to.  It's funny cause I run that same approx. pace no matter how fit I am.  I just hurt more if I'm out of shape, or will even stop mid-run if I have to.  But it's the pace I dial into all the time, it varies a tad, but not much more than like 20 secs per mile.  I can run faster if fit and I have a specific goal or in a race of course, but if I head out without a goal it's always going to be about the same.

Still thinking of sking this winter.  I was gonna go shopping last week, but then I saw an advertisement for the annual ski sale/swap thing at Barlow/Maxbell.  So I think I'll hold off till then, it's actually starting this week so I don't have long to wait.  There's no snow yet anyways, although we had some last week(it melted).  I'm guessing if I do get skis we'll probably not get a winter(or at least very little snow), because that's just the way things go right? 

I also finally got some of those vibram barefoot shoes/sandles.  What ever you call them, I figured I'm in the off season so I could try using these a bit here and there to help strengthen my legs/feet.  I think I first heard about them from Susi and then a friend from work here does all his running in them.  I doubt I'll ever drop my running shoes completely, I just want to strengthen my legs.  I totally buy into the fact that we spend too much time in very cushioned footwear that that it causes us to actually weaken.  I don't know if it'll prevent injuries, I hope so, as long as I don't do too much of it too quickly.  I will be extremely cautious starting out with these as I've been running for so many years, it would be super easy to get injured.  Especially since I already have calf problems at times, with these things it works your calves wayyy harder as there is no heel at all.  I did 2 miles in them on sunday, mostly on ashalt, with some on grass.  My feet ache a bit even from that.  I even started out walking so it wasn't a full 2 miles of running.  Gotta watch the stones as you can feel it all through the thin rubber sole(not really a sole).

PS:  Saw a coyote on saturday.  On one of my regular runs to Carburn park he was cruisin around the pond possibly trying to catch a goose?  They're gathering on the pond for the trip south.  Has anyone ever noticed that not all the geese fly south?  It's true I see them year round, even in cold weather.  Yet they gather in fall, maybe just to go through the routine, then some end up staying?