Team McAlister

This year, I promised myself that I would be better about riding in cool/cold conditions.  I have lots of gear to make it bearable.  My riding buddy for today has zero cool weather kit, though.  So, we punted on the morning ride.  How cool is it?  50 degrees, 12 mph N wind, 90% humidity.  For those of you keeping score at home, that’s a wind chill of about 35 degrees. In my book, that’s beyond cool (especially at the speeds I ride…..rofl, right).

Anyhow, we will ride and it will be fine.

I noticed that Colin said that running sucks.  I heard confirmation from the Amen Corner on that one!  I’m nursing a very slight MCL strain on the right knee.  Nothing to worry with, really.  It’s an old injury from teen age years.  It does nag from time to time, however, and takes care.  Of course, it only hurts when I stand, walk, or run.  Cycling is no issue at all.  :-)  So, the usual formula of R.I.C.E. helps.

There are now 3 out of the 4 of us sporting VFFs.  If you like going barefooted (and, hey, we’re from Arkansas, so what did you expect?  lol), you ought to try them.  I’m not sure the benefits outweigh the raised eyebrows of casual observers (not to mention the outright laughter of friends and acquaintances), but it’s pretty close.

Excepting the minor MCL issue, my running continues to improve (which I am sure is a result of abandoning running shoes).  Weight loss is coming along nicely.

btw, if you don’t know about ITBS, you need to check it out.  That’s Iliotibial Band Syndrome, and it is the main culprit in LOTS of knee pain.  Read and heed!

Alright, I haven’t had a lot to write about training wise in what… six months? So I’m just going to take a few minutes to fill in our loyal readers on my boring routine and lack of progress.

Actually I have made a little progress, I suppose. I can run a solid five miles in about 45 minutes now, although I don’t that often because it sucks. Have I mentioned before that running sucks? I don’t remember. Anyway, running sucks, you guys. But I am getting better and it sucks less than it ever has before!

I’m making solid headway in the weight-loss department, too. I’m only seven pounds away from my long-term goal of 185. Turns out having a job where you’re on your feet all day, and there’s free coffee, can really slim a guy down.

Guys, Vibram Five Fingers. These are the Best Shoes (capitalization necessary). I run in them, I work in them, I wear them around the apartment and forget I even have shoes on… And my feet feel amazing. My legs are in the best shape of my life and I feel like my balance and agility have increased 100%. My feet never get tired, even after standing for 7+ hours. The only downsides are that I initially got some wicked blisters from running in them, and the smell. Taking them off is like getting punched in the face by a guy whose job it is to give bulls prostate exams, and I’m not someone who usually has a foot odor problem. But it’s worth it.