testing, one two...3,4,5.

i'm surprised how tough my feet are.

i bought these shoes a month ago, and i've been wearing them largely as comfortable sandals replacements. however, the larger goal was to test them as running shoes to see how they work.

i admit it's a bit counterintuitive to take the cushioning and support away from my feet for the extended running that i'll be doing in the next four months. but the ideas behind the shoes made sense when i read them, and i like having shoes that no one else has. it's kind of my thing.

so i began week 2 with a 3 mile run in them on tuesday. it was awesome. and awful. my feet felt great. there was a little rub on the tops of my feet with the straps, and i got a small blister on my left big toe, but those are things that are easily fixed with the toe socks i bought. my feet felt great the whole time, and i ran with a slightly lower pulse for a reasonably fast time of 27:53 (8:30). but i used muscles in my calves that i didn't realize i had. i could barely walk yesterday, and they are still sore today. it didn't help that i did a 3.5 mile run the next day at lunch, or that i did another 3 miles today (27:57, 8:31), both in regular shoes.

the regular shoes felt really spongy and inefficient. and it rained both times. but i'm going to be in them for another week. the good news is i don't have to worry about my feet being more sore than usual, but i will have to find a way to strengthen my calves, or i will have to run the marathon in my normal shoes. gracias por dios tomorrow is a rest day.

i am going to pick up my bike in grand rapids this weekend. this will be instrumental for cross training and a potential triathlon in august. i also get to wish my dad a happy birthday in person. and i will be doing my 7 mile run originating from my parents' house. the route is along a road that i would never -- even as a runner -- have thought i could run the full length of. it's kind of amazing, actually, to think about what this means to me, even though it is a distance i have run before. it feels so much farther in my mind.

and yet i still believe the really hard work won't start until week 7, when i should run 12 miles.

robb.

training begins today.

ok, it actually began yesterday, but i dutifully rested on monday according to the training regimen i'm using.

i'm following hal higdon's novice marathon program that my friend jonathan used to successfully run his first marathon last year. every week monday and friday are rest days, with a long run on saturday and cross training on sunday. this week is pretty easy with 3 mile runs tuesday through thursday and a 6 mile run on saturday.

i will be going to summer NAMM in nashville this weekend, so i'm already deviating from plan. i'll be running my 6 miles on friday morning and then relaxing in nashville and hanging out with old friends in the pro audio industry.

tonight i'll do a quick 3 mile run when i get home. my band has a show, so i have to get after it. as my training progresses, i'd like to track how i feel, my weight, and my food and energy strategy for both training and racing. the first few weeks are pretty trivial for me, but i'll be breaking new ground the first full week of july with a 9 mile run.

i have already registered for the 2008 detroit marathon. race day is october 19.

robb.