Flashback Friday: I Have No Legs Lungs

I suddenly feel woefully out of shape. Last night's run sucked the wind right out of me and I haven't been able to catch my breath since.

My schedule called for nine miles at tempo pace, but I was feeling like a hilly trail run. I set out to attack the uphills and put in a tempo-like effort. Within the first 30 minutes, my lungs dissolved and my chest tightened in their absence.

Even on the flat sections, my wind didn't return. For an hour and 20 minutes, I slogged along in the hot, humid evening, wishing for the end to arrive. Over the steep, rolling hills of the trails surrounding Sand Run, looping around the Buckeye Trail, across to the Towpath to connect to the Valley Link back to Sand Run -- all this time running without oxygen. Even this morning.

I have no solution.

There Is Another

During this morning's slower-than-it-should-have-been, lungless and barefoot run, I saw another. She was older and trotting around the block with a quick cadence. I was too far behind to catch up and talk to her before she stopped to talk to some people in a minivan. When I passed, I tried to slow down and acknowledge our sameness. I wanted to ask, "Hey, where are your shoes?"

Back Talk

Wherein the cheapskates shall inherit the earth.

Nitmos responded to my rebuttal to his comment: "Well, now that was a good rebuttal. I can get behind that reasoning -- all except for Salazar's comment. With the human form being what it is in so many different shapes/sizes/centers of gravity, etc., there can't possibly be 'one best way of running' for everyone. No way. Maybe if we were all similar clone-like machines like the droids in I, Robot we could identify the efficiency but ... we're not. However, there must be One Best Way of Running for YOU."

Answer: Fucking asshole.

Eric from Can You See the Sunset from the Southside? (CYSTSFTS) has seen the truth, but not the light, as he is on the verge of dropping way too many dollars on shoes: "I made myself some huaraches from some cheap old flip-flops and I love running in them. I'm thinking about getting a pair from Invisible Shoe since the soles are thinner and (thus) better."

Answer: I used Steve Sashen's site to make my huaraches, but mine cost half as much as his kit. You can get industrial rubber sheeting however thick or thin you want for about $6 online.

Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates! Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!