Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I've gone over to wordpress
I'm still getting my act together, but figured I'd post this in the event anyone reads this on a feed. The wife nabbed the barefootjosh.com url, so... there you go. Just about everything made it over there, except for Shannon's recent comment informing me that ac duped me into believing he had frostbite.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Iris' Run To Victory
First I recommend reading her account of the event over at the MadMayo Running Club site. To summarize, she kicked the ass of the course. It was cool watching her run to the finish at a good clip with a smile on her face after five miles. And she finished in the top half of the field!
Of course I wish I could have run; it was weird not hearing the "check out the barefoot guy" whispers behind my back. I was just a regular person. Blew my mind. While there were too many speedy runners in the half for me to have been competitive, I would have placed in the 5 miler. Maybe even won (the winning time was around 33 minutes). Stupid toe.
That said, I like the role of support crew. If this were the cycling world, I'd be a domestique. It feels good to know that I had contributed to Iris' great run, that I played a part. I also recommend to any runner who gets injured to volunteer at a couple of races while they heal. It's rewarding, fun, and sure beats wallowing in self-pity.
Stupid toe.
Of course I wish I could have run; it was weird not hearing the "check out the barefoot guy" whispers behind my back. I was just a regular person. Blew my mind. While there were too many speedy runners in the half for me to have been competitive, I would have placed in the 5 miler. Maybe even won (the winning time was around 33 minutes). Stupid toe.
That said, I like the role of support crew. If this were the cycling world, I'd be a domestique. It feels good to know that I had contributed to Iris' great run, that I played a part. I also recommend to any runner who gets injured to volunteer at a couple of races while they heal. It's rewarding, fun, and sure beats wallowing in self-pity.
Stupid toe.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Bandaids are stupid and other musings
Why haven't I heard of these new adhesive pad things? More importantly, why didn't the doctor or any of the nurses not mention them? I've been changing regular bandaids three times a day. Not fun. Very painful. And to think all this time I could have been wearing an adhesive pad, which I only have to change once every four days.
I finally got a box of Johnson + Johnson First Aid Advanced Healing Adhesive Pads and just slapped one on. It totally covers the wound, as opposed to the menagerie of bandaids that lose their stickiness. I can leave it on for days. If claims and reviews are to be believed, my toe will heal more quickly, too.
To recap: the doctor tells me I have frostbite when it was meteorologically impossible, waits at least half an hour to give me a tub of warm water to soak my foot which, if I had frostbite, I would have needed immediately, then tapes me up with a bunch of cheap bandaids that were too small when there are much more suitable products on the market. Oh, and what do they give a supposed frostbite patient to drink his Advil down?
Ice water.
Next time I have a medical issue, I'll google it and heal myself. That's what's going to happen anyway; I should cut out the middleman.
I finally got a box of Johnson + Johnson First Aid Advanced Healing Adhesive Pads and just slapped one on. It totally covers the wound, as opposed to the menagerie of bandaids that lose their stickiness. I can leave it on for days. If claims and reviews are to be believed, my toe will heal more quickly, too.
To recap: the doctor tells me I have frostbite when it was meteorologically impossible, waits at least half an hour to give me a tub of warm water to soak my foot which, if I had frostbite, I would have needed immediately, then tapes me up with a bunch of cheap bandaids that were too small when there are much more suitable products on the market. Oh, and what do they give a supposed frostbite patient to drink his Advil down?
Ice water.
Next time I have a medical issue, I'll google it and heal myself. That's what's going to happen anyway; I should cut out the middleman.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Race stats
What with all the toe drama I forgot to post the particulars:
Mistletoe Half Marathon
Time: 1:36:33
Overall: 79th out of 969 (813 finishers)
Age (30-34): 13th out of 56
Lots of speedy guys my age in this one. I was shooting for a 1:39, so I guess I got that! Not a bad way to end the year, performance-wise.
Mistletoe Half Marathon
Time: 1:36:33
Overall: 79th out of 969 (813 finishers)
Age (30-34): 13th out of 56
Lots of speedy guys my age in this one. I was shooting for a 1:39, so I guess I got that! Not a bad way to end the year, performance-wise.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Frostbite Update: Not Frostbite
If I have frostbite, the National Weather Service is reporting fiction. They state very clearly that the air temperature has to be below freezing for frostbite to occur. Even in the wet and windy conditions, there was no way the air temp got over ten degrees colder around my feet.
Don't get me wrong, my foot is messed up. Recovery is still going to take a while, and caution should be exercised when racing in cold rain (meaning slow down or don't race at all).
How did I get that diagnosis then? My glasses. They make me look smart. Plus I have good diction, which adds to the illusion. I walked into the emergency room, showed them what probably was the grossest foot they had seen that didn't come from a house fire, and stated that I had frostbite. There's not much frostbite going around in NC, so I think everyone took my word for it. If I were the doctor, I would be tempted to let a patient think his injury is worse than it is, if it means he'll take better care of it.
Don't get me wrong, my foot is messed up. Recovery is still going to take a while, and caution should be exercised when racing in cold rain (meaning slow down or don't race at all).
How did I get that diagnosis then? My glasses. They make me look smart. Plus I have good diction, which adds to the illusion. I walked into the emergency room, showed them what probably was the grossest foot they had seen that didn't come from a house fire, and stated that I had frostbite. There's not much frostbite going around in NC, so I think everyone took my word for it. If I were the doctor, I would be tempted to let a patient think his injury is worse than it is, if it means he'll take better care of it.
Lose weight with amputation!
No, the frostbite isn't getting worse. In fact, I'm starting to doubt if I have frostbite at all; just a bad injury. The doctor said the frostbitten area was small - 2cm; I thought he was crazy, given how gory my foot looked, but the other affected areas now look like regular old (but still serious) blood blisters. I still can't put any weight on my right foot, though. Apparently you need skin on your toe for that. Sorry - too gross?
I don't know how much longer I'm stuck on the couch. I do know that I'm going to weigh more once I'm mobile again.The only thing that means to me is I'll be slower and get tired sooner. I think people worry way too much about their weight. I mean really, what does the scale really tell you? Nothing you don't already know. If you're eating your fruits and vegetables, running 20-40 miles a week, and feeling good, who cares what your weight is? Thinking light and skinny = health is kind of backwards, and in my opinion, dangerous (coming from me, in my current state, should say something). Being healthy and active will likely make you lighter and skinnier, although maybe not as much as you would like.
Don't get me wrong, I think weight is interesting. I like to see the fluctuations; it's cool how we can influence the size of our bodies. When I started running last March, I weighed close to 160 lbs. I've been around 130 since July, after Grandfather Mountain. But that doesn't mean anything other than that's what I weigh when I'm running and eating a lot. If I don't run but continue to eat a lot, I'm capable of gaining 30 pounds before I run out of pants.
If I were a personal trainer, I wouldn't stress weight loss. I would train my client instead to learn how to get the most achievement and enjoyment out of the equipment they have, and to help figure out how to get more. Who cares how many calories you burned in that mile - how did that mile feel? If that mile, with practice, feels better, who cares what you weigh? If the runner is getting faster, their runs happier, should they be disappointed if their weight hasn't changed? Of course not!
Everything in moderation, ESPECIALLY moderation. Tis the season, and all. Go ahead and pig out. Accept the fact you're probably going to gain a few pounds, and it might take a while to shed them.
The only question is, do I really believe all of the above, or am I trying to lull the competition into complacency while I'm on the injured list?
I don't know how much longer I'm stuck on the couch. I do know that I'm going to weigh more once I'm mobile again.The only thing that means to me is I'll be slower and get tired sooner. I think people worry way too much about their weight. I mean really, what does the scale really tell you? Nothing you don't already know. If you're eating your fruits and vegetables, running 20-40 miles a week, and feeling good, who cares what your weight is? Thinking light and skinny = health is kind of backwards, and in my opinion, dangerous (coming from me, in my current state, should say something). Being healthy and active will likely make you lighter and skinnier, although maybe not as much as you would like.
Don't get me wrong, I think weight is interesting. I like to see the fluctuations; it's cool how we can influence the size of our bodies. When I started running last March, I weighed close to 160 lbs. I've been around 130 since July, after Grandfather Mountain. But that doesn't mean anything other than that's what I weigh when I'm running and eating a lot. If I don't run but continue to eat a lot, I'm capable of gaining 30 pounds before I run out of pants.
If I were a personal trainer, I wouldn't stress weight loss. I would train my client instead to learn how to get the most achievement and enjoyment out of the equipment they have, and to help figure out how to get more. Who cares how many calories you burned in that mile - how did that mile feel? If that mile, with practice, feels better, who cares what you weigh? If the runner is getting faster, their runs happier, should they be disappointed if their weight hasn't changed? Of course not!
Everything in moderation, ESPECIALLY moderation. Tis the season, and all. Go ahead and pig out. Accept the fact you're probably going to gain a few pounds, and it might take a while to shed them.
The only question is, do I really believe all of the above, or am I trying to lull the competition into complacency while I'm on the injured list?
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