The Problem With Packing It On

Late-April

Any rookie lifter can tell you “you can’t cut weight and powerlift at the same time.” And yet, I (and almost every other lifter out there at least once or twice) find myself breaking Rule #4 of lifting.

I’m trying to cut weight for running. Even a lean (which I’m not) 240lbs is a lot of pounds per inch on my feet and joints. So I decided that I could knock it down to 215-220lbs, near my old fighting weight. And for those of you out there who don’t think 25lbs is a lot of extra to run on, try running with 25lbs of gear on your back next time out.

But then something strange happened, just as I was starting the new diet and upping my activity I noticed something… I was making huge gains. And I had been making gains for a few months, but my squat was jumping 30-60lbs a week, I was starting to max out the machines.

Being the addict I am, I just couldn’t quit. After 3 weeks my clothes were looser in some places, yet I had trouble fitting into my suit jacket (which was fine because I looked enormous in the vest alone). However, my body was still taking a pounding every time I ran, because I had only lost 1.5lbs.

The meathead within told me that running can wait, and that I need to get bigger now. But the rational adult within realized that if I was going to take this running thing seriously (like I promised myself) then I would have to put lifting on the back burner until after I can make some serious running gains. (especially when my free time for workouts is limited). I have a pretty packed race schedule through mid-June. As of now I plan on focusing solely on running, then I have a 3.5 week hiatus before the Edgewood Fourth of July 5k Race. Last year I set my current PR at the Edgewood 5k, and this year I plan on breaking it there. So perhaps I’ll spend that first week of my hiatus on muscle building and just rest the legs.

None the less, it still sucks walking into the gym to run on the treadmill and/or cycle and/or swim and walking past all those weights. Hearing them call to me “Michael, Michael, come over here, lift us, get huge…”

New Kicks

Note: though this may be my first post since March, I've actually been writing these on paper and just been lackadaisical in typing them up.

As much as I’d like to be in the market for new running shoes, my wife reminds me that with a toddler and one on the way we need to tighten our budget. So my conundrum of whether to purchase a set of Merrell Trail Gloves, Saucony Kinvaras, or New Balance Minimus Trails has been sorted out for me.

However, I have found a temporary solution. I’ve read in several places that water shoes are a decent alternative to a low profile running shoe. Found a pair at the local Warmart, and thought for $7 I could give them a try.

At first I was a little worried about the complete lack of padding, so my first few miles I ran very slow and very gingerly. As a matter of fact on my first run in them I only wore them for a ½ mile before changing into my other running shoes, afraid that I might go too fast too soon on cushion-less shoes (which in retrospect was probably wiser than plowing through the new feelings in my feet).

Granted, it took a few miles to get used to the complete lack of arch support, but I think that alone has really strengthened my feet. I love the instant feedback I now get through my feet. I can tell with complete certainty where and when my foot is landing, which part of my foot I’m favoring, and whether my heel strikes before or after the rest of my foot. Of it all, they have drastically improved my stride, I now regularly land under my center of gravity (until I get tired, lazy, or distracted).

And to answer the million dollar question, has it helped or hurt my Plantar Fasciitis? Answer: my foot seems strangely ambivalent. The pain is still there yet distant, and still only in the mornings when I wake up and at the end of a long day in dress shoes (another pair of shoes I’d love to replace). But it’s not popping up as I run, or if there is a nagging there it tends to go away after a half mile.

Best of all, these shoes are great for lifting, especially on leg day. They really change the way I do things, particularly my leg press form (yes, there is a form to leg press). At first it was hard adjusting to the lack of padding, but balance, strength, and form gained was all worth it. I’m now doing much more weight in lunges and with better form. YEA for the $7 shoes from Walmart.