5 Fingers

Dear Blog,

I have succumbed to the hype and pressure and got myself a pair of those fancy Vibram 5 Finger shoesie whatsits. They're interesting to say the least. The first run I did in them was 2.5 miles on the treadmill at around 6.3 miles per hour. My calves were sore for DAYS afterward. The hadn't hurt that much since Casey and I were training for the Chicago Marathon in 2007.

But I stuck with it. I kept wearing them for everyday use and working out. I ran another mile in them the other day. Then today I ran 7 miles in my normal running shoes. My calves are still sore, but not nearly as bad.

It's funny the looks I get from people when they see me wearing them. They're stranger than the looks I get when I wear flip flops and people see my sometimes painted toenails. People are intrigued. And is it any wonder? I'm an intriguing person. Since I started wearing them (5 days ago) I've had someone ask me about them every day.

We'll see if my tune changes, but for the time being I think I'm going to end up liking them. It would be great if they work out. They're a lot less expensive than my running shoes, and are supposed to last a lot longer.

Sidebar - it's annoying how cost prohibitive advanced fitness can be. For instance - bicycling. Bikes are expensive. Bike maintenance is expensive. Bike gear is expensive. Running shoes are expensive. Gym memberships are expensive. I think all sporting/athletic gear should be subsidized if you can prove usage. For instance - if I can prove that I go to the gym 5 times a week and burn an average of 1500 calories per visit, I should pay a lot less for my membership than someone who goes to the gym twice a year and burns 400 calories per visit. If I buy a new pair of running shoes and log 300 miles and a marathon in them, I should get a rebate from the government for utilizing the shoes to their maximum potential. If I buy a bike and prove that I use it to commute more than 50 miles a week, I should get a tax credit for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and helping to reduce traffic and emissions.

Anyhoo - that's it on the fitness front for today.

Fondly,

Dan