Check out these Minimalist shoes!

Here is a really good blog review of what seems like a great shoe. Check it out:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/04/merrell-barefoot-womens-pace-glove.html

Nature Exploration Bugs, Colors, and Water.

Today we went for a walk in our neighborhood.
I wore my FiveFingers, naturally.

We started out in front of our house and the kids immediately stumbled upon a RolyPoly. We left the house intending to explore plants, but the kids were very interested in the "bug" so we veered into the realm of the little crawlers. We used our Bug Identification Chart and ID'd the Roly Poly as a Sowbug on our chart. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidium)

We put the Sowbugs (we found 2) into the bug enclosure with some dirt and damp decaying plant matter. Then we headed out to find some interesting plants.

Ella describes how Dandelion Flowers grow and where their white puffy seed balls come from.

Ella decided we should see what colors we can find in our natural native environment.

We collected what we found in our Spring Time Basket.
We found:
White: Dandelion Puffs
Red: Flower Petals
Orange: Flowers
Yellow: Dandelion Flowers
Green: well...just about everything. We did see cacti.
Blue: There were tiny little blue flowers in the grass.
Purple: Along with the blue flowers there were little purple ones.

Then we walked a quarter mile or so to a path that lead to a little stream. The kids wanted to walk in the water, so...what the heck, in we all went.
We went up the "river" (in Southern California, this is a river) for a while and found a few things along the way.

 Some of the single celled colonies that we found. (If you can identify either of these or correct me on my terminology, please do).

And lastly, here is a picture of Owen's Pupil in a magnifying glass:

Blood Lubricates the Wound

Today I ran my first half marathon as a runner. I did the Carlsbad half marathon 10 years ago or so and barely ran at all, I was so out of shape and heavy.
Today was a completely different story. Same course as ten years ago but it just flew by.

Leading up to the race I had hopes of coming in at a sub 2 hour time, but I got injured playing soccer one and a half weeks ago. Since my injury I haven't been able to train at all. So I hadn't ran for two full weeks and only got back to walking normal this last Wednesday. I was quite nervous starting the race because I had no idea how my leg was going to respond.
I started out at a 10 minute pace to test out my leg and it felt good so I bumped it up to 9:30-9:45. I kept this pace for most of the first half of the 13.1 mile course. Then around mile 8 I was feeling good and a woman marathoner started to pass me at a 8:40 pace so I matched her for the remainder of the race and came in with a time of 2:02, according to my watch. My mind was so knackered that I didn't even look at the big time clock.
Around mile 5 my Vibram FiveFingers started to wear the skin off of my right instep. I messed with it for a second but didn't want to get out of the groove. So I let the shoe wear it down so the blood could just build up a lubrication layer and I didn't feel it anymore after mile 7 or so.

I'm pleased that I could go out and run very close to my goal time while "injured" and without training.

Special thanks to Ryan & Kristina for driving and cheering me on at the finish line...awesome experience!

R & R

It's been almost five days since my shin muscle was injured playing soccer and I've done fairly well at rest and recovery. I iced it a few times a day for the first 72 hours and I've worn a compression sleeve over that leg almost the whole time. I think the compression has really helped.

I've regained my full range of motion and I can walk almost normally now. I'm just hoping there isn't any ligament damage because that may take a while to recover from.
Hopefully on Thursday I will feel like I can jog a little bit. Only time will tell though.

Until next time, keep your sole grounded.

-Peace

1/2 Marathon Hopes, Bruised

While playing soccer Wednesday night a jackass forward (forwards are all dumb as rocks) came in at me with both cleats up as I was clearing a long ball. He got me right in the top of my Tibialis anterior muscle (shin muscle). I can walk a little now but it's more like a hobble.
My first half marathon is scheduled for next weekend, so I have a full week to see if I can run at all let alone 13 miles. My goal was to do it under 2 hours. My new goal is to do it at all and finish it.

I.C.E.
Ice

Compression

Elevation

This is what I need to live by for the next week...sigh.