2 Weeks Until My First Half-Marathon

This spring has flown by! I cannot believe tomorrow marks only two weeks to go before my first Half-Marathon in Wyomissing, PA. The Half-Saur Half-Kraut will be held on June 13th. I’ve been training for the last couple months and I am feeling pretty good.

Last summer I almost had to hang-up running all together. The pain in the arches of my feet was so bad that I could barely run 2-3 miles every couple weeks and those few miles were torture. I was slowly coming to grips that this might become a reality and as the fall set in I set my shoes aside.

Then one of my friends told me about Vibram Five Fingers and how they have changed his running and the nagging back pain that had been with him for 10+ years. I started to do my own research and came across the barefoot / minimlist running movement. I also picked up the book “Born to Run” which besides being an amazing recount of a man’s journey to discover the ‘Running People’ is also an encouraging book about turning yourself into a runner. It changed my perspective on how God created our bodies and the great things we are able to accomplish.

In late fall I purchased my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes and started the slow process of getting used to them. Within 2 weeks I was out running again. With none of the pain that I had been feeling for the last 4 years! Sure I was sore, but this was a different sore. My knees and hips didn’t ache the next morning. I thought to myself, “I found my answer. I am going to be a runner again!!” I am now running 8+ miles at a time, and feeling great!

Running long distance running is not easy. It’s a constant battle of the mind. It’s about over coming what your brain is trying to tell you your body shouldn’t be able to do.

This summer my goal is to complete my first half-marathon at a maximun pace of 10 min miles (Deep inside I would like to see 9 min miles on that board) So far in my training I’ve been averaging ~9:30 min miles. I feel strongly that I will complete the half at a 10 min . . or better pace. Then who knows maybe next year I’ll step it up and do my first FULL marathon. Thank goodness for my new found best friends . . My Vibram Five Fingers.