I’ve never run a half marathon in less than 2:10. I’ve never run one in Vibram Five Fingers in less than 2:17. After my fifth half marathon, it’s become apparent that I need to do a lot more with my training if I want to get faster or ever compete in a triathlon.
My legs are great. Strong, lean and in probably the best shape of my life. But my upper body? Psh. I carry all my fat there. From my protruding gut to my pecs that jiggle a lot more than I’d like, it’s time for some full body workouts. So when Vin Vallejo of Pro Fitness AZ offered me a chance to compete in a two-month Body Fat Reduction Challenge in exchange for documenting my progress, I jumped at the chance.
Who's that chunky dude on the left? That's me? Huh.
I still get questions about my Sprints, ranging from “don’t they hurt your feet” to “are they really comfortable,” but I’m really surprised that more serious trainers don’t use them. Maybe they know something I don’t or perhaps they’re just not distance runners. Or maybe the Vibram Five Fingers are just too ugly. My Sprints certainly are. (what new color should I get?)
The goal of my time with Vin is to lose 8% of my body fat, to get down to 17% total body fat. The plan is to lose 30ish lbs of fat and gain 6-7 lbs of muscle. The first two weeks haven’t been easy, as my posts from each day will attest.
My hope is that adding weight and resistance training, from an actual trainer, will help me prepare to compete in the 2012 Ironman in Tempe that November. A lofty goal, but hell, Peter Shankman did it, so I figure with some serious training, I can too.
And yes, I’ll be biking and running almost barefoot. But which Vibram Five Fingers should I run in?
No related posts.
