Just finished a coast-to-coast road-trip with my brother in 2 days. The coasts we selected were the North and Gulf coasts. Left Toledo early in the morning on Tuesday morning and got back at 3:00 a.m. on Thursday. (Okay, 3 calendar days, but less than 48 hours.)
He's finishing up his business and I wanted to drive with him to deliver some equipment. Now that the biz is sold, he's moving to California, soon, with his girlfriend. They've really been two of my closest friends these past few years. I'll really miss them.
I'm hoping to meet some new people when I start school in the Fall. I live too much like a hermit. I need to get out and interact with folks.
It is ironic that being a father and being an entrepreneur can both be a little bit lonely sometimes. On the other hand, both of those pursuits lead to chances to meet people. I just haven't done a good job of that, yet.
During the long road trip, we listened to the audiobook of "born to run". Good stuff. I thought it was a barefoot running manifesto, but it was really a very interesting story. The barefoot running part only took up a couple of chapters.
I've decided I should try to toughen my feet up by barefoot walking on the treadmill and maybe gradually introduce some barefoot running.
I honestly believe that running shoes have prevented a lot of injuries and prolonged a lot of running careers. However, the point that really struck home was this: modern running shoes shield you from pain. The pain is there to teach you to run in a manner that is less likely to produce injury.
Makes sense. Modern running shoes have a lot of heel cushioning, which teaches us to overstride and heel-strike. The verdict is unanimous that the best footstrike for distance running is a midfoot strike. (Some truly advanced runners strike ball of foot, roll back to midfoot, then push off again with the ball.)
Yesterday, I covered a mile on the treadmill barefoot. Jogged for a couple tenths of a mile in there, too. It's obvious that the stride I've gained from years of running in cushioned trainers is absolutely not a good idea when barefoot.
There is a middle ground between big cushioned trainers and going barefoot, though. (Aside from things like the Vibarim 5 Fingers and the Nike Free.) A few manufacturers used to make shoes called racing flats. Generally, duffers like me were advised to never buy racing flats under any circumstances. They simply didn't have enough cushioning.
However, now, I'm thinking that a shoe like the ASICS DS Racer or the ASICS Gel Tarther might be a good compromise between going barefoot and going overly cushioned.
Business-wise, I am inspired for the first time in a long time. I really need to get my 8a certification and pursue some federal government business. I'll start running down this trail and see where it leads. Need to put together a GSA schedule and get my 8a certification. This could be the breakthrough I've been looking for.
I sold off my son's pitching machine in the Spring when I was broke. Probably a good thing. During the baseball season, ironically, we don't have much/any time to use the thing. However, for off-season workouts, it's a godsend. You shoot wiffle balls with it in the basement and the thing is an awesome training tool.
I bought an ATEC Rookie on advice from Clay (from Bases Loaded School in Murfreesboro) back when Logan was first starting coach-pitch. I always wish I'd bought the battery version.
They're pretty pricey, but I found a place online that had it listed for a ridiculously cheap price. I placed my order. We'll just have to see if they follow through or whether it was a typo.
At first, I used it for hitting, only, but I see the value of using it to train fielding, too. That's 90% of what I want it for right now.
They also make a soft-toss machine that doubles as a feeder. That'd be cool because then Logan can just go down in the basement and hit by himself if I am otherwise occupied.
Sometime before Law School starts, I need a new dishwasher. It's getting down to crunch time. I have 3 weeks off until I take my DAWIA class in August. After that, I have a week, then Law School orientation. I've done a lot of reading in preparation, but need to do a lot more. So far, the bulk of the value of this reading has come from getting the LEEWS system on CD. It's a system that teaches you how to approach Law School exams. During the first year, exams count for pretty much 100% of any grade we get. Any effort spent on tasks that don't improve your exam score are essentially wasted.
I dropped my phone and it broke. My Sprint rep told me I could file for a replacement under my insurance. However, I'm a little leery that they're going to send me a refurb. Oh well, if they do, it's only a few months until I am eligible for an upgrade, anyway. I owned the phone for less than a year. Love the thing. Would love to have another. However, the thought of getting some crappy refurb is less than enticing.
I'm off to get my car fixed. The cylinders that hold the hatch open look like they're busted. I looked at one and it looked like it developed a leak. Should be a quick and relatively inexpensive fix.
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