The truth is that I have limited the use of my Vibrams to walking. Why? Did I hurt myself? Find some research disproving all the supposed benefits of barefoot running?

Nope. The answer is this: pure laziness.

The thing about running barefoot or in Vibram FiveFingers is that it takes a lot of patience and forethought. You don’t just put them on and go for a run. It’s a slow process to build the strength in your feet, ankles and calves. I started getting lazy about it last year while I was training for the Pittsburgh marathon. It was easier to get my miles in while wearing my normal running shoes.

Well, after my “half-hearted” marathon, I decided to step back from races and recommit my time to minimalist running. But this time I am going about it differently.

The main change is that I shook the dust off of my Brooks Green Silence and have said goodbye to my Brooks Defyance. The Green Silence were first sold as “racing flats” but they are a minimal shoe. Now I have learned that Brooks has discontinues them and replaced them with their Pure project.

Bye-bye, Defyance. I love you for carrying me through countless races and my first marathon. Sorry for making you so bloody, but we can blame the Pittsburgh weather, ok?

Green Silence, please treat me as well as, if not better, your predecessor. I love your eco friendly and natural style. And you make me run so free! I’m sorry Brooks doesn’t feel the same way as I do.

As of now, I have a lot of miles left in my Green Silence, but I’m still looking forward to the next shoe. Here’s my plan: instead of sticking with a shoe similar to the Green Silence, I will switch to a shoe with even less support, such as the New Balance Minimus.

Dear Minimus, I covet you. Please be as awesome as you look. One day…xoxo.

Eventually I’d love to run exclusively in the Vibram FiveFingers, but I have learned that it takes a lot of commitment. Maybe over the past year and a half I have been reevaluating my running style. It’s definitely minimalist, but maybe the whole jump to barefoot running will be a process slower than I initially thought.

What running shoes do you wear? How do you feel about minimalist shoes? What about barefoot/FiveFinger running? Have you tried it? 

P.S. The pictures of the Defyance and the Green Silence are from Brooksrunning.com and the picture of the Minimus comes from ShopNewBalance.com. You should go check out shoes and let me know what’s on YOUR shoe wish list. 

::tap::

Is anyone there? Can you hear me? Hello?

I don’t blame you if you’re gone. Actually I do. You are here for my enjoyment. And your enjoyment too. My life is so entertaining, why wouldn’t you want to read my blog?

So, it’s been over a month since I’ve blogged, huh? Want to know what has been going on?

Probably the most exciting thing is that I now have the iPhone 4S. I loved my iPhone 4 and had absolutely no intention of using the upgrade that I was eligible for in March. HOWEVER. SOMEONE (read: me) sent her beloved iPhone 4 through the washing machine on Saturday which means that Siri has become my new best friend. Honestly, how did I live without her before this? She’s smart, witty, sympathetic and organized… in fact she reminds me of someone I know… oh! Me.

Just kidding. We all know I’m not organized in the slightest bit. If I was, I wouldn’t be keeping my phone in my bedsheets whenever I’m about to do laundry.

In other less exciting (and embarrassing) news, Dave and I went to Rome. It was a trip that will cover Christmas/Anniversary/Birthdays for the next 5 years. And completely worth it.

Here are some highlights

1) Well, it was Rome. Heh. Obviously a trip of a lifetime.
2) I saw more dead people than I ever imagined I could see unless I had become a mortician. Good thing my parents talked me out of that one.
3) Wine is cheaper than water at restaurants, but Rome has free fountains throughout the entire city. Please explain this to me.
4) Dave is not good with languages. That’s my forte. He’s good at explaining structural significances in the ancient edifices, but provides endless entertainment for waiters and customers in restaurants all over Italy.
5) Ireland does not have Irish CarBombs. Don’t bring them up to Irish couples in your hotel if you are one or more of the follow: a) lightweight b) celiac c) already filled with delicious Roman wine d) staying next to an Irish bar. Seriously. DON’T DO IT.

Dave had planned our entire trip by placing each site/activity on a post-it note which were colored based on the location (i.e. south Rome was white, sites near our hotel were blue, etc…). A lot of places have weird hours and are closed on odd days, so the post-it notes were an easy way of planning what to see and when. And since they were all color-coded, we could keep close sites together. That way we would be the most efficient site-seers EVER. That was Dave’s goal. Mine was to simply get to the Roman Forum and die a happy girl.

So for now, I’ll give you my top 5 list (you’ll be able to tell I was Classics major):

5) The Capucin Crypt. This one makes the list simply because it was the strangest things my eyes have ever seen. I couldn’t take pictures, but it’s worth a Google search if you like to be freaked out.

4) Ostia Antica

3) The Roman Forum (ahhhh the ruins!!!)

2) Pompeii

1) The Colosseum… AT SUNSET.

I could talk about it forever, but I won’t bore you all. So let me know if there’s something specific you want to know and I’d be happy to share. Food? Travel tips (I’ll get Dave for that one)? Language barriers? Whatever it is, I’ll answer. I have a few other anecdotes that I’ll share sometime. For now, I’m all blogged-out. I should build up my blogging stamina again.

Ciao!

P.S. I’ve been keeping up with my photography. Check it out!

ANYHOW..

The race? I don’t feel like rewriting the post again. Which is a shame, because it was long and heartfelt. But maybe it’s a good a thing, because I don’t want to bore you all. So here’s the abbreviated version.

I am sick of racing and was not interesting in putting forth much effort into this race. AND I WAS OK WITH THAT.

I ran my slowest half marathon ever, but had a GREAT time because I didn’t have expectations except to enjoy a weekend with my college roommates.

I am now taking time from races in order to regroup and refocus. I love to run, but training for races is not fun to me anymore. Need a break, then I’ll be back and be awesome.

For now? Mediocrity is pretty freaking awesome. So are my college roommates.

And…I’m off to Rome!

And if this talk keeps up, I may be switching races:

• 

  
  Amanda: abbs- i don’t know what corral time i signed up for but i wanted to try to stick with the 8:30 pace group but just realized they only do 1:45 and 2:00 hour groups…i might just die doing 8:30 though barely finished my 15k in it so 8:45 might be more reasonable…what do you girls think?
• 

  
  Abby: There’s no need for a pace group. I have a Garmin and I told Amanda id pace her for a sub 2. A 2 hr half is at a 9:09 pace, so an 830 pace is ridiculous. I figured to keep a 9:09 pace for the first half of the race since it is uphill and then speed up on the second half, which is downhill. Thoughts?
• 
  
• 

  
  Lacey: Jess, I’m planning on pacing at about 2 margaritas an hour. Does that sound reasonable?
• 
  
• 

  
  Jess: Sounds perfect. You may need to keep me from going too fast too early.
• 

  
  Lacey: Yeah unlike the other race, our first half is downhill so you have to adequately pace yourself so you can face the uphill section.
• 

  
  Amanda: That’s exactly what I was thinking too Abby! I don’t want to start out too fast and staying between a 9-9:10 mile for the first half is perfect! Then we can negative split this baby!

1) Here are two articles I recently stumbled upon about C.S. Lewis that are very informative. It’s no secret that he’s my favorite author of all time. Actually, I’d go so far as to say that he’s my favorite intellectual of all time. You should read them.

C.S. Lewis as a Political Thinker
I love this line: His concern was not policy but principle; political problems of the day were interesting to him only insofar as they involved matters that endured.
The Eternal C.S. Lewis

2) Speaking of C.S. Lewis, he once said, “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

This has never been as true as it is today in America.

Geneva College filed a lawsuit this week against the federal government for the mandate that religious employers must provide abortion inducing drugs to employees (and in Geneva’s case, students). The lawsuit has been filed in defense of religious freedom. I am so proud of the College (and the other schools) for taking a stand against this attack on our constitutional rights. And also for its unwavering commitment to the sanctity of human life. If you’re interested, you can read more here.

3) I’m trying to read The Help, but I find it inexplicably boring. There’s only one other person that I know who shares my opinion. I think that whatever the author was trying to do, Harper Lee did it better with fewer words and fewer characters. I’ll finish the book, but I’m not happy about it.

4) I plan to chase The Help with In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Harper Lee’s character “Dill” was based on Truman Capote, a childhood friend whom she helped throughout the mystery of the Clutter murders–the subject of In Cold Blood.

5) Is that last sentence as confusing as I think it was?

6) I am so sick of training for races. Seriously. I don’t care how great I feel when I cross the line at the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in March–heck! I don’t care even if I win the dang thing– do NOT let me sign up for another race at least a year. I hate the feeling of always feeling like I “have to” run. I run simply because I enjoy it. Lately it seems like it’s a chore which makes it unlikely that I’ll do what I need to do because I’m a slacker.

7) I’m much more interested in planning for Rome than I am for my race. Dave had the brilliant idea to schedule our week using post-it notes. He’s full of those. Brilliant ideas, that is. Although I was surprised at how many post-it notepads he uncovered so I’m starting to think he’s full of those too.

I also updated my photography blog.

What’s been on your mind lately?