The Barefoot Caveman aka Glen Raines
finishes the Boston Marathon.

I always figured that running was an inexpensive way to get in shape. It seemed a reasonable assumption to me: no equipment, no membership fees. Now that I have been training for my first 5K, and reading up on running, I now see that "inexpensive" is a relative term. You can drop a lot of money on a lot of running gear. If you are a beginner and are looking around at some running sites, it may be intimidating. What do you need?

Well, you don't "need" anything to run. It is something that we were designed to do. Adam and Eve ran without any clothes at all. (Can anyone imagine two young, perfectly fit, literally made for each lovers other NOT chasing each other around paradise?) Later, I'm sure our ancestors ran bare foot, wearing bear skins, while being chased by vengeful bears. I'm also sure that they had shorter life expectancies and no podiatrists.

Not long after that time, major improvements were made in running apparel. Man invented shoes, and also moved to a lighter weight material for clothing: tanned dear skin. Native Americans ran around in homemade shoes, or no shoes, for centuries. Many still do today.

Then mankind had another technological breakthrough: pavement. This is really where the problem comes in. Barefoot running is great for natural surfaces, like grassy well watered earth, the beach, etc. Sidewalks and roads? Eh, not so much, unless you are Glen Raines. For this reason, the only thing you really need to worry about as a beginning runner is shoes. This is especially true if you are overweight. When you run, the amount of impact to your feet is 1.5 - 4 times that of your weight, depending on your stride length and speed. So, if you weight 250 pounds, you will be landing with a force between 375 and 1000 pounds.

If you are just starting the 5K challenge workout, you may be able to just use what you have for shoes. I had a pair of Ozark Trail hiking shoes that I used for my casual shoes. They worked just fine for the first two weeks. You're only running for 60 second reps the first day, after all. However, if your have any pain with the shoes you already own, stop. Just because mine were fine doesn't mean yours will be. But don't put off starting to train because everything isn't perfect.

Running shoes are the most intimidating thing to purchase, though. Most advice I've found on the subject suggests that you shop at a "running specialty store". (I once watched a Martha Stewart program where she made fried plantains. She had this special tool she used to flatten the slices of plantain. "You can purchase this at any Jamaican specialty store," she said. Great! Very helpful.) What on earth is a "running specialty store"? I have no idea. I heard that there was one about a half hour from where I live, if they hadn't gone out of business. I grew up in rural Ohio, and I am sure that for most of Middle America, finding a running specialty store would involve packing a suitcase and making a hotel reservation, possibly even airfare. But then you would need running shoes to make your connecting flight at Atlanta, creating a space time paradox that would threaten our very existence.

As luck would have it, mankind invented another technological advancement: the internet. This was mostly due to the fact they were wearing out their shoes looking for running specialty stores and bear skin suppliers. Now, at least you don't have to leave your house, but it doesn't make it less intimidating, or guarantee that your bear skins won't have anthrax. There are still a LOT of shoe choices and questions about your feet and running style that you just wouldn't know how to answer if you aren't already a runner.

The absolute best statement I found on running shoes was "Buying running shoes is more of an art than a science". A lot of the choices boil down to personal preference. If you are an absolute beginner, you don't have any personal preferences yet, do you? You don't know if you supinate or underpronate, or what that even means. You don't know your foot strike, stride length, or gait. You don't have an old pair of running shoes for the running specialty store employee to investigate.

Your first shoes may be a bit of a gamble, but they will probably be better than anything you already have in your closet. Here is what I did to purchase mine. There are quite a few websites that sell running shoes, but I went to Holabird Sports, because it was a suggestion on another website discussion about where to find cheaper shoes. Most of these sites will have a category for running shoes, so pick that. Next, narrow it down by size. If a shoe doesn't come in your size, then it doesn't really matter how good it is, does it? If you are overweight, I bet you have a wide foot, which really narrows it down. At Holabird, there were 338 mens running shoes, 249 in a size 10.5, and only 45 in a EE width. (They carry 4E width as well, which limited it to just 23.) I then sorted it by "price low to high", and started reading the reviews. Do the reviewers actually run in the shoes? Are any of them overweight themselves? Weed out bad reviews that were due to customer service and not the shoe itself. You want a great shoe more than a great purchase experience.

My final choice? Brooks Addiction 9. Regularly $100, on clearance for $56. I like them. I don't notice them when I run. I like all the lace holes threaded on my shoes, as it keeps my heel from slipping. These shipped with laces that are just a bit too short for that. My feet and knees don't hurt, but then I haven't even run my first 5K yet. My next pair of running shoes may be something totally different, I don't know. I bet these aren't great for marathons, but if I ever run a marathon, these shoes will be long dead.

Here is some other advice that I've picked up that sounds reasonable. Replace your shoes after a set number of miles, not when your feet start to hurt. You could injure yourself. 300 miles was one suggestion. As a beginner, I don't know if you would even think to track that. Also, only wear your running shoes for running. They'll last longer that way. You don't really need them for bumming around or casual Fridays anyway.

Good luck! Feel free to comment or tweet me about your experience and what you purchased. I'd be interested in what you experience.

Week 5, Day 1

One thing that I did not bargain on happening during my training; getting bronchitis. And with my touch of asthma, bronchitis hits me hard. I have to be careful that it doesn't progress to pneumonia. I was hoping that losing 50 pounds would help in this area, but I still have 30 pounds to lose, so maybe not yet. The doctor put me on prednisone and antibiotics. We just went running again this morning after almost two weeks.

This put me back in my training. The 5K is on May 20, which is only three weeks away. I should be on week 7 of my training, but here we are on week 5. I am not certain that I will be able to run the entire 5K, but I am still going to participate. After all, I've paid the fees, and it is for a good cause. Perhaps I will be able to run the entire thing.

My marathon running friend told me that a two week delay could set you back so far that you would need to start from the beginning. I don't have that much time and it is only a 5K, not a marathon. Perhaps we will skip week 6 training and go right into week 7 and 8. Week 9's schedule is running 3 miles, which is really close to 5K (3.1 miles), so what's the difference? Whatever happens, I'll be better off than I was before. There is another 5K in Highland Falls on July 4, the "firecracker" 5K. I think I will run that as well, but first I will have to check it out with one of my children. His birthday is on July 4!

Not all illnesses need to keep you from your training. One rule of thumb is that if you are sick "from the neck up", like the common cold, you could continue with a reduced intensity training. But if you are sick from the "neck down", as with bronchitis, stop your training until you recover. You also want to stop training if you have a fever. In any case, you may want to get advice from your doctor.

Injuries can also delay your training. There are some injuries where you could continue your training, and others where you could not. Muscle injuries require rest followed by strengthening and flexibility exercises, and perhaps therapy before you start training again. You can always exercise other parts of your body that aren't injured, focusing on upper body strength, etc. If you have an injury that isn't in your legs, don't assume that you could continue your running training. The jarring of running could delay healing or worsen your injury. You really would need to seek advice from a sports therapist to determine what your particular injury requires.

Did you know that prednisone has a Facebook page? I clicked "like".

This is only slightly off topic of this blog, which is primarily about training for a 5K, but I have to share this. Last night, wanting a little something sweet, we had Fresca Floats. Growing up in Ohio, one of the staples at a party was a punch made with lemon lime soda, juice, and sherbet. We made a light version of this with Turkey Hill Rainbow Sherbet and Fresca

One of the things I really don't like about trying to lose weight is eating "pretentious" foods, meaning foods that are pretending to be other foods. Diet Coke, for example, isn't Coke. No sugar added fat free ice cream isn't ice cream, by definition. I even saw one brand call theirs an ice cream "substitute".

Fresca, on the other hand, has always been diet. It isn't pretending to be anything else. Zero calories. Rainbow Sherbet isn't trying to be ice cream. It has 120 calories per serving, and only 1 gram of fat. Premium ice cream has 7 grams of fat and anywhere up to 180 calories. Sure, you could get less calories from "no sugar added fat free ice cream substitute", but I know it's pretending.

The Fresca Float is simply a scoop of Rainbow Sherbet and a can of Fresca. Put the sherbet in first if you want a LOT of foam. 3 Points Plus for you Weight Watchers out there.

I recently read an article questioning if going to church makes people fat, as churchgoers tend to be overweight. In this article it brought up the point that gluttony is a sin, and how the church doesn't address this fact enough. Feel free to replace "church" with "synagogue" or "mosque", but the article was about church.

Whenever people of faith broach the subject of being overweight, it seems that the word "gluttony" surfaces. Gluttony is one of the "seven deadly sins", after all. Let's leave alone the fact that you can't find "the seven deadly sins" in the Bible as a list. Gluttony is a sin, but to equate it with being overweight is not accurate, healthy, or helpful. The basis of my statement is that you can be a glutton and not be overweight. You can also be overweight and not be a glutton. Of course you could be both overweight and a glutton, and I'm not saying that all overweight people are not gluttons.

One of the famous Bible verses on gluttony is Proverbs 23:20-21 "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags." The best description of gluttony I find in the Bible is in the Amos 6:4-7 “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.” No, it doesn't actually call these people gluttons, but they are. The act of stretching out on a couch while eating is an ancient one. The purpose of doing so was to make more room in the stomach for food. These people are stuffing themselves beyond the point of comfort. They are drinking wine, not out of cups, but out of bowls.

But we do have to be careful and watch against hand picking Bible verses. Psalm 104:15 states that God made "wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart." The Bible also describes fatness as a blessing. Psalm 92:14 "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." Pro 28:25 "He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat." Ecclesiates 10:19 states "A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything". Israel was commanded to party lavishly in Nehemiah 8.

So, how do we reconcile these things?

Paul has a good word in 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 "In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!"

Paul sums up the matter fairly well. These people are being gluttons, even if they aren't necessarily overweight. They are being greedy, taking more than their share, and not waiting for everyone to even have firsts before they have seconds. In Amos 6 the people have no grief over the calamities that are befalling their country. These are the things that make a glutton. It is my opinion that most overweight Americans are not gluttons. We simply live in a very rich society. There is more than enough food for everyone in our household, and the neighbors, and the food pantry, and the garbage heap. We eat our fill, and there is still plenty of food. There's plenty of money for the house payment, the car, the 401K, and plenty of food. Gluttony involves greedily eating more than your share, while some go hungry. This is not the case in America, even with our current economic problems.

Is being overweight a sin? Sin is primarily a heart matter. Being fat isn't good for your heart, but that's not what I'm talking about. If you are making poor food choices and not getting enough exercise, that's not particularly sinful. It would be better to be in shape as your body is a temple to the Lord, for sure. But are you fat because you are eating the remains of a frozen Sarah Lee cheesecake directly out of the freezer at 2 a.m., when it was supposed to be for desert tomorrow, and then claiming ignorance about it the next day? Are you sneaking the last cupcake that was supposed to be for Jimmy? Are you coming to the church picnic (or oneg, or iftar) without bringing anything and then eating seconds of Mary Ann's famous fried chicken (or Chaim's hummus, or Afrah's kebabs)? Then you would be a glutton.

The Bible is all about grace. Even the "God of the Old Testament" is all about grace. What He really wants from all people is repentance, which means to "re think" what we are doing. In Hebrew, the word is "t'shuva" which means "to turn around". He wants us to "change our minds" and "turn around" from our evil ways back to Him. He is always desirous of forgiving us. If you have been a glutton, admit it, and turn away from it. Then know that God has forgiven you and loves you, even if you are fat.

Back in February, Mashable.com did a post on the Top 10 Best iPhone Armbands. I don't really know the criteria they used to rank them. I don't think there was any type of scientific testing, but they did assemble a good group of armbands with many interesting features. My thanks to Amy-Mae Elliott.

I did my own research of their list to narrow down my purchase. Of all the armbands on Mashable's list, Tuneband had more total reviews and a high percentage of 5 star reviews (69%) at Amazon. Of the negative reviews (one star), the biggest problem seemed to be that the company shipped the end user the wrong product. My son is satisfied with the Tuneband I purchased him for his nano, which was another factor in my decision. The runner up in my research was the Tune Belt Sport, but I did not purchase one.

I have used the Tuneband a couple of times now during our workouts. It fits my arm nicely, and is not distracting. I positioned my phone so that the speakers were facing up, and I didn't use my headphones. I could hear the voice prompts of my app just fine, but the quality of the music I was listening to was of course thin.

It fits my upper arm (14" bicep) well. Since I know that other people will have larger or smaller arms, I tried it out on my 17" calf. It fit, but I don't know if I would call it "comfortable". I also tried to put it on my wrist, but that involved running the strap through the case twice. It did fit, though. So, if you have very large arms or very small arms, then it may not fit you well, but that is the case with many of these armbands. Thankfully, Grantwood Technologies does offer various sized elastic straps for purchase, ranging from 9" to 22". It will just put you back an extra $9.99.

I am a running novice, not an expert. There are features on the other armbands that you may just HAVE to have, such as cable management, or an extra pocket for a key, or reflective material. It does come with screen protectors, though. I have a screen protector I love, so I only used the "back" protector. This is handy as I am inserting and removing the strap when I use it.

I am going to use this as my primary iPhone case, but it is very utilitarian. It's a flat (as in not shiny) black silicone case with two slots on the back for a strap. That may look weird to some people.

Pros:

• Price: 19.99. Some of the other top 10 armbands were more expensive, but some were cheaper, but this isn't breaking the bank.
• The Tuneband strap is elastic. Some reviews on other products indicate that not all straps are. The elastic feels comfortable, as it gives while moving my arm.
• Fits well, at least for most people, and Grantwood offers other size straps.
• The case is versatile, in that you could use it as your only case. The strap threads through two slots in the back.
• Secure fit. Some reviews thought the product was cheap and would not protect the phone, but I don't see why. The phone isn't going to fall out of this case.
• The bottom opening accommodates the charging cable nicely. Not all the cases allow for this. I don't have any docking devices, so I can't say if it dock well.

Cons:

• This is not a fashionable case. If you are one that requires your iPhone case to be aesthetically pleasing, this isn't your case.
• The case doesn't hug the iPhone like I thought it would, but that is just aesthetic.
• It may not work with another case simultaneously, causing you to switch cases, but it depends on your case
• The screen protector that comes with it has poor instructions. I suggest you watch the video they have.
• If you have very large or very small arms, you may need to purchase a second strap from Grantwood, which costs extra
• Does not have any secondary pockets for any other "stuff"
• Does not have any reflective or glow in the dark trim
• Not waterproof. I probably haven't worked out this much, but some reviews said that it didn't protect the phone from perspiration. How much do you people sweat? If you are such an enthusiast that you run in the rain, then this band is not for you.

I think that the Tuneband gets the job done well for a reasonable price. It may not actually BE the best armband out there. I did not purchase them all or do any sort of scientific testing. However, I don't think you will be disappointed with your purchase.

The case gaps a little here at the top.	And here at the bottom.
These slots may keep it from being your primary case, aesthetically.	I never saw this pinhole next to the headphone jack! It's a noise cancelling microphone.

I read an article recently at wnd.com discussing how overweight people underestimate their obesity problem. I wonder if they had a control group of skinny people and asked them how much the overweight people weigh, because it has been my experience that even skinny people underestimate my obesity problem.

When I started Weight Watchers, I weighed 260 pounds, but if I told that to a fit person that I knew, they were shocked. "You don't look that overweight" would be their reply. They would see a grossly obese person, and not realize that person was probably well over 300 pounds. People just aren't good at guessing weight. If everyone was good at estimating other people's weight, then the weight guesser at the carnival would be out of a job.

I've lost 45 pounds since then, and everyone thinks I look great.  Then I tell them I need to lose another 35 pounds, and they are incredulous. "You'd be too skinny." I point out that a mutual friend weighs 180 pounds, and is even taller than I am. The BMI charts, although they aren't that accurate, say I should weigh 170. So, I will not be "too skinny" at 180 pounds.

I've started noticing myself how many people you would think are "fit" are actually overweight. My 180 pound friend recently lost some weight himself. He looked great before, but realized he was carrying around an extra 15 pounds. That extra weight was affecting his running times. He was running marathons with that extra weight. He was very active and in good physical condition, but he was still overweight.

I've underestimated my own actual weight loss. I know I've lost 45 pounds, but I don't have any idea how much that actually is. That's a picture of me with an actual 45 pound barbell weight. That thing is HEAVY!

Week 4, Workout 2

It is worth repeating at this point the theories that Ford had come up with, on his first encounter with human beings, to account for their peculiar habit of continually stating and restating the very very obvious, as in 'It's a nice day," or "You're very tall," or "So this is it, we're going to die." - Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Today, we went back to Bear Mountain's Hessian Lake for our run. Remember I mentioned that there were no buzzards last time? Well, we lost count of them today. Around the first curve of the backside of the lake, we scared at least two dozen buzzards and/or vultures from their roost. I then quoted Douglas Adams, "So this is it, we're going to die". My daughter almost couldn't stop laughing. In reality, the buzzards want nothing to do with humans, just the dregs of their picnics (unless we're dead, of course). The second time around the lake we tried to scare them on purpose, but to no avail. They are so used to humans.

I am going to go back and edit the original post about Bear Mountain, and put in a warning that the one hill on the backside of the lake is not the easiest thing in the world to run. We did it, but it was tough for my daughter and I. My son did it without any problem, of course.

No nausea today, or at most very little. I tried to get enough liquids yesterday, and had something to drink any time I woke up last night. But then of course, I woke up more often last night to go pee. I expect that the third workout this week will be easier, then we'll take it up another notch next week. Week 5, workout 3 involves a 2 mile non-stop run. (Oy, veh!)

I got my Tuneband the other day, and used it for the first time today. I am quite satisfied with it, and will be doing more of a review of that product in a later post.

We tested it running the app in the background, while listening to Pandora's Bebop Jazz station in the foreground. Everything worked beautifully, specifically the distance voice prompts.  My son thinks that Jazz is terrible as running music. It may be, but hey, it's my iPhone, and I can listen to what I want.

Week 4, Workout 1

Today we tried a new location. It wasn't quite as nice as Bear Mountain, but it is the weekend, and I didn't want to deal with the crowds there. We went to Roe Park in Highland Falls, NY. The park has a small pond and a nice playground. The park is encircled by Roe Avenue, which is about 1/2 mile around. We figured that out by the prompts in the app. It took a little more than once around the avenue to go 800 meters, or about 1/2 mile. The gps calculations are working as expected.

I took another son of mine today, who is turning 11 this year. He tried to do some of the run with us, but took a little breather to play in the playground. Roe avenue is short and you can see the entire road and the playground from any one spot, so it was easy to keep an eye on him.

Like I mentioned last time, I didn't expect this workout to be easy: 400 meters running, 200 walking, 800 running, 400 walking, 400 running, 200 walking, and 800 running. I haven't run so much since high school, and I certainly haven't run a half mile straight since then, but we did it! If you think a half mile sounds like a lot, well, it is when you haven't been running for a long time. But if you start small, you can do it. Today, I didn't hold back as much to stay with my daughter, and I was able to catch up to her and pass her, but I didn't leave her too far behind. It's almost like a half mile track. My 18 year old just ran on ahead, and we all kept an eye on the 10 year old, but he didn't keep up with us.

I have to tell you, I did feel a little nauseous a couple of times. Actually, everyone but the 18 year old felt queasy. I did have my water bottle with me, and tried not to guzzle it. The walking breaks helped ease my stomach, though. I am sure that by the end of the week I won't feel that way anymore. I did feel "feverish" after the workout, but my friend PJ said that isn't unusual. Probably both the nausea and feverish feeling could be related to not enough water. Not that I felt thirsty, but I probably don't drink enough water in general. I'll keep you posted on improving my water consumption and what effect that has.

Things that could cause nausea during a workout:

• Working out on an empty stomach (low blood sugar)
• Working out too soon after heavy protien meal
• Dehydration
• Pushing beyond your ability
• Motion Sickness
• Anxiety
• Environment (heat, cold, humidity)
• You could just be sick!

Week 3, Workout 3

Up until now, we have been running on the roads near our house. The problem is that we live on a mountain and no matter where we run, we end up running up a substantial hill. My father in law came to visit us once and commented, "I've never been to a place where you can actually go uphill both ways."  So, we've been running back in forth on the flattest area around the house.

Today, we took a little trip to Bear Mountain State Park. This park is famous in these parts and quite popular on the weekends. I wouldn't even think about running here on the weekend, it is so crowded. But this morning, it was a joy. We saw a total of 7 people, and one hawk, and zero buzzards. (Buzzards are numerous on weekend evenings, just after everyone leaves the park, scavenging the leftovers.) You also don't have to pay for parking on weekdays. If you go on the weekend, the parking fee is $8.

The park is home to Hessian lake, a 45 acre lake at the foot of Bear Mountain, also known as Highlands lake and Bloody lake. It was originally known as Sinnipink lake. During the revolutionary war, 250 Hessian soldiers were killed in a local battle, and their bodies were thrown into the lake, which was reported to be red with their blood for several days. Maybe that's why there are so many buzzards around here.

There is a paved trail around Hessian lake measuring about 1.5 miles. Twice around will give you almost a 5K! This is the route we ran this morning. It was just a wonderfully gorgeous morning. A grandpa was fishing with his grandson (the lake is stocked with trout), a couple walking their dog, and maybe three other people. The views of Bear Mountain, Bear Mountain Bridge, and Anthony's Nose are beautiful. If you live in the area, you've probably already been here, but you should check it out on a weekday morning, if possible. Very peaceful.

The workout today was the same as the previous two this week: Run 200 meters, walk 200, run 400, walk 400, repeat. On the last walking section, my daughter asked me if there was one more rep to go, and was surprised that the workout was finished. I was not surprised that we were done, but I could have kept going. We are working our way up to a 5K, so I would assume that things would slowly get easier. Next week, we take it up another notch again, so I'm sure that won't be easy.

Given that the path around the lake was a known distance, it gave me the opportunity to test the accuracy of the GPS measurements in the app. Everything seems to be working just fine there, but I really wasn't worried about it in the first place. The GPS aspect of the app is actually one of the easier things to work with.

Week 3 Workout 2

I just registered today for the 4th Annual Run the Palisades 5K, which benefits the Diabetes Foundation. My goal, of course, is losing weight and getting into shape. The larger goal of the 5K is battling diabetes. So, toward that greater goal, I have set up a donation page for this event. Please consider sponsoring me. If you are following my blog or my @my5kchallenge twitter account, or know me personally, I would like to ask you to donate to donate to the Diabetes Foundation to support their work.

Also consider joining me in my 5k challenge and run this race! Or, you could just attend the event. They have a health fair and a kids "fun run" as well. I look forward to hearing from you and maybe seeing you on the event day. I also look forward to seeing the donations increase.