Low carb diet + running = a little bit of fail

I just (2 weeks ago) started on a low-carb diet because I need to de-pudgify. What I've found is that my body isn't very efficient at turning this low carb stuff into energy. My runs feel like I'm about to DIE. But, I'm still running, tho I'm keeping my pace really slow and stopping as soon as I start seeing things.

I haven't found any cure for it so far, but I'm hoping it will just get easier over time. If not, it'll just kinda suck, but that's OK. The worst run is better than a lot of things :)

And fellow clydesdales, don't worry. I'm pretty certain that the absolute lowest weight I can get down to is probably 200lbs (I can bench press 300lbs, so I've got a lot of muscle on me), so I'll still be a member :)

My current running shoes

These are my current shoes. They're Merrell Stormfront GTX (click for a review) shoes from 2005 or so with new SofSole Adapt insoles.


I bought them in 2005, but shelved them because I couldn't make them comfortable. However, since I pretty much keep all my old shoes (don't judge me, I KNOW lots of you people do the same thing), I kept these around and figured I would try them with new insoles. THAT was the trick! These things are now some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn! Plus, they have Gore Tex without much bulk. Just perfect for me.

I've run in them on trails and the road, and they feel great on both. Unfortunately, Merrell doesn't make them any more, but it does show (to me, at least) what a big difference insoles can make.

Insoles!

If you have foot pain and haven't tried different insoles, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND FIND SOME NOW! I've now discovered how good my feet can feel and I'm never going back to wearing shoes with their supplied footbeds. Really.

Part of my foot pain is the fact that I broke both big toes in martial arts years ago. My right one got injured so bad that I've got some rheumatoid arthritis in the largest joint of my big toe. Also, I didn't realize that my arches needed more support. But now the pain is basically gone, thanks to three insoles that I've found lately:


1. SOLE Heat-Moldable Insoles - They have three thicknesses - thin, regular, and thick (and lots of other choices, too, apparently). Which one you use depends on how much room you need to take up in your shoe. I didn't bother with heating them up -they feel fucking AWESOME right out of the box - around $45 (and I could only find them at REI).

2. Sof Sole Adapt Heat-Moldable Insoles - SofSole carries a bunch of different insoles, but these have the highest arch. Just touching them, they don't feel as substantial as the SOLE insoles, but they work REALLY well - around $30, and they seem to be available at multiple places (Dick's Sporting Goods is where I found them).

3. The Walking Company Memory Foam Insoles - (The ones I've tried are the Lynco: Men's Premium) These are the first high-dollar ($60) insoles I tried and I liked them a LOT... until I tried the two above. These definitely have more cushion, which I *thought* I needed, but it turns out that the feel almost TOO squishy for me. Also, The Walking Company has a pressure-sensitive mat that you can stand on that determines the type of support you need. I would definitely recommend it.

I've seen some less substantial insoles at CVS and Target, but if you're really a clydesdale, you'll crush those flimsy little things, so don't waste your money.

Introduction

Hey there! I'm creating this blog in hopes of helping other clydesdales with reviews of products and information that I've learned the hard way over time.

About me: I'm 5'11" and currently weigh about 250lbs. I'm currently on a low/no carb diet (just started a week ago) in hopes of dropping some of this extra weight, so I'll give you my progress on that, too. My running schedule is more erratic than I want, but that's how it is these days.

With that out of the way, welcome! Please feel free to email me if you want to contribute or if you have any questions. You can reach me at frank dawt tate at gulfsoft dawt com.