More Training for Tough Mudder

I’m still ramping up my training for the Tough Mudder event in NorCal this September. I’m wearing my Vibram FiveFingers much more regularly and did another 4 mile trail run in a pair of the KSOs. You may recall that I did buy a pair of the KSO Treks earlier and did a trail run in them as well. The fit was a bit too large. They felt fine for walking around, but my smaller toes kept slipping out of their pockets as I started running harder and climbing. So, I bought a size smaller of the KSOs, which are a bit different (better for water, thinner sole). Now my big toe is a bit cramped. Guess I have weird toes.

There is a way to adjust the size of the toes, if you don’t mind taking a risk. In this post, a guy describes how to use a grill lighter to heat and stretch one of the FiveFingers toes to get it to fit better. I would recommend trying it with a heat gun instead, to avoid the risk of fire. I did it carefully with mine and got a bit more wiggle room for my big toe. If you try this, I would highly recommend erring on the side of caution and only stretching a little. Always easier to stretch the FiveFingers more later. Impossible to shrink them up again.

So, in addition to my regular 4-days per week CrossFit workout, I have added the trail running on the weekend and I’m maintaining my Paleo lifestyle. Now I have also just added doing some of my CrossFit WODs wearing a weighted vest. I usually do an additional CrossFit workout each week, so I tried it this time with a 50 lb weight vest. Wow. That certainly takes things up a notch. Squats and lunges weren’t as hard as I expected. Push-ups and especially pull-ups became much more difficult. I haven’t tried running in one yet. That comes soon. The folks at WeightVest.com seem to have the highest quality weighted vests and the best reputation. I know the site doesn’t look super professional, but take the time to check out testimonials from people who buy from them (e.g., CrossFit affiliates, fire departments, police officers, military personnel, etc.) and they have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Heck, even Matthew McConaughey apparently owns one (see picture to right). That alone should reassure you. 😉