The Stinky Feet Challenge

I was poking around on the Facebook page of my sponsor, Smartwool, when I saw a response to a customer asking questions about the durability of the socks. The response mentioned that Smartwool socks can be worn for consecutive days without stinking. That 5 days isn't unheard of at the corporate offices.
I thought this was hyperbole. Maybe a tongue in cheek comment about the laid back ski town culture at the corporate office. So I decided to do a test of my own. I recently got the Hiking Ultra Light Crew. They are brown so they can pass for work and play.
I started off thinking these socks stood no chance. My feet smell bad. Really bad. In college a girl told me she considered not dating me because my feet smelled so bad. My wife also mentioned it as a hurdle when we started dating. As an RA in college the residents on my floor would mention that my shoes stunk up the hallway as they walked by. As you can imagine, it was pretty embarrassing growing up with sweaty stinky feet.
So I decided to set the rules. I'd wear them all day except when I went for a run (I like my running socks and didn't want to change anything). I don't sleep in socks so they would get a breather then. I decided the impartial judge would be my neat freak wife. She was not happy with this newly appointed role but she begrudgingly accepted the position.
Day 1- She slowly approached the socks and sniffed with the socks a few inches away from her face. After smelling nothing she put the socks to her nose and ruled... "I got nothing."
Day 2- I took my socks off after 2 days of working in unventilated dress shoes. A recipe for funk. Again she slowly approaches them, moves in for a better smell... "Nothing."
Day 3- I take them off and let her know its time to smell. She fearlessly buries her nose in the socks and says "Still good."
Day 4- She gives them a smell and decides "Just barely. I can kinda tell you've worn them."
Day 5- No judge needed. I smell them and decide to they are officially dirty. I love Smartwool but it's not worth sleeping on the couch over.
We were both pretty shocked. Day 4 smelled like 20 minutes would in my old cotton socks. We decided a family member might be getting a pair in his Easter Basket this year. So being in sales I can't help but think about the benefits of Smartwool socks;
1. They're So Soft- I refuse to wear any other sock.
2. Conserve Water- Wool can help you cut your laundry load to 1/5 of what it is. If socks last 5 days who knows how long pants and shirts could go.
3. Confidence- Now you can kick your shoes off without making your date's eyes water.
4. Great Gift- You can give them to your husband or wife and enjoy their feet not smelling. Now you both get a great gift.
5. Durability- They don't wear out and a satisfaction guarantee means you'll always be happy (Unlike my dryer that went out after 2.5 years. Can you tell it's still kind of a sore spot)
I challenge you to do the Stinky Sock Challenge and see how long they last for you.

Adventures in Barefoot Running

I met up with a friend of mine from Highschool to watch our alma mater play in the playoffs. She is a runner too. She even joined my Ragnar Relay Team for the Madison to Chicago 200 mile overnight running relay. When we talked about running she asked me if I ever did any barefoot running. I quickly responded no.

As I was driving home I realized that I had quite the adventure running in my bare feet. I played Football in HS (oddly enough my least favorite part was running) and after a Friday night game I went to relax with a another teammate at a classmates house. Her older brother and his friends came over with a few cases of beer and started to party. Being the good kid that I was I declined their offers to join them.

The boys started to get louder and before I knew it, police had pulled up to the front door. I decided this would be a great time to get some wind sprints in and headed out the back door. As I ran through the dark, I quickly hopped a fence and lost my sandals in the process. There I found myself running barefoot down the residential road.

After the wind sprints I decided to stretch out my legs in the woods for what felt like forever. When I thought the coast was clear I headed back to my car. Halfway down the street I saw a car with a search light on it pull down the road I was walking on. I quickly dashed into a nearby bush for some yoga. As I did my best Crouching Praying Teenager pose, the searchlight came, but most importantly it kept going.

My racing heart eventually slowed down when the neighbor let out their dog. I was on one side of the fence as a large dog with his hot breath barked at me from the other side. After a few minutes the woman came out to scold her dog to be quiet and that no one was out there!

After the dog quieted down I decided to make my move. I positioned myself to get up and as soon as I snapped a twig, I learned the dog was silently waiting on the other side of the fence to continue his barking. I could hear the owner of the dog scolding him again when I took off from behind my bush. I finally made it back to my car and got my first experience with barefoot driving.

I did decide to try some Vibram Five Fingers after seeing a decent discount at a local running store. I took them out on a trip to Myrtle Beach this weekend and went for quick 3 mile run with my wife on the beach.

I ended up with one blister and a very tender achilles heal. Who knew that impromptu barefoot running would lead to less discomfort than running with Vibrams. I think a pair of Smartwool toes socks from my sponsor might be needed.

All Work And No Play Makes Brent A Dull Boy

Living in Wisconsin can make you a bit crazy in the winter. It is about half of the year after all. When cabin fever strikes, we find all kinds of dumb reasons to go outside. My wife even attended the Wisconsin vs. Michigan outdoor hockey game while 9 months pregnant (Wisconsin won and she gave birth 3 days later). To celebrate his birthday, every year we drive 4 hours north to a stones throw from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But this is no ordinary Birthday party, it's an outdoors birthday party.

Every year we head out to the sledding hill, start a fire, and spend some quality time with the family. This year has been such a mild winter in Wisconsin we weren't even sure we'd have snow on the ground to sled in the first place. Luckily we got a couple inches on our way up. We hit the sledding hill and it was a brisk 14 degrees out.

My son is a daredevil at heart. He loves all things fast, high, and dangerous. He giggles with joy when the wind and snow whip against his face. We had to take turns because his desire for speed was greater than our ability to drag him up the hill.

A funny thing happens when you have an outdoor party in the middle of winter, everything freezes. I made the mistake of grabbing a carrot with my glove and biting into it. It was frozen solid from the hour it spent sitting outside in the 14 degree weather. Ice started to form on the tomatoes.

My wife's cousin even got to hang out with me. Lucky guy.