Second Run this Week

I decided to go out again today. It was cooler, 39 F (3.8 C) but no wind or rain to contend with. I intended to run one of my favorite routes along the waterfront in downtown Portland, Oregon. Usually I just run one loop, which is 4 miles. This time I felt really good so I added an extra loop, winding up through the streets in the business districts. My total distance on this run was 6.2 miles. I got lots of stares. The only comment I heard was from another runner. He called out, “Hey Abebe Akila! Ghetto style!”

I get some serious inquiries about barefoot running sometimes, so I made some business-sized cards that I carry with me. Once in a while I hand one out if someone seems interested in knowing more. My cards say “Barefoot Running” with a pic of some bare footprints, my name, and the words “Natural! Fun! Healthy! Strong!” I was going to give one to the “Abebe Akila” guy, but it would have taken too long to dig one out of the plastic bag with my gloved hands.

I noticed that I could handle some gravelly sections quite well by making sure I placed my feet straight down gently with no lateral force. My ability to handle the rough stuff may have been helped by a dietary experiment I have been doing. Someone suggested adding ground flax seeds to my diet for the good oils they contain. I have been trying this for the past 3 days and I believe it makes a difference. The skin on my feet seems to be more supple without losing any toughness. The skin seems to mold itself around bumps and lumps better with less pain.

Happily running barefoot in the great Northwest!

Ryan
Vancouver, Washington

My New Years Resolution

I decided I need to keep better records of my running, so I know how far I'm running each week/month. I estimate that I have run about 2,500 miles barefoot since I began in August, 2004. This is a only an estimate.

In 2009 I'll try to keep more accurate records.

Today I ran four miles in cool, wet weather. We just got thawed out after a 10-day deep freeze with almost 18 inches of snow. I didn't do any running during that stretch -- I may be a barefoot running fool, but I'm not foolish about it!!

So today was a nice, short run to get me back into it again. I expected to find a lot more gravel on the sidewalks left over from sanding the icy streets -- but it was no worse than usual.

Still running barefoot in Vancouver, Washington
(the other Vancouver)
(the other Washington)

Listening To Our 'Youngers'

There is wisdom in listening to our elders and learning from them.
However, there is also wisdom in listening to our "youngers" sometimes.

I noticed some kids walking barefoot across a parking lot one time.
When they came to a rougher gravel-covered section, they all did some
familiar things:

Bent their knees more
Shortened their strides more
Stepped more on their forefeet than on their heels
Appeared to look past the rough area - not focusing on the immediate.

So yesterday I was running and took a trail that goes from a parking
lot down to the sandy banks of our local river. The trail was mostly
smooth and leaf-covered, very easy and pleasant! There is one section
that is rocky and rough. I have usually had to switch to a slow walk through
there and try to step only on the large, smooth rocks.

This time I remembered the example of the children and did the same
things they did. I was able to cross over the rough part very easily
and much more quickly, no problems at all. Something to keep in mind
for future runs.

Quite often people ask me "Where are your shoes?" I usually carry a
couple of bandaids in my pocket in case I need them (I rarely do).

One time I pulled out some bandaids, showed them to the person, and
said, "Here they are! I carry them in my pocket."

Ryan

Running in the Rain

Last Wednesday, I felt like going running all day, but it was very windy and blowing, the middle of a big storm. Once I am out in it, I usually don't mind so much; the hard part is overcoming the initial resistance to the idea of voluntarily getting soaking wet. It was not even that cold out, a balmy 62 degrees! So I was vacillating between going or not, to get wet or to stay dry.

I thought I would compromise -- go out just for a short run (or so I say to myself) which won't be so bad. Except I know that once I'm out in it and am already wet, I'll have no reason at all to keep it short. So, I asked myself, shall I go out at all, knowing I will probably make it a longer run in the end?

So I stewed over it for some time.

Anyway, I ended actually venturing out into the full-on rain storm. It was still 62 degrees F (16.6 C) out and less than an hour before sunset. I knew I would get soaking wet but I did it anyway.

It was windy, wet, wild -- and wonderful!

Yep, I did go further than I originally planned, 7.5 miles instead of 4. There were some fairly strong wind gusts, some spells of extremely heavy rain intermixed with steady, constant rain. Some deep puddles that I intentionally aimed for, especially when wet leaves were sticking to my feet and ankles.

I even saw a few other runners and bicyclists out! I passed two women, one who was wearing only a sports bra, shorts and shoes. She pointed at my feet and exclaimed, "No shoes??" I pointed at her and said, "No
jacket??" We both laughed and continued on our way.

Today is sunny and blue skies -- not too bad running weather either!

On another note... I get asked about barefoot running so much that I broke down and bought some business card paper and made me up some Running Barefoot cards to just carry with me and hand out on runs. I don't know how they will fare in sweat and rain, so I'm looking for a plastic holder of some kind to keep them in so they stay dry.


My desert-dwelling sister was up here for a visit. She asked one day, "What's all that stuff falling out of the sky?" (joking about all our rain
versus her lack of it.)

I smiled and told her, "Around here, we call that SUNSHINE!!"

Ryan

More on: "Is Going Barefooted Good for You?"

Someone on the Yahoo sports group, Runningbarefoot, sent me a link to another very well written and thorough article written by Joseph Froncioni on his web site, Quickswood --- about shoes, bare feet, and injuries. Excellent material! Read it here:

Essay on Athletic Footwear and Running Injuries


Ryan

Is Going Barefoot Good for the Feet?

I got a private email from someone wondering if running barefoot was proven to be good for the feet. Here is my answer:

Hi there! I got this email from you, where you said,

"I think you guys are a little loose running barefoot. There is no proof that it is better for your feet."

My first proof is myself, but that might not convince anyone. So I did a quick web search and found these articles, linked below. There may be others I didn't discover. I suppose these come as close to 'proof' as we have right now. There is not a lot of money in proving barefoot is better; scientists get a lot more money proving that a certain shoe or an orthotic design is good so some company can sell those products!

Enjoy these, they were very helpful to me!

Article 1
Article 2
Article 3
Article 4
Article 5
Article 6
Article 7


Ryan

Barefoot Ups and Downs

A couple of weeks ago I was walking - not running - on a sandy beach when my foot struck something hard and sharp hiding in the sand. Turns out there was some very old metal debris buried in the sand. You'd think that this being a city park and all, and this beach being visited by lots of fishermen, families with kids, etc., that someone at some time would have thought -- "You know, that old rusty, sharp metal hiding in the sand just might not be such a good idea!" and might have decided to remove it.

Well, my foot got quite a deep gouge from it. I didn't have any bandaids with me, so I let it bleed out pretty good and then rinsed it in the water. When I got back to my car I doused it with a saline-hydrogen peroxide solution I have. The skin break was not the extent of the damage. Apparently I also got quite a deep bruise and a slight sprain to my ankle. So I was limping around for quite some time after that. The skin tear has healed nicely, the bruise has eventually gotten better, and my stiff and sore ankle has now quieted down.

A couple of weekends ago my wife and I visited friends in Astoria, Oregon. One of my goals was to go on a long, easy beach run while there. We made it to the beach, the weather was absolutely gorgeous, but my foot and ankle were still too stiff and sore, so I could only manage a short 2 mile run/walk on the beach. Oh well, I'll take what I can get!

This week I have been able to get in a couple of good runs, at last. 10 miles and 8 miles each, on pavement, cement sidewalks and beach sand. Saturday my wife and I went to the river beach and dug up fresh water clams to make into clam chowder. I really enjoy wading in the mucky parts of the river as well as the clean sandy parts. Barefooting is so much more interesting than wearing sandals or even aqua socks!

Ryan

Relax, Relax, Relax!

Ken Bob's repeated reminder to relax, relax, relax is more than just a cliche. I think there's a reason his recommendation is usually expressed in triplet. Here's my philosophy on the meaning of "relax-relax-relax."

Relax - the Body

Shod runners are trained and practice to build up their tension-based muscles. They feel the need to be able to "push off" with tremendous force and whip their legs forward with staccato speed.

Barefoot running is a whole different mind set. We learn to relax our body, let nature take over and do the hard work. Stress, effort and tension waste energy and invite injury.

Instead of thinking about the "trying" of running, we feel the "doing." Falling to go forward. Natural loading of the built-in springs in our feet, ankles and legs. Taking shorter and quicker steps that reduce stress, impact and friction. Running from the core.

Relax - the Mind

When learning to run barefoot, there is a tendency to think, re-think, analyze, formulate, evaluate, focus, compare, and so on. The best part of barefoot running is learning to un-hook the mental processes and allow the body to learn to speak for itself. We are conditioned to fear and avoid mistakes, so we panic when trying a new thing and want to analyze the heck out of it, hoping to become pros at it immediately.

Barefoot running is much more than just doing certain movements or placing the feet just so. Its about re-growing weak muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Its about re-shaping arches and muscles. Its about quieting sensation-starved nerves that initially scream from overload when starting out going barefoot. Mental analysis does not grow new cells, experience and effort do.

Barefoot running is also about putting aside fears, prejudices, social embarassement, self-doubts, and self-limitations. We fear the pain that we will and do experience in our muscles and on our feet when starting out. We fear stepping on that rock or glass that might injure us. We hesitate and tense up when trying something new. We tell ourselves we could never ..., we will not be able to ..., its too far to ..., etc. We worry about how we will look and what others will think of us.

Little by little, however, we vanquish each fear, doubt, hesitancy, and limitation. Each step of success builds confidence to take another step forward in our progression. Rocks and glass can be avoided or can be stepped on without consequence. Yesterday's stopping point can be today's half-way point. We receive the harsh comment or word as not being given in malice, but evidence of someone's own misunderstanding and feelings of inadequacy -- and we forgive them.

Relax - the Spirit

Barefoot running begins to open up a new attitude and acceptance of life. The process is as fulfilling and important as the goal. A bad run is still good. We learn from setbacks as much or more than from success. In fact failure is only a new learning opportunity, and it is also good. We find that we are not really competing with or against others. We only compete with the self we were yesterday, we strive to achieve the self we want to be tomorrow, and we are aware of and enjoy the self we are today. Other's successes are not our failures, so we rejoice when others progress. Progress is great, whether its learning to run that first block or two without pain, or running a second marathon the very next day after the first one. We focus on "what's next?" instead of "what might have been."

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So, remember when running barefoot, whether you are just starting out or you are aiming for yet another ultra run - to "relax, relax, relax!"

See you "out there!"

Ryan