Tuesday, March 22, 2011
March 19th, 2011--Saturday. Another shorter run in favor of time with my family, but the conditions, while still on the beach reached a whole new level of severity that day. With a new weather change came a new front, bringing intense gusts that proved formidable during a run so close to the water. I began on the same path as usual from my court but stayed on the sidewalk this time, bracing myself against gravel and pebbled concrete. While some parts did induce some recoiling, I made it intact and felt confident that my feet were becoming more accustomed to this new type of terrain. Then came the beach. Being along the water brought my body against high winds that made me fight for every step, and stole the breath from my lungs making the battle try every fiber in me. I ran as far as I wanted to go, for 8 minutes and ran some more. I gave myself a goal to get to the next visible jetty after 10 minutes was reached and I was already tired, and met the jetty at 12 minutes before I turned back. The ride back was of course much more palatable with the wind nudging me forward the whole time and the monster's roar absent from my ears, it felt much less like a battle and more like a jaunt out along the water's edge. The rest of the run was smooth besides my vision being impeded by my stray hair. I ended up ending with a solid 21 minutes and felt amazing the rest of the day despite passing out uncontrollably at night.
Break Day
March 18th, 2011
Needed a break, and the weather was far too nice not to go out and have a lovely day.
My calves certainly needed the break along with my running partner's, and since it was his birthday on the 18th, we spent the day complaining about how our calves hurt together. How cute.
Needed a break, and the weather was far too nice not to go out and have a lovely day.
My calves certainly needed the break along with my running partner's, and since it was his birthday on the 18th, we spent the day complaining about how our calves hurt together. How cute.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Third Run
Noland Trail--Newport News, Virginia.
Behind the Mariner's Museum of Virginia is Noland Trail. A swevry, curvy trail that mingles among trees and a large lake, that provides lovely sightseeing to runners or casual walkers. To the barefoot runner however, it is a strange change of pace that required diligence and attention.
March 17th 2011
I ran the trail with my boyfriend, who had never barefooted before, and I was firstly surprised by his willingness to unshod, but it is the attitude that needs to be had to enjoy barefoot running, or else the runner will be griping the entire time and completely forget about enjoying foot to ground connection.
We started off by properly stretching (which I never do, I know, I know, bad!) and hydrated as much as we could as well as downing some food, about 200 calories each prior, and I had had about 200 or 300 about 40 minutes earlier.
The run started near Lions' Bridge, and the trail had a short bout of oyster shells which we avoided, and then generally alternated between fine gravel (bearable for soft feet, but still unpleasant) and soft, powder sand (a godsend).
We ran for about 10 minutes, and stopped as he showed me a small deck and rested to enjoy the beauty of the lake and the trees, along with the fairly warm weather (62 farenheit). The run was meant to be a relaxed run, and we even stopped when we found a hill to literally roll down it, like small children.
Overall, it was strange having the trail switch unexpectedly from gravel to sand, with most of it feeling like gravel, likely because it was what made the most impact on my feet and memory.
Other surfaces the two of us found were:
dried grass: still not as nice as fresh grass, and sometimes scratchy
mud: squishy and excellent to walk in. we were able to wash off on puddles from the recent rain.
wood planks: the bridges we ran on were always nice and smooth, a pleasant break from the gravel.
oyster shells: AVOID. we are still soft-feets!
My man did pretty well considering it was his first barefoot run, and though the gravel made me grumpy near the end despite staying strong before, he pulled through without complaining about the gravel on his very soft soles. Though it was always cause for celebration when we found a patch of sandy trail, we had to watch out for the wooden planks that prevent erosion and created sometimes steep steps. While this proved little problem besides incline when we wre on the sand, it was obviously a bother when steps were ascended or descended onto gravel.
Besides a bit of poor form, my man did well, though we slowed a bit at the end, but it made me realize that there are tips people don't know of, that really help the running experience.
Tips for Running Stronger
-Stand Straight.
(slouching starts poor form and hurts the back and inhibits breathing.)
-Keep your arms at 90 degree angles and when swinging, do not cross over your chest
(crossing your arms over your chest overworks your back, and will make your back tight and make breathing harder by the end of the run)
(also, swinging your arms straight in front of you will power you forward, and allow stronger strides)
Overall, the run was a lighter excursion for me, and while it exhausted my partner, I believe it was a positive introduction to barefoot running for him and a nice continuation for myself.
Behind the Mariner's Museum of Virginia is Noland Trail. A swevry, curvy trail that mingles among trees and a large lake, that provides lovely sightseeing to runners or casual walkers. To the barefoot runner however, it is a strange change of pace that required diligence and attention.
March 17th 2011
I ran the trail with my boyfriend, who had never barefooted before, and I was firstly surprised by his willingness to unshod, but it is the attitude that needs to be had to enjoy barefoot running, or else the runner will be griping the entire time and completely forget about enjoying foot to ground connection.
We started off by properly stretching (which I never do, I know, I know, bad!) and hydrated as much as we could as well as downing some food, about 200 calories each prior, and I had had about 200 or 300 about 40 minutes earlier.
The run started near Lions' Bridge, and the trail had a short bout of oyster shells which we avoided, and then generally alternated between fine gravel (bearable for soft feet, but still unpleasant) and soft, powder sand (a godsend).
We ran for about 10 minutes, and stopped as he showed me a small deck and rested to enjoy the beauty of the lake and the trees, along with the fairly warm weather (62 farenheit). The run was meant to be a relaxed run, and we even stopped when we found a hill to literally roll down it, like small children.
Overall, it was strange having the trail switch unexpectedly from gravel to sand, with most of it feeling like gravel, likely because it was what made the most impact on my feet and memory.
Other surfaces the two of us found were:
dried grass: still not as nice as fresh grass, and sometimes scratchy
mud: squishy and excellent to walk in. we were able to wash off on puddles from the recent rain.
wood planks: the bridges we ran on were always nice and smooth, a pleasant break from the gravel.
oyster shells: AVOID. we are still soft-feets!
My man did pretty well considering it was his first barefoot run, and though the gravel made me grumpy near the end despite staying strong before, he pulled through without complaining about the gravel on his very soft soles. Though it was always cause for celebration when we found a patch of sandy trail, we had to watch out for the wooden planks that prevent erosion and created sometimes steep steps. While this proved little problem besides incline when we wre on the sand, it was obviously a bother when steps were ascended or descended onto gravel.
Besides a bit of poor form, my man did well, though we slowed a bit at the end, but it made me realize that there are tips people don't know of, that really help the running experience.
Tips for Running Stronger
-Stand Straight.
(slouching starts poor form and hurts the back and inhibits breathing.)
-Keep your arms at 90 degree angles and when swinging, do not cross over your chest
(crossing your arms over your chest overworks your back, and will make your back tight and make breathing harder by the end of the run)
(also, swinging your arms straight in front of you will power you forward, and allow stronger strides)
Overall, the run was a lighter excursion for me, and while it exhausted my partner, I believe it was a positive introduction to barefoot running for him and a nice continuation for myself.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Second Run
A bit more planning, but not by much.
This run ended up being a strong 25 minutes long (long for me usually sticking to micro runs at 20 minutes each) and still with little post-winding.
Since this is a backlog post, it will unfortunately be less detailed, but alas, what can one do?
Once again, this was another beach run, this time much further than before obviously, and gravel or pebbled cement was less abrasive on my beginning-to-callus feet.
The run overall was strong, I was surprised that even at 20 minutes, I felt like I had ust begun. I wanted to run more, but my family was waiting, so I had to head back.
It seems that on runs around this time range, I get winded around minute 7 or 8, with a this period being of aches and breathlessness but that pass through perseverance. And I once again seem to be hitting my stride around minute 18 or so, and arrive home barely winded, with my calves awake and humming with activity.
I was surprised at how far I was able to run this day and it felt great to make what seemed to be progress.
March 16, 2011
This run ended up being a strong 25 minutes long (long for me usually sticking to micro runs at 20 minutes each) and still with little post-winding.
Since this is a backlog post, it will unfortunately be less detailed, but alas, what can one do?
Once again, this was another beach run, this time much further than before obviously, and gravel or pebbled cement was less abrasive on my beginning-to-callus feet.
The run overall was strong, I was surprised that even at 20 minutes, I felt like I had ust begun. I wanted to run more, but my family was waiting, so I had to head back.
It seems that on runs around this time range, I get winded around minute 7 or 8, with a this period being of aches and breathlessness but that pass through perseverance. And I once again seem to be hitting my stride around minute 18 or so, and arrive home barely winded, with my calves awake and humming with activity.
I was surprised at how far I was able to run this day and it felt great to make what seemed to be progress.
March 16, 2011
The First Run
Certainly Not Ideal.
But then again, it is hard to find ideal conditions to go running in the volatile state of Virginia. The weather changes more than girls change their clothes, and right now in mid-March we are experiencing 45 degree weather mingled with 85 and 70 on March 18th and March 19th respectively. Besides impossible-to-predict weather conditions, man's (or woman's in this instance) motivation strikes at the strangest times.
My sleep schedule had begun to turn nocturnal once again, as I would sleep accidentally from 9 until 12 pm and then be unable to fall asleep until 10 am the next morning or later. That night I craved a snack, and drowned my taste buds in the chocolate chip covered breadsticks from pizza hut that were meant to be dunked into hershey's chocolate and were. This snack occurred at about 4:30 am, mingled with watching some LOST via Netflix. It certainly would have been a good idea to get some sleep, but when 7 am rolls around and you feel 500 calories (or more? it was a lot) sitting in your stomach like lead and determination burning, you have to answer the call.
The call came Tuesday morning at 7 am when the weather was a blustery 45 degrees. Not the worst decision I have ever made, but certainly not the smartest.
I suited up, put on my running gear and debated on taping my feet since it was still odd having nothing on my dogs. I ditched the tape and started out of my court, down the sidewalk and turning right to head towards the beach.
After hopping happily across a long stretch of grass near the lifeguards' shack, I made it to the beach and ran the short distance that was left until the end of the public beach, maybe only a few minutes worth of breath. The cold had started in by now and my feet were alarmed to say the least, turning bright red in their surprise at the cold assaulting them. Within minutes my feet had retreated and were fully numb, as I turned around and continued down towards the other end of the beach.
Only having run for 15 minutes, everything happened quickly. I hadn't run in months, and was winded at 7 minutes with little to no warm up and stretching. But after pushing through for a minute or two, I was fine, and began to hit my stride as I neared the far end of the beach that lay 3/4 of a mile away.
Passing under the observation pier, I reached the other end where the volleyball nets stood and stopped and felt the cold once again. My toes remained red while the rest of my feet were pale, and as far as I knew dead. My pause reminded me of the need to keep moving which equated to staying warm, and I began again beginning to feel stronger and ready to run more.
However, the cold was beginning to be too much for my feet, and my womanhood warned me of the foreboding time of month that it would soon be. Despite being ready to run more, I had to cut it short. It was far too cold, and I couldn't manage much more through the cramps.
I trotted back home and took refuge inside.
The run invigorated my body and made me stay awake for hours, but only long enough to fall asleep at 11 and screw up my sleep schedule even more.
Despite the strange conditions, the short run started the trend I have now fallen in love with, and is a lesson that doing the smallest bit makes a difference, and that if you feel even one iota of motivation in that moment, pursue it, or it might be gone the next along with a missed opportunity.
So get out there!!
March 15th 2011.
But then again, it is hard to find ideal conditions to go running in the volatile state of Virginia. The weather changes more than girls change their clothes, and right now in mid-March we are experiencing 45 degree weather mingled with 85 and 70 on March 18th and March 19th respectively. Besides impossible-to-predict weather conditions, man's (or woman's in this instance) motivation strikes at the strangest times.
My sleep schedule had begun to turn nocturnal once again, as I would sleep accidentally from 9 until 12 pm and then be unable to fall asleep until 10 am the next morning or later. That night I craved a snack, and drowned my taste buds in the chocolate chip covered breadsticks from pizza hut that were meant to be dunked into hershey's chocolate and were. This snack occurred at about 4:30 am, mingled with watching some LOST via Netflix. It certainly would have been a good idea to get some sleep, but when 7 am rolls around and you feel 500 calories (or more? it was a lot) sitting in your stomach like lead and determination burning, you have to answer the call.
The call came Tuesday morning at 7 am when the weather was a blustery 45 degrees. Not the worst decision I have ever made, but certainly not the smartest.
I suited up, put on my running gear and debated on taping my feet since it was still odd having nothing on my dogs. I ditched the tape and started out of my court, down the sidewalk and turning right to head towards the beach.
After hopping happily across a long stretch of grass near the lifeguards' shack, I made it to the beach and ran the short distance that was left until the end of the public beach, maybe only a few minutes worth of breath. The cold had started in by now and my feet were alarmed to say the least, turning bright red in their surprise at the cold assaulting them. Within minutes my feet had retreated and were fully numb, as I turned around and continued down towards the other end of the beach.
Only having run for 15 minutes, everything happened quickly. I hadn't run in months, and was winded at 7 minutes with little to no warm up and stretching. But after pushing through for a minute or two, I was fine, and began to hit my stride as I neared the far end of the beach that lay 3/4 of a mile away.
Passing under the observation pier, I reached the other end where the volleyball nets stood and stopped and felt the cold once again. My toes remained red while the rest of my feet were pale, and as far as I knew dead. My pause reminded me of the need to keep moving which equated to staying warm, and I began again beginning to feel stronger and ready to run more.
However, the cold was beginning to be too much for my feet, and my womanhood warned me of the foreboding time of month that it would soon be. Despite being ready to run more, I had to cut it short. It was far too cold, and I couldn't manage much more through the cramps.
I trotted back home and took refuge inside.
The run invigorated my body and made me stay awake for hours, but only long enough to fall asleep at 11 and screw up my sleep schedule even more.
Despite the strange conditions, the short run started the trend I have now fallen in love with, and is a lesson that doing the smallest bit makes a difference, and that if you feel even one iota of motivation in that moment, pursue it, or it might be gone the next along with a missed opportunity.
So get out there!!
March 15th 2011.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 1
Day 1 of being barefoot took place on Saturday March 12th at the Norfolk St. Patrick's Day festival.
Having walked a good 2 or more miles in my snazzy boots I'd purchased a few weeks earlier my back was hurting along with my light shoulder bag weighing me down. I already knew the 1 inch heels were to blame since the height that starts to negatively affect your gait and posture is 1/2 inch.
So on the way back my father and I had at least a mile walk ahead of us, maybe a mile and a half. I had been considering shoelessness for a while now, since I was already a firm believer in Vibram FiveFingers and advocate them to whoever I can make listen for long enough.
It was one of those do and don't think moments I have been trying to have more of, and I took off the boots, put them in my bag and instantly felt my back lighten and return to normal.
Funny how that works.
The walk back proved interesting and introduced my feet to a whole new world of textures that my FiveFingers had hinted at, but protected me from all this time.
Gravel: My Worst enemy in VFF (vibram FiveFingers), and still my worst enemy besides pebbly cement.
Black Asphalt: Not bad, but the temperature cetainly affects wanting to walk on it. Warm asphalt is pleasant, while cold is obviously going to have a cooling effect (not a good thing for me). However, when running on asphalt, it hurts in this early stage since it is rough.
White/Cream Cement: Easier than asphalt because it is usually smoother. Much easier for early stages and for running.
Grass: Dried brown grass: scratchy and yuck; Green fresh grass: soft and lovely. A breath of fresh air to my tired soles.
Dirt: Since it was March, the ground was wet from rain, making the dirt damp and springy, cooling to the feet, and so nice to walk on.
Moss: The best!!! Fuzzy pillows of springy earth beneath my toes! Certainly my favorite.
And there are endless possibilities in between including the worst enemies to watch out for besides gravel: gumballs and acorns, two staples of Spring that sprinkle the ground like mines left for the enemy.
All of the delicate footing left my legs weak by the end of the walk, a strange feeling, as if I had worked out my legs a bit, and my feet were not as dirty as I had anticipated. I merely brushed them off and put my boots back on.
The lesson was that I experienced that walk in a whole new walk and remember so much about the texture because I had more receptors receiving information that is covered everyday: my feet. While VFF are great for protecting your feet in cities, it is nice idea to try shedding them and experiencing the town you are in from a worm's eye view.
Richmond for example would have cobblestones to feel along with the typicaly pavement of city streets and sidewalks.
I am happy that this experiment opened my eyes (feet?) to new possibilities, opening the doors of opportunity wide that had been ajar thanks to my VFFs.
So I challenge you all to go for a few hours without shoes. Maybe just a neighborhood walk without them. You will probably watch the ground the whole time acting as spotter for your pampered dogs, but don't worry, that too will fade in time.
Having walked a good 2 or more miles in my snazzy boots I'd purchased a few weeks earlier my back was hurting along with my light shoulder bag weighing me down. I already knew the 1 inch heels were to blame since the height that starts to negatively affect your gait and posture is 1/2 inch.
So on the way back my father and I had at least a mile walk ahead of us, maybe a mile and a half. I had been considering shoelessness for a while now, since I was already a firm believer in Vibram FiveFingers and advocate them to whoever I can make listen for long enough.
It was one of those do and don't think moments I have been trying to have more of, and I took off the boots, put them in my bag and instantly felt my back lighten and return to normal.
Funny how that works.
The walk back proved interesting and introduced my feet to a whole new world of textures that my FiveFingers had hinted at, but protected me from all this time.
Gravel: My Worst enemy in VFF (vibram FiveFingers), and still my worst enemy besides pebbly cement.
Black Asphalt: Not bad, but the temperature cetainly affects wanting to walk on it. Warm asphalt is pleasant, while cold is obviously going to have a cooling effect (not a good thing for me). However, when running on asphalt, it hurts in this early stage since it is rough.
White/Cream Cement: Easier than asphalt because it is usually smoother. Much easier for early stages and for running.
Grass: Dried brown grass: scratchy and yuck; Green fresh grass: soft and lovely. A breath of fresh air to my tired soles.
Dirt: Since it was March, the ground was wet from rain, making the dirt damp and springy, cooling to the feet, and so nice to walk on.
Moss: The best!!! Fuzzy pillows of springy earth beneath my toes! Certainly my favorite.
And there are endless possibilities in between including the worst enemies to watch out for besides gravel: gumballs and acorns, two staples of Spring that sprinkle the ground like mines left for the enemy.
All of the delicate footing left my legs weak by the end of the walk, a strange feeling, as if I had worked out my legs a bit, and my feet were not as dirty as I had anticipated. I merely brushed them off and put my boots back on.
The lesson was that I experienced that walk in a whole new walk and remember so much about the texture because I had more receptors receiving information that is covered everyday: my feet. While VFF are great for protecting your feet in cities, it is nice idea to try shedding them and experiencing the town you are in from a worm's eye view.
Richmond for example would have cobblestones to feel along with the typicaly pavement of city streets and sidewalks.
I am happy that this experiment opened my eyes (feet?) to new possibilities, opening the doors of opportunity wide that had been ajar thanks to my VFFs.
So I challenge you all to go for a few hours without shoes. Maybe just a neighborhood walk without them. You will probably watch the ground the whole time acting as spotter for your pampered dogs, but don't worry, that too will fade in time.
The Body
Introduction Continuation.
The body.
Our bodies are magnificent machines built to adapt, to grow, and assimilate or overcome. We are the king of the food chain because of these, but lately man has put his feet up and let his skin grow soft, and instead of braving the sun and running to hunt food, he sits in his office chair under fluorescent lights hungry after his 600 calorie burger.
In the information age, our job market is valued with knowledge. Men usually workout to look pretty just like the women these days, or to impress said ladies, and don't leave the confines of the sweat box they pay monthly membership for.
What about the inner beast that comes out in a fight? What about the feeling of flight when you run so fast everything is a blur? What about the feeling of making something with your bare hands?
These are things that are becoming anomalies in skyscrapered cities and formulaic suburbia. So my call that issue here is to Bare it All, and discover a new part of what nature has given you. The body you are easily capable of, and the vigor it brings.
It is as simple taking off your shoes.
The body.
Our bodies are magnificent machines built to adapt, to grow, and assimilate or overcome. We are the king of the food chain because of these, but lately man has put his feet up and let his skin grow soft, and instead of braving the sun and running to hunt food, he sits in his office chair under fluorescent lights hungry after his 600 calorie burger.
In the information age, our job market is valued with knowledge. Men usually workout to look pretty just like the women these days, or to impress said ladies, and don't leave the confines of the sweat box they pay monthly membership for.
What about the inner beast that comes out in a fight? What about the feeling of flight when you run so fast everything is a blur? What about the feeling of making something with your bare hands?
These are things that are becoming anomalies in skyscrapered cities and formulaic suburbia. So my call that issue here is to Bare it All, and discover a new part of what nature has given you. The body you are easily capable of, and the vigor it brings.
It is as simple taking off your shoes.
BareFooting It All
The Dry Introductory Post
I will skip all introductions and get right to the good stuff because my eventual blog postings will tell enough about me.
BareFeet.
There is a lot of stigma today against walking barefoot, and in my experience in the generation I currently ebb and flow with, you can easily label someone as being a "hippy" or weird for not wearing shoes within normal societal circumstances. While this activity was probably more prominent when hippies actually roamed and were being told to cut their hair, shoelessness is less of an issue today especially in (middle class) America because of the value shoes have been assigned in this day and age. That and the urbanization and softening of our culture towards the refined image of "perfect" hair and skin.
These are serious issues that are one more cog in the vicious cycle of capitalistic dreams of never having enough. "Biggie size that please". Why aren't we content? I will come back to this later, more on shoes.
People become very sentimental about particular shoes, and the right shoes often make or break an outfit. I know several people when asked what they look at first when they meet someone new, they say the person's shoes. I never understood this. I mean granted, I have a terrible fixation on boots, but dear me, I won't send you away if you haven't the right brand. No, not at all. Shoes, maybe even more so than clothes in this instance seem to define a person, or at least serve as some representation of them. So like labels, why are we giving people reason to judge I wonder. Why have shoes become a status symbol. Why do we need 23 pairs of heels, or Vans in every color? Flip Flops that cost $56, and designer shoes that can reach $1,000?
One more thing to pine after I suppose.
But what happens when you take that all away and level everyone out?
You can enjoy the beauty of what we were given.
I will skip all introductions and get right to the good stuff because my eventual blog postings will tell enough about me.
BareFeet.
There is a lot of stigma today against walking barefoot, and in my experience in the generation I currently ebb and flow with, you can easily label someone as being a "hippy" or weird for not wearing shoes within normal societal circumstances. While this activity was probably more prominent when hippies actually roamed and were being told to cut their hair, shoelessness is less of an issue today especially in (middle class) America because of the value shoes have been assigned in this day and age. That and the urbanization and softening of our culture towards the refined image of "perfect" hair and skin.
These are serious issues that are one more cog in the vicious cycle of capitalistic dreams of never having enough. "Biggie size that please". Why aren't we content? I will come back to this later, more on shoes.
People become very sentimental about particular shoes, and the right shoes often make or break an outfit. I know several people when asked what they look at first when they meet someone new, they say the person's shoes. I never understood this. I mean granted, I have a terrible fixation on boots, but dear me, I won't send you away if you haven't the right brand. No, not at all. Shoes, maybe even more so than clothes in this instance seem to define a person, or at least serve as some representation of them. So like labels, why are we giving people reason to judge I wonder. Why have shoes become a status symbol. Why do we need 23 pairs of heels, or Vans in every color? Flip Flops that cost $56, and designer shoes that can reach $1,000?
One more thing to pine after I suppose.
But what happens when you take that all away and level everyone out?
You can enjoy the beauty of what we were given.
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