My barefoot blogging buddy, Barefoot Neil Z told me that, rather than sabotage, I need to celebrate my little successes. So, here is my faltering attempt to celebrate. (And believe me, if what I see on his blog is right, this guy really knows how to celebrate and I can learn from him -- check out his recent 10-10-10 birthday posts: here and here)
I knew I would hit my hundredth barefoot mile today, so I wanted to plan a little something special for my blog. I wasn't sure what. I'm not one of those "give-away-something" kind of blogs. So, I just needed a little something extra to make today's post a little more zippy.
I called my good friend and asked she would be the videographer so I could put up a video of me finishing my 100th barefoot mile. She agreed, even though she was really really busy and had to squeeze it in between driving to the vet to pick up medicine for her cat, some household chores, and other mom-type errands and running around. (I thank her very much. She didn't want to be publicly acknowledged, but I am very grateful for her help!)
We agreed on a spot to meet and I drew a chalk "finish line" on the ground were I would plan to achieve my 100th barefoot mile. We took two videos. The first one is a video of me taking off:
As you can see, Daffodil was a little hyper -- jumping up and down -- not expecting to start running yet, knowing something was a little different today.
I ran 3.5 miles. I was a little worried about being able to do it because this was the first day I have ever run barefoot two days in a row. I have been religious about taking a day off in-between for recovery. Recovery -- something essential to all fitness plans -- has seemed even more essential for me because 1) - I am not young anymore, 2) - I am not at the highest fitness level -- and 3) - I am overweight. Up until today, I have allowed myself to pretty much completely recover from each run. But today I still had a little stiffness in me from running yesterday and my feet were a little achy as I started out. However, I needed to get out there to get my regular consistent schedule back in place, as explained yesterday. I tucked my Vibrams into my belt "just in case." (Never needed them :-))
It occurred to me that some of the pedestrians out there might see my chalk line with "100 Barefoot Miles" written on it and put two and two together when they saw me running along. It seemed almost like I was participating in some kind of live performance art or something.
But of course, that was only in my mind. One gets imaginative out there while running, especially if one is not the kind of runner who listens to music while running. Perhaps using the new YurBuds I won over in Barefoot Neil Z's 10/10/10 contest might help discipline some of my imaginings while I'm out there.
Anyway, when I was about 1/2 a mile from home I gave my friend a call so she could have time to get to the finish line before I did.
She told me she was not happy with the video results, that they had not come out as perfect as she had hoped. I told her it did not matter. One thing that has been a hallmark of me being a barefoot runner and my blog in general is that it is all far from perfect.
So, here it is -- my 100th Barefoot Mile!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
96.5 Barefoot Miles -- Not Yet Time For Shoes
Well, with all the worry about what's going to happen to my bare feet come winter, it sure wasn't time to worry about that today. It was a gorgeous, crisp, beautiful, sunny Fall day, and the pavement I run on was near-perfect temperature.
I wasn't going to go out today because I have to run tomorrow to get back on my consistent M-W-F schedule. But some thoughts I read on the Hunter-Gatherer blog (by John Durant) this morning about fractals ("Don't Be a Toaster: Why Fractal Geometry Matters to Your Health") got me thinking a bit, and I began to consider the idea that maybe it's not so crucial to get back on my regulated, consistent schedule as I think.
The idea put forth in the fractal post, is that a "machine-like regularity" might not be the optimal approach, since life and nature are not as regular as all that. When I think back to my 11th barefoot mile and that post I wrote about the picture of consistency I remember how sure I felt that I was on the right track. I was convinced that the principle of consistency was important in getting one's body into condition. Maybe the only way I could tell if I was being consistent was if I could measure it somehow. I had felt very proud of the fact that I had managed to achieve some consistency over what was then a 6-week period.
I have remained pretty consistent since then, with some Sunday races mixing me up a bit.
Here's the new and updated picture of consistency:
As you can see, I have been pretty regular and faithful all summer. In fact, this chart might be almost an exemplification of that "machine-like regularity."
But once I ran my first barefoot 5K race on a Sunday, my consistency started to unravel. I still need those recovery days. I'm not quite ready to run on the in-between days. So, I had to rest after the 5K.
Then there was rain and cold, and I kind of waited it out, seeing if I could run on the in-between days, which kind of affected my Kung Fu cross-training, and caused me to miss a few classes. But maybe that's part of the problem with "machine-like regularity" as well -- there's not so much flexibility, and if something goes off, the whole thing gets thrown off.
Then there was the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run, and the sore throat-headache day, along with the stirrings of that self-sabotage thing.
All this has led to a kind of spotty October.
You can imagine that a person like me -- quite attached to going around and around in this consistent manner -- might be a bit anxious to get back on her regular schedule.
So, after reading the ideas put forth in the "Don't Be A Toaster" post, where the thought of not being so predictable and regular is proposed, I'm beginning to wonder -- have I done it all wrong?
I don't think I've done it wrong. I am pretty convinced that this regularity and consistency was needed for me to fashion myself back into a runner. Maybe the "consistency" can be looked at and re-worked now that I am able to run a good 3 miles. Maybe I can go more with the weather, run two days in a row, and stuff like that. But I still feel pretty good that I was able to achieve that consistency over the summer.
I hope I can find a way to be consistent, even if a more fractal way of being consistent, as the winter months approach.
I wasn't going to go out today because I have to run tomorrow to get back on my consistent M-W-F schedule. But some thoughts I read on the Hunter-Gatherer blog (by John Durant) this morning about fractals ("Don't Be a Toaster: Why Fractal Geometry Matters to Your Health") got me thinking a bit, and I began to consider the idea that maybe it's not so crucial to get back on my regulated, consistent schedule as I think.
The idea put forth in the fractal post, is that a "machine-like regularity" might not be the optimal approach, since life and nature are not as regular as all that. When I think back to my 11th barefoot mile and that post I wrote about the picture of consistency I remember how sure I felt that I was on the right track. I was convinced that the principle of consistency was important in getting one's body into condition. Maybe the only way I could tell if I was being consistent was if I could measure it somehow. I had felt very proud of the fact that I had managed to achieve some consistency over what was then a 6-week period.
I have remained pretty consistent since then, with some Sunday races mixing me up a bit.
Here's the new and updated picture of consistency:
As you can see, I have been pretty regular and faithful all summer. In fact, this chart might be almost an exemplification of that "machine-like regularity."
But once I ran my first barefoot 5K race on a Sunday, my consistency started to unravel. I still need those recovery days. I'm not quite ready to run on the in-between days. So, I had to rest after the 5K.
Then there was rain and cold, and I kind of waited it out, seeing if I could run on the in-between days, which kind of affected my Kung Fu cross-training, and caused me to miss a few classes. But maybe that's part of the problem with "machine-like regularity" as well -- there's not so much flexibility, and if something goes off, the whole thing gets thrown off.
Then there was the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run, and the sore throat-headache day, along with the stirrings of that self-sabotage thing.
All this has led to a kind of spotty October.
You can imagine that a person like me -- quite attached to going around and around in this consistent manner -- might be a bit anxious to get back on her regular schedule.
So, after reading the ideas put forth in the "Don't Be A Toaster" post, where the thought of not being so predictable and regular is proposed, I'm beginning to wonder -- have I done it all wrong?
I don't think I've done it wrong. I am pretty convinced that this regularity and consistency was needed for me to fashion myself back into a runner. Maybe the "consistency" can be looked at and re-worked now that I am able to run a good 3 miles. Maybe I can go more with the weather, run two days in a row, and stuff like that. But I still feel pretty good that I was able to achieve that consistency over the summer.
I hope I can find a way to be consistent, even if a more fractal way of being consistent, as the winter months approach.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Mile 93.72 -- Time to Get Past Self Sabotage
Well, folks, right about now is the time when "it" usually happens to me. And as I set out to complete yesterday's 2.75 mile run did I ever feel "it" coming on.
I have done this before: Made up my mind I want to accomplish something, set up a plan, faithfully and consistently followed the plan, eventually began to have a little "success" with what I had set out to do, and then -- "it" happens.
What is "it?" Well, it is this tendency to sabotage all my efforts and pull everything down.
For many years I didn't know why I always reversed myself when I was making progress and starting to really achieve my objective. It seemed so nonsensical to just undo all my hard work, whether it be weight loss, writing, singing, or attempting to become more physically fit -- or whatever, really.
Then, last year I saw this book lying on a table at Barnes and Noble and the title attracted me: Stop Self-Sabotage: Get Out of Your Own Way to Earn More Money, Improve Your Relationships, and Find the Success You Deserve
by Pat Pearson.
"Self Sabotage? That sounds interesting. I wonder what that's all about?" I bought the book.
When I read the book, I heard about the very behavior described that had been happening to me over and over again for years.
Oh! So that's why I do that!
According to the book it's some kind of subconscious emotional thing. It can have different manifestations and slight variations on the reasons, but the basic underlying problem is that the person trying to achieve the "success" deep down inside does not feel worthy, does not feel like he/she deserves to be successful.
Armed with this awareness and recognition of the tendency to self-sabotage, I've been trying once again to set myself to my dreams and plans and this time get past the tendency. Perhaps having a name for what I do to wreck my plans will make a difference!
I am familiar with the tendency. Right after it seems like things are going pretty well and the beginning "hard" part is over and we're starting to get to some of the good stuff, I will have this feeling of rebellion. I will begin to start to feel sick to proceed.
That happened to me yesterday when I was about to step out the door to have my first run since the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run.
I felt the resistance. I felt the rebellion. I felt a little sick to my stomach.
It makes sense that it would happen right about now because little fruits of my efforts have begun to show:
But this time, I guess because my awareness had been raised from having read that book last year, I knew what it was. It was a feeling of being uncomfortable with success, or even with the possibility of success. It was a feeling of wanting to go back and be in the comfortable familiar realm of refusing to try and feeling like I can't do it.
"That must be the self-sabotage." I told myself.
Well, I don't want to keep repeating this same mistake over and over when I get to this point. So I decided to push through it, no matter how I felt. I talked to myself, "This is just that self-sabotage thing. Just push through it! Just step out the door. Just run."
It felt really good to get out there. I had stalled so much, because of the resistance force that was working, that I got out there a little late and had to have a short run. But I think I did something significant. I think recognizing the moment of resistance was a new thing for me, and I don't think I would have recognized it if my awareness had not been raised about it by having read that book. Catching the first moment of it was important. Making the decision to disregard it and continue anyway was a good thing, and may have been a crucial step toward overcoming the problem.
I wasn't going to write about this on the blog, but then I thought that maybe it would be interesting and/or helpful to other people who've experienced the same thing.
Besides that, if I make the struggle public, then it kind of helps to make the commitment to get past this point this time.
I think if I can get past this issue, then I will go on to do more cool stuff in my life -- maybe even run a barefoot marathon or something some day. But I've got to conquer this tendency at this point right now. So the task is just to keep getting out there. Keep being consistent. Almost like a robot or something. I want to come out on the other side of the self-sabotage moment and start finding out what's really in me.
I have done this before: Made up my mind I want to accomplish something, set up a plan, faithfully and consistently followed the plan, eventually began to have a little "success" with what I had set out to do, and then -- "it" happens.
What is "it?" Well, it is this tendency to sabotage all my efforts and pull everything down.
For many years I didn't know why I always reversed myself when I was making progress and starting to really achieve my objective. It seemed so nonsensical to just undo all my hard work, whether it be weight loss, writing, singing, or attempting to become more physically fit -- or whatever, really.
Then, last year I saw this book lying on a table at Barnes and Noble and the title attracted me: Stop Self-Sabotage: Get Out of Your Own Way to Earn More Money, Improve Your Relationships, and Find the Success You Deserve
by Pat Pearson."Self Sabotage? That sounds interesting. I wonder what that's all about?" I bought the book.
When I read the book, I heard about the very behavior described that had been happening to me over and over again for years.
Oh! So that's why I do that!
According to the book it's some kind of subconscious emotional thing. It can have different manifestations and slight variations on the reasons, but the basic underlying problem is that the person trying to achieve the "success" deep down inside does not feel worthy, does not feel like he/she deserves to be successful.
Armed with this awareness and recognition of the tendency to self-sabotage, I've been trying once again to set myself to my dreams and plans and this time get past the tendency. Perhaps having a name for what I do to wreck my plans will make a difference!
I am familiar with the tendency. Right after it seems like things are going pretty well and the beginning "hard" part is over and we're starting to get to some of the good stuff, I will have this feeling of rebellion. I will begin to start to feel sick to proceed.
That happened to me yesterday when I was about to step out the door to have my first run since the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run.
I felt the resistance. I felt the rebellion. I felt a little sick to my stomach.
It makes sense that it would happen right about now because little fruits of my efforts have begun to show:
- got to meet some cool barefoot running friends online
- ran a whole 5K barefoot
- won a drawing of a squirrel from Barefoot Josh
- won a pair of YurBuds from Barefoot Neil
- hooked up with a new barefoot running buddy
- got my feet tough enough to run around at the race with the other barefoot runners
- got to consort with some barefoot book authors whose work I admired
- got a "stomp" of approval on my blog.
- had my race write-up featured on Barefoot Runner's Society's front page
- got a group of new followers who all have cool blogs to read of their own
But this time, I guess because my awareness had been raised from having read that book last year, I knew what it was. It was a feeling of being uncomfortable with success, or even with the possibility of success. It was a feeling of wanting to go back and be in the comfortable familiar realm of refusing to try and feeling like I can't do it.
"That must be the self-sabotage." I told myself.
Well, I don't want to keep repeating this same mistake over and over when I get to this point. So I decided to push through it, no matter how I felt. I talked to myself, "This is just that self-sabotage thing. Just push through it! Just step out the door. Just run."
It felt really good to get out there. I had stalled so much, because of the resistance force that was working, that I got out there a little late and had to have a short run. But I think I did something significant. I think recognizing the moment of resistance was a new thing for me, and I don't think I would have recognized it if my awareness had not been raised about it by having read that book. Catching the first moment of it was important. Making the decision to disregard it and continue anyway was a good thing, and may have been a crucial step toward overcoming the problem.
I wasn't going to write about this on the blog, but then I thought that maybe it would be interesting and/or helpful to other people who've experienced the same thing.
Besides that, if I make the struggle public, then it kind of helps to make the commitment to get past this point this time.
I think if I can get past this issue, then I will go on to do more cool stuff in my life -- maybe even run a barefoot marathon or something some day. But I've got to conquer this tendency at this point right now. So the task is just to keep getting out there. Keep being consistent. Almost like a robot or something. I want to come out on the other side of the self-sabotage moment and start finding out what's really in me.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Well ... Now What?
I was supposed to get out there and run miles 92, 93, and 94 or so today. It was a beautiful day and although a little nippy, I knew the sidewalks would be warm from the sun.
I came up from the basement with my warmer running clothes bundled in my arms to go up and change for today's run. But my fatigue was great. There is "something" going around that starts with a sore throat and a headache and I had it last night. I was so worried it would interfere with me getting to my voice lesson with my new teacher today. I took 2000 mg vitamin C and my spoonful of cod liver oil and went to be early last night.
I was feeling all right enough this morning to get to my voice lesson, and figured I'd run when I got home.
But as I started up the stairs with that armful of running clothes, I felt the fatigue and the slightest of sore throats. I have run while I've had a cold before and it's usually uncomfortable when I first start out, but gets much better during the run. And then sometimes it even seems as if running helps make it better.
So, I was kind of thinking that's what I'd do.
But then I realized that part of what I love about running bare foot is that I listen to my body. My body was telling me that it needed rest.
And so the way I took care of myself today was to take a nap during run time.
This was a little anti-climactic after the fun of participating in the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run. And, if you haven't noticed, there is a new "stomp" on the side of my blog -- yeah, right there on top on the right-hand column. I have been given the Barefoot Stomp of Approval by the Barefoot Runner's Society. They have even featured my modest little write-up of my experience at the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run on their home page this week.
I am astonished and amazed at this, for I truly am the least of the barefoot runners, and I would think the least of the barefoot bloggers. I really started writing this blog -- as I've said before -- as a kind of "sloppy" place to keep track of my experience becoming a barefoot runner. I started it because I wanted to write about it and I was talking about barefoot running a little too much on my Avocational Singer blog.
Now, however, this blog seems to be catching up to Avocational Singer. I have seemed to be more passionate about developing into a barefoot runner than I have at my singing.
But it's really because of my singing that I am a barefoot runner to begin with. I kind of explain the way my brain weirdly connected barefoot running with singing in a post I wrote called "Singing With An Orchestra Running Barefoot.". It's kind of weird to go back and read that post because it was while I was taking time off to heal my plantar fasciitis, and I was only thinking about the idea of running barefoot. I still didn't know if I was going to really try it or not. At the point I was writing that post, I probably thought I was too overweight to try running barefoot. It would be a little later in my thinking and reasoning that I would come to the conclusion that it might be okay to give it a try before I lost any weight.
Oh, well, that's what we do when we are not feeling well and can't go out for a run. We reminisce. We plan our next steps.
Next steps: Hobooken 5K Race - October 30th. It was supposed to be my first 5K. I had wondered if I would try running a 5K barefoot or not. Little did I know that by this time I would already have run a 5K barefoot. So, now what? Well, the race says you can run in costume. I hadn't planned to run in costume, but the other day I was in a Halloween store on 34th Street in Manhattan and I found the perfect costume to run barefoot in. Can you guess what it might be? I'll be sure to post a picture of it, should I be brave and daring enough to wear it that day.
After that: Disney Family Fun Run 5K. I had signed up for the Disney 1/2 again, which I had failed to achieve last year. However it is obvious that I will not be ready for a half marathon by the beginning of January -- not if I faithfully observe the don't-increase-your-distance-more-than-5%-(or is it 10%?)-a-week-rule. This year I covered myself and also signed up for the Disney 5K that weekend. So, it looks like I'll be running in that -- in my Vibrams. Disney doesn't do barefoot.
But that's about it for this season, I guess. Who would have imagined?!?
It's only 8:30 now and I'm feeling that fatigue again. The running clothes are still piled there on the kitchen table where I dropped them before dropping for the nap. Guess I'll go up early again tonight.
But I can't wait to get out there again.
I came up from the basement with my warmer running clothes bundled in my arms to go up and change for today's run. But my fatigue was great. There is "something" going around that starts with a sore throat and a headache and I had it last night. I was so worried it would interfere with me getting to my voice lesson with my new teacher today. I took 2000 mg vitamin C and my spoonful of cod liver oil and went to be early last night.
I was feeling all right enough this morning to get to my voice lesson, and figured I'd run when I got home.
But as I started up the stairs with that armful of running clothes, I felt the fatigue and the slightest of sore throats. I have run while I've had a cold before and it's usually uncomfortable when I first start out, but gets much better during the run. And then sometimes it even seems as if running helps make it better.
So, I was kind of thinking that's what I'd do.
But then I realized that part of what I love about running bare foot is that I listen to my body. My body was telling me that it needed rest.
And so the way I took care of myself today was to take a nap during run time.
This was a little anti-climactic after the fun of participating in the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run. And, if you haven't noticed, there is a new "stomp" on the side of my blog -- yeah, right there on top on the right-hand column. I have been given the Barefoot Stomp of Approval by the Barefoot Runner's Society. They have even featured my modest little write-up of my experience at the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run on their home page this week.
I am astonished and amazed at this, for I truly am the least of the barefoot runners, and I would think the least of the barefoot bloggers. I really started writing this blog -- as I've said before -- as a kind of "sloppy" place to keep track of my experience becoming a barefoot runner. I started it because I wanted to write about it and I was talking about barefoot running a little too much on my Avocational Singer blog.
Now, however, this blog seems to be catching up to Avocational Singer. I have seemed to be more passionate about developing into a barefoot runner than I have at my singing.
But it's really because of my singing that I am a barefoot runner to begin with. I kind of explain the way my brain weirdly connected barefoot running with singing in a post I wrote called "Singing With An Orchestra Running Barefoot.". It's kind of weird to go back and read that post because it was while I was taking time off to heal my plantar fasciitis, and I was only thinking about the idea of running barefoot. I still didn't know if I was going to really try it or not. At the point I was writing that post, I probably thought I was too overweight to try running barefoot. It would be a little later in my thinking and reasoning that I would come to the conclusion that it might be okay to give it a try before I lost any weight.
Oh, well, that's what we do when we are not feeling well and can't go out for a run. We reminisce. We plan our next steps.
Next steps: Hobooken 5K Race - October 30th. It was supposed to be my first 5K. I had wondered if I would try running a 5K barefoot or not. Little did I know that by this time I would already have run a 5K barefoot. So, now what? Well, the race says you can run in costume. I hadn't planned to run in costume, but the other day I was in a Halloween store on 34th Street in Manhattan and I found the perfect costume to run barefoot in. Can you guess what it might be? I'll be sure to post a picture of it, should I be brave and daring enough to wear it that day.
After that: Disney Family Fun Run 5K. I had signed up for the Disney 1/2 again, which I had failed to achieve last year. However it is obvious that I will not be ready for a half marathon by the beginning of January -- not if I faithfully observe the don't-increase-your-distance-more-than-5%-(or is it 10%?)-a-week-rule. This year I covered myself and also signed up for the Disney 5K that weekend. So, it looks like I'll be running in that -- in my Vibrams. Disney doesn't do barefoot.
But that's about it for this season, I guess. Who would have imagined?!?
It's only 8:30 now and I'm feeling that fatigue again. The running clothes are still piled there on the kitchen table where I dropped them before dropping for the nap. Guess I'll go up early again tonight.
But I can't wait to get out there again.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Barefoot Mile #91 -- 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run
There will be a lot of people writing about this cool event, so I will tell you about my own experience of it.
Overall, this turned out to be a very peaceful and relaxing event. It was so enjoyable, that I don’t think I have a really exciting whooped-up story to tell. My pictures are kind of run-of-the-mill, but I shall share them anyway so you get a little peek at what this event was like for Barefoot Fresca, the least of the barefoot runners.
This event was organized mainly by John Durant of the NYC Barefoot Runners Meetup group. Earlier in the summer he had organized another barefoot running event, the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn Run with Chris McDougall, which I also attended and wrote about here.
This barefoot run took place on Governor’s Island, a little island off the southern tip of Manhattan which used to be a military facility, but is now being used as a recreational and picnic area. You had to take a ferry over.
I brought along with me two running buddies.
We all got up really early and one running buddy’s husband drove us over to the ferry. So, I had some people to run with and to take some pictures of me at the event.
This is me on the ferry. While riding over, I stuck my event T-shirt on right over my regular T-shirt. The air was brisk enough so that this would not be too cumbersome. As you can see, my number was #134. However, the numbers were not used to keep track of what “place” the runner came in, because this was a race that was not going to be officially timed. Instead, they used the number to connect you with your backpack, which would be checked under that number, and to identify you in the raffles that were going on.
Once we got off the ferry, there was a 15-minute walk to the starting area at the other side of Governor’s Island.
This will seem really wimpy, but since this is a fairly honest blog I have to own up to the fact that I was worried about the 15 minute walk to and from the race area in addition to what I was going to try to do during the “race",” which was to go my furthest barefoot distance thus far – twice around the island for a total of 4.2 miles.
A person who is already in great condition would not have an issue with this, I imagine, but someone like me who is building back very gradually from many years of being overweight and sedentary, every step counts sometimes.
Here are some pictures from the walk over: Me with the Southern tip Manhattan!
Guess I’ll go this way, right?
Here’s one with the Statue of Liberty in the background, but it’s hard to see it because it’s so teeny.
There were a fair number of people who had showed up (did I hear someone say 250?), and some tables set up with minimal footwear products. Lots of cool colors and designs that I wish I could own (even though I haven’t worn my pair all summer). I have black because that was the only color in my size in stock when I went to the store last spring.
The “port-a-potty” bathroom facilities were really great – individual stalls in trailers with running water and soap and lots of toilet paper. I also liked that they had a “backpack” check area. They told us about this ahead of time, that there would be someone there to watch our stuff while we were running. These details make a difference.
People lined up to check their backpacks.
Since this was a “run-your-own-distance” event, there was a casual quality about the people lined up. There was not that tense competitive energy in the air. It just felt like everyone was out there to run together and have a lot of fun.
Earlier this summer when I had joined up with the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn run with Chris McDougall, I had taken a picture of the feet of the runners. At that time I had remarked that there were more Vibrams than bare feet. However, at this race, even though all runners, whether they ran completely barefoot or not were welcome, it seemed that the bare feet had grown in numbers, and were making a better representation at this race.
I kept toward the back with my two running buddies and we all started off, passing under the race banner.
No sooner had I taken my first few barefoot steps, than my barefoot running buddy friend called to get my attention. There she was running beside Daniel Howell, PhD, author of a book I had lent her earlier that month called The Barefoot Book
. She motioned over to me to come run with them. It turned out that Daniel Howell ran the whole first lap around the island with us. He goes everywhere barefoot, not just running – into restaurants, on planes. I wrote on this blog about how his writings had made me aware of the weird things shoes have been doing to our feet and their shape. I told him about my New Balance shoes and how I thought they smushed my pinky toe in. I was able to comment on and ask questions about a lot of the stuff I’d been thinking about since being exposed to the information contained in his book and on his blog. I really enjoyed that.
By the time we went round the island once, some other runners had recognized him and it was their turn to run with him and have fun chatting. He told me that I was going at a very consistent nice pace. I felt encouraged to hear that.
We saw some interesting other things going on along the way. Some people were not sticking quite to the path. They were running in the terrain around and above us and doing some somersaults and climbing some trees, etc… My running buddy and I guessed that these folks were part of the special groups that were participating in the “wild persistence hunts” being led by barefoot personalities “Barefoot Ted,” and MovNat founder “Erwan Le Corre” I wasn’t sure who was who from where I was running down on the paved path, but I must have caught a glimpse of one of them as they crawled, lifted, balanced and varied their speed and directions. Although the concepts are very appealing, I feel I am very far from exploring that wildly. One step at a time!
Well, I wish I could say that I took some more exciting pictures. I was mainly focused on just being there and enjoying the company of a lot of other people who liked barefoot running. Usually taking lots of pictures is my way of just being somewhere and participating in an event. But I guess I felt a little shy about just taking pictures of people that might end up on my blog.
I also felt very shy about asking for photos with other people. I am sure that many people would not have minded at all, but I didn’t want to impose.
After I easily finished my second loop, for a total for 4.2 miles. My other running buddy (who had gone ahead of us and run around 3x) told me to go back and run to the finish again so she could get some pictures of me. So, these next two are fake, but it gives you the picture (Oh, those are my vibrams stuck in my belt -- “just in case):
After the finish, I stood watching the raffle numbers with the prizes for T-shirts and Vibrams shoes being given out.
I ran into one of my barefoot “angels,” Chris, who had been the volunteer sweepers at the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn Run. It was pleasant to check in with someone who had seen my run back then and could appreciate the progress I had made since then.
I got myself a banana, and was just finishing it when I saw Jason Robillard, author of The Barefoot Running Book
and of the Barefoot Running University web site and blog, finishing up his barefoot marathon in his trademark kilt. He had put on some shoes at the end of the run because he was practicing what he preached, listening to his body. He was recovering from a big season that included some ultras, so his feet were a little tender and needed some protection to finish up. I admired the humility of that, I have to say.
I did get up the courage to introduce myself to him. He's been one of my learn-to-barefoot-run gurus, and I have found much of his lessons on barefoot running from his book very helpful as I've been trying to get the hang of it. He had recently put out a notice that he was looking for guest bloggers for his site. I had written him a proposal of something I would like to write about and he liked my idea and I am working on that blog post right now. I had mentioned to him during that correspondence that I would be showing up at the 1st NYC Barefoot Run and so it seemed fitting to go over and introduce myself. Maybe just approaching him after he had just finished running 26 miles was not the best time I could have done it, but he didn’t show one bit that he minded, and we had a nice little conversation and I introduced him to my two running buddies.
The next thing that happened was a little weird, and maybe even embarrassing. But I’ll tell you about it anyway. I looked out and saw this runner who looked just like Barefoot Josh. His form was amazing and he was running fast, wearing a cap, and his head was so level. For a second I thought it was truly Barefoot Josh, but I immediately realized, "no, it couldn’t be – I read on his blog he cannot come.”
But then this man behind me said, “That’s Barefoot Josh! That’s Barefoot Josh!” “Are you sure?” I asked the man. “Yes! yes! I’d know him anywhere!”
Well, I certainly would not want to be standing so close to Barefoot Josh, another of my learn-to-run-barefoot gurus, and miss my chance to meet him. So, I just blurted out, “Are you Barefoot Josh?”
The guy smiled and said, “no, I am not.” (Did he know? Did he know he looked like Barefoot Josh? Is he trying to look like Barefoot Josh??? Does he think it’s funny when people think he’s Barefoot Josh?) He was there with his family but very friendly. The guy who had blurted out “That’s Barefoot Josh” complimented the fellow on his running form.
I was just embarrassed, but extra embarrassed because I knew, just knew, that I was going to have to write about this on my blog and that Barefoot Josh might read it and know how foolish I was.
Oh well, maybe he won’t see it!
To finish up, we had to walk back to the ferry again. Here’s me with my two running buddies.
Oh and one that came out silly of me – not planned – looking like I’m serving up a platter of lower Manhattan.
That’s all, really! It may not sound too exciting, but it was a satisfying day. Except that it would have been nice to meet Barefoot Ted too. Ah, well, another time, maybe.
Overall, this turned out to be a very peaceful and relaxing event. It was so enjoyable, that I don’t think I have a really exciting whooped-up story to tell. My pictures are kind of run-of-the-mill, but I shall share them anyway so you get a little peek at what this event was like for Barefoot Fresca, the least of the barefoot runners.
This event was organized mainly by John Durant of the NYC Barefoot Runners Meetup group. Earlier in the summer he had organized another barefoot running event, the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn Run with Chris McDougall, which I also attended and wrote about here.
This barefoot run took place on Governor’s Island, a little island off the southern tip of Manhattan which used to be a military facility, but is now being used as a recreational and picnic area. You had to take a ferry over.
I brought along with me two running buddies.
We all got up really early and one running buddy’s husband drove us over to the ferry. So, I had some people to run with and to take some pictures of me at the event.
This is me on the ferry. While riding over, I stuck my event T-shirt on right over my regular T-shirt. The air was brisk enough so that this would not be too cumbersome. As you can see, my number was #134. However, the numbers were not used to keep track of what “place” the runner came in, because this was a race that was not going to be officially timed. Instead, they used the number to connect you with your backpack, which would be checked under that number, and to identify you in the raffles that were going on.
Once we got off the ferry, there was a 15-minute walk to the starting area at the other side of Governor’s Island.
This will seem really wimpy, but since this is a fairly honest blog I have to own up to the fact that I was worried about the 15 minute walk to and from the race area in addition to what I was going to try to do during the “race",” which was to go my furthest barefoot distance thus far – twice around the island for a total of 4.2 miles.
A person who is already in great condition would not have an issue with this, I imagine, but someone like me who is building back very gradually from many years of being overweight and sedentary, every step counts sometimes.
Here are some pictures from the walk over: Me with the Southern tip Manhattan!
Guess I’ll go this way, right?
Here’s one with the Statue of Liberty in the background, but it’s hard to see it because it’s so teeny.
There were a fair number of people who had showed up (did I hear someone say 250?), and some tables set up with minimal footwear products. Lots of cool colors and designs that I wish I could own (even though I haven’t worn my pair all summer). I have black because that was the only color in my size in stock when I went to the store last spring.
The “port-a-potty” bathroom facilities were really great – individual stalls in trailers with running water and soap and lots of toilet paper. I also liked that they had a “backpack” check area. They told us about this ahead of time, that there would be someone there to watch our stuff while we were running. These details make a difference.
People lined up to check their backpacks.
Since this was a “run-your-own-distance” event, there was a casual quality about the people lined up. There was not that tense competitive energy in the air. It just felt like everyone was out there to run together and have a lot of fun.
Earlier this summer when I had joined up with the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn run with Chris McDougall, I had taken a picture of the feet of the runners. At that time I had remarked that there were more Vibrams than bare feet. However, at this race, even though all runners, whether they ran completely barefoot or not were welcome, it seemed that the bare feet had grown in numbers, and were making a better representation at this race.
I kept toward the back with my two running buddies and we all started off, passing under the race banner.
No sooner had I taken my first few barefoot steps, than my barefoot running buddy friend called to get my attention. There she was running beside Daniel Howell, PhD, author of a book I had lent her earlier that month called The Barefoot Book
. She motioned over to me to come run with them. It turned out that Daniel Howell ran the whole first lap around the island with us. He goes everywhere barefoot, not just running – into restaurants, on planes. I wrote on this blog about how his writings had made me aware of the weird things shoes have been doing to our feet and their shape. I told him about my New Balance shoes and how I thought they smushed my pinky toe in. I was able to comment on and ask questions about a lot of the stuff I’d been thinking about since being exposed to the information contained in his book and on his blog. I really enjoyed that.By the time we went round the island once, some other runners had recognized him and it was their turn to run with him and have fun chatting. He told me that I was going at a very consistent nice pace. I felt encouraged to hear that.
We saw some interesting other things going on along the way. Some people were not sticking quite to the path. They were running in the terrain around and above us and doing some somersaults and climbing some trees, etc… My running buddy and I guessed that these folks were part of the special groups that were participating in the “wild persistence hunts” being led by barefoot personalities “Barefoot Ted,” and MovNat founder “Erwan Le Corre” I wasn’t sure who was who from where I was running down on the paved path, but I must have caught a glimpse of one of them as they crawled, lifted, balanced and varied their speed and directions. Although the concepts are very appealing, I feel I am very far from exploring that wildly. One step at a time!
Well, I wish I could say that I took some more exciting pictures. I was mainly focused on just being there and enjoying the company of a lot of other people who liked barefoot running. Usually taking lots of pictures is my way of just being somewhere and participating in an event. But I guess I felt a little shy about just taking pictures of people that might end up on my blog.
I also felt very shy about asking for photos with other people. I am sure that many people would not have minded at all, but I didn’t want to impose.
After I easily finished my second loop, for a total for 4.2 miles. My other running buddy (who had gone ahead of us and run around 3x) told me to go back and run to the finish again so she could get some pictures of me. So, these next two are fake, but it gives you the picture (Oh, those are my vibrams stuck in my belt -- “just in case):
After the finish, I stood watching the raffle numbers with the prizes for T-shirts and Vibrams shoes being given out.
I ran into one of my barefoot “angels,” Chris, who had been the volunteer sweepers at the Born to Run Harlem to Brooklyn Run. It was pleasant to check in with someone who had seen my run back then and could appreciate the progress I had made since then.
I got myself a banana, and was just finishing it when I saw Jason Robillard, author of The Barefoot Running Book
and of the Barefoot Running University web site and blog, finishing up his barefoot marathon in his trademark kilt. He had put on some shoes at the end of the run because he was practicing what he preached, listening to his body. He was recovering from a big season that included some ultras, so his feet were a little tender and needed some protection to finish up. I admired the humility of that, I have to say.I did get up the courage to introduce myself to him. He's been one of my learn-to-barefoot-run gurus, and I have found much of his lessons on barefoot running from his book very helpful as I've been trying to get the hang of it. He had recently put out a notice that he was looking for guest bloggers for his site. I had written him a proposal of something I would like to write about and he liked my idea and I am working on that blog post right now. I had mentioned to him during that correspondence that I would be showing up at the 1st NYC Barefoot Run and so it seemed fitting to go over and introduce myself. Maybe just approaching him after he had just finished running 26 miles was not the best time I could have done it, but he didn’t show one bit that he minded, and we had a nice little conversation and I introduced him to my two running buddies.
The next thing that happened was a little weird, and maybe even embarrassing. But I’ll tell you about it anyway. I looked out and saw this runner who looked just like Barefoot Josh. His form was amazing and he was running fast, wearing a cap, and his head was so level. For a second I thought it was truly Barefoot Josh, but I immediately realized, "no, it couldn’t be – I read on his blog he cannot come.”
But then this man behind me said, “That’s Barefoot Josh! That’s Barefoot Josh!” “Are you sure?” I asked the man. “Yes! yes! I’d know him anywhere!”
Well, I certainly would not want to be standing so close to Barefoot Josh, another of my learn-to-run-barefoot gurus, and miss my chance to meet him. So, I just blurted out, “Are you Barefoot Josh?”
The guy smiled and said, “no, I am not.” (Did he know? Did he know he looked like Barefoot Josh? Is he trying to look like Barefoot Josh??? Does he think it’s funny when people think he’s Barefoot Josh?) He was there with his family but very friendly. The guy who had blurted out “That’s Barefoot Josh” complimented the fellow on his running form.
I was just embarrassed, but extra embarrassed because I knew, just knew, that I was going to have to write about this on my blog and that Barefoot Josh might read it and know how foolish I was.
Oh well, maybe he won’t see it!
To finish up, we had to walk back to the ferry again. Here’s me with my two running buddies.
Oh and one that came out silly of me – not planned – looking like I’m serving up a platter of lower Manhattan.
That’s all, really! It may not sound too exciting, but it was a satisfying day. Except that it would have been nice to meet Barefoot Ted too. Ah, well, another time, maybe.
Friday, October 8, 2010
2 More Little Barefoot Miles and I'm Ready
Ready for what? Why, I'm ready for the 1st Annual New York City Barefoot Run and I'm really looking forward to running around that island a couple of times. Foot issues -- so fretted about over the past few blog posts -- have been completely resolved. I think my strategy this week worked.
Although I had upped my mileage to 3.75 for the past few runs, I opted today to run an easy -- ha-ha-did-you-hear-that-easy? -- 2 miles.
Yup, I think that ought to do it.
For many many years, even during the years I was dormant and longed to run again, I retained this idea from my earliest running days that a runner had to run every day. I thought if you skipped a day, you were on the road to becoming a non-runner. In fact, I even at one time in my life thought that if I stopped running while I was standing at a corner waiting for a traffic light, that my whole run didn't count.
Weird.
Sometimes a person such as myself can form an impression like that and not quite realize it is operating as a force in the background.
Then, last year, when I was trying yet another time to get back into running, my sister recommended Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. After reading his information, I was introduced to the notion that one could derive benefit from running and taking walk breaks.
I was actually loving this method when I was doing it last year. It shook me free from all the "rules" I had made up in my head about running and how it should be. It showed me a lot of possibilities. It gave me options and flexibility, and helped me understand how speed might develop.
Anyway, another concept that I was exposed to while using Jeff Galloway's 1/2 marathon training plan for the ultimate beginner was that less could be more. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw on the training plan that one could develop one's running on just three days a week. That, of course, was an absolute minimum plan.
I'm neither recommending, nor not recommending this particular plan to anyone by writing about it in this blog today. I'm just bringing it up because it was part of my personal path to getting some new ideas into my head about my running. I had to shake up some of the set-in doctrines I had formed when I was a young runner a-many years ago, and trying out these schedules of Jeff Galloway's was very helpful to me.
And that had something to do with the fact that I ran a shorter distance today. It's kind of an act of faith when you've been increasing distance to step back and do a shorter distance. It's a kind of trust in the body -- that the miles you have put in consistently are in there. That you are X amount fit based on the work you have done and that X amount can be maintained and is yours.
I can't finish without telling you how beautiful it was out there. Here's what I saw:
See you all on Governor's Island!
Although I had upped my mileage to 3.75 for the past few runs, I opted today to run an easy -- ha-ha-did-you-hear-that-easy? -- 2 miles.
Yup, I think that ought to do it.
For many many years, even during the years I was dormant and longed to run again, I retained this idea from my earliest running days that a runner had to run every day. I thought if you skipped a day, you were on the road to becoming a non-runner. In fact, I even at one time in my life thought that if I stopped running while I was standing at a corner waiting for a traffic light, that my whole run didn't count.
Weird.
Sometimes a person such as myself can form an impression like that and not quite realize it is operating as a force in the background.
Then, last year, when I was trying yet another time to get back into running, my sister recommended Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. After reading his information, I was introduced to the notion that one could derive benefit from running and taking walk breaks.
I was actually loving this method when I was doing it last year. It shook me free from all the "rules" I had made up in my head about running and how it should be. It showed me a lot of possibilities. It gave me options and flexibility, and helped me understand how speed might develop.
Anyway, another concept that I was exposed to while using Jeff Galloway's 1/2 marathon training plan for the ultimate beginner was that less could be more. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw on the training plan that one could develop one's running on just three days a week. That, of course, was an absolute minimum plan.
I'm neither recommending, nor not recommending this particular plan to anyone by writing about it in this blog today. I'm just bringing it up because it was part of my personal path to getting some new ideas into my head about my running. I had to shake up some of the set-in doctrines I had formed when I was a young runner a-many years ago, and trying out these schedules of Jeff Galloway's was very helpful to me.
And that had something to do with the fact that I ran a shorter distance today. It's kind of an act of faith when you've been increasing distance to step back and do a shorter distance. It's a kind of trust in the body -- that the miles you have put in consistently are in there. That you are X amount fit based on the work you have done and that X amount can be maintained and is yours.
I can't finish without telling you how beautiful it was out there. Here's what I saw:
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Quarter Shy of 85 Very Happy Barefoot Miles
I have happy news to report.
From all observations during my 3.75 mile run today -- as I suspected -- it was not barefoot running which was the cause of my "toe-turf"-like joint malady.
In case you haven't been reading, let me bring you up to date.
A weird little pricker-like pain appeared at the joint in the ball of my foot. I thought it was an embedded object, and my DH thought it was an irritation to the joint and over the past few days we ascertained that it was both. I had minor surgery to remove the piece of debris, and gave my foot a rest for a couple of days to see if I would be able to continue to run.
On the surgery post, blog commenter Julie (Invasion of the Couch Potato Snatchers) picked up on the "doom and gloom" theme that was beginning to form in my mood. This morning that theme was developing further. I had convinced myself -- despite reassurances from my DH -- that I was going to go out there today and find out that barefoot running injured me further and that I was going to have to miss running in the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run this Sunday, which I'd so been looking forward to.
Or even worse, I was worried that I would have to give up running altogether. Six months off again. Begin all over again. Round and round the barefoot mile again. Only to injure myself again and never ever get my run back!
I was so afraid to find all this out that I put off getting out there for a couple of hours.
In my defense, I will say that I have last year's terribly disappointing plantar fasciitis experience still fresh in my memory. (See post: Plans: Best Made Plans from my Avocational Singer Blog) You never really know how your fairy story is going to end up. My fairy story this time -- the magical ending to that terrible tale from last year -- was going to be:
"... and she found barefoot running and lived happily every after ..."
Ha!
Well, anyway, I hope you know that I really am taking this as it comes. I hope I learned my lesson from the incident last year and don't believe in fairy stories any more. But I do believe in perseverance and never giving up. I do believe in getting up again when you are weighed down. I do believe in flexibility, adaptation, and overcoming obstacles.
Eventually, I had to go face the music. "C'mon, Daffodil, it's now or never. Let's get out there and find out what it's going to be."
Well, it was the most beautiful day you could imagine! It was magic! It was a fairy tale. I had put some layering pieces on, thinking that it was going to be cold like the past week had been. But it was warm and sunny and gloriously beautiful, especially contrasted to the cold, damp rainy weather we'd been having. I was back in my barefoot summer honeymoon days.
And I was thrilled to take my first barefoot running steps and find out that -- just as I thought -- there were no motions that stressed that toe joint when I was running properly. And once again, I experienced how fun barefoot running is, and remembered why I want to keep doing it.
I think I was a little stiffer for at least the first half of the run because I was afraid of bending at that joint or pushing off. So, I kept my feet a little stiff, like I was running on ping pong paddles or something.
But eventually I realized that I wasn't achieving anything by stiffening up. Anything I was doing could be done with relaxed flexibility, and I spent my time focusing on getting back to that state.
In order to avoid that nubby-sidewalked, asphalted lollipop loop through residential neighborhoods that I have been using to add distance to my run, I had to plan a different route that took me further out on the boulevard with the smooth terracotta tiles.
This was a route that I had been using the previous summer when I was run/walk training to do the Disney 1/2 marathon. I hadn't been out that way in over a year. I actually should have brought a pair of flip flops with me just in case. I forgot that I had decided it was wise to bring them whenever I was trying anything new or further.
At any rate, I wished I had brought my camera with me because I came upon a really beautiful vista. I was able to snap a shot with my cell phone camera:
I felt wonderful the whole 3.75 miles! I never felt that pricker-y twinge once.
In fact, I'm even wondering if the barefoot stride -- when tended to properly -- is even somewhat therapeutic for this kind of joint issue.
It looks like I shall be able to continue. I'll have to wait a few hours and see. Sometimes these things don't show their effects until after a couple of hours or the next morning. But as far as the run itself and immediate aftermath is concerned, things are feeling very good!
From all observations during my 3.75 mile run today -- as I suspected -- it was not barefoot running which was the cause of my "toe-turf"-like joint malady.
In case you haven't been reading, let me bring you up to date.
A weird little pricker-like pain appeared at the joint in the ball of my foot. I thought it was an embedded object, and my DH thought it was an irritation to the joint and over the past few days we ascertained that it was both. I had minor surgery to remove the piece of debris, and gave my foot a rest for a couple of days to see if I would be able to continue to run.
On the surgery post, blog commenter Julie (Invasion of the Couch Potato Snatchers) picked up on the "doom and gloom" theme that was beginning to form in my mood. This morning that theme was developing further. I had convinced myself -- despite reassurances from my DH -- that I was going to go out there today and find out that barefoot running injured me further and that I was going to have to miss running in the 1st Annual NYC Barefoot Run this Sunday, which I'd so been looking forward to.
Or even worse, I was worried that I would have to give up running altogether. Six months off again. Begin all over again. Round and round the barefoot mile again. Only to injure myself again and never ever get my run back!
I was so afraid to find all this out that I put off getting out there for a couple of hours.
In my defense, I will say that I have last year's terribly disappointing plantar fasciitis experience still fresh in my memory. (See post: Plans: Best Made Plans from my Avocational Singer Blog) You never really know how your fairy story is going to end up. My fairy story this time -- the magical ending to that terrible tale from last year -- was going to be:
"... and she found barefoot running and lived happily every after ..."
Ha!
Well, anyway, I hope you know that I really am taking this as it comes. I hope I learned my lesson from the incident last year and don't believe in fairy stories any more. But I do believe in perseverance and never giving up. I do believe in getting up again when you are weighed down. I do believe in flexibility, adaptation, and overcoming obstacles.
Eventually, I had to go face the music. "C'mon, Daffodil, it's now or never. Let's get out there and find out what it's going to be."
Well, it was the most beautiful day you could imagine! It was magic! It was a fairy tale. I had put some layering pieces on, thinking that it was going to be cold like the past week had been. But it was warm and sunny and gloriously beautiful, especially contrasted to the cold, damp rainy weather we'd been having. I was back in my barefoot summer honeymoon days.
And I was thrilled to take my first barefoot running steps and find out that -- just as I thought -- there were no motions that stressed that toe joint when I was running properly. And once again, I experienced how fun barefoot running is, and remembered why I want to keep doing it.
I think I was a little stiffer for at least the first half of the run because I was afraid of bending at that joint or pushing off. So, I kept my feet a little stiff, like I was running on ping pong paddles or something.
But eventually I realized that I wasn't achieving anything by stiffening up. Anything I was doing could be done with relaxed flexibility, and I spent my time focusing on getting back to that state.
In order to avoid that nubby-sidewalked, asphalted lollipop loop through residential neighborhoods that I have been using to add distance to my run, I had to plan a different route that took me further out on the boulevard with the smooth terracotta tiles.
This was a route that I had been using the previous summer when I was run/walk training to do the Disney 1/2 marathon. I hadn't been out that way in over a year. I actually should have brought a pair of flip flops with me just in case. I forgot that I had decided it was wise to bring them whenever I was trying anything new or further.
At any rate, I wished I had brought my camera with me because I came upon a really beautiful vista. I was able to snap a shot with my cell phone camera:
I felt wonderful the whole 3.75 miles! I never felt that pricker-y twinge once.
In fact, I'm even wondering if the barefoot stride -- when tended to properly -- is even somewhat therapeutic for this kind of joint issue.
It looks like I shall be able to continue. I'll have to wait a few hours and see. Sometimes these things don't show their effects until after a couple of hours or the next morning. But as far as the run itself and immediate aftermath is concerned, things are feeling very good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)