SHOES...evolution of my running?

Alright shoes and running go hand and hand right? Maybe foot in shoe? Hand and foot?  I don't know.  Anyways I have also been a big guy even when I ran cross country in Middle school or attempted anyways I just wanted to run well, I wanted to run fast too but I know I will never been Olympic fast.  In middle school I got to get running shoes they were middle of the ground, not to expensive but got me running. I remember my feet hurting.  Fast forward to about 2005ish when I started running on my own going out and running a mile or so and walking. I paid a little more money for what I thought was good running shoes (still not the best but what I could afford.)  I would get a pair every year or so since I was just running a few 5 k races.  My feet still hurt after running.  I kept up running and my pace didn't improve tremendously but I was still running and my feet were still hurting after running or working out.  Mostly I couldn't wait to get the damn shoes off my feet.  I moved down to NYC and got running again.  This time I did some research on running and figured maybe I will get a foot analysis at this running store, they can capture my running and all that jazz and recommend some shoes that work for my feet.  Now you can read all about my running adventures in my other blog.  This link will take you to the first time I posted a blog on running, in 2008,  read through if you would like, and you will see how my feet hurt after running in different shoes.
Back to the shoes.
I went to Jack Rabbit Sports in NYC and got my analysis and the guy told me I needed so pretty heavy duty shoes because I had fairly flat feet and I overpronated a lot. Which means: heavy shoes, heavy price tag.  So I shelled some money out and got the shoes.  Running in heavy shoes sucks told dick, seriously.  They are heavy, they hurt and they force your feet into weird box. So I stopped running a little and went back about 8 months later for new shoes.  This time same thing, flat foot, overpronating.  The shoes were not helping me.  I bought another pair of shoes, these were lighter weight and a tad more flexible...still $160 for shoes.  Alright so I ran in these for a while but then my feet were still hurting. I felt like the best time for my feet were in flip flops or just barefeet.  I knew there was something there.  A friend of mine had talked to me about these slipper like shoes called 5 fingers she would wear after her running and would go out and walk in them and she started just walking in them all the time.  I remembered that conversation and looked into them.  SO I got some and started running in them and I never really looked back.  I got some basic black ones and instantly fell in love.  There was a period of falling out of love when I got blisters but I eventually got over it.  I trained in those things and ran and hiked and everything in those things. I bought two pair and eventually a third pair, but really couldn't justify the 100 (or so) price tag every other year.  So I shed the shoes and learned to run without them.  So for nearly 3 years now I have been doing most of my athletic activity with minimal footwear on.  Between New Balance Minimus, Vibram FiveFingers, and nothing at all, the last three years have improved my arches, my stride and most pain below my hips!
Today I took another journey, and I did this because of worrisome stares and comments from loved ones.  I ran in water shoes.  The same ones you buy at Target or Wal-Greens for 10 bucks and under.  I had read about it on listserves of people who didn't want to buy the 5 fingers and let me tell you.  They did what I needed them to: protect my feet.  I don't need padding, I don't need support, just protection with out the price tag.  5 miles felt like I was in 5 fingers.  SO for 10 bucks they work!

running with a goal?

I track my running with an app on my iPhone called RunKeeper. It is great it tells me pace and is GPS enabled and all that great stuff.  I use to run with the Nike+ when I ran in shoes.  I used Nike+ shoes and put the little pebble thing in my right shoe and it would sync with my iPod nano and then I could sync it with my computer and well yah you get the idea.  I liked tracking my running when I first started because before all this you would track with a car and go out and drive your running route.  I then would track it on the computer.  Back when I started GPS watches were HUGE and came with a big ole price tag.  Now I run with a phone in my hand, I should really think about getting one of those arm bands...I digress.  The whole point was I could see my running with stats I could track progress and what not.  I could set a goal for myself and Nike+ would give me a goal to run for say a 10K and I would run that goal and then stop running for a while.
So now I run with RunKeeper.  It started as a pretty basic free app, tracks speed, distance, elevation, all that jazz.  It sync with all the social media sights and has it's own sight.  I can even "run with friends" and see how they are doing.  Overall for a free app it does what I need.  One day I was digging deeper into the app to see what else it could do and a message came up and asked if I wanted to "set a goal."  I figured what the hey and set 50 miles for the summer.  Not a hard task for me running about 10-12 miles a week anyway.  Well I got unmotivated and we got a heat wave and I got hit with the Blerch (read it if you like running) and just stopped running but I kept getting mocked by RunKeeper notifications..."remember last week when you thought working out was a good idea?  Lets do it AGAIN!"  So I ran on vacation in Maine, then last week got motivated to run with my sister in Texas...so hot...so gross...terrible air.  I ran today. It felt good.  I need to run more.  I need it to not be 85+ degrees with lots of humidity everyday.  I am half way to my goal with about two weeks left.  25 miles to go, I can do it, really just 5 more 5 mile runs!  

Open letter to all my runner/jogger/walker friends

Dear Runner/Jogger/Walker Friends (or those who are aspiring to be)

GOOD JOB!  I am proud of you.  You are doing something to better yourself.  You are enjoying nature. Whether you run in the country or in the city or a combo of both. Whether you run for fitness or fun you are great!  Whether you run in shoes or not KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!  If you are aspiring to run and are just starting your journey, let me tell you something, you will become addicted, you WILL not stop.  You will at some point during a run want to give up but a little voice somewhere will say, just keep going.  Go one more block, go one more min, go one more song and just do it (I really am not a nike fan.)  No matter how old you are this is an activity anyone can do.  You are the only one holding you back.  Whether you fall behind because of work, injury, or sickness.  Don't worry you can take a break.  You can go at your own pace!  You can run by yourself or with a group.  It is a sport for all and it welcomes all!  Sometimes the field is a little crowded, but you know what that means there are that many people on your side cheering you on!  Running is a sport that brings out the best in people!  Just remember where you started and remember where you are going.  You are bettering yourself with every step you take.  You will feel like you can't do something, but just remember the week or month before.  Remember when you could only run 1 min at a time or run 1 mile at a time.  Slowly (or quickly) that builds now you are up to 5 min or 20 min or 2 miles, 5 miles maybe even 20 miles maybe you even ran a marathon!  GOOD FOR YOU!!!  No matter what remember you can always go faster, go slower and there is always water when you need it!

I started running when I was in my 20s because I felt gross about myself. I could barely walk up a mountain without stopping every 10 feet.  I didn't have the cardio skills to keep up with my friends.  Eventually I got out there and started slow.  Started reading up on running and jogging.  I started setting goal.  Today I will run for 2 min and walk for 1 min.  Today I will run around the track once and walking once. That turned into running twice and walking once. Which eventually turned into running a whole mile around the track.  At that point a 5k was my goal, just running those 3.1 miles.  At one point I had a goal of running up a certain hill.  I love crushing hills now.  After about 8 years of running my goal was to run and finish a full marathon.  I did it...as crazy as it was...I did it.  I am happy I did it.  I honestly wanted to pass out, and kill who ever it was who gave me such a crazy idea, but I did it.  I honestly don't think I would put my body through 26.2 miles again, but the half marathon would be fine.  The point is I am not an athlete by any means. I never was.  I did it though and YOU CAN TOO!  YOU ARE ALL GREAT! As you friend I AM PROUD OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!  Keep up the good work.

Andy - The Barefooted Genius  

RECIPES from the Barefoot Cont...GENIUS!

Hey Folks.  So I am NOT a Genius by any means, my grammar sucks, I always got C's and the occasional B in English.  I don't have a grasp on this language I. Don't. Care.  This is is me writing for fun not writing for a grade or anything.  This is just me getting myself out there.  Anyways so including running barefoot and what not I also dabble a little in cooking and try to cook as local and seasonal as possible.  Sometimes I just want to cook.  So I have a second blog with some of my recipes.  I am going to link them here as well so you can take a look!  This picture is an example of what I cooked tonight! Baked Lemon Salmon and Sautéed Asparagus.  

The ladder is on the blog...the salmon isn't, Sorry!

Enjoy! SHARE! LEAVE COMMENTS!

(hopefully you get the title...one of J's favorite cooks)

barefoot everywhere

Since its been a while (almost a year) since my last post I won't update on the boring details I will basically start over.

Last summer I went everywhere barefoot and I would run barefoot when I could or I would use my Vibram Five Fingers.  It all kind of stopped towards the end of the summer and fall when it became chilly and I had to turn them in for shoes.  I reluctantly did.  The winter was long, cold and snowy...very snowy.  I couldn't wait for a nice day to get out and go for a nice barefoot run.  I really hadn't run in a oh maybe 6 months when I decided to go out.  I decided to go shod since the towns hadn't come and cleaned up the gravel and sand from the roads.  I tend to notice when people are barefoot or running in VFF now and it brings a smile to my face.  I feel like I get on the "trends" of things and then they take off and become a fad.  This is a conversation I had with someone about the Primal diet about 2 years ago.

Me: So I am trying this eating change called Paleo where I only eat meat, veggies, eggs some fruits and nuts
Person: Huh so what about bread?
Me: nope
Person: so what about rice and stuff, aren't you hungry all the time?
Me: no I feel great actually!
Person: Well I can't live without bread!
Me: Try it Its GREAT!
Person: Nah I'll pass

About a year or so later same person:

Me: Hey how are yah?
Person: GREAT  I just started this diet have you heard about it called the Paleo Diet!  No bread or rice or sugar or anything processed.
Me: Really?  Didn't I tell you I was doing that like a year ago and you said you couldn't live without bread?
Person:  Nah I read about it on some website and saw it on Dr. Oz (or some show like that)
Me: *facepalm*

So goes my life.  I start running the whole world seems to start running.  I want to run a half marathon suddenly you can't get into them because they are so popular.  It's great I can't believe the increase in exercise, especially in my family and friends group.

The one thing I think that is not going to be gaining traction anytime soon is barefoot running.  I am kind of glad about that.  People have asked me about it and I am glad to give advice, but I would look into a book or videos on line or something a little more resourceful then me, since I am not a professional barefoot runner.  Maybe someday I can say I am but for now I will do it on my own.


SO the real reason I am posting is because I am finishing week 7 of Insanity (workout thingy).  Which I do barefoot.  I tried it for a day in shoes.  Was going to buy new shoes just to workout with but then remembered my good ole standby, my bare feet.  J also joined me doing insanity bare foot.  A few times he was going to give in to the shoes, but keeps deciding against it.  I mean really you are getting a great workout and you are working your muscles and gaining a better sense of balance and response from the bare feet.  We do have foam flooring down and that helps so we are not pounding on the cement.

Another reason for this post is my now (almost) 15 month old son is onto walking!  WOO-HOO  he is mobile and we have a barefoot genius 2.0.  Everyone asks me why I don't have shoes and socks on him!  To that I say this - he is learning to walk, he needs to feel the ground below him, he needs to know what it feels like, he needs the input from the earth, the ground, the wood floors and he needs to learn to walk.  He needs to develop the muscles in his foot.  We do have shoes for him for those occasions that call for it...picture day? Really though it's summer what better time for him to feel the ground beneath his feet and learn those sensations.  I don't care if his feet get dirty, I mean he is 15 months, we can take a bath.  Obviously we can wear shoes on the playground where there is a danger of a splinter from a wood chip or the occasional wire tread tire sticking out, but I will be on the look out for those.  Plus good quality shoes for his size aren't cheap!  I don't want something that is too stiff he needs the flexibility in his little tootsies!  His feet need to grow and shape.

So we will be barefoot together for as long as we can.  Maybe until I can get him into a pair of VFF or Vivo or I will just make him some mocs out of leather.  That seems like a good plan, then he will have some protection from the woodchips and tires...to be continuted.

on VFF, barefoot, concrete, tar, grass, needles, glass

SO I have been barefooting now for a while.  I started back up again maybe what 2 months ago but I have been doing it 3-4 times a week.  I have been going between 3-6 miles at a clip and have been switching up underfoot environments as much as I can.  There is only so much terrain in these parts and I really don't have much time to look for new routes.  Anyways the point of this post has been the new reaction that I have gotten since I have really started doing it.  A lot of has been "you do what where???? What about needles and glass and poop"  and to that I always say "well I would rather step in poop then the other two, but I really scan where I am running so I DON'T step in any of those."  I mean you can see a big pile of something before you get to it and you can also wash it off.  you will most likely see a big pile of broken glass as well as a hypodermic needle (although I have YET to see one.)  So I barefoot run mostly on tar and tar with loose rocks which yes hurts but as long as you distribute your weight you're fine (for the most part...it really does hurt when you step on them.)
Anyways I noticed something about 2-3 weeks ago when I was running down to the beach.  I run in my VFF to the beach (just in case there are broken beer bottles, bad pavement, glass, needles, poop, all of which I have seen except the needle, and because Jeremy is against me running BF in near downtown Bridgeport) and I was noticing that it was getting harder and harder to run in the VFFs.  It was kind of weird.  The last time I got the sensation was when I was running in highly "supportive" sneakers maybe 5-6 years ago and my time had been great until I put these shoes on.  I got to a point and took the VFFs off.  There I was fine, my legs stopped tingling, and I started going faster. I felt better.
So fast forward to last week, I go in house to my job in Wooster, OH (Amish Country) and I usually run with a few of my co-workers a couple of times while we are there. So I get up and meet them in the lobby of the hotel and there I am barefoot.  One knows and rolls her eyes, one knows and questions me a bit and says, are you sure?  Oh yes I am sure.  So we go out and I am having a jolly good time running BF through this college campus.  The tar is a little rougher then I am use to but oh well there is grass I can jump on if I need to.  We get back and a third co-worker takes an opportunity to say, "wow you run barefoot?? Good for you!" It's fun when I get those comments. So I get home and I need to run and I decide I am going out for a long run, 6 miles...or more.  What I didn't realize was the obstacle course I would be running through because of downed tree branches and bark all over the ground, and how one way just felt like one continuous hill until the downhill came and it felt like I was running on glass (just bark and loose rocks.)  Needless to say it killed, but it doesn't stop me.  BF is how I am going from now on.  I may throw on the VFF for a race here and there or if I ever get to finally do a tough mudder challenge, but for now, BF for this Genius

Back at it again

I stopped running last year after I knew I wasn't going to be ready to run any kind of race just because I wasn't training.  I was running but one day I went out and got dehydrated and kind of got myself down, so I kind of gave up on the whole running a second marathon.  Maybe before I am 40 I will run a second marathon.  For now I am going to keep running a few miles at a time.  Another thing that got me out of the gym was when I adopted a kid!  This kind of cuts into working out when well, you have an infant to take care of.  I run when I can and now I am getting back into running.  After we adopted him we were in a hotel for two weeks so I walked a lot around the hotel parking lots and also on the treadmill.  When we got home I realized it was time to get back to running.  So I just did it. I knew I could only run a few miles, so that is what I did.  I ran 3 miles.  Then a few more weeks went by and I ran again.
Last week I started back to work full full time, I had a babysitter one day and then my mother in law came down for the rest of the week.  I was surprised that she came early so I took advantage and went for a run.  I was going to go just in my neighborhood, but I was getting sick of the hills, and I was getting sick of the same route.  Recently we discovered or rediscovered SeaSide Park in Bridgeport which has a great non-rocky beach and new pavement and some great lawns.  I had ran down there one time in the past few weeks so I decided to go there.  I drove this time but when I got there I decided it was time to get back to barefooting.  I take off my 5 fingers and go.  I end up running 5 miles and feel great.  So I did another run there last week again and again it was great.  So today I went 6 miles around the neighborhood today.  So now I'm training for a few running races later this summer.  I really just want to run some races they always feel great and I love the element of pack running.