RunRichmond!

It's all about the run.

Something to be learned from barefooting

This blogging shit is hard.  I have no chance of coming up with interesting words on a regular basis.

Since I am not running or cycling (but at least I am walking without the assistance of crutches, well, kind of walking, kind of hobbling) I find I don’t have much to say.  This extra available time (ends up my sleep patterns are firmly controlled by my workout schedule, no workout, not much sleep) has given me the opportunity to catch-up on some significant reading and research.  Some of it was business in nature, although it applies to life in many ways, I highly recommend the series of books by Patrick Lencioni.  They are fable-based business/management books and are great.  They are short and packed with strong messages that can apply to personal relationships as well as professional.

In preparation for my return to running this spring, I have been researching shoes.  I have three requirements for running shoes going forward.  They must be light, very neutral (little to no support) and have very wide toe boxes.  I am not risking another neuroma.  It seems I am not alone in my quest.  The light and very neutral specs are very popular these days as all manufacturers are creating shoes that simulate barefoot running, there’s a book about people in Mexico that run in sandals, oh, wait, never mind.  Anyways, I happened upon the website http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/barefoot-expert/, there is a video by Lee Saxby on this site.  The video is 10 minutes and takes a runner from running in traditional running shoes to running barefoot.  I am not a proponent of running barefoot.  While it is true that our ancestors ran barefoot at some point in history, generations of shoes have lessened our ability to do so.  Anyways, this video is excellent.  It’s 10 minutes long and is totally on the mark.  Even though I don’t run barefoot, the techniques described by Mr. Saxby and his cool accent are perfect.  It is clear and understandable without a bunch of science.  The “victim” starts running on a treadmill and looks like the runners you see everyday in the Fan or Twickory or Salisbury or downtown.  Lots of heel striking and poor posture.  The heel striking is made possible by a pair of Saucony shoes with lots of cushion.  The posture part is just “life.”  Many of us sit at desks or in cars or on couches with lousy posture most of our days and then we’re surprised when we run with the same poor posture.  It’s all connected but that’s a subject for another day.  I highly recommend watching the video and working to run in this style but do it in shoes so you don’t cut your foot on the extra bottle caps around my house these days….

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