Tristan-OH

My running story:
I've loved running since I was a kid. Never good at much other sports, and unfortunately my high school was very small and didnt have track or cross country. But my last 2 years of HS I actually ran cross country with another school. I started out ~20-22mm and ended up with a record 5k of around 17:30. In my 20's I ran off an on sporadically, some years none at all, and never very far (I thought a 5k was a long run). When I turned 30 I got back into running and started doing some 5ks again (but still just running during the summer). In 2011 was my wake up call. I was 33 and the heaviest I had ever been. I was also really getting back into things I used to love, hiking, paddling, etc and I really wanted to get into shape and start running more seriously. I ended up injured early on (PF). Some of my research led to bfr. But not wanting to start over mid season I continued to run and race shod while I researched bfr more. I had shin splints too, or at least my lower legs hurt and very tender especially on the sides (not quite sure if thats shin splints but whatever it was was bad!). I started bf walking in September 2011, and running very short distances. My last shod race was a 5k at the Centerburg Old Time Farm Festival 9/17/11. From that point on I have been a bfr, only slipping on minimalist footwear when needed in winter and on gravel. For the first time ever I continued to run through the winter, still eager to go bf, despite only being up to 2 miles by the time the first snow flakes fell. I succeeded in maintaining my runs through the winter (well except a couple weeks here and there). I ran my first bf 5k 5/5/12.