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  1. Mike R

    5th Annual Winter Challenge

    While running barefoot tonight, 29 degrees F, I hear a car coming up behind me and slowing down. As the car is next to me, an older guy rolls down his window and says "Seriously?" pause " You're going to freeze your feet off" I just laughed and told him my feet were warm. Actually, the road had...
  2. Mike R

    Ugly in there...

    Even famous people have trouble.
  3. Mike R

    My kind of farm stand!

  4. Mike R

    Ugly in there...

    I've been running a rural 10-13 mile course for about 10 years now and know most of the regular walker/runners/ dog walkers that I come across but occasionally, they'll be someone I don't recognize and if it's a woman, and she looks worried because a shirtless, barefoot guy is running towards...
  5. Mike R

    Running barefoot is odd behavior that police should investigate

    Sometimes people with certain mental conditions when off their medications will walk around sans shirt and shoes, even in winter. The police just want to make sure that is not the case by talking to you and seeing how you respond. They just want to make sure everything's OK. Brother-in-law is...
  6. Mike R

    What races do you have coming up or are you planning on doing?

    I've got a local 5K June 1st, and then Mt. Washington later in June.
  7. Mike R

    People's reactions when you run

    I was running a 5K race over the weekend and this 7 or 8 yr. old running next to me asked the best question I have heard yet, "Why did you take your shoes off?" I was thinking of saying, "Where do I begin? 10,000 years ago....." but then I remembered I was running a race so I just said "Because...
  8. Mike R

    Mt. Washington Road Race

    Anyone else running Mt. Washington this year?
  9. Mike R

    Any suggestions on how to challenge this?

    Someone who was also at the park at the time could have seen you and called and complained. I work for a town and am surprised at what gets done sometimes when one person complains.
  10. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    My tolerance for barefoot winter running also has improved over the 3 years I ran through the winter without VFF's. First year was 40 degrees F, second year down to 33 degrees, and this year down to 27 degrees. What I noticed is that my feet get red from improved blood flow where they used to...
  11. Mike R

    People's reactions when you run

    I ran one of my favorite 10K races today. It's a St. Patrick's Day race in a big Irish city and so it attracts about 6,000 runners and the entire course is lined with spectators. I couldn't believe how often I heard "that guy's barefoot" "look, he doesn't have shoes on" etc. from the spectators...
  12. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    I ran the Manchester, CT Thanksgiving day race for about the 20th time. With 15,000 runners and walkers, I have to get there 3/4 hour before the 10 am start before the starting area fills up. The temps were hovering around 30 degrees (which is right around my lowest bf running temp) so I had my...
  13. Mike R

    Interviewees wanted for trend piece

    1. What personally got you into barefoot/minimalist running? Boredom. After 20+ years of running, I was ready for a change. I had seen a barefoot runner a few years before my transition and started to think about why we needed to run in shoes. My feet were the same shape as Asics Gel...
  14. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    I use this infra-red thermometer. http://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-infrared-thermometer-with-laser-targeting-60725.html It has a red laser that will tell you the temp. of anything you point it to. It's lots of fun, I was checking the temperatures of fellow drivers next to me on the...
  15. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    Just had my coldest temperature run. 9 km @ 29 degree F. The coldest I could go last winter was 34 degrees so I think my tolerance is improving. Maybe it has to do with improved blood flow to the feet. I checked the temp. of my soles after the run and they were 50 degrees, not sure what that...
  16. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    I checked some temperatures today with my IR thermometer. Time=4 pm Weather=Sunny all day Air temp= 35 F Paved road temp=32F
  17. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    Good to know. It's supposed to warm up the next few days but I'll get another chance to try again.
  18. Mike R

    Winter Challenge - 2013

    I had my coldest run today at 31 degrees F. I could only go 3 km before my feet were getting numb. My lowest temp. last year was 34 degrees and the year before that was 40 degrees, so my tolerance seems to be improving. I went to record my run tonight though and can't find my name on the winter...
  19. Mike R

    BFRunning O.K. as Long as You're Not Too Fat, Tall, or Muscular

    Just make an appointment. All it costs you is a co-pay. You might just get your doctor thinking that maybe there is something to this.
  20. Mike R

    Confession Time

    Maybe this is how shoes got invented in the first place While our ancestors were looking down so that they wouldn't step on anything pointy, the saber-toothed tigers were sneaking up on us and eating us!