Nyal's Rant of the Day
- Thread starter Nyal
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I don't care what people call
I don't care what people call themselves. If they think they are barefoot runners because they wear "barefoot shoes" that's their problem.
When I talk to people about running, I usually don't mention what I wear or don't wear. I just say I run.
When I can, I enjoy running barefoot. Sometimes I prefer running with some form of foot covering. When I'm at the gym I follow their rules and I wear socks or huaraches.
But one thing I'm sick of is when people see me happily running barefoot or in huaraches or socks and come to tell me that I should try those barefoot shoes because it seems like they would be comfortable for me, and I would run faster.
If they look comfortable buy yourself a pair, if I'm too slow for you ignore me, but stop trying to make me change the way I run. For 30+ years I thought I could not run. Now for the past year I've been enjoying my runs, just let me do it my way!!@!!
I don't care what people call themselves. If they think they are barefoot runners because they wear "barefoot shoes" that's their problem.
When I talk to people about running, I usually don't mention what I wear or don't wear. I just say I run.
When I can, I enjoy running barefoot. Sometimes I prefer running with some form of foot covering. When I'm at the gym I follow their rules and I wear socks or huaraches.
But one thing I'm sick of is when people see me happily running barefoot or in huaraches or socks and come to tell me that I should try those barefoot shoes because it seems like they would be comfortable for me, and I would run faster.
If they look comfortable buy yourself a pair, if I'm too slow for you ignore me, but stop trying to make me change the way I run. For 30+ years I thought I could not run. Now for the past year I've been enjoying my runs, just let me do it my way!!@!!
That's one I've never gotten
That's one I've never gotten - people telling me to get the shoes when I am barefoot. Interesting how regional it is - I run in really populated areas. Sloutre, you are not too slow! I think you are a very elegant runner! I never mention what I wear running, either - it just doesn't come up.
That's one I've never gotten - people telling me to get the shoes when I am barefoot. Interesting how regional it is - I run in really populated areas. Sloutre, you are not too slow! I think you are a very elegant runner! I never mention what I wear running, either - it just doesn't come up.
Barefoot Ken Bob summed it
Barefoot Ken Bob summed it up nicely in his book.
"minimalist runners a.k.a. fake barefoot runners"
Barefoot Ken Bob summed it up nicely in his book.
"minimalist runners a.k.a. fake barefoot runners"
Nyal wrote:I swear to Danko I
I actually think that the term "barefoot running" to mean running in toe shoes or other minimalist shoes is actually taking attention away from actual barefoot running, and making it even more of a niche.
I'm thankful that when I stumbled upon the barefoot running back in 2007, that "barefoot running" actually meant barefoot running. I'm sure if things had been like they are now, that I would have given VFF's a try, not even giving actual barefoot running a chance. Maybe they would have worked for me, maybe they wouldn't have. I would have left actual barefoot running to those with tough feet. And I would have missed out on something.
I, for one, thank you for ranting. I think rants like this are good on multiple levels.Nyal said:
I actually think that the term "barefoot running" to mean running in toe shoes or other minimalist shoes is actually taking attention away from actual barefoot running, and making it even more of a niche.
I'm thankful that when I stumbled upon the barefoot running back in 2007, that "barefoot running" actually meant barefoot running. I'm sure if things had been like they are now, that I would have given VFF's a try, not even giving actual barefoot running a chance. Maybe they would have worked for me, maybe they wouldn't have. I would have left actual barefoot running to those with tough feet. And I would have missed out on something.
Humboldt-explorer
Guest
Barefoot Gentile
Min runners = the same 'blanking' natural stride as shoeless. You don't have to be a rocket scientist, or barefoot to use a natural running gait. Though I understand most make the bio mechanics much more complicated then it really is.
Barefoot Gentile said:
Min runners = the same 'blanking' natural stride as shoeless. You don't have to be a rocket scientist, or barefoot to use a natural running gait. Though I understand most make the bio mechanics much more complicated then it really is.
Humboldt-explorer wrote:Min
I agree with what you say about rocket science. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to trying to think about my biomechanics. That's probably why I do so much better barefoot, than in minimalist shoes. At least with my bare feet, I can use the feedback that my feet give me, and my form kind of adjusts itself, without me having to think about it. Unfortunately with shoes, even minimalist shoes, I don't have the benefit of that sensory feedback from my feet.Humboldt-explorer said:
Here's another distinction
Here's another distinction between barefoot and covered: How many runners have you heard claim they are "way too chicken" to try to run bare? From my count, a lot, and yet again last Sunday as I was BF and a fascinated shod runner caught up and initiated a conversation with me.
So here's my condensed spin: Barefoot = barefoot = Badass. Shoes, not so much. The sensory experience of running on varying terrain and temps is wildly more intense. It's just a fact. After a 10+ mile run I will experience for hours a unique leg tingle and a kind of sensory overload (like mild nausea) from all that nerve stimulation.
Yesterday I walked a nasty section of this coming Sunday's race course and the experience was a mix of stomach-turning pain and pleasure. Hard to describe but completely unknown to me all the 20 years I ran/walked that same trail in shoes.
Here's another distinction between barefoot and covered: How many runners have you heard claim they are "way too chicken" to try to run bare? From my count, a lot, and yet again last Sunday as I was BF and a fascinated shod runner caught up and initiated a conversation with me.
So here's my condensed spin: Barefoot = barefoot = Badass. Shoes, not so much. The sensory experience of running on varying terrain and temps is wildly more intense. It's just a fact. After a 10+ mile run I will experience for hours a unique leg tingle and a kind of sensory overload (like mild nausea) from all that nerve stimulation.
Yesterday I walked a nasty section of this coming Sunday's race course and the experience was a mix of stomach-turning pain and pleasure. Hard to describe but completely unknown to me all the 20 years I ran/walked that same trail in shoes.
Nyal wrote:I swear to Danko
Please don't say that! I'm with Matt and Abide on this one all the way!Nyal said:
I started out as one of those
I started out as one of those VFFers and thought I was a "running barefoot" in them. I was also repeatedly getting injured in them too.
So I switched to full on barefooting last year, and haven't looked back. I go farther, faster, and happier barefoot than I ever have before. This works for my body. I love it. But now I see other people in minimalist footwear, who ONLY wear that footwear, and I feel like they're missing out. And yes, part of me get irked by full time minimalists saying that they're barefoot runners when they clearly are wearing shoes. I run in racing flats (and in VFFs on very rare occasions), but still barefoot about 90% of the time.
That's not my problem with minimalism, though. My problem is that when people first get the "barefoot shoe" bug, they go too far with it. Then they get injured, and barefoot running gets blamed. Why? Because they probably never actually ran barefoot. So what kind of cruel logic is that? If I had done some BFR before stepping into my VFFs, I would have never suffered the TMTS issues that I did.
I started out as one of those VFFers and thought I was a "running barefoot" in them. I was also repeatedly getting injured in them too.
So I switched to full on barefooting last year, and haven't looked back. I go farther, faster, and happier barefoot than I ever have before. This works for my body. I love it. But now I see other people in minimalist footwear, who ONLY wear that footwear, and I feel like they're missing out. And yes, part of me get irked by full time minimalists saying that they're barefoot runners when they clearly are wearing shoes. I run in racing flats (and in VFFs on very rare occasions), but still barefoot about 90% of the time.
That's not my problem with minimalism, though. My problem is that when people first get the "barefoot shoe" bug, they go too far with it. Then they get injured, and barefoot running gets blamed. Why? Because they probably never actually ran barefoot. So what kind of cruel logic is that? If I had done some BFR before stepping into my VFFs, I would have never suffered the TMTS issues that I did.
Nice thread. And I
Nice thread. And I appreciate good rants as well...especially if I lean the same direction.
I called myself BF Shacky for a couple days and then changed it to Shoeless Shacky which I thought had a better ring to it. But I do a lot of runs in Lunas and VFFs so thought it wasn't appropriate to have that kind of moniker when I wasn't a 100% bf runner and so I got rid of it. I'd love to go bf 100% but some of the trails and distances I do just won't allow it unless I want my feet end up looking like Nates all the time.
Oh yeah, and I have a blog but never post to it. Does that count?
PS - I've poked fun at the barefoot runners blogging about shoes before. Kinda silly IMO but to each his own. But if I could put a couple sentences together on a blog and get some followers which ended up getting companies to throw free crap at me, I'd do it in a heartbeat as well.
Nice thread. And I appreciate good rants as well...especially if I lean the same direction.
I called myself BF Shacky for a couple days and then changed it to Shoeless Shacky which I thought had a better ring to it. But I do a lot of runs in Lunas and VFFs so thought it wasn't appropriate to have that kind of moniker when I wasn't a 100% bf runner and so I got rid of it. I'd love to go bf 100% but some of the trails and distances I do just won't allow it unless I want my feet end up looking like Nates all the time.
Oh yeah, and I have a blog but never post to it. Does that count?
PS - I've poked fun at the barefoot runners blogging about shoes before. Kinda silly IMO but to each his own. But if I could put a couple sentences together on a blog and get some followers which ended up getting companies to throw free crap at me, I'd do it in a heartbeat as well.
