Who are you descended from?

[Nyal]

Since most of us did not independently invent BFR, who was it that first informed you, came up with an idea that informed you, or directly or indirectly led you to BFR?

As an example, I was bored one day and wanted to talk with other runners. I googled the topic and eventually clicked on the Runners World Forum. Then, perusing the topics, I saw on on barefoot running and out of sheer curiosity, clicked. Well, that transfer of the proverbial 1s and 0s changed my running life. After 10 years of running I had discovered, well, running. Therefore, the brainchild of that forum, Barefoot TJ, is my ancestor.

Who is yours?

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 I am my own grandpa I just

I am my own grandpa

I just started running, and couldn't stand it, and it hurt, and I couldn't figure out why....so I did research, and found that people were running barefoot...so I tried it, and now I am in love with running...it was a month later that I heard about Born to Run....etc...then I found the BRS on FB....and got invited here :-D.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

 i was turned onto it by a

i was turned onto it by a USA Track and Field Coach way back in 95'. He saw me running at a state meet and we started talking. During that chat he asked me if I ever ran bare to strengthen my feet and of course I said no. He told me add it in twice a week during some running drills and 100 yard strides on the football field. He said it would build my leg strength and make me a stronger runner. I've been doing it ever since. So I come from USA Track...can't remember the guy's name after all these years.

 

[Abide]

I think my ancestors are a

I think my ancestors are a turtle, or maybe a snail. Although after watching my children maybe I do have some gorilla in me. Or maybe they got that from my better half.

Anyways, same way as you via the internet. Ken Bob's site was probably the most influential.

 

[barefoot kean]

i got a pair a vibram 5

i got a pair a vibram 5 fingers while a junior in High school, i thought they were the most badass shoe ever. my freshman year in college i went to the vibram website and read all of their "barefooting" research. After that i read a lot more on proper technique and started from there. after a month of minimalist distance and ultimate Frisbee/ sports in general completely barefoot i read "born to run" and decided to go 100% barefoot while running. then i watched "dual survival" on the discovery channel and decided to live my life 100% barefoot. So i guess i am my own Adam and vibrams are my Eve.

 

[jschwab]

I was wanting to start

I was wanting to start running for awhile (never ran until my mid 30's - not even ten feet), but athletic shoes had given me hives for a long time and I just never wore them. Because of the allergy, when I started looking at running, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to wear running shoes so I researched "alternatives to running shoes" on Google and eventually landed on a barefoot running website (Kenbob?) in 2004 or 2005. I figured if shoes didn't work out, I could always just go bare and told my husband so. I did find mesh shoes that didn't cause a reaction. But when I found out they were shoes that barefooters sometimes wore when not barefoot (NB 790's) I got interested in BFR again a little after the BF on RWOL was founded. When the 790's were discontinued it provoked a crisis (yes, I cried. Alot.). And here I am.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Ha!  That's hysterical, Nyal.

Ha! That's hysterical, Nyal. So we're related. I thought this was about that other ancestry, you know the one tied to our blood. I have Davy Crockett and a royal line to England in my blood.

When it comes to BFR though, I guess I am my own grandpa. I didn't realize people were out there running barefoot, didn't know of or hear about Ken Bob or Rick at the time. I was just in so much pain from running in my boat anchors, I would kick them off when I couldn't take it anymore and finish my runs barefoot. I started thinking there must be more to "this" and started searching the net for answers. I first found Rick then Ken Bob. Rick told me, "Running barefoot isn't for sissies." when I sent him a picture of my blood blister after a 10 mile run, and those words sort of stuck with me. On a side note, about 28 years earlier, my sister ran track barefoot on the dirt tracks in southern California (some of the other girls did too) for traction purposes, but when I was ditching the shoes, she never even came to my mind...odd.

 

[nature runner]

As far as family, it comes

As far as family, it comes from Sweden! As far as running, I was already a barefooter and googled it after I had so many injuries from shod. I just got lucky and found you all?

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 Seriously TJ?? I'm a Davy

Seriously TJ?? I'm a Davy Crockett relative too...how funny!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

He's my

He's my great/great/great/great... grand uncle on my grandmother's side. I have pictures of his niece and her husband. The family line that traced our heritage spent a lot of time and money on our geneology. We have wills, marriage certificates, death certificates, deeds, you name it.

How are you related to him?

 

[RHH]

I am the product of Born to

I am the product of Born to Run and all of the various resources onthe internet (RW Forum, BFT's Google Group, Ken Bob's site, etc). Add a healthy dose of thick-headed willingness to subject myself to an experimant of one and there you have it.

I have never been a competitive runner or injury prone (running since teen years, now a couple of weeks shy of 52). Born to Run just made a lot of sense so I launched on the experiment.

Randy

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 wow...TJ....almost the same

wow...TJ....almost the same thing....6th great uncle on my mom's mom's side....her last name was Goodgame....Sarah Crockett, Davy's sister, married John Goodgame....my 5th great grandparents...if I have the numbers right .

 

[Abide]

So you two are related then

So you two are related then huh? Haha

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 LOL who knows...maybe by

LOL who knows...maybe by blood....maybe by marriage several generations ago LOL...but it's a pretty small world indeed!

And if we go back far enough, we're all related.

 

[deviantrunner]

First read about it in the

First read about it in the Parade (newspaper insert) in December 09. Did some research and read born to run... now I am here.



Steve

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I had the papers in my sweaty

I had the papers in my sweaty little mitts at one time, but my mother has them now. In a book on Crockett she gave me, she writes: David (Davy) and John's parents came from Europe; one came from Ireland and the other from England. They met here in America, New England. We are decended from John, Davy's brother. From there, our line goes, Crockett, Beasley, Crafton (Crafton being my grand mother's maiden name on my mother's side).

I too have a Sarah Crockett in my line. I believe if I remember correctly, she is the daughter of John.

I'm unfamiliar with your family names; perhaps if I had the copies...

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Do you suppose this could be

Do you suppose this could be the same Sarah Crockett? Have you seen a picture of her? I have a photo of her. I will dig around for it, and try to scan it here, but if you haven't seen a picture of her yet, then it may not matter.

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 It is possible that Sarah

It is possible that Sarah was Johns Daughter...I've not seen a picture, but my mom's family might have....I sent you a PM ;-) How cool is that?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I just got back from my

I just got back from my midnight run. IT WAS RAINING! I LOVED IT! Only five miles, but still...! I'll check for more history, see what I have laying around, and get you the picture.

 

[Nyal]

 I am descended from the

I am descended from the oldest WASPs, the originals, including one documented ancestor on the Mayflower. When beginning to study Scandinavian history years ago I got it in my head to see if I had any Nordic blood and so delved into the family's genealogy work (we are Mormon and Mormons are obsessed about this even more than jello and the Osmonds) and found we were also descended from nearly all the principle families of the New Amsterdam colonies as well. I eventually did find one Norwegian in the early 17th century who married one of these Dutchmen. That was it. Lame.