Woodstock 50K race report and more

[stjohnthegambler]

Hello all,

Here's a link to my blog post about the Woodstock 50K this past weekend. It's long. I hope you enjoy. Become a follower!

johnsbarefootrunningblog.blogspot.com

Cheers,

John

 

[C. Beth Run.]

I'll check it out!

I'll check it out!

 

[Last Place Jason]

John, Great job on the

John,

Great job on the finish! I passed you while crewing for Jesse Scott, the dude that won the 50 miler. I think it was a few miles from the finish. There were three of us, all wearing shoes. After we passed you, Jesse and I commented that we felt like tools... we finally see another barefoot runner and we're wearing shoes! I was going to catch you at the finish, but my wife and I made a beer run and missed you. Hope to see you at another race!

-Jason

 

[Barefoot Burt]

barefoot runners dont wear

barefoot runners dont wear shoes

After we passed you, Jesse and I commented that we felt like tools... we finally see another barefoot runner and we're wearing shoes!

-Jason

 

[Last Place Jason]

Barefoot Burt wrote:barefoot

barefoot runners dont wear shoes

Hence the comment about feeling like tools. Come on Burt, keep up.

 

[stjohnthegambler]

Thank Jason!I'm glad Jesse

Thank Jason!

I'm glad Jesse won!

So, I have to ask: Why were you wearing shoes? Did you write about this on your blog?

I hope to run into you guys again. Are you still thinking of doing the Bobcat Trail Marathon in November?

John

 

[Barefoot Burt]

Jason, I can keep up just

Jason, I can keep up just fine. I am just sayin... you do an awful lot of running with stuff on your feet for a guy who wrote a book on BFR.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I've been thinking about

I've been thinking about this, and so I must add my thoughts here...


Jason does a lot of good work testing shoes and then reviewing those shoes on his site. He receives NO compensation for this service. (Thanks, Jason!) It is very important that we have individuals out there doing this, so that those who do decide to wear shoes, for whatever reason, are able to make a more informed, healthy decision. I have a growing vendetta against shoes that cause people harm, because I am suffering a condition imposed upon me by the shoes I used to run in. I do NOT want to see others suffer the same.


We are the Barefoot Runners Society, but we are not only a club for barefoot runners. We are a club for barefoot runners, minimalist runners, and anyone else who has interest in the subject. We support barefoot AND minimalist runners alike. One reason for supporting both groups is because we understand there is a lot of cross-over between the groups, and barefoot runners may have to rely on footwear at certain times throughout the year. We also recognize that not everyone can go to work and school barefoot, and so it is important to know about healthy alternatives to the other types of shoes that are used for walking in. We happen to ask our members to make the sacrifices necessary to learn a proper, healthy barefoot running form first, then only incorporate footwear as/when needed. For some, this will be less often than others for varying reasons, terrains such as the desert floor where it may be riddled with goathead thorns, weather where the temps either dip below freezing or the pavement may cause burns, health conditions, such as diabetes, circulatory problems, etc., and a new one I'm learning about, Morton's Toe. [Shout out to my MT breathren!]


We are not here to judge others on what they decide to or not to put on their feet. We are here to support you all in whatever you do decide (aside from boat anchors, sorry) to wear or not wear on your feet.


We are a barefoot AND minimalist running club first and foremost.

 

[miqie]

TJ, Burt staged a weeklong

TJ, Burt staged a weeklong hissy fit over several threads at RW on the same issue. He settles down after he gets it out of his system. I agree with everything you said BTW.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Just so everyone knows

Just so everyone knows upfront what the BRS is all about...

 

[Barefoot Burt]

TJ, but it's called "Barefoot

TJ, but it's called "Barefoot Runners Society" is it not? It's not "Barefoot and Minimalist footwear Society"

I guess I am being a pain in the ass. But I feel like somebody has to keep it real. This is the same problem I had with RW forums. Everybody celebrating how fast they can run in shoes in the barefoot forum. Great. Try doing that barefoot and I will get excited OR if you are gonna run in shoes you better be running elite times for me to get all gaga over. Why the hell are we testing footwear for the Barefoot Society anyhow?? Makes no sense to me.



It's kinda like being gay and walking into a straight bar expecting to find a date. Wrong place, Wrong time.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

We happen to ask our members

We happen to ask our members to make the sacrifices necessary to learn a proper, healthy barefoot running form first.

We encourage barefoot first, footwear as needed (FAT).

 

[Danjo]

While I would also like to

While I would also like to know Jason's reason behind wearing footwear, I'd definitely have to say it makes sense to wear something if your crewing for someone. If your running by yourself and your feet start to get tender, or you get slowed down a bit by some rough gravel, its not a big deal, your running for yourself and you want to be barefoot even if it might slow you down in places (not saying barefooting will necessarily slow you down, but sometimes things happen.) Plus a lot of people will have a pair of minimal shoes stashed somewhere "just in case". But if your supposed to be pacing for someone I don't imagine they'd be too happy if you were having trouble with the terrain or something and had to slow down, or you had to stop to put some shoes on when the person your pacing wants to keep going. So it makes sense to just wear the shoes "just in case".

Is that anywhere close Jason?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

He was probably testing out

He was probably testing out those new NB Minimus shoes.

 

[Last Place Jason]

Thanks TJ.  Burt, as TJ

Thanks TJ.

Burt, as TJ mentioned, I've been doing shoe testing and reviewing more or less non-stop since my last 100 miler. Not all of us live in Southern California where weather permits BFR 365 days a year. Likewise, some of us choose to run on terrain and distances where barefoot running isn't feasible. If we must occasionally rely on the protection of shoes, it is important to understand the pros and cons of each available option.

I find it curious that most "barefoot purists" have little actual barefoot running experience (i.e.- been at it less than a year). I think I may have blogged about that point at one time. Anyone that has been at this for awhile will have learned the value of a good minimalist shoe. Ken Bob, Ted, Tony Krupicka, the Skaggs brothers, etc. all concede there are conditions when minimalist shoes are necessary. The lone exception among truly experienced barefoot runners- Rick. That dude is an animal. Well, Victor is pretty hard-core, too. ;-)

 

[Barefoot Burt]

I think it was Ken Bob that

I think it was Ken Bob that said "if I can't run it barefoot I dont have any interest in running it". To ME that is a barefoot runner.



TJ, I just find it destructive to have all the jibber jabber about footwear in a forum about barefoot running. But, that's why all the minimalists hate me

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Well Burt, hopefully, as you

Well Burt, hopefully, as you continue on your barefoot journey in which you just embarked upon, you will learn to grow and understand your fellow barefoot and minimalist running brethren a little more. We're here to help you in that endeavor, if you choose to stay.

Even Ken Bob tested a pair of Nike Frees and for Nike, no doubt. He told me that out of respect for Nike's kind offer to him, he still shows their logo on his site. Considering how long he's been running barefoot, that wasn't that long ago either.

 

[Barefoot Burt]

Jason,This is my point. The

Jason,

This is my point. The people that suffer due to all the shoe talk is the beginners. They start to think I have run barefoot a few times now I can run Bikilas and they kill themselves and don't really get any of the technique benefits of BFR.



WHile I am not a purist, I too have used footwear for stuff I can't handle BF...I think it's great to aspire to be ABLE to do it barefoot or not at all. I would call myself an aspiring purist. If your pointing to me as a beginner.... how many miles did you do this week?? I know all about minimalist footwear... I was a minimalist before becoming a barefoot runner.

 

[Last Place Jason]

Danjo, Yes, I was wearing

Danjo,

Yes, I was wearing shoes because I was pacing. I knwe Jesse would be crazy-fast and contending for the win. Considering the sacrifices he made for me as a pacer and crew member, I couldn't risk injury and/or having to slow down due to terrain. Also, I ran the 100 miler there last year and it was the least barefoot-friendly course I have run in the Midwest (I wore VFFs). The course had changed, but I was unsure of the terrain. I've run many races barefoot without any knowledge of the course and it usually tuens out bad.

John- sorry for the hijacking. ;-)

 

[Blind Boy]

Burt: I see where you're

Burt: I see where you're coming from but please don't do this. I've seen it in every single "fringe" movement I've been involved in, instead of focusing on what unites us we focus on the differences and it all ends up being a mess of sub-divisions that nobody, not even the members themselves, can keep track of. Let's face it, there aren't that many barefoot runners by your definition, not enough to make an impact, at least. There aren't that many part-time barefooters either, or pure minimalist runners for that matter. We've got more stuff in common than we have separating us and we have a chance to make a real impact on the running community at large if we can just set aside our differences for a while. Imagine if we could get the shoe companies to turn back to what they made 50 years ago, shoes that you could actually run in. They are starting to pay attention, we just have to prove that we're on to something now.

As for myself, I can only agree with Jason. I'd love to be able to go barefoot all year but I don't live in SoCal, I live just south of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and this time of year the temperature might go up to 50F on a warm day. Actually keeping my toes attached to my feet is more important than being a barefoot purist. When I do put on shoes though, I want them to be the most minimal they can be while still providing enough protection from the cold.