People's reactions when you run

I went for my usual, every other day 5 mile jog around the neighborhood. Ran by a garage sale and overheard something to the effect of "that guy always runs without shoes." Of course, I try to keep good form, maybe even pick up the pace a bit.

I turn the corner and get out of eyesight, then BAM! Stub my right toe! I shake it off and proceed. I glance at it later and see blood. I wasn't too far from home, so I figured I go put a bandaid on it. When I got home, blood everywhere! Wash it off, a couple of bandaids and tape, and I was good to get back out.

I should be good for tomorrow's run. It's just a flesh wound. 'Tis but a scratch!
 
I went to pickup my race kit on Saturday and the lady giving out bibs looked at my feet and asked where my shoes where. I replied that they were in a junk box in garage. She also asked if I ran like that, then she looked up and saw that was wearing a IBRD 2015 shirt and was to stunned for any more replies. And then today as I was walking with my grand son one of the new neighbors asked me about being barefoot all the time. I just told him that it is easier on my body. He then said that it must be good stimulation like acupuncture.
 
I had slowed down at 13 miles due to a leg trying to cramp, so may have looked slightly pathetic when an "excessively" chipper shod runner loped by on the path saying brightly, "Good job! Bare foot!" I mumbled back loudly, "15.5 miles. Who cares about being barefoot." I tend to feel a bit embarrassed when shod runners see me struggling like that...there is no time to explain that the first 13 miles were rather impressive.
 
I had slowed down at 13 miles due to a leg trying to cramp, so may have looked slightly pathetic when an "excessively" chipper shod runner loped by on the path saying brightly, "Good job! Bare foot!" I mumbled back loudly, "15.5 miles. Who cares about being barefoot." I tend to feel a bit embarrassed when shod runners see me struggling like that...there is no time to explain that the first 13 miles were rather impressive.
...I know that feeling...

At the weekend's IBRD run I heard a small child say to his father "Daddy, why are all those people running?" (no mention of our footwear, or lack of it, from the young innocent mind). Father's response "The question is son: -why are they running in bare feet?"
Interesting difference in perspective/what's important between young & old I thought.
(Wish I was quicker at thinking of an appropriate response too...).
 
I tend to feel a bit embarrassed when shod runners see me struggling like that
Last week, while on my usual run, there was an older woman walking her medoum-sized dog ahead on the sidewalk. I moved over into the street to pass, trying to demonstrate good form as a barefooter. Her dog clearly had other plans, and took off, taking her along! They sprinted ahead for maybe a hundred feet, before the lady could regain control of her dog down. Humbling! :D
 
I guess it's official. I'm now known like so many of us here as the "barefoot guy". I was in our local pharmacy renewing a presrcibtion (barefoot) when another customer approached the counter, looked at me said "Hi barefoot guy". He introduced himself and it turns out that he sees me frequently as I run past his house almost every day. Had a nice conversation about running and being barefoot. He also mentioned that one of his running buddies runs in min shoes and also at times runs barefoot. It's nice to know that besides Barefooting Bob and myself that there are others in town that run barefoot. I guess that means that I'm not a abnomality anymore. :D
 
It's nice to know that besides Barefooting Bob and myself that there are others in town that run barefoot. I guess that means that I'm not a abnomality anymore.
And the only reason I'm
Singing you this song now is cause you may know somebody in a similar
Situation, or you may be in a similar situation, and if your in a
Situation like that there's only one thing you can do and that's walk into
The shrink wherever you are, just walk in say "Shrink, You can get
Anything you want, at Alice's restaurant. ". And walk out. You know, if
One person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
They won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,
They may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
Singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an
Organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said
Fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and
Walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.
 
Passing a couple as I was running the lake, I overheard, " . . . there are all kind of crazies." (Am I being defensive? Or were they talking about something totally unrelated to the barefoot man - me - running towards them? LOL)

Passing another man with a child in a stroller about 10 minutes later, as they stopped to let me pass - I was running on a narrow, somewhat broken sidewalk, with a slight incline - "Hardcore! Good for you!"
 
Kids get conditioned and acculturated to wearing shoes outside at an early age! A week ago, I ran past a group of parents and very young kids near a playground. This kid, maybe a year and a half old on one of the low three wheelers was pushing him-her-self around stopped dead in his-her tracks to stare down at my feet as I jogged past! Maybe the kid was just tired and it was a coincidence?? LOL

Yesterday, a four or five year old girl stood by me at the farmers market and started to kick gravel on my feet to see if I would react. What's up with that?
 
Well after 13 years of country living, we sold and moved into town. Was running by the playground, my daughter was there with her friends. One girl asked as I ran by "Why is your Dad barefeet?" My daughter answers "Cause he's awesome!" Oh yeah!! Gotta go leap some tall buildings!!
 
during the whole winter I had the classic "it's not too cold ?"
yesterday was quite warm, so for the first time of the year I had the usual "it's not too warm ?"

I realize life is too much this and too much that for many people.
 
I was quite surprised to be asked if the pavement wasn't too hot at about 9 AM and 70°F this morning! I was able to respond with a happy, but emphatic "Nope!" Half the path is in the shade, too.:rolleyes:

But the funniest comment was when I was passing a mid30something woman doing her walking part of her run/walk routine. I was just about to say something to let her know I was passing, when she turned around quite startled, then exclaimed in relief, "Oh! I thought you were a skunk!" Adding, "I'm paranoid." I swear I was downwind of HER. I just smiled at her, but there may of been a touch of compassion in my eyes for her. :p Then, when I lapped her, passing the second time, she wanted to explain after I spoke up from behind saying, "It's just me, not a skunk." She said, "The sound was not like shoes and not like a dog! I didn't know what it was!" She was kind of embarrassed. :hilarious:
 
we are between (or perhaps "among") houses since we are moving three houses down. hence, we walk back and forth alot during this moving phase.

so, yesterday, i was commuting with some of my kids and one of the "new" neighbors was out walking his dog and crossed the street to come talk to us. he is well acquainted with me running barefoot through the winter and all that. but he was especially keen to talk to us because he had made a discovery. he was like, "you know, yesterday i wasn't feeling very good at all. i was over at the park with my dog and thought, 'hey, i'll try going barefoot. so, i took off my shoes and, wow! i feel so much better, this is great! you know, i'm really sensitive to negative energy and this really gets you connected to the earth and and and ....'" and there he was, padding around barefoot with his tiny dog and no shoes in sight.

so, i dutifully warned him about succumbing to the bad influences in the neighborhood and how people might start thinking he's becoming a long-haired liberal pinko commie hippie. oh, and that the cops might stop him for merely walking down the sidewalk. he happily took it all in stride and continued on his way with a laugh and a smile: "well, i've got short hair right now. you know, i'm 65 now and i don't feel as good as i'd like to, so i really think this helps. we gotta get back to basics, you know...."