Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a test. It was cool (38 degrees) and it had been raining for nearly 24 hours. Avari and I ventured out for a great barefoot walk for about twenty minutes or so. She had not had a walk for two days because of the rain, and she had a lot of energy. I figured that I needed to burn a few calories before the feast this afternoon.

Walking in the cold and wet is invigorating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have been drinking orange juice every day and I figure that as long as I keep my hands dry and somewhat warm, I will be doing well and will make it on my barefoot walking adventures. My plan is to incorporate a bit of jogging/running around Spring, but will be content with walking for now.

Have a Great Thanksgiving, everybody!

Day One

I am great at beginnings, it is the follow through that often turns out to be less than stellar. I have read that with barefoot running, it is wisest to start out slow and steady. After all, it is just your bare feet that you will have as your equipment.

And this equipment is attached.

After working thirteen hours, I got home and took the new puppy, Avari, out for a stroll down the block and back. I wore no shoes, and, to be fair, neither did she. I am trying to get acclimated to feeling the earth and surfaces below me, and I realized, as I walked, that shoes really have a way of insulating you from those feelings.

Now, this blog is not only about my venture to achieve barefoot running full-time, but also about getting back into the shape that I was in before (and I was a 30+ miles a week runner). I limited myself on the food that I ate, having a "sandwich" that was made up of a tortilla, some thinly sliced corned beef (Buddig) a few slices of Swiss Cheese. For supper, I had a Wendy's Jr. bacon cheeseburger and a few Bud Lights (yes, a somewhat stressful day). The good news is that the calorie count is under 1,000 and I feel great.

One day down, a lifetime to go!

Barefoot Makes Sense

Back in the day, I was an avid runner. I began running in 1986 as a way to control my weight and stay fit. I subscribed to Runner's World magazine and participated in a few 5K runs. My times were slow, but I was enjoying myself. Running became a therapy for me as well as my first marriage disappeared, but running was always there. I recall one morning at the depths of that marriage in which I had my longest and most memorable run. It was 4 degrees outside, I wore little more than a lightweight running jacket and thin pants, but I felt invincible.

And I was.

For a time.

Two marriages later and quite a few pounds heavier, I was traveling home from our campsite/timeshare and I was listening to a program on To The Best of Our Knowledge about running barefoot and it made a lot of sense.

I had always been a "heel striker" when I ran, but this program talked about having more of your weight centered and not as much stress on your body. It all intrigued me an got me excited about taking up the sport. The costs will be minimal and I will keep the record of my progress here on this blog. Contact me for any questions or suggestions as I make this transformation.