I finally did it! I was in my first BF race and actually my first running race ever.
This weekend was the Akron Marathon... in my home town in North East Ohio.
Having just started running last year I neverimagined before then that I would be participating in one of these events. Oh, I had tried running before... but I never really sustained the effort... there was pain and discomfort and I always ended up just giving up and moving on to other things ... In short I just didn't really see the appeal.
But that was before I found Barefoot running. It's not that it was easier to run without shoes... it was after all still work... and it's not that there wasn't any pain or discomfort along the way because there was indeed some of both. It's just that there was something new in almost every outing... new surfaces, temperatures,sensations,techniques, reactions from people, obstacles... new everything. I was never bored. I had to learn to walk with barefeet, run with bare feet, and finally race with bare feet... and I think it was this constant discovery that kept me engaged in an activity I would have never really pursued otherwise... RUNNING.
So this weekend was my first race... it was a long time coming and it was so totally worth it.
Here are the highlights:
First race - Check
First BF race - Check
First race in a kilt - Check 8)
6.3 miles (4.1 on crushed limestone) - Check
PR despite stopping to chat with my peeps along the way - Check
First shiny race medal - Check
General Awesomeness - Check
Anyway I'm trying to keep this short... so I'll wrap it up here. I did hear about 2 other BF runners in the event. One guy even caught up to me at the end of my leg and we shared a few BF paces together before we split off. He was doing the full 26.2. The event was well organized, the weather was perfect, and everyone was very supportive.
I may be hooked for good now. Running is FUN!!!!... who would have thunk it?
Thanks all.
S. Pimp.
This weekend was the Akron Marathon... in my home town in North East Ohio.
Having just started running last year I neverimagined before then that I would be participating in one of these events. Oh, I had tried running before... but I never really sustained the effort... there was pain and discomfort and I always ended up just giving up and moving on to other things ... In short I just didn't really see the appeal.
But that was before I found Barefoot running. It's not that it was easier to run without shoes... it was after all still work... and it's not that there wasn't any pain or discomfort along the way because there was indeed some of both. It's just that there was something new in almost every outing... new surfaces, temperatures,sensations,techniques, reactions from people, obstacles... new everything. I was never bored. I had to learn to walk with barefeet, run with bare feet, and finally race with bare feet... and I think it was this constant discovery that kept me engaged in an activity I would have never really pursued otherwise... RUNNING.
So this weekend was my first race... it was a long time coming and it was so totally worth it.
Here are the highlights:
First race - Check
First BF race - Check
First race in a kilt - Check 8)
6.3 miles (4.1 on crushed limestone) - Check
PR despite stopping to chat with my peeps along the way - Check
First shiny race medal - Check
General Awesomeness - Check
Anyway I'm trying to keep this short... so I'll wrap it up here. I did hear about 2 other BF runners in the event. One guy even caught up to me at the end of my leg and we shared a few BF paces together before we split off. He was doing the full 26.2. The event was well organized, the weather was perfect, and everyone was very supportive.
I may be hooked for good now. Running is FUN!!!!... who would have thunk it?
Thanks all.
S. Pimp.
