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The Ramzev

The Ramzev

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Jun 14, 2010
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Milford, DE
#1
I know this is probably a sticky topic to bring up and I'm sure there was debate about this when the site was set up but, you know me, I thought I'd stir the pot a bit.

My opinion is that the Barefoot running and minimal running forums should be separated. I know that a lot of barefoot runners are also minimal runners but to keep the forums cleaner and easier to follow I think they should be separate. This being The Barefoot Runners Society, It's a bit surprising that there is a forum for barefoot/minimalist running and a forum for gear/footwear but there is not a forum for just barefoot running.

When I started running barefoot the "other forum" was priceless. It was all barefoot all the time (except for the VFF sticky) and it helped me get through the transition, but it slowly was watered down to a barefoot/minimalist forum. When a runner is considering trying barefoot running and the info they find is always combined with minimalist running they may just assume that all barefoot runners are minimalist runners and this just isn't the case.

While I have no problem with the info provided for minimalist runners I think that the barefoot runners would appreciate a forum of our own to discuss important issues like how to wash our feet, how to avoid the needles at night and who steps in the most dog/goose poo.

Just my opinion.

Thanks
 
#2
Oh, this old debate.  It

Oh, this old debate. It haunts and follows us here from "that other place." And yes, Ram, thanks for stirring the pot; yes you, since you are the very first person to bring this up in the 10 months we've been in existence. Aren't you special?

We may need a poll, but first, I want to hear some comments, starting with mine...

When Jason, Cameron, and I first spoke about naming that forum, one of our concerns was to not come off as sounding like purists. (Let's not even get into why we named the club the Barefoot Runners Society; besides we've already incorporated under that name, and we aren't going to change it.) We are a barefoot running club, but we ARE ALSO a minimalist running club, especially when we take into consideration that most barefoot runners will don footwear when necessary, as in the "footwear as tools" category Jason coined; FAT, acronym coined by me just now (hee). We feel most people who run barefoot are in the FAT category. Most barefoot runners are not purists. We want to include as many runners as possible. Since most of the threads are named appropriately, the few purists we do have will know which threads to avoid just by looking at the name of the thread. Sort of like if I saw a thread created by M.M. Caw, I would know to avoid it. ;-)

Having said that, I am always open to suggestions on ways to improve, so let me hear from all of you. And, I might add, it would be interesting to see just how many threads/posts are created under the Barefoot Running Forum in comparison to the Minimalist Running Forum.

And here some of you thought I was a purist. ;-)
 
#3
Ram -- I totally get where

Ram -- I totally get where you are coming from here. Even though I've only been running barefoot for 3 years, I've seen how this pattern keeps repeating over and over again. A group of barefoot runners start organizing online, and then after a short period, minimalist runners join the group, and after another short period of time, most of the discussion is about shoes and running in shoes.

If I was into conspiracy theories, I would say that the shoe companies are behind this. (feel free to laugh)
 
#4
I've moved this thread from

I've moved this thread from the Site Help Forum, since I think it will get a better response over here.
 
#5
 As someone who goes

As someone who goes completely barefoot, with no experience of minimalist footwear (except making my duct tape shoes, and hurraches....I've yet to actually wear either for more than 5 min.)...It would be kinda nice to not have to "scroll" through a bunch of stuff to find the barefoot stuff...but, realistically, it doesn't really bother me to scroll through it either...the only place I get somewhat confused is the mileage reporting...do I actually have to specify that all my miles and activities are barefoot, as I am a 24/7 barefooter?....and while attesting this truth for myself, avoiding the possible "appearance" of some thinking that I THINK I'm superior to those who choose minimals, when that is the furthest from the truth...to each his own and all are right ;-).

So, maybe just a forum thread for "All things Naked" ;-D....ok,ok...maybe "Simply Barefeet".....or what ever you want to call it, might be helpful :). Just my 2 cents...and with prices these days, you can't even buy penny candy with that....
 
#6
I like the idea. I don't

I like the idea. I don't think it will be like splitting up like in the other forum. In my mind it will just create a better organization of conversations. Usually I will only go to the forum page if I am looking up something specific, like injuries or state specific stuff. Otherwise I just spout off in the active topics listed below.

Now which gets listed first...hehe
 
#7
Barefoot of

Barefoot of course...alphabetically speaking that is. ;-)
 
#8
   I think that the minimal

I think that the minimal info here is important, I don't want to give the impression that I don't think it belongs. I just think the forums would flow a bit better having them split.
 
#9
I agree folks should have

I agree folks should have their own place in the forum. I don't see any reason why there couldn't be a separate discussion forum for purely barefoot running here unless the powers that be (TJ!) decide it's too much work. I run both, lately much more minimalist than bare (although it begs the question how protective protective footgear is when it has ten holes in it LOL). For me, it's like homebirth - people birthing with a midwife and without have a lot in common, but unassisted homebirthers just need their own space. It's a totally different level of risk and commitment.
 
#10
The only thing I worry about

The only thing I worry about in doing the split is that I hope that people who aspire to be barefoot, but are currently minimalist, don't lose input from complete barefooters like us. I don't want people to think that they can't post in the barefoot forum because they're not barefoot yet, and feel like they need to stick to the minimalist forum where they aren't necessarily getting the advice that they want.

There's a big intimidation factor there. That intimidation is one of the reasons that I lurked in the other forum for nearly a year before actually contributing. I like the forum being combined so that people who are minimalist or just starting out feel like they belong to the bigger community and not just a subsection for beginners and wussies only.
 
#12
Yea, one of the things that I

Yea, one of the things that I have seen in the other forum is that folks come in asking about Frees and walk away with a totally new understanding of the possibilities. I lurked around there asking questions for my husband for ages before I made any kind of commitment to making the transition. But folks will still hang out in the main forum even if there is a strictly bare area, a nudist colony, daresay?
 
#13
On some forums I visit you

On some forums I visit you can set an image next to the thread title or even a category. The category is chosen from a list. Maybe some categories such as barefoot, minimalist, barefoot/minimalist would be good or even just pictures of a barefoot, a huarache, and two feet(one with a barefoot one without) would be nice.
 
#14
I think we may be analyzing

I think we may be analyzing this too much. On the Runners world forum there are what, a couple dozen different catagories for different runners, this is just to make it esier to find what your looking for and so it's easier to exchange info with like runners. We only need 2, minimal running and barefoot running. I don't think this would alienate anyone or cause confusion with new members, if anything it will make it easier for someone who is looking to start to find the info they need.
 
#15
But the categories on RW are

But the categories on RW are very different groups of people: beginners, marathoners, elites, ultrarunners, etc. I don't think that minimalists and barefooters are discrete enough groups to warrant different forums. In some instances, that's certainly true, but in most...the information and advice would be identical.

This isn't like when RW seperated trail running and ultramarathoning.
 
#16
Ram, if you want to discuss

Ram, if you want to discuss how to remove elderberry stains, start some threads!

I don't think there's much difference in the community from last year. There are just a lot more minimalist shoes available now, and that means there's a lot more to talk about.

As for me, I ran 26 miles barefoot last week (and 19 more on a gnarly trail in huaraches), and I'm happy to say that I don't have a barefoot concern right now.

I'm a little put off at the suggestion that I might not be a barefoot runner. It's not like the 19 miles I did in huaraches erases the fact that I ran 26 bare. That's absurd.
 
#17
Abide wrote:I like the idea.

Abide said:
I like the idea. I don't think it will be like splitting up like in the other forum. In my mind it will just create a better organization of conversations. Usually I will only go to the forum page if I am looking up something specific, like injuries or state specific stuff. Otherwise I just spout off in the active topics listed below.
Click to expand...



I agree that it would be easier to find the barefoot info if it weren't obscured in the midst of all the shoe talk. Not that I have anything against shoes-- I'm finding myself wearing them more than I used to.
 
#18
 Silly, I didn't mean this to

Silly, I didn't mean this to categorize runners, just to categorize topics. I don't believe anything I said would suggest that if you utilize a minimalist shoe for some runs somehow that eliminates you from being a barefoot runner. If you misunderstood I apologize for the confusion.



But then I guess you're right, maybe there's just nothing to talk about as a barefoot runner. We walk out of the house, run, the go home. Pretty uneventful.

OK, so to keep the peace I'll retract my suggestion. It's fine as it is.
 
#20
 Silly, that could be a good

Silly, that could be a good idea. Since the minimalist runners (and barefoot runners who utilize minimal shoes) technically have 2 forums, the main one and the shoe/gear one a foot care forum would fit nicely. Next, would be what to call it? Maybe the "Beat Feet Beat"?
 
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