Hello from Singapore

Juha Sompinmäki

Juha Sompinmäki

Barefooters
May 7, 2014
7
11
3
45
Singapore
www.actualdayphotographer.com
#1
According to the members map, I'm apparently the only person running barefoot or minimalist from Singapore. Originally I'm from Finland, but I've called Singapore my home for the past few years.

I started running because my back was getting really bad sciatic pains from sitting way too much with computer at my work. So I bought regular cheap running shoes and it was not long that I had my knees hurting so bad that I could not run. After a bit searching I figured out that perhaps my running posture, style and shoes were at fault and that eventually took me to barefoot running.
 
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#5
Phil Hart said:
Welcome, Juha! I was in Helsinki only once, in February of 2000. Beautiful, but frozen. Glad to have you with us. I think you will find Singapore's warmth better for BF and minimalist running than Finland's long cold season. Enjoy!
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Hi Phil. Yeah, February can be really cold in Finland. You should visit in the summer, it is much nicer. But it might be a bit hard for tourists in june-july-august as the country basically shuts down. Everyone having long summer holidays etc.

Singapore is much better for minimalist running for sure. The roads are relatively clean and you can basically go run anytime anywhere. It's just that you better go running only in the late evening or crazy early morning as the daytime sun is a killer.
 
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#6
Welcome! Glad to have you here.
 
#7
Welcome, JS!

(I also came across barefoot running from injuries while shod -- been great! Cheers)
 
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#8
Same here in the Southern US in the summer, Juha. We have lots of dark black asphalt paved roads that get to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit (or hotter) by about 1030. I like the cool morning runs best.

I would love to go back to Finland in warmer weather one day. Right now, I have 3 teenaged sons who make traveling very expensive, so we only make trips to Europe every 5 years or so to build the finances back up. Soon, though, they will all be out of school, and we'll push them out the door to launch their own schooling or careers, and my wife and I will be back to traveling light (and relatively cheap) again!
 
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#9
Phil Hart said:
Same here in the Southern US in the summer, Juha. We have lots of dark black asphalt paved roads that get to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit (or hotter) by about 1030. I like the cool morning runs best.
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Actually I've never experienced any issue with hot pavement. I'm pretty sure the asphalt gets very hot here too, but it has never bothered me. Mornings would be the best but I like to sleep till late :)

When you get the chance to travel relatively cheap again, I would recommend doing a round trip with Finland, Latvia and Estonia. There are budget flights from Finland to Riga, the capital of Latvia and from there you could catch a but to go Estonia and then ferry back to Finland. Or something like that :)
 
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#10
Excellent recommendations, Juha! I've been to Tallinn (we took the ferry back and forth from Helsinki), but never to Latvia or to any more of Estonia.

I'm glad you haven't been troubled by hot pavement. I've actually had burns on the soles of my feet from running when the sun had heated the pavement too much. 9 years in the Army unfortunately made me into a morning person; I wake up about 0600 every morning whether I want to or not, so it just makes sense for me to run then since I'm up anyway.
 
#11
Hi Phil. Yeah, ferry is the way to go between Helsinki and Tallinn. I havent really been much around Estonia elsewhere either but my understanding is that there is not much. Maybe a few places but majority of the population is living in the capital anyway. Latvia is beautiful and not so crowded with (Finnish) drunks on weekends. Well they got the British stag parties going around, but I still prefer Riga over Tallinn anytime. It's cheaper too.

I'm really not a morning person. I can wake up if there really is a very good reason to do so, but otherwise I take my sweet time to sleep :)
 
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