My first barefoot 5k race

I did pretty well today for myself. I ran it in 27:32 which is an 8:52 avg pace. My goal was to run it at a 9min pace. I took 9th place for my age/division. To read my full race report click the link to below.

http://thebarefootweave.wordpress.com/2011/10/22/2011-5k-regatta-run/
 
That is a fantastic time for

That is a fantastic time for your first go at it. Congrats you will be below 25 min in no time.
 
Congrats, Nick!  Great job

Congrats, Nick! Great job for your first 5K. Good pace too!
 
I had a lot of fun for the

I had a lot of fun for the most part. The guy who called me a cheater because I was barefoot kind of ticked me off though. Wish I was clever and witty and was able to say something to him.
 
I would have said, "I'm not

I would have said, "I'm not the one who is running with aides! I'm running only with what God gave me." Feel free to use that next time. ;-)
 
No idea Jonny.  The dude came

No idea Jonny. The dude came in third overall in 18:18. If I'm cheating I would like to see him race that fast barefoot. Maybe eventually over sometime he might be able to, but barefooting almost always slows you down at first.
 
NickW wrote:No idea Jonny. 

NickW said:
No idea Jonny. The dude came in third overall in 18:18. If I'm cheating I would like to see him race that fast barefoot. Maybe eventually over sometime he might be able to, but barefooting almost always slows you down at first.

Was he serious? I've never seen anyone take that approach. They usually look at me like I'm adding a difficulty level (I could never do that!) or, as one senior runner put it, "Son...you got more guts than brains!" Next time run in only a Native American breach cloth or a sport kilt! If you're gonna cheat, don't half-@$$ is, son!!! ;o)

-Jonny
 
He looked angry with me while

He looked angry with me while I was running by him. That comment has actually really stuck with me and I'm not sure I want to run in any races anymore unless theres a barefoot division or it's an actual barefoot race. Out of 400+ there were exactly 4 minimalist runners and 1 barefooter, me. I got glares and angry looks from a ton of people. I got a few way to go's as well, but the glares and that comment were by far the majority. It really took away from the race that I was so excited for, and then meeting my goals. It just wasn't fun to be treated like that. Unless I'm running with other barefooters in the future in a race, I'll just wear my Adams or huaraches.
 
Oh, hell no!  Nick, stand

Oh, hell no! Nick, stand up. You're a pioneer. People back in the days thought the pioneers who migrated to the west were nuts, and although they were, if they had not, where would we be today? Someone had to go first. Now it's your turn.

Ignore the negativity and focus only on the positive. You aren't running for them, so who cares what they think. You are running for YOU!

You'll find that most people really don't give a chit what you are wearing or aren't wearing on your feet, and if you allow them to, then they've won. You're better than that. You're changing minds. You're making a difference with your barefoot presence at every race. Continue to be a pioneer!

Besides, they're just jealous. Make them green with envy!
 
I just don't get the

I just don't get the discrimination against barefooters. My wife, who hates me barefooting by the way, was p.o.'d and wished she would have been there to straighten that guy out. She said she wanted to kick him in the nether regions. Really surprised me how mad she got about it and that she was proud of how well I'm doing. Unfortunately my son had a class at same time as my race so I didn't have anyone of my own peeps to cheer me on. My friend who is a minimalis/barefooter bikegiant was out of town otherwise he would have been there with me to.
 
Don't listen to the naysayers

Don't listen to the naysayers Nick. Exactly what TJ said you are the pioneer, let him have some cheese with his whine somewhere else. Keep your chin up, I have been running this way for about 18 months in Winnipeg at first it was a little bit like what you experienced, now it is completely positive and I am having a blast, and so will you.
 
Or could your perspective

Or could your perspective have changed, Bob? Maybe we have developed such a thick skin (and I'm not talking about on our feet either), that negativity just rolls off our backs.

Nick, your wife's reaction is validation that she supports what you are doing. Now see there? You are already breaking down barriers.

Run how you want to run, not how they want you to run.
 
I'm suprised by that Nick, at

I'm suprised by that Nick, at my race everyone was very positive. I even got a high five from the race director as I crossed the finish line.
 
Good job on your first BF

Good job on your first BF race. I don't get why people would be like that. That is unusual. Normally people look at it as adding a degree of difficulty. I could understand if you were in roller blades doing the 5k but barefoot and cheating thats ridiculous.
 
Barefoot TJ wrote:Or could

Barefoot TJ said:
Or could your perspective have changed, Bob? Maybe we have developed such a thick skin (and I'm not talking about on our feet either), that negativity just rolls off our backs.

Nick, your wife's reaction is validation that she supports what you are doing. Now see there? You are already breaking down barriers.

Run how you want to run, not how they want you to run.

TJ, I honestly don't think my perspective has changed, I find a lot more positive feedback then negative (very little negative if any). Even today during my 10 km race I had people driving by lowering their windows and yelling out encouragement about the barefeet. So I do believe their is a bit of a paradigm switch at least in my little area of the world. I was even able to get a friend of mine to run the race barefoot today, he usually just does small slower runs soles bared and he kicked my a$$ all over the road. It was great to see......:lol:
 
I was just throwing the

I was just throwing the thought out there, Bob, not meaning you per se. I think that as our confidence in our running barefoot progresses so does our confidence in running barefoot in public. We get to a point where we could care less about what others think and tune out all the negativity. I find that people on the Internet will say any ugly, negative thing they can about barefoot running, but in person, most people are pretty cool about it.

The more we represent, the more we are represented.
 
I was shocked at the

I was shocked at the negativity. I wonder if maybe part of it had to do with the shop that runs this seems to ignore me and not help me when I come in there because I'm a barefooter and dont purchase shoes. I refuse to go to this shop if I dont have to.

I'm still going to run barefoot TJ. People in my neighborhood give me odd looks sometimes but for the most part I've never been made to feel like this. I love barefooting and I am not going to let anyone tell me I cant, but I also dont want to be made to feel like crap because of it either.

I do have a question for some of u. I didnt end up with much for blisters despite running much faster than I normally do, but I did develop holes so to speak on the ball of each foot just below the big toe. I noticed theres a pointy bone right there. Is this a sign of pushing off or is it just because my feet arent tough enough? They arent blisters at all, just spots that are worn down. Thanks for the advice and thanks for all the support!