I'm an old soldier who got out of shape for about 7 years after leaving the Army, where I was in pretty good shape for 9 years. Working with retired Marine First Sergeant Henry Forrest, one of the original IronMan triathletes from 1978, I finally developed enough shame to start running with him again. That was 8 years ago, and I kept running harder and faster until I wore out most of the cartilege in my right hip. That brought me to a point of willingness to consider any options for how to stay fit and healthy, however unusual they might seem on the surface.
In working at US Forces Command in Atlanta as a Defense Consultant, I spent a year at the gym during my lunchtimes on the elliptical machine going in circles indoors, which I passionately hate. I started running again, more slowly and less distance, but could only handle 2-3 times per week without worsening the somewhat-recovering hip.
As I was looking for crazy alternatives to try to get back into running, I met another triathlete and marathoner who turned out to be a mutual friend of Henry's named Bob Dalton. At about the same time, I saw a guy heading out to run barefoot a couple of times, so I raised the question with Bob. He identified Colonel Rex Hall as the barefoot runner, and suggested I start with the BRS and see if he could introduce me to Rex along the way.
So I started with the half-to-3/4-mile per run, 3x per week with at least one day between barefoot sessions at home in the evenings on top of my 3 regular runs per week along with 3 really fast power walks on the off days. The further I get into doing this, the more I'm trying to run my regular shod runs with a midfoot strike. As my mid-foot strike improves, I'm gradually replacing the power walks with slower but less painful mid-foot-strike runs.
I seem to be getting a little better at the shorter stride and very controlled, gentle foot touchdown/liftoff after several missteps (both literally and figuratively) and several impressive blisters due to a combination of TMTS and of learning technique and form on the fly (figuratively only - shod I'm back to only about 7:15/mile traditional heel-striking which I'm phasing out completely, 9:00/mile mid-foot striking, and 10:00/mile true barefoot).
I'm developing more useful sole skin like I had when as a kid we didn't wear shoes all summer, and I can run 6 times a week again without my hip feeling any worse, although my calves and achilles tendons are tighter than banjo strings and still sore daily - muscle soreness thankfully, not like my hip joint arthritis lack-of-cartilege soreness - after essentialy starting over at learning to run barefoot after 25 years of running NOT THIS WAY.
Thanks to you all for already providing some great guidance and direction as I've started this new venture. I look forward to meeting some of you and hopefully running with you sometime.
In working at US Forces Command in Atlanta as a Defense Consultant, I spent a year at the gym during my lunchtimes on the elliptical machine going in circles indoors, which I passionately hate. I started running again, more slowly and less distance, but could only handle 2-3 times per week without worsening the somewhat-recovering hip.
As I was looking for crazy alternatives to try to get back into running, I met another triathlete and marathoner who turned out to be a mutual friend of Henry's named Bob Dalton. At about the same time, I saw a guy heading out to run barefoot a couple of times, so I raised the question with Bob. He identified Colonel Rex Hall as the barefoot runner, and suggested I start with the BRS and see if he could introduce me to Rex along the way.
So I started with the half-to-3/4-mile per run, 3x per week with at least one day between barefoot sessions at home in the evenings on top of my 3 regular runs per week along with 3 really fast power walks on the off days. The further I get into doing this, the more I'm trying to run my regular shod runs with a midfoot strike. As my mid-foot strike improves, I'm gradually replacing the power walks with slower but less painful mid-foot-strike runs.
I seem to be getting a little better at the shorter stride and very controlled, gentle foot touchdown/liftoff after several missteps (both literally and figuratively) and several impressive blisters due to a combination of TMTS and of learning technique and form on the fly (figuratively only - shod I'm back to only about 7:15/mile traditional heel-striking which I'm phasing out completely, 9:00/mile mid-foot striking, and 10:00/mile true barefoot).
I'm developing more useful sole skin like I had when as a kid we didn't wear shoes all summer, and I can run 6 times a week again without my hip feeling any worse, although my calves and achilles tendons are tighter than banjo strings and still sore daily - muscle soreness thankfully, not like my hip joint arthritis lack-of-cartilege soreness - after essentialy starting over at learning to run barefoot after 25 years of running NOT THIS WAY.
Thanks to you all for already providing some great guidance and direction as I've started this new venture. I look forward to meeting some of you and hopefully running with you sometime.