Ever hid an injury from your not so supportive spouse/family?

[saypay45]

So yesterday I went out for a barefoot run in the snow. It was all going good until I kicked a large chunk of ice that was covered with snow with my big toe. I got a pretty good sized cut on it now, and it was bleeding pretty good for a while.

When I got home from the run, I went right to the bathroom to bandage it up. I wore slippers all night so my wife couldn't see my toe. I never mentioned the incident.

I always worry about talking about stuff like this to my wife, because I feel like she will give me an "I told you so" lecture, or worse. Has anyone ever dealt with something like this before? One of these days I might actually need her help if I get injured running, and it would be nice to know how to handle it.

 

[Matt]

SP -- I can understand where

SP -- I can understand where you are coming from. I'm not sure how long it took, but it took my wife awhile to see that barefoot running was a lot safer than shod running for me. If you keep doing it long enough, eventually people come to see that there is nothing inherently dangerous about barefoot running.

I did break a toe once, but that was scampering about the house barefoot. So maybe I should wear shoes indoors to be safe.

 

[saypay45]

Yeah, she's getting there. 

Yeah, she's getting there. But I think she's only at the point where she accepts that I will be doing it whether she likes it or not. I don't think her position comes with a whole lot of understanding of my reasons for doing so. She has pretty much said she thinks I'm just getting weirder with age.

 

[SillyC]

Not from my spouse, but I

Not from my spouse, but I used to hide my skiing injuries from my parents when I was a teenager. Dumb, but that's what kids do.

Oh, and of course, I didn't let anyone know when I shot my eye out.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

I used to in the beginning,

I used to in the beginning, but all that dwindles in time. When I first started running barefoot my wife was really worried, but now family, friends, etc. don't think twice of me running barefoot, it's the norm now.



Anyways, right on with the snow run! Give me details, how long did you go? Last winter I attempted two barefoot snow runs, didn't have much success. See what happens this year.

 

[saypay45]

The snow run was fantastic up

The snow run was fantastic up until the ice-toe incident. It was 18 degrees F outside, so a little on the cold side. I could definitely feel my feet getting numb, but I thought it was pretty cool that the snow on the path wasn't affecting me too much.

I went 1.5 miles out, then banged my toe, and then did 1.5 back. Was planning on 4-5 miles if I hadn't injured myself.

 

[The Ramzev]

 I love my wife, I don't hid

I love my wife, I don't hid anything from her. :love:

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

saypay45 wrote:The snow run

The snow run was fantastic up until the ice-toe incident. It was 18 degrees F outside, so a little on the cold side. I could definitely feel my feet getting numb, but I thought it was pretty cool that the snow on the path wasn't affecting me too much.

I went 1.5 miles out, then banged my toe, and then did 1.5 back. Was planning on 4-5 miles if I hadn't injured myself.

Nice job, sorry about the toe incident.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

i don't have a spouse but i

i don't have a spouse but i do get tired of hearing how my heel spur is because i run without shoes on. people dont get it and i understand that part. i also understand just keeping it to yourself. i say a cut is no big deal as you could have cut your toe walking through your house. if you break it...might want to fess up on that one

 

[saypay45]

That's true Jimmy.  Save it

That's true Jimmy. Save it for the big injuries.

Kind of a bigger issue for me has also been admitting setbacks and injury to my friends and family. When you're a BRS chapter prez, among other things, you're kind of the icon for barefoot running in the community. I feel extra pressure to always look like I'm doing well and having fun.

 

[barefoot.zumba.runner]

saypay45 wrote:That's true

That's true Jimmy. Save it for the big injuries.


Kind of a bigger issue for me has also been admitting setbacks and injury to my friends and family. When you're a BRS chapter prez, among other things, you're kind of the icon for barefoot running in the community. I feel extra pressure to always look like I'm doing well and having fun.

I know exactly what you mean SP, I feel that way too. Just as a barefooter in general, out there representing barefoot running all together. Have to be on your game, this early in the game since there's so much skepticism. I suspect that as the years pass, and barefoot/minimal shoe running become more prominant less of an "oddball" sort of thing, there won't be as much pressure. If that makes sense. Face it, just because we're barefoot, doesn't mean we're Gods or indestructible


...sh!t happens, we deal with it an move on. If we were perfect from the get go, what would we ever gain from it? No stories to be told, no lessons to be learned, no lessons learned to pass on to others etc.

 

[nature runner]

  I don't always talk about

I don't always talk about my barefoot problems either, it just invites criticism! I am always told going barefoot is stupid it will hurt your feet, so when and if it does, I don't give folks the pleasure in talking about it, I just keep it to myself to preserve the pleasures of going barefoot. Sometimes a man gots to do what a man gots to do!

 

[ajb422]

 I don't so much worry about

I don't so much worry about my friends and family. But random people on the street I try and hide things from. If I run over thistles or something I'll just deal and smile till I make it past anyone who can see me before stopping to clean up my feet. I feel like if I show pain to them they'll all think "see that barefooting IS dangerous". At least with my friends and family I have a chance to explain away aches and pains, but strangers will just see the pain.

 

[fetish4running]

When I got a stress fracture

When I got a stress fracture this summer, I didn't tell anyone (husband and kids knew). I could only imagine how that conversation would go..."You run barefoot and you're surprised that you have a stress fracture??" People already think I'm nuts and a stress fracture would be fitting for my kind of stupidity! I feel like I have to act like it's always easy and beautiful. I save the complaining or questioning for you guys!

 

[sloutre]

I hope you cut will heel

I hope you cut will heel fast.

I don't like to hide things from my husband. He used to think I'm crazy to run barefoot ... but he already knows I do all sorts of crazy things. Now he is more understanding, he even bought himself a pair of VFF. And I'm not going to lecture him on learning proper form barefoot and not doing too much too soon.

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 I'm fortunate that my wife

I'm fortunate that my wife accepts and seems to love everything I do ....I do however, hide a myriad of things from kung fu and yoga students ;-).

 

[twinkletoes]

I'm visiting family right

I'm visiting family right now- when leaving for my first BF run here, my father screwed up his face and said "i don't want you to come back with a bloody foot because you stepped on something like glass". I laughed, rolled my eyes, and pointed to all the scars on the top of my feet and said "those are from SHOES Dad." I reminded him of the nasty twice sprained ankle of last Nov & Feb, in boat anchors. He saw my point.

I don't hide it or downplay it much anymore- take me as I am is what I've come to lately- my friends and family expect weird from me anyway-and I would rather be achy or injured from running than sitting on my ass and doing nothing or being "safe".

 

[saypay45]

I totally do the same thing

I totally do the same thing with strangers as Zum and others describe. A lot of my running routes are along busy streets. If I step on a rock or something I will gnash my teeth and try to act like nothing happened. But I'll dart off the road real quick and check my foot or brush off any debris.

The Maple Grove Barefoot Guy must not show weakness! Especially to the evil forces of Dr. Scholls!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

People tend to forget that

People tend to forget that lots of shod runners have suffered stress fractures. People also forget that just because we run barefoot doesn't mean we are immune to injuries. We can get injured, just not from our shoes. That is the decision we make. Once more and more people realize that shoes cause unncessary and debilitating inuries, the injuries barefoot runners face will pale in comparison. It's going to take time, but as long as we hold strong, it will happen.

 

[fetish4running]

I agree whole heartedly, TJ. 

I agree whole heartedly, TJ. But as soon as we say we're barefoot runners, I think a lot of people think we deserve what we get because they think we're nuts. That's why I will never admit an injury!