Fightin' Words?

[JosephTree]

I saw the following in a Runners World derived news letter I receive now and then:

by Mark Remy, I think

5 Topics Guaranteed To Get a Runner's Dander Up

1. Walking in Marathons: Good or Bad?
2. Running with Headphones: Good or Bad?
3. Dean Karnazes: Good or Bad?
4. Barefoot Running: Good or Bad?
5. Charity Runners: Good or Bad?


I guess we are officially "hot topics" now.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

The only bad thing on that

The only bad thing on that list is Karnazes, can't stand that dude.

 

[jschwab]

Haha - what is up with Dean?

Haha - what is up with Dean? I expected to hate him after all I heard and I saw the docu and read his book and I love him. I don't get the hate - is it a joke? Irony?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Mark likes to fuel the fire

Mark likes to fuel the fire lately. I think he's an advocate for us at times and then he adds another log to the fire. Sure, it keeps things interesting, and sure, it keeps their readership up. He's actually the one I wrote to asking him to create the RW BFR Forum, and I was so stoked when he did. I was like, "This guy is too cool!" After we started the forum, we began receiving a lot of sh!t from the shod runners. They kept posting threads calling us hobbits and crap, so I wrote to him again and asked him to intervene. I was worried that these nay-sayers would chase away all my future friends, the reasons why I begged for the forum in the first place. He wrote back to me to say that he was "one barefoot step" ahead of me and had already sent warnings to all those who were posting ugly, negative comments to stop or he would ban them from RW. Mark's cool, but like a cat, he likes playing with the mouse.

 

[Abide]

Why would you walk during a

Why would you walk during a marathon. Just go for a hike and save some money and get the hell out of my way.

DK is a stud

 

[Barefoot Mary]

I'm with Adam on this

I'm with Adam on this one...Karnazes is like Bono. I have enormous respect for the guy but something about him just rubs me the wrong way.

The headphones though? During a race? NO. Just...NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

 

[Joshh]

Those walkers should get

Those walkers should get together and publish their own magazine, Walker's World.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

What ruined my image of Dean

What ruined my image of Dean is when I read his book. I really didn't think he was that shallow of a person. There is only so much i can take of him talking about his perfectly chiseled glistening tan body. Personally it was the worse running book I have ever read, but still finished it.

What he does and his stamina is unbelievable, I won't take that away, but he is definitely not the type of guy I would want to hang out with.

 

[Shacky]

I think Dean does what he

I think Dean does what he does for all the right reasons and I respect him for that. He is one of the few runners that motivated my ass out the door and take up running.



the only bad thing on this list is the headphones. I feel they have no business with running and the people who rely on them are cheating themselves.

Walking is so-so. If you misjudge your fitness level, why not walk it off a bit. I don't particularly care for those who use the Gallowalking method of running marathons though.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I LOVED my headphones when I

I LOVED my headphones when I was a shod runner. They saved me from having to face up to the mental pain that comes from running. Since shedding the shoes, I no longer have the "need" for headphones. They get in the way of my enjoyment of the run, my enjoyment of my space, my enjoyment of the ride.

 

[Abide]

Charity runners? People

Charity runners? People really have an opinion about that?

I think when you run barefoot your body creates and innate rythm and I think headphones mess with that. There aren't very many true barefooters that wear them as far as I know?

 

[Last Place Jason]

1. Walking in Marathons:

1. Walking in Marathons: Indifferent, just start at the back of the pack. Marathon walkers earn my respect more than couch potatos.

2. Running with Headphones: Bad, but my wife likes to run with them. They f&%$ with my form too much.

3. Dean Karnazes: I've met Dean... I think his book is a poor representation of his personality. He's a good apple.

4. Barefoot Running: I'm thinking of giving it a try one of these days...

5. Charity Runners: Agree with Abide. How can you knock someone for using running to help others?

 

[Danjo]

Yeah Jason, you should

Yeah Jason, you should definitely try running barefoot sometime, I've heard it works miracles. Get those fancy barefoot running shoes and you'll be all set to go. You just put them on and you have magical protection that keeps you from ever getting hurt, and you don't have to actually learn anything like you would if you didn't wear them. (Sorry, I guess I had some sarcasm building up.)

I'm the same on headphones, loved them while I was shod, but now I think they'd probably just be annoying. They remove you from your surroundings, and also I can't tell if my stupid left foot is slapping unless I can hear my feet. However if a live band should feel obligated to perform on a trailer while driving along in front of me I wouldn't complain.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Ha ha ha!  Which band?

Ha ha ha! Which band?

 

[bfr_dave]

LPJason said "Marathon

LPJason said "Marathon walkers earn my respect more than couch potatos."

Right on Jason.

 

[ajb422]

  I really don't understand

I really don't understand why the headphone issue is such a hot topic for runners. I agree people who turn them up loud are dangerous. When I'm in the middle of nowhere I'll turn them up, but normally they are either relatively quiet or I run with just one in so I can hear what's happening around me. Other than that why does anyone care whether other people use them (or don't)?

For me running is more about the escape than anything else. Its time to turn my mind off. If I run without headphones I still have too much of my mind left to wander. It will inevitably go to things I'm stressed about and then I'll have to cut it short because I'm too stressed about how much time I'm "wasting" to continue. Sure if you are running with very specific speed goals in mind I can see wanting to focus all your attention there and I can see how you need the added focus. If you are just going out for a run for a few hours though I don't see what harm headphones do?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I just don't care for them

I just don't care for them personally. They rob me of the enjoyment of my run. I don't need anything in my ears to take me to la-la land. I get there pretty easily on my own. Hee. It doesn't bother me in the least that others do enjoy running with them. Different strokes. I guess the concern part of it comes from learning that runners are dying while running with music in their ears that gets people going.

 

[barefoot.zumba.runner]

1. Walking in Marathons:

1. Walking in Marathons: ditto to what Jason says. I've had really crappy races where I've had to walk, damn it I was going to finish the race whether that meant crawling across the finish line. It's situational and I think anyone getting out there to test their will and endurance earns my respect. Who the hell cares?

2. Running with Headphones: I could care less what others wear or don't when they run. I say do what ever it takes for you to find your groove and feel good with your run. If that means running bare naked, then so be it. I personally like to read books while I run, I don't find that it messes with anything. I can run just the same with or without them, and I love to read and NEVER get the chance to sit down and read so I kill two birds with one stone. Plus, I have to admit that knowing I'm getting to the next chapter in my book helps get my ass out the door when it's miserabley cold. While I love to run, I HATE winter and cold. This is just little extra motivation for me. Whatever floats your boat I say, as long as it doesn't mess with anyone else

3. Dean Karnazes: don't care really

4. Barefoot Running: like running without shoes? doesn't that hurt? what if you step in dog crap or hypodermic needles, glass, nails or something?

5. Charity Runners: I don't get this. What is wrong with being a charity runner, why NOT do something to show support for someone/thing other than yourself?
I don't really care what anyone else thinks about what I do on my run or why I run or how I run and visa versa...sorry, don't really care if you want to walk during a marathon or not, that's not my business and who am I to tell you it's "wrong". I like to run they way I run, I do it because I want to and because I can, how I want to and don't mess with anyone else so why should anyone else care about what I'm doing? Sorry, off my b*tch...er soap box

 

[Abide]

Sorry listening is not the

Sorry listening is not the same as reading I was just being a smart ass about the marathon post. I think its cool if you run walk or crawl.

 

[miker]

ajb, if you are running bf

ajb, if you are running bf and your mind is wandering, I highly recommend bf trail running, 'cause I "garontee" that yer mand don't wander off whin yer runnin' a trell.