Hello from Clovis, CA

[Jeepmonkey]

So here I am on another forum....this will make my wife ohh so happy!



Anyway, here I am, long time listener....first time caller! I've been "lurking" on every blog, forum and any other website about running since last November. At that time, I was deployed in Kuwait and I caught the last few minutes of this crazy barefoot running guy on GMA. After a quick Google search I found out that guy was Christopher McDougall and I soon after ordered his book. Since I was deployed at the time and the terrain was less then hospitable, I decided to hold off on starting my barefoot adventure until I was back on U.S. soil.



Fast forward almost a whole year and I have yet to put any real mileage on my bare feet. And it's not because I don't want to! I just can't seem to drag my non-motivated butt out of bed in the morning to do it. I've tried doing it in the evening, but life gets in the way and I always find something else to occupy my time (read: 2 year old son). Ok....I guess the only real problem here is me? Hopefully, I will get out of bed tomorrow morning and start running again.



Until then, I will keep lurking here and maybe that will be enough to push me over the edge. I really love to run and the feeling I get afterwards always has me saying that "I should do this more often", but I really LOVE to sleep too!



Anybody else here with similar problems?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome, Jeep!  Thank you for

Welcome, Jeep! Thank you for your service to our country. I'm sure you will find plenty of motivation here. We have this fella who was a barefooter but not a runner, lurked and commented lots but didn't run. Said he didn't care to be a runner. Well, he hung out with us for so long, he actually started running, and barefoot to boot, of course. Now he's entering all these races and placing in the top three all the time. Anybody know who I'm talking about? BOARD! That's right, Mr. Board. Told ya so, Board!

 

[LavaRunner]

Thats OK, forum addiction is

Thats OK, forum addiction is the new fad.

At least you are in the best forum now

Welcome

 

[Danjo]

Being lazy about it probably

Being lazy about it probably isn't too bad of a way to start off barefooting. As long as you get in a run every once in a while you're still improving, and you won't have to worry about over-doing it. But TJ is right, there are always some things that come up on here and make you think "I have to go try that!" I have to say that even though I love running, I've been pretty lazy about actually going out and doing it. I guess I just need to find a happy medium between over-scheduled runs that make running mandatory and stressful, and only running when I feel I almost need to.

 

[Phil Hart]

Welcome, brother.  I've never

Welcome, brother. I've never made it to Kuwait, but I've seen a lot of Southern Iraq. Not the best BFR territory, no doubt (although some of our desert-dwelling brethren and sistren might take issue with that statement).

The best thing Nike has ever produced is the slogan "Just do it." I'm a 42-year old, torn-up, worn-out old soldier with 3 kids and I make time to do it. Join me - get out there Airborne! Just do it. Hooah!

 

[Jeepmonkey]

Thanks for the warm

Thanks for the warm welcome......I think it actually worked! I fell out of bed this morning and went for a short-slow run. I didn't run my usual distance because it was dark and they're doing some road construction on the last 1/4 of my regular route. Anyway, now I just have to keep this up for a few more days and hopefully it will be more like a morning habit.



Phil - I spent the first 7 years of my military career jumping out of airplanes (notice I didn't say "perfectly good") and running up and down Ardennes St. Maybe that's why it's taken me so long to start running regularly again? Some sub-conscious effort by me to never have to relive those crappy mornings!

 

[Phil Hart]

No more blackhats or drill

No more blackhats or drill sergeants or any other crusty old NCOs making you run ever again. You get to do it now for yourself, to be in the shape you want to be in and to stay healthy so you can better enjoy all of life and keep up with your growing son. My 15-year old now runs with me 3 times a week, which is great for him, and it's a good time for us to catch up on hectic life.

You'll find BFR much less hard on your body than running, particularly in boots and/or with combat gear rattling and bouncing around in a twisted tango on your body's frame. I'm having essentially no impact on my right hip, which I wore all the cartilege out of over 25 years of running and 9 hard years of Army (overlapping). I had to quit running (heel-striking) for an entire year and do nothing but elliptical work just to be able to get back to being able to run at all, and then only rarely without pain.

It's slow going at first getting the soles of your feet and your foot/leg muscles adapted to these changes they haven't seen in many years, but my take so far is that it's absolutely worth it.