Hello from Ohio!

[pitbullmamaliz]

Hi there! I am brand-new to running (terrified to start week 1 of the C25K - I'm really out of shape) so I thought that I might as well start with a bang. Have some VFF Bikilas that I live in (much to the amusement of my coworkers and friends), so I figure I might as well learn to run in them. I'm not ready to go barefoot as the ground in my neighborhood is horrible and there is sharp stuff everywhere. And I have delicate feet. ;-)

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and promise not to say that I run barefoot or wear barefoot shoes, just minshoes!

 

[NickW]

Lol! Welcome pitbullmamaliz! Just remember to listen to your body not the program and if you need to stop, do it. You can't continue with the C25K program if you hurt yourself. I think Patrick was doing the same program and he does some of the weeks several weeks in a row if he needs to before he progresses to the next step. Good luck!

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

Oh I have no doubts that I'll be repeating week! I'm setting a goal of doing the Race For The Cure mid-September. I figure that should be reasonable.

Thanks!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

We'll get you over the sissy, er uh, delicate feet problem soon enough.

I checked out your PB BB. Very cool. How long has your board been up?

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

LOL I do want to be hardcore and try barefoot someday, but baby steps for me!

The forum was started in '05 I think. Unfortunately it's pretty much dead now, which stinks. Facebook was the death knoll for a lot of forums I know.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

How did you find us/learn of us?

I see you got to over 400,000 posts. That's wonderful. Seems like a very responsible and beneficial BB to have.

We seem to be doing well here. We started in November 2009, and are growing and growing. I guess maybe because we offer so many resources here for both barefoot and minimalist runners that FB CAN'T. And we also have FB pages for our Chapters that refer them back here. Hee. It's important that our Chapter Presidents and our members continue to use this site over FB in order to help grow the BRS. As the first founder, I am not interested in growing Facebook. I AM interested in growing the BRS. Adding content to this site will ensure the BRS's survival, along with donations and volunteers.

If the "movement" to healthier running takes off, we may too. I, along with lots of other volunteers, have been kept pretty busy here taking care of things. The movement seems to be holding steady at the moment. We went through a major, much-needed cleansing recently (new web address, new website software, new logo and color scheme, new look and feel, going more international (Globe will return soon), so we've taken a hit to our numbers since the middle of February, BUT checking on the network stats shows a steady increase and nearing where we were before mid-February, so we're looking good. Now if the movement should die out or fade away, we'll still be here, since we are such a fringe interest, and the majority of the founders never sought to grow a profitable organization anyway.

Welcome!

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

Yeah, I really miss my pit bull forum people. The discussions on Facebook just aren't the same as they were on the forum. I was lucky to make some amazing online friends through there that turned into "real life" friends.

Found you by using my Google-Fu. Just did a search for "barefoot running." Went to another forum first but I just wasn't feeling their barefoot section, so I was really glad to find this forum. I like that it's very active. I'm on a computer all day at work and during slow times I like hopping on and chatting over forums. I found a few others, but this one seems to be the most populated and chatty. Also the most welcoming to those of us who are too chicken to try barefoot yet - some of the others seemed to treat the minshod as red-headed stepchildren that had to be tolerated.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[NickW]

Also the most welcoming to those of us who are too chicken to try barefoot yet - some of the others seemed to treat the minshod as red-headed stepchildren that had to be tolerated.

Well.... Just kidding! We are just hoping we can get you to fully switch eventually. It really isn't as bad as many seem to think.

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

LOL I just don't know how I'd do it! I tried walking my dog in my yard and up and down my drive barefoot and was hobbling like an invalid. But I can wear my VFF's 24/7 and be just fine. You guys are hardcore!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I found that I could run much more easily barefoot than I could walk. Lots of people say the same. Running barefoot is so much easier than walking barefoot. Try it. Maybe not in your driveway, unless its paved and long.

I'm surprised we turned up in your Google search, since we are still rebuilding our ranking after the web address change. Can you give me a snapshot of that screen or a link to the results page, at least?

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

I attached a screenshot. The link to the old forum comes first - the link to this one is on page 3.

And I will try to run barefoot if I can find a smooth stretch. I promise.

 

[NickW]

Hey TJ i just googled the site from my mobile because I got to school early and the correct site was only the third one on the list.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I see that Pit is using Chrome on a Mac, and we come up 3rd and 4th AND above the old site. Whoo-hoo!

But on (a real computer -- hee) IE has no returns for us, and Firefox shows the old site a few times but not us (this much more most excellent site ).

What are you using, Nick? Safari? What mobile phone/app?

Anyone else want to run a search results list?

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

But remember, that was page 3 of the search. Here is the first page when I do the search. And apparently I'm googling "barefoot running forum," not just barefoot running.

And I KNOW I didn't just sense some dissing of my Mac...I've killed men for lesser crimes!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Oh THIRD page! POOH! That WILL change. What made you think of browsing to the third page of returns to find us? I never go past the first page.

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

I wasn't happy with what I was finding. I knew there had to be a decent forum out there geared towards barefoot/minshod running as it's the "newest and greatest" thing right now. And I was bored at work. ;-)

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I just started a new forum two days ago called Morton's Neuroma Talk at www.MortonsNeuromaTalk.com for people who are suffering with this horrible condition. Please check "us" out, and if you know of anyone who has this condition (nerve, foot), please refer them to it. I know it will do well if I can get the word out. It's long overdue, and there are no other forums out there dedicated to just this subject. They have medical forums that discuss a number of conditions, including this one, but none dedicated to JUST MN. I am excited. This condition has been kicking my ass for about four years now, so I really need the support and the knowledge from the experience of others, and as well, I can be a big supporter to others as I have gone through so much with MN myself. Wish us luck!

 

[pitbullmamaliz]

I've never even heard of Morton's Neuroma, but if I hear of any sufferers I'll definitely send them your way! Congrats on the new forum!

 

[NickW]

I was using Safari on my Iphone TJ. I looked up barefoot running and it added the society for me. Apparently it kind of knows my recent searches so that may be why it was up there so high on the list.

 

[Phil Hart]

Liz:
You've found the right place. There's no place better online for tapping into the best of the knowledge of a large variety of barefooters and minimal runners who are glad to help others make the transition safely, healthily and enjoyably. Be very careful with VFF running early on - I stress fractured my left 3rd metatarsal head running in them due to the protection they provide; they kept my soles from being tender, allowing me to run way too fast and too far minimal at far too early a stage in my development of my feet. It wasn't until after the 10 weeks off to heal the broken bone and starting over, barefoot for real the second time, that I learned to run BF/minimal safely and well.

Glad to have you with us. Ask lots of questions, and you'll get lots of good info here.