Psychology of transitioning
- Thread starter Last Place Jason
- Start date
stomper
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Hey Jason, for once I
Hey Jason, for once I disagree a bit with something you've written. You make the transition sound so ... cool and rational.
And maybe (to continue the metaphor of the product adoption life cycle) it is, for the "early majority" types.
But to capture this experience for early adopters, I think you need to talk about the irrationality and/or desperation and/or excitement that plays into it. I know I had desperation (I was getting hurt), and irrationality ("evolution has already solved the problem" even though as a biologist I know that evolutionary solutions aren't always perfect), and excitement ("hey! it's working!"). These forces were a lot more powerful than my rational decision making process.
Also not in here is a sense of the power of the transformative moments I'm sure a lot of us have had. I wasn't getting that much, I could tell at some point, out of using BFR as an occasional training tool. Finally I just said, I'm going to do this 100% and see what happens. It was then I started having these amazing runs where I was totally in tune with my body and the trail. After that I could tell I wasn't going to go back to shoes much no matter what the "evidence" said.
Perhaps it's just your even-keeled way of expressing yourself which normally serves so well. But something about this barefoot running is more than just a technological solution that people get excited about... it's not an iPad, it's not Linux, it's a god d*mn full out spiritual experience. At least on the good days.
Thanks for all your thought about this.
Hey Jason, for once I disagree a bit with something you've written. You make the transition sound so ... cool and rational.
And maybe (to continue the metaphor of the product adoption life cycle) it is, for the "early majority" types.
But to capture this experience for early adopters, I think you need to talk about the irrationality and/or desperation and/or excitement that plays into it. I know I had desperation (I was getting hurt), and irrationality ("evolution has already solved the problem" even though as a biologist I know that evolutionary solutions aren't always perfect), and excitement ("hey! it's working!"). These forces were a lot more powerful than my rational decision making process.
Also not in here is a sense of the power of the transformative moments I'm sure a lot of us have had. I wasn't getting that much, I could tell at some point, out of using BFR as an occasional training tool. Finally I just said, I'm going to do this 100% and see what happens. It was then I started having these amazing runs where I was totally in tune with my body and the trail. After that I could tell I wasn't going to go back to shoes much no matter what the "evidence" said.
Perhaps it's just your even-keeled way of expressing yourself which normally serves so well. But something about this barefoot running is more than just a technological solution that people get excited about... it's not an iPad, it's not Linux, it's a god d*mn full out spiritual experience. At least on the good days.
Thanks for all your thought about this.
Great topic and nice write
Great topic and nice write up.
I know for me that once I knew I wanted to run barefoot/minimal, I was going head first into it with no looking back. I like the part where you mentioned a crisis may have to happen to really push people into barefoot running. I really didn't have a crisis. I was a shod heel-striker runner for about 18 years, having no issues, or injuries due to shoes.
Why did I want to run barefoot then? My honest answer is it was just a new dimension of running, something different. Another reason I was really sick of trying to find the right shoe, and woke up one day saying how ridiculous it is to run in these massively over-cushioned shoes.
Before running barefoot, I really didn't pay attention to proper mechanics or the proper way to run, I just ran. Starting my journey into barefoot running then made me more interested in the proper way to run, I had no choice, I had to totally revamp my running style. I knew I was starting over, that really bothered me.
Before my transition on Sept. 15 2009, I was coming off a summer with reaching a PR of high weelky mileage, I ran my first half, and did various of other races, it was a good summer for me. Now I had to completely come to a halt, and start over. I was so determined and excited, but at the same time feel victim to TMTS, a lot. I was like a raging lunatic, I suffer a sprain in my ankle, a few other injuries, but I never rested. I continued to run through and with injuries, not smart.
I actually suffered more injuries in 3 months, than I did 18 years shod. But that was my own fault I was going above and beyond my limits, mentally I wanted to go, physically my body was saying stop! You are using muscles and tendons that never have been worked, you are killing me here! sloooow down. Easier said than done.
It's just my personality I guess, once I am into something new, and it excites me, I want to learn as quickly as possible and get on with it. Patience, something i continue to work on in my life
Anyways not once did I have the thought that maybe this is not for me. So here I am with almost a year into it, and things have really clicked for me.
Great topic and nice write up.
I know for me that once I knew I wanted to run barefoot/minimal, I was going head first into it with no looking back. I like the part where you mentioned a crisis may have to happen to really push people into barefoot running. I really didn't have a crisis. I was a shod heel-striker runner for about 18 years, having no issues, or injuries due to shoes.
Why did I want to run barefoot then? My honest answer is it was just a new dimension of running, something different. Another reason I was really sick of trying to find the right shoe, and woke up one day saying how ridiculous it is to run in these massively over-cushioned shoes.
Before running barefoot, I really didn't pay attention to proper mechanics or the proper way to run, I just ran. Starting my journey into barefoot running then made me more interested in the proper way to run, I had no choice, I had to totally revamp my running style. I knew I was starting over, that really bothered me.
Before my transition on Sept. 15 2009, I was coming off a summer with reaching a PR of high weelky mileage, I ran my first half, and did various of other races, it was a good summer for me. Now I had to completely come to a halt, and start over. I was so determined and excited, but at the same time feel victim to TMTS, a lot. I was like a raging lunatic, I suffer a sprain in my ankle, a few other injuries, but I never rested. I continued to run through and with injuries, not smart.
I actually suffered more injuries in 3 months, than I did 18 years shod. But that was my own fault I was going above and beyond my limits, mentally I wanted to go, physically my body was saying stop! You are using muscles and tendons that never have been worked, you are killing me here! sloooow down. Easier said than done.
It's just my personality I guess, once I am into something new, and it excites me, I want to learn as quickly as possible and get on with it. Patience, something i continue to work on in my life
Anyways not once did I have the thought that maybe this is not for me. So here I am with almost a year into it, and things have really clicked for me.
This was very well thought
This was very well thought out, and it's nice to see in writing what our emotional/psychological connection can be to this change or transition period we take when we become barefoot runners.
I would just suggest that you add people like me to the Exposure phase. With me, the Exposure phase came out of nowhere when I HAD to take my shoes off because I thought I had fractured my toes. You did not address this type of Exposure. Similarly, others have found that they discovered running barefoot by being forced to shed the shoes cold turkey on a run.
This was very well thought out, and it's nice to see in writing what our emotional/psychological connection can be to this change or transition period we take when we become barefoot runners.
I would just suggest that you add people like me to the Exposure phase. With me, the Exposure phase came out of nowhere when I HAD to take my shoes off because I thought I had fractured my toes. You did not address this type of Exposure. Similarly, others have found that they discovered running barefoot by being forced to shed the shoes cold turkey on a run.
I find that through my
I find that through my transition, I felt great highs and some lows. Those highs were like Stomper says, "spiritual." But if we mention the feelings of barefoot running being spiritual, then all of a sudden, we are called evangelical, purists, zealots, fascists, etc. We have to temper our excitement, or we will be labeled as such. I think that is a shame. I want to SCREAM it from the rooftops! Hallelujah! Barefoot running has set me free! :innocent:
I would never go out of my way to "save" my fellow shod running brethren though. That would be a bit extreme. Now, when they are ready, I will be here. ;-)
I find that through my transition, I felt great highs and some lows. Those highs were like Stomper says, "spiritual." But if we mention the feelings of barefoot running being spiritual, then all of a sudden, we are called evangelical, purists, zealots, fascists, etc. We have to temper our excitement, or we will be labeled as such. I think that is a shame. I want to SCREAM it from the rooftops! Hallelujah! Barefoot running has set me free! :innocent:
I would never go out of my way to "save" my fellow shod running brethren though. That would be a bit extreme. Now, when they are ready, I will be here. ;-)
