Nick, don't be too hard on yourself you do what you have to do to make yourself and those around you happy.
You're still one of us.
You're still one of us.
"Finally, this last weekend my wife told me that I live in this make believe world of black and white and there were no shades of gray."
Did you tell her to stop being so monotone? Sounds like she gave you the green light to go get yourself a pair of the black/grey Bikilas (like I'm wearing right now & run in from time to time) or the b&w camo KSO's.
All-black KSO's on The Short White Guy are fancy!
Did you tell her to stop being so monotone? Sounds like she gave you the green light to go get yourself a pair of the black/grey Bikilas (like I'm wearing right now & run in from time to time) or the b&w camo KSO's.
All-black KSO's on The Short White Guy are fancy!
Hey Nick; I hear you loud and clear, man. I also have an absolutist streak. Mine doesn't come from the same place as yours, but it is similar in some ways based on your description (experience with right/wrong situations handled in abhorrent ways).
As for running, I've tried a few barefoot runs since my injury and everyone has been worse than the one before. My metatarsal issue flared up every time and hurt for longer after each run. Even minshoes aggravate it. My only decent runs have come in conventional trainers. Now that my secret is out, you can all see why my posts have dropped off. Like you, Nick, I felt a failing. As i kept reading all the barefoot blogs and sites I kept facing all the talk that shoes were the problem, etc. and felt more and more like a traitor ESPECIALLY after my loud advocacy for bfr on the boards through my transition journey. I still think barefoot is the right thing in many cases, but for me as an individual I'm not so sure these days.
By the way...Were you at Fit right with your son last thursday checking out min-shoes? I thought it may have been, but I didn't ask because I was trying out non-minimal options and was totally embarrassed by it and couldn't face a brs'er in the bright shiny Brooks I was scoping....If so, sorry for that. I've regretted it since I left the store...
As for running, I've tried a few barefoot runs since my injury and everyone has been worse than the one before. My metatarsal issue flared up every time and hurt for longer after each run. Even minshoes aggravate it. My only decent runs have come in conventional trainers. Now that my secret is out, you can all see why my posts have dropped off. Like you, Nick, I felt a failing. As i kept reading all the barefoot blogs and sites I kept facing all the talk that shoes were the problem, etc. and felt more and more like a traitor ESPECIALLY after my loud advocacy for bfr on the boards through my transition journey. I still think barefoot is the right thing in many cases, but for me as an individual I'm not so sure these days.
By the way...Were you at Fit right with your son last thursday checking out min-shoes? I thought it may have been, but I didn't ask because I was trying out non-minimal options and was totally embarrassed by it and couldn't face a brs'er in the bright shiny Brooks I was scoping....If so, sorry for that. I've regretted it since I left the store...
NickW
Guest
Oh and btw Lomad, I just got a pair of Inov-8's today in the mail that are more minimal than the NB or Merrell shoes but I sure wouldn't call them min shoes by any means. Unfortunately they are too narrow so I have to send them back, feel great on my heels though. I still look for width in the forefoot and midfoot as well as zero or low drop and flexible, but I am ok with it having a little cushioning as long as I can still feel the ground and what my foot is doing. Maybe we can become the shod barefoot reps or something? Lol!
NickW
Guest
I am trying to go to his clinic tomorrow. My wife is in school at PSU till 4 so I may have to meet up with her and drop off the kiddo and then waste an hour and a half till the clinic starts. I'm afraid traffic will be too bad by the time she gets home and I'll be late as I'm way out in the Beaverton-Tigard area over by Washington Square.
well i feel betrayed. how could you lead me on for so long? i need some time alone to think things over.
Hey now! they aren't beasts...I needed a bigger hammer, not an earth mover
. They're Ghosts (he admitted in a sheepish voice...). The barefoot dream is alive, though. I'll be at LPJ's clinic in P-Town tomorrow.In all seriousness, though; I appreciate the comment. You're absolutely right that sometimes you need more shoe than others. I think i'm just frustrated that I can't seem to find the sweet spot for consistency.
That damn Jason strikes again! Hee.
Here it goes, Nick, and you're not going to believe this coming from me, but...
After I had my cryosurgery on the nerves in my feet (thanks, shoes, you POS!) almost two years ago (the procedure was a total failure), it took about a good 3 months to heal from before I could even begin running again. In the early stages of relearning how to run and find my form again and gain back my health, I HAD TO WEAR FRIGGIN' SHOES! Without them, I couldn't run. The nerves were EXTREMELY sensitive, so any amount of pressure or touch was a weird to sometimes painful sensation. The only thing that helped alleviate the pain was to wear some VFFs to mute the pain I was experiencing. I could only run in small, short bursts here and there in the VFFs, and I was finally able to get going again without the VFFs (although never what I was before the surgery). Fast forward to now. I am going to have to start out running in VFFs for the next couple of months or more (once I can get to running again; not there yet), and talk about my feeling weird. I no doubt will feel weird, but I won't feel guilty. Like Jason, like you, I have proven I am a barefoot runner, although I may have a tool on my feet when needed.
Here it goes, Nick, and you're not going to believe this coming from me, but...
After I had my cryosurgery on the nerves in my feet (thanks, shoes, you POS!) almost two years ago (the procedure was a total failure), it took about a good 3 months to heal from before I could even begin running again. In the early stages of relearning how to run and find my form again and gain back my health, I HAD TO WEAR FRIGGIN' SHOES! Without them, I couldn't run. The nerves were EXTREMELY sensitive, so any amount of pressure or touch was a weird to sometimes painful sensation. The only thing that helped alleviate the pain was to wear some VFFs to mute the pain I was experiencing. I could only run in small, short bursts here and there in the VFFs, and I was finally able to get going again without the VFFs (although never what I was before the surgery). Fast forward to now. I am going to have to start out running in VFFs for the next couple of months or more (once I can get to running again; not there yet), and talk about my feeling weird. I no doubt will feel weird, but I won't feel guilty. Like Jason, like you, I have proven I am a barefoot runner, although I may have a tool on my feet when needed.
NickW
Guest
Wow TJ, you usually are one of the first that respond to one of my posts. I was feeling like I must have upset momma or something. Hope you're still healing well, haven't seen any updates in a while from you. I'm pretty excited though that I get to go to Jason's clinic tomorrow and should also get to meet Lomad, officially instead of sheepishly trying to look like a normal shod runner and blend in. Lol!
Hope you're still healing well, haven't seen any updates in a while from you. I'm pretty excited though that I get to go to Jason's clinic tomorrow and should also get to meet Lomad, officially instead of sheepishly trying to look like a normal shod runner and blend in. Lol!
My feet suck, and they're ugly too! I hate the scars. I use Mederma, but it will be years before they fade well enough to make me stop noticing them every time I look down. The scars are so unimportant compared to the mobility. I still have a great deal of pain in the balls of my feet. I was making progress after I had to go back for a nerve block in my ankles, but now it seems like I've stepped back two or three weeks in my healing as that electrical shock feeling is more present now than it was about two weeks ago. I have no idea why or what set it off. I haven't done anything crazy. I barely move at all throughout the day, just around the house. I still can't drive without pain in the ball of my right foot from mashing on the pedals. I thought I had turned a corner, finally, but now I'm wondering when I will be better. I keep reminding myself that I went through all this with the cryo and to just be patient, that I will get better, but I hate not being able to run! Sorry to be a big baby. Welcome to my pity party!
