I’m not an (almost) barefoot runner. At least I don’t consider myself one. Yet.
Yes, I do [try to] run in FiveFingers, but I haven’t completed more than a mile. I’m not complaining, don’t get me wrong. It’s a good thing.
See, I, like most like-minded folk, develop laser focus and tunnel vision when I set my mind to do something. I’m going to do it/make it happen/reach-my-goals-then-take-it-to-the-next-step come hell or high water. With that comes blowing through barriers, ignoring the pain and heartache, and stepping over those who stand in my way. For once, I was saved by my own outofshapedness. Quick, somebody call Webster’s.
I very well could’ve become a victim of my own motivations (and another statistic to those who think minimalist/barefooting is just another fad, and those that do it may very well be mentally retarded).
Don’t be that guy (or gal). Do yourself a favor and do some research. This blog is a good place to start. Tell your friends! Or check out one of the hundreds, if not thousands, of other websites and blogs dedicated to barefoot and minimalist running.
I know FiveFingers and other minimalist shoes don’t come with a warning on the box. Nor do I want them to.
“But, Corey, why do I need to do learn about something I already know how to do?”
I know it seems silly at first, but you’ve got to crawl before you can walk*. Most of us are in this to get in shape, feel better about ourselves, or maybe just to prove a point. That’s fine, whatever your motivations are. You don’t need to obsess over every fine point of form. Do what’s comfortable for *you*. Just don’t sideline yourself and wind up injured and wind up taking three steps back. It’s not just hard on your body, it’s hard on your brain.
The other reason to educate yourself? So you don’t sound like some wacko burnout when someone asks you about barefooting. Most of us are evangelists when it comes to ditching shoes (whether you go naked, or get close to it). Don’t make the rest of us look like empty-headed fruitloops (ESPECIALLY if there’s media around). It helps to know some facts about your sport or lifestyle (whatever the case may be). You might just change someone’s mind and convince them that this is something they should try.
There’s a fair chance you could change someone’s life. I’d like to think it happened to me.
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