How interesting, it was a budding romance that got you regularly running, whereas it was a divorce that kick-started my doing it! Tips 1-3 are great, um, not so sure about the primary focus of 4 but I like your alternative barefoot-running option for others, and I'm looking forward to seeing 5-10, Tony. Being a moderate overpronator and having to undergo a few weeks of physical therapy not long after I started running because of a knee injury that was related to the less-than-very-stable running shoes that I was wearing at the time, I'd be kind of scared to purchase the Vibrams or run very far without any shoes on at all. To be honest, years ago I had no hesitation racing in very lightweight flats without the custom orthotics that I had purchased following my patella fiasco, because I knew that having those shoes on would knock minutes off my finish times, but that was back when my legs and I were a bit younger and stronger. I'm afraid that the gray hair that I now have would turn even grayer worrying about another anatomical breakdown if I tried something that resembled those flats that I got away with wearing 20-30 years ago, or if I went out without any footwear on at all. Psychologically, I feel like nowadays I ALWAYS have to have the security blanket of the orthotics under me!
Lots tn unpack here Tim. Thanks for sharing. People start running for a number of reasons, but relieving stress and regaining or simply gaining some physical fitness is often top of the list and sounds like you were definitely going for the first of those reasons and hopefully the second followed. I do wonder about your fear of going minimal, given that you had to go through the PT "not long after I started running." As I note on this and the follow-up article, making mistakes early on in one's running endeavors is commonplace, my runner's knee being total testament to that. I am not convinced that just because you ran in not-very-stable shoes that you need the custom orthotics. It would be really interesting to get your response from maybe just doing a light jog barefoot on some grass or a sandy trail. But I do understand that familiarity breeds contentment and that changing footwear style can feel as drastic as, I dunno, moving house sometimes! Good to have you on board any which
Hey Tony, a great article, you're make the point (like Vanessa Suisei) that running is a "practice" -- part of how we manage ourselves through a modern lifestyle that has become incredibly sedentary without losing our energy and our minds. I'm now at 11,177 miles barefoot (walking, hiking, running) -- took home 1st and 3rd age group wins last weekend at consecutive 5k and 15k events -- and like you feeling that I am a better runner today than in days gone by. More careful, anyhow. Irritated my meniscus in December, had to skip a couple of months and work on alignment and be more thoughtful. Climbing Van Wyck tomorrow, as part of a multi-year quest to bag 1,000 mountains barefoot - want to come along?
Thanks Ken, you are always something of an inspiration or at least a leading light in the barefoot camp. The point you raise about maintaining energy while perhaps maintaining a sedentary job raises one of many sub-tangents I didn't get into... It's important for readers not to think that they can cancel out all those sedentary hours by simply going for a run once a day. Actually I find if I go run first thing and then come abck and sit at my desk for too long I really stiffen up. My best run recoveries are the days when I carry on moving - as was the case at Burlington last week. If people do have to be sat at a desk, it really pays to set an alarm and get up and move about every 45 minutes or so, or else try and do some of that seated work standing up. I imagine the 15k where you placed 3rd in the age group was the Woodstock Races on Sunday? I was of course otherwise engaged else I might have nudged you down a spot (or vice-versa)! Thanks for the post.
Great read, Tony. I never ran a marathon and in fact never loved running, but started during the pandemic, when I was already in my 40s. I have been slacking lately, but you just motivated me to get out there and run today.
Hi Stephan. if I have motivated someone to run today, the article is a success. And of course, as I state up front, "already in my 40s" means "while I still had decades left to enjoy what I've missed out on since childhood." (We don't do emojis on SS but you get a smiley face.) Cheers and always appreciate getting positive comments like this.
How interesting, it was a budding romance that got you regularly running, whereas it was a divorce that kick-started my doing it! Tips 1-3 are great, um, not so sure about the primary focus of 4 but I like your alternative barefoot-running option for others, and I'm looking forward to seeing 5-10, Tony. Being a moderate overpronator and having to undergo a few weeks of physical therapy not long after I started running because of a knee injury that was related to the less-than-very-stable running shoes that I was wearing at the time, I'd be kind of scared to purchase the Vibrams or run very far without any shoes on at all. To be honest, years ago I had no hesitation racing in very lightweight flats without the custom orthotics that I had purchased following my patella fiasco, because I knew that having those shoes on would knock minutes off my finish times, but that was back when my legs and I were a bit younger and stronger. I'm afraid that the gray hair that I now have would turn even grayer worrying about another anatomical breakdown if I tried something that resembled those flats that I got away with wearing 20-30 years ago, or if I went out without any footwear on at all. Psychologically, I feel like nowadays I ALWAYS have to have the security blanket of the orthotics under me!
Lots tn unpack here Tim. Thanks for sharing. People start running for a number of reasons, but relieving stress and regaining or simply gaining some physical fitness is often top of the list and sounds like you were definitely going for the first of those reasons and hopefully the second followed. I do wonder about your fear of going minimal, given that you had to go through the PT "not long after I started running." As I note on this and the follow-up article, making mistakes early on in one's running endeavors is commonplace, my runner's knee being total testament to that. I am not convinced that just because you ran in not-very-stable shoes that you need the custom orthotics. It would be really interesting to get your response from maybe just doing a light jog barefoot on some grass or a sandy trail. But I do understand that familiarity breeds contentment and that changing footwear style can feel as drastic as, I dunno, moving house sometimes! Good to have you on board any which
way.
Hey Tony, a great article, you're make the point (like Vanessa Suisei) that running is a "practice" -- part of how we manage ourselves through a modern lifestyle that has become incredibly sedentary without losing our energy and our minds. I'm now at 11,177 miles barefoot (walking, hiking, running) -- took home 1st and 3rd age group wins last weekend at consecutive 5k and 15k events -- and like you feeling that I am a better runner today than in days gone by. More careful, anyhow. Irritated my meniscus in December, had to skip a couple of months and work on alignment and be more thoughtful. Climbing Van Wyck tomorrow, as part of a multi-year quest to bag 1,000 mountains barefoot - want to come along?
Thanks Ken, you are always something of an inspiration or at least a leading light in the barefoot camp. The point you raise about maintaining energy while perhaps maintaining a sedentary job raises one of many sub-tangents I didn't get into... It's important for readers not to think that they can cancel out all those sedentary hours by simply going for a run once a day. Actually I find if I go run first thing and then come abck and sit at my desk for too long I really stiffen up. My best run recoveries are the days when I carry on moving - as was the case at Burlington last week. If people do have to be sat at a desk, it really pays to set an alarm and get up and move about every 45 minutes or so, or else try and do some of that seated work standing up. I imagine the 15k where you placed 3rd in the age group was the Woodstock Races on Sunday? I was of course otherwise engaged else I might have nudged you down a spot (or vice-versa)! Thanks for the post.
Great read, Tony. I never ran a marathon and in fact never loved running, but started during the pandemic, when I was already in my 40s. I have been slacking lately, but you just motivated me to get out there and run today.
Hi Stephan. if I have motivated someone to run today, the article is a success. And of course, as I state up front, "already in my 40s" means "while I still had decades left to enjoy what I've missed out on since childhood." (We don't do emojis on SS but you get a smiley face.) Cheers and always appreciate getting positive comments like this.