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[therealrandy-blog]

Freedom Running

90 Degrees, it is finally cooled down around 8:30, time to strap on the Vibram FF's. I head out for a normal run nothing special, out of nowhere into mile 3 Rain drops the size of golf balls start dropping. I look up get one right in the eye and start laughing, wind starts going crazy and i find myself hoping over paper like tumbleweeds. 

It all clears up in a madder of minutes, i look back up and bam! perfect pink sky a couple of clouds, a huge smile grows on my face as i start thinking, this is it! this is the reason why i run, the smiles, the surprises the beauty of this planet, it just comes crashing down at any moment. And you just need to "run" with it. This run today made me so happy and put back into my head the freedom you get from running, no one else not the race, not the time, not the training, just strapping up (or barefoot) hitting the road, and experiencing life for its pure greatness. 

Running has taken me on so many journeys in my time, and so many more great ones to come, this evenings run just reminded me why i do this for me, for freedom, and for the glory and respect for this earth we live on. Anything can happen, and that is what makes it so moving. 

Why do i run?.....

[therealrandy-blog]

Idaho Barefoot Runners

Lets meet up get together and do some running.

Been looking for some BFR partners. 

Also any from portland as well im back and forth from there a lot.

Sorry for the poor post ill brb with the goods.

Thanks for all the support from all.

[therealrandy-blog]

Putting Gravel In Your Shoes

Ok i hope this thread brings a lot of suggestions. 

So the road crew just recently paved our nasty roads out here in idaho (3 weeks ago), but they seemed to do it so bad they did them with loose gravel/ paved road. 

So i was walking to the store and was getting gravel in my shoes (a week ago), i had an idea, barefoot running and gravel training.

At first it seemed just stupid, but you know what i gave it a shot anyway, i strapped on my vibrams, walked outside picked up some gravel rocks, and placed some in different areas of my vff's. 

Went for a 4 mile run, not being able to kick the gravel around just having it stationary, not taking it out....Very irritating, i run barefoot in gravel every week (3xs), and thats not so bad.

2 weeks later i have still been doing the gravel in the shoe, i took off the VFF's, and ran on the road by itself for 3 miles. I have to say, IT MADE A DIFFERENCE, i not only improved with my time, the toughness of my feet, it just felt 100% better! 

It was a little experiment based on some gravel workers working on a road, and it worked for me. Simple dumb and brilliant, i dont know what it will be like for the rest of the pack, but i want to see what you guys all think, try it, dont just post a response with some rude comments please, try it first for 2 weeks log your progress BF and with your Shoes or VFF's. tell me what you think.

Could it be just somthing so simple and inovating that it worked, or is it something that you just hated the most. 

Either way, i will tell you this was a success story for me, and i will keep posting on the progress. well worth it. 

Of course get ready for the pain the callises, and yes i had a couple bruises because of it, but now im running just fine, ease into it, just like any BFR and let me know what you think. 

[therealrandy-blog]

RUN

GET OFF MY BLOG AND RUN NOW! 

[therealrandy-blog]

Barefoot Running Great Video of Why, And what it does

[therealrandy-blog]

Join a race Stay Motivated

Now that you have started barefoot/minimalist running, you got that running bug bag, you have been doing it for a while, and its starting to feel like old running again. The clinics you watch online or attend can only go so far, the carefree happiness of your bare feet will never leave, yet you still need motivation. 

Some people add new things to there routines, some people bring back some good ol' habits. But i suggest sign up for a race, what else could be the best motivation your first barefoot race, or not if your first one one you can finish the whole race BF. 

New times, new distances, new training, the shirt the buckle, the crowd, so many different reasons a race will keep you motivated. The build up weeks of anticipation can get you just as jacked up, bring a camera grab a brew after the race, chit chat with new and old friends. 

A lot of people look at the races sometimes as a training period and cant wait to get it over with, when you are BF its more of a fun journey, and on race day the looks the questions the knowledge you can share with others is just one more thing to get prepared for. 

Be happy, get excited take off those shoes don't kick back kick up and get prepared for another great adventure/

[therealrandy-blog]

I'm Now Running In Minimalist Shoes, Why Am I Still Injured

  Since the Sock Doc column andwebsite began almost three months ago, one of the most common questions I have been asked is, “Sock Doc, I’m running in minimalist shoes (or barefoot), but I’m still injured – why?” This question tells me one thing – runners think that if you get out of your over- supportive, cushioned running shoes and orthotics then magically your injuries disappear. Unfortunately this is not always the case because running in minimalist type shoes and/or barefoot will not necessarily keep you injury-free. Proper footwear (or going barefoot) is only part of the injury-free prescription.

Running in minimalist shoes and being barefoot clearly helps the entire body. Improvements in nervous system function, muscular function and balance, proprioception, and overall health can be seen in those who keep their feet close to the ground and out of motion-altering footwear. But injuries are often not just because what you’ve got on your feet isn’t right for you; more important for most athletes is the rest of the regimen – diet, training, and overall stress. All these factors determine whether you will get injured, (or come down with an illness), or not. Many athletes also forget that training itself is a two-part equation: working out plus rest.

Diet is perhaps the most important factor. What you eat and drink plays a major role in how your body is able to function during the day at work, at home, and while training. It also has a lot to do with how well you rest (sleep). For example, a diet high in omega 6 vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, and soy oils as well as partially hydrogenated fats will creep up your inflammation levels, resulting in muscles working harder than what they would have to otherwise to function normally and recover.

Significant stress is placed on the cardiovascular system too with diets high in inflammatory fats and obviously every runner wants an optimum cardio system. A high-carbohydrate diet, especially refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup, white sugar and flour, and yes, even agave, will contribute to the inflammation and even increase insulin levels over time. Eventually your tissues will become resistant to the insulin and blood-glucose handling problems will result. You may bonk or under-perform in a race because of this, or have mood swings and general body aches due to the carbohydrate sensitivity. Overall your diet will influence your entire body, including your joints, tendons, ligaments, and especially how your muscles function. Your body ultimately becomes out-of-balance; you get torqued or twisted a little, so to speak, as postural changes affect your gait, balance, and function.

Nervous-system function is closely related to the diet and what follows are muscular imbalances because of the nervous system's response to the diet. Your calf may work harder than what it used to on one leg because of the gait imbalance, or your hamstring may work more because your quad isn’t functioning correctly due to the gait and joint disturbances caused by the dietary imbalances; these nutritional dysfunctions affect your nervous system that, in turn, affect the muscles. In fact, addressing dietary imbalances is how I have been able to successfully treat patients when others only look at the injury itself, not where it came from.

Nutrients have a role here too, but they are typically much more individualized than overall dietary recommendations. Nutrient deficiencies and imbalances will have specific reflections on physical structure. A good example is a muscle cramp. Although a cramp can be due to a local muscle or tendon problem, it is often from a dietary problem (dehydration) or a nutrient imbalance or deficiency (sodium, potassium, magnesium, or calcium), resulting in a physical symptom. Cramping alters muscle function, not just in the muscle that is experiencing the cramp, but in other synergistic muscles and those affected by gait. Eventually this can lead to an injury to a muscle, tendon, ligament, or bone, and perhaps a direct injury from the cramp itself.

Training and racing also play a major role in injuries, perhaps as much as diet. If you’re training too anaerobically, then you’re likely to get injured. Racing too much will have a similar outcome. The reason athletes get injured when they overtrain is partly due to the imbalance caused between training and recovery, and in part due to nutritional considerations. High-intensity and long-duration workouts require a certain amount of recovery, and which is different for everybody to some extent. Without enough rest your body won’t recoup for the next workout. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are affected directly from the workouts, but they are also affected by hormonal changes and nutritional considerations. For example, it is well known that high- intensity workouts as well as even aerobic workouts lasting over a few hours will increase an athlete’s stress hormone cortisol. This increased cortisol level will affect blood-sugar levels and that will affect various muscular functions as well as gait.

Consider the endurance athlete (perhaps yourself) following a long race, such as an Ironman a marathon. Even if you’re one hundred percent pain-free, most likely your posture has changed afterward – a hip may be higher on one side or a shoulder rotated on the other side. These imbalances weren’t there before the race.

A lot of these imbalances have to do with hormonal and nutritional changes in your body resulting in physical imbalances. Additionally, hormones such as cortisol have to be broken down by the liver and that requires nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and sulfur amino acids such as L-Cysteine. Sulfur is a major component of cartilage. Think about what may happen to your joints if you’re training too hard and your body is constantly making a lot of cortisol. Your joints will suffer. And high-cortisol levels are a major reason for insomnia and waking up in the middle of the night. This impaired rest will further impact athletic performance and health as the recovery will not be available to offset the desired training.

So you can see the various ways nutrition and training (working out + rest) can impact the body in more than one way, and often result in an injury if imbalances occur.

Stress isn't just about working out too much either. If you’re stressed out at work, stuck in front of a computer, have a long work commute, and have family stresses on top of that your body will perceive that as if you’re training hard all day long. Cortisol levels will elevate, beneficial sex hormones like testosterone and progesterone will plummet, and muscular imbalances will occur just as they do with overtraining and dietary and nutritional imbalances. The end result is often the same in all three cases – an injury shows up, despite what you’re wearing for footwear.

Yes, proper footwear is important, but if I could only choose only one thing to change in an athlete, it would be either his or her diet or training, depending on their individual circumstance. I’ve always been able to help injured athletes even before I knew the effect of minimalist shoes and going barefoot; it was just more difficult to ascertain. It’s easier now because of my knowledge and hands-on experience (personally and with patients) that footwear is an important factor. I like to tell patients, “Look at your overall stress and fix what you can fix.” This means you can often fix your diet, your training, and your footwear easier than perhaps your job or your family situation. So eating healthy, training properly, modifying your lifestyle, and strengthening your entire body by wearing minimalist or no shoes all have their respective impact-- but on an individualized basis. If you don’t pay attention to each one and keep them in balance or let one factor falter, then your body will let you know, with pain.

by the soc doc.

[therealrandy-blog]

YES ANOTHER SANDAL COMPANY! has hit the Natural Running scene, Bedrock Sandals.

They have set a pledge goal to sell, $2,500 by july,6,2011, Go to there site give these low priced and apparently great piece of minimalist footwear a go go.

I will put up a review once i get mine.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danopz/bedrock-sandals

[therealrandy-blog]

Keep it Natural.

The best pair of shoes are your feet. The best equipment for knowledge is your brain. Use them in your process and journey and becoming an natural/minimalist runner, i am getting very turned off by seeing all of these websites, putting a price on the knowledge you gain from the natural lifestyle.

25.99$ and you can have my book of secrets, workouts, routines, food and diet tips, 50 dollars for a membership and you can get all this!. We as humans were prone to run, its our individual primal instinct when we run barefoot on what happens, not a guy over the internet making you pay to learn the "distant knowledge" that you already know.

There are tribes who remain barefoot and can run 100's of miles injury free, the big shoe companies padding down, telling you they enhance your running and make you a better runner....load of bull! Runners getting injured once or twice a week in there fresh new pumas/nike/adidas will say different, from the man you see out there barefoot and injury free.

It just grinds my gears, that these people are manipulating what is already common knowledge and making a buck. You want the real knowledge go to a race and find the barefoot runners, and see how you can get started, let them give you that free advice, where to search, good reads, good clinics. 

Keep your journey alive strive for more knowledge in staying natural.

Keep it natural. Be like a child and get back to your roots. 

[therealrandy-blog]

A GREAT piece from Chris Mcdougall. "Are we born to run?" 

[therealrandy-blog]

PART TWO

GREAT CLINIC! everyone watch gain some knowledge from the great Michael Sandler the author of barefoot running.

[therealrandy-blog]

PART ONE

GREAT CLINIC! everyone watch gain some knowledge from the great Michael Sandler the author of barefoot running.

[therealrandy-blog]

Slow and Steady Wins The Race

I notice that a lot of the new Barefoot Runners, are so excited that they seem to be jumping the gun. Yes its a brand new way of running, its something exciting and addicting. But its something you can do for a lifetime, you need to gain the experience just like with anything running. If you have never ran before and you enter a marathon you really think you will perform at your highest peek on the first race?

The same goes for BFR, there are steps you will have to take to prevent yourself from being injured, burning out, or just quiting all together. Its a part of the journey into shaping yourself into a healthy, out going, great barefoot runner. 

A couple things you can do to start is exercise those feet, walk in place and build up to a slow run, get the feel for touching the ground lightly with more steps, your stride is going to be shorter while bare foot running. Walk around your home, your yard, ease into being barefoot. Try out new surfaces, but try and start on the smooth ground and grasses, your local track, then move outside a little hit some road a little bit of gravel... but do not make it agonizing, just do it enough to where you wont experience to much pain, calve workouts will always help during the process.

Build up to your runs, start off slow, low lengths, try and do barefoot 3 times a week if you can with your running, and by the end of the month try and get yourself to run 3-4 miles with no pain and a good pace.

The whole reason to start barefoot then move to your minimalist shoes is to gain the right and proper technique, working your feet and the tendons/muscles to perform the right way. A lot of runners who have been running 10+ years that are now switching to barefoot, themselves are having to re-learn proper running. So do not give up and think the slow start is a waste of time, we all go through it, the wait is the worth. Remember barefoot running is the right way to run, so when you want to slip on those minimalist shoes, you will have the proper technique and be able to use them the way they were intended.

Hit some 5k - 10k races barefoot, bring a long an extra pair of minimalist shoes if you don't think you will be able to do it all. But no shame in it at all, you are just learning the process, and every step barefoot counts! Good luck to all

[therealrandy-blog]

Injinji Socks Just As good

So me i do not like wearing socks to much, if i am running its barefoot, or minimalist shoes. If i am lounging around the house its flip flops or barefoot, when im at work thats a new issue, when its cold winter we got to mix it up a little. Problem with the socks, i have sweaty feet, so if they are enclosed in those shoes im out of luck, i never take the time to match them up so i feel like a clown when they show as i wear shorts. 

So i came across the Injinji's, these things are perfect! even though rarely used, they do come in handy, you can wear them with those five fingers if your feet are getting to cold outside, you can wear them for the leisure, NO SEEMS, a natural movement, and very breathable.

Though very spendy around 12$ for just a pair if you can invest in a pair you will not regret it. For those wearing other shoes than those five fingers and running, i have also herd they will prevent the blistering aspect in between the toes, due to the spread toes. 

So pick up a pair see what you feel, go for a run tell me how you wear them and lets support some injini's.

[therealrandy-blog]

My New Vibram Komodo's

So it has finally come!

I woke up this morning at 7:30 to go out and cash my check, and headed straight to my local REI store (30 miles away) but it was all worth it. I originally went in to get the bikila LS, the woman decided to bring out all the vibrams for me to try on, and thankfully she did. 

What turned into a great shoe shopping experience for once, i tried them all and when i plugged my foot into the komodo's i was hooked, i got up and started running around the store, and felt great. Not only was this lady very nice, she was VERY knowledgeable about the vibrams, i did my fair share of research on them all, but she just had that positive attitude and information that said, Randy you need these.

Finally the anticipated drive home, strapped them back on hit the road, and busted out a easy 8 miles, running was fantastic (not like my bare foots) but just as good, very pleased very satisfied and excited to get them KSO's next.

[therealrandy-blog]

Natural Running Sandal Maker

Me i love those luna running sandals, but for all who have not made there way over to the site, barefoot ted has made a site on creating your own running sandals, please go and give it a try and send me some photos!

http://barefootted.com/sandals.pdf

[therealrandy-blog]

Why I Chose A Natural Running Lifestyle

Well, after a month of researching why natural running & minimalist running is a better form of running i took it up. Started off slow, very slow just a couple miles barefoot every other day, and that was included on a regular run.  As of today June/2/2011 i will have my new vibram five fingers (so excited). It not only made my running better, physically, posture, pace, and mentally.... It improved me as a person.

Barefoot running is a part of my personality and it very much shows. I am a 24 year old father of 1 baby boy 'Talon', and a noc shift working CNA, running just put itself in my life and filled that little void of me needing to compete with myself, push myself, and have something else just for me to strive for. 

Since running i have quit smoking and drinking (cold turkey), and have not looked back on it. My life has had a major improvement, and its all thanks to the minimalist and natural barefoot running. Watching the movies, reading the books, hitting the road/trails, and everyday pushing myself to get closer to those amazing ultra runs. 

I am more ambitious (even though it was always there), my goals have improved, my all around personality is 2x's as better. I don't treat it just for running, i am one of those crazies who implement it in my everyday lifestyle on and off the road. As a father, a brother, a son and a friend, it tends to rub off. 

And my Favorite part of it all, i get to share my knowledge my adventures and stories with the world, those who want to know more, what it can do, how it can help, its knowledge that few seem to have unless they have made it a habit. Its healthy, its real and its ALL NATURAL.

Barefoot running in a sense really did save my life, and the community of natural/minimalist runners is amazing.

Send me your story of what barefoot running has done for you!