The Real Randy (The Natural Randy)

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. 

GET OFF MY BLOG AND RUN NOW! 

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. 

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.

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.

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!