As a fellow CSULB alum and Huntington Beach resident I strongly approve of this message!
Guru of Barefoot Running Shares Secrets of Shoelessness
Running shoeless is becoming a rage and the man who has done more to promote its benefits through his website and a well-researched book, “Barefoot Running Step By Step,” is Ken Bob Saxton of Huntington Beach. Known as “Barefoot Ken Bob,” a veteran of over 76 marathons, Saxton turned to barefoot running over two decades ago when he got sick of the blisters caused by his running shoes. He actually tried his first marathon in Long Beach wearing shoes but the blisters became unbearable.
The Long Beach State grad, who works in the college’s Computer Sciences Department, spends nearly all his time going barefoot, whether working, running, shopping or walking his dog. In 2006, he ran 16 marathons, including four in a 15-day period, all without foot problems. The friendly guy, who always has a twinkle in his eye, shares his barefoot knowledge with thousands of people around the world because he “wants to help people learn to run more safely.” Last year, he drove 11,000 miles putting on 34 barefoot running workshops in 34 cities and 22 states, sharing experiences and explaining safer and better running techniques. Read More
Dr. Jay’s Note: Barefoot Ken Bob has become a local living legend here in SoCal. Spending more time barefoot & picking shoes that allow your feet to interact with the ground in a natural way are healthy lifestyle choices that I highly recommend.
So I’m on my way to a little barefoot jaunt. It’s 6:30am Sunday morning. Already hot. Not too many folks out. And then…
… they arrived.
Hustling up from the other direction were a group of 50 year olds (and one hard as nails 72 year old!) about half way through their 21 km run.
Which was impressive enough. But what I absolutely LOVED was that they stopped on a dime to chat. “Where are your shoes?!”
They didn’t have stopwatches to stop. No pace to beat. The tribal connect was far more important. AND… they were some of the happiest people I’ve ever meet. All smiles from ear to ear.
Process that for a moment. Hot, humid, 6:30am, running up hill, 6 miles into their long run… and the happiest folks you’re ever gonna meet.
We exchanged a few running stories as though we already knew each other (up coming events, recently run races) and off they went without skipping a beat. A tribe of happy go lucky 50 plus runners loving every minute of their exhistence.
Hats off to your awesomeness!
I can only hope to approach such heights.
..and I shout back.
Thanks are again in order. I was just about to finish my run completing my well worn round trip course when I was greeted by fellow tribe members. It was hot. I was sweating pretty good. I was ten seconds from making the left turn to end it.
A nod. A good morning. And then…
Just like that… I turned right. One more lap. Four more miles. Bring it on!
Thanks again Tribal Runners!
With the return of summer comes warmer days, brighter mornings and the return to 5:00am runs!
How long has it been? Five? Six months?
Long enough for Pony Tail Girl to get a pair of spiffy new red shoes. Long enough for The Professor to no longer bring his cane on his walks.
I missed you guys. Here’s to the next four months of early morning summer running!
And thank YOU for the kind words. Guess I better get to work posting more stuff!
This morning was cold. And cloudy. And I didn’t have “it”. Absolute zero motivation.
Sure, I tried to tell myself all the good it would do to hit the road. Yes, I reminded myself how much better I’ll feel when I’m done. Yeah, I knew that if I didn’t run I would feel even worse and tomorrow would be even harder to get motivated.
None of it changed my mind.
Then I remembered…
Green Coat who walks his 5k every day rain or shine.
Fireman who passes me on his bike ride to the station before running the same course every day before work.
Husband and Wife who walk together and I will pass at least twice during my circle route.
Stone Face who simply will not acknowledge my existence even though we have passed each other no less than a thousand times.
Baseball Cap & Headphones who I suspect never actually stops walking and that each time I see him he is still on the same ridiculously epic walk.
Grandma (my personal favorite) who runs her 10k five times a week in long sleeves and sweatpants even in the summer months and smiles through all of it.
And then I remember…
They’ll be there.
Just like they always are.
Even though they too have those days. They show up. They put in the miles. And they need to know they’re not alone.
The tribe calls.
And just like that… I’m out the door.
Thanks again tribe.
(yes even you Stone Face!)
See you on the trail…
When I signed up to run the 2010 Tokyo Marathon I was not a runner.
I was someone looking for a new experience. So I trained. Bought some Adidas running shoes. Read runner’s magazines.
But I still did not consider myself a runner.
I did all this to accomplish my bucket list goal of completing a marathon. But I was certainly not a runner. Those folks are nuts. I didn’t even LIKE running!
So what happened? When did I actually become a runner?
Though it’s impossible to pin point a date, I do know the marathon wasn’t it.
I think that in my case, the marathon pushed me to become a runner, but it wasn’t until AFTER the marathon that I realized I’d become one of those crazies!
Because it was after the marathon that I realized, despite having no race to train for, no specific goal or date in mind… I still wanted to run.
I woke up at 5:00am. Drank my cup of coffee. And dammit… I wanted to run.
Prior to that post marathon moment, if asked, I would say that I ran occasionally. That’s as far as I would commit. But now it was clear… I WAS a runner.
I had three pairs of Vibrams. Had run 1,000 miles that year. And planned to run even more in the coming year. Heck, I was an AVID runner!
How about you? Do you remember the moment you first considered yourself a runner?
Recently started using Daily Mile. Excellent way to get tribal. Add me if you find it works for you too.
When I first began running I knew next to nothing about formal running. So little in fact, that when I signed up for my first marathon (before running even two miles!) I had no idea how to answer the question about what my expected marathon time was.
I was clueless.
So I started running. And buying running magazines. And checking online resources.
At first, I felt like a total outsider. They were runners. I was a tourist in this country called “Runner”.
My goal was to finish a marathon. Once in my life. A bucket list thing. And then I would stop.
Except…
I didn’t stop.
I couldn’t stop.
I didn’t WANT to stop.
Why?
It might be because I had joined a tribe.
A tribe that liked to talk endlessly about the benefits minimalist running. About BORN TO RUN. About our funky new Vibrams. About running the next marathon.
A tribe means new friends.
And new friends means introductions into a world of events and activities that only runners participate in.
I ran the local relay marathon.
I joined the Oxfam 100km Trailwalk Japan.
I got invited on 36km mountain hike that if i had not been a runner I would never have considered. Instead, I wound up meeting two new tribe members and hiking/running one of the best courses I’ve ever encountered.
Being part of the tribe means having access to new experiences. Meeting new people with like minds. And being inspired.
And so… to that tribe that pushes me to keep on keeping on…. Thank you.
And see you on the trail…
I see you most mornings. Sometimes by the park. Sometimes the bridge. We run the same course but in opposite directions.
We have never spoken. I do not know your name. I do not know what you do for a living. I do not know what car you drive. I do not know your favorite color, song, or movie.
Instead I know this…
You do not let the cold weather keep you from running. You do not let the summer heat deter you. You will run in rain when you have to. You set your own pace. You stick to it. You are not in a hurry. But you will not be held back. You are focused. You are determined. You have a goal and you are going to meet it. And when you’ve finished your run you will feel better for having completed another step on the journey.
You are a runner.
You are not alone.
The tribe salutes you.
