To shoe, or not to shoe?

One of my former newspaper editors once told me, "Never write anything that you can't use at least three times." Since a lot of the stories I currently write for work concern local school boards, village boards and all things Central Illinois, I haven't really been able to make use of this advice on too many occasions. 

While it may seem odd for such a new blogger to have archives, I do have a few past blogs tucked away. I've been blogging at work for about a year and because I've already done the work, why not share it again? (And I promise not to NEVER, EVER post school board meeting coverage here. Sitting through it once is enough for me!). Here's a blog I wrote last July while first coming to terms with barefoot running: 

To shoe, or not to shoe?

When I got started in journalism, a friend immediately compared me to Carrie Bradshaw. I was flattered, of course. And, while I’m not quite up to par with her keen fashion sense or courageous enough to try out even the most “fabulous” hat, I am about to prove my friend right. Today, I’m blogging about shoes.

However, you will see no mention of Manolos or Jimmy Choos here. Oh no, I’m talking running shoes and even — cover your ears Carrie — no shoes. 

Barefoot running. The trend is taking off ... and it’s scaring me. A couple of weeks ago, as I was finishing a run down Grandview Drive (a super fun place to run in Peoria), a runner passed me with a polite, “Hello.” I returned the greeting and got into my car to go home. It wasn’t until I was in my car that I caught a second glance of the runner and his lack of shoes. Yep, that’s right, this man was running down the street with absolutely nothing on his feet as if it were a completely normal thing to do.

As a runner who puts much time and consideration (and money for that matter) into which shoes will be protecting my feet, I was taken aback. I had heard of runners opting to go shoeless and studies finding that running with shoes can actually cause some injuries, but to see a living, breathing barefoot runner on Grandview Drive seemed odd to me. When I lived in Boulder, this wouldn’t have fazed me, but in my hometown, it seemed odd. 

When confronted with this idea, many people — myself included — ask, “Why run barefoot?” But according to some studies, perhaps we should be asking, “Why run with shoes?” Barefoot running advocates argue that humans were not designed to wear shoes. Many say that running barefoot reduces the risk of injuries and strengthens the muscles in your feet. 

I’ve heard runners argue that injuries received while running barefoot, like cutting your foot on a stray piece of glass, heal much faster that injuries “caused” by running with shoes. These injuries include plantar fasciitis, irritation and swelling on the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. Plantar fasciitis can sideline runners for six weeks to six months and sometimes requires surgery.

I must admit, I don’t think I’ll ever go completely barefoot, mainly due to the fact that I broke a few teeny tiny bones in my right foot about 9 years ago that never really did heal properly. My foot aches a bit after a long run here and there, but the old injury has hardly inhibited my running. I believe I owe that to the comfort and extra cushion provided by my Brooks.

However, the barefoot running fad has sparked my interest. So much so that I now desperately want — wait, scratch that — need a pair of Vibram FiveFingers Bikilas. I need them in the same way Carrie Bradshaw needs her Manolos. 

 Aren't they pretty?

They are specifically designed to mimic barefoot running, while protecting feet from glass, hot roadways and all other hazards that come along from pounding your bare feet on the pavement. Many who wear them say there is a feeling of freedom, reminiscent of running around barefoot as a child. 

The minimalist running shoes are kind of ridiculous-looking. For those of you who have not seen them, they kind of look like toe socks, you know the socks with an individual space reserved for each toe. 

I even made fun of my boyfriend when he got a pair a few months ago. I usually excuse his quirks to the fact that he is from Boulder and therefore part-Hippie, but these things were weird!

He’s not a runner, but said he was convinced that they were the best shoes ever after wearing them through a recent three-day long music festival with no discomfort. I still made fun of him. I never realized that only a few short months later I would covet a pair of these strange shoes. And with a birthday looming on the horizon, I see no reason why I shouldn’t have them in a matter of weeks. Hint, hint honey! 

The Bikila is said to encourage a more natural, healthier and more efficient forefoot strike. Vibram’s websites says “the Bikila features a Dri-Lex covered 3mm polyurethane insole and a 4mm anatomical pod outsole design that offers more plating protection and distributes forefoot impact without compromising important ground feedback essential to a proper forefoot strike running form.” 

While I have no idea what any of that means, one thing is for certain — I NEED THESE SHOES!!!

Hopefully I’ll be able to try my own Bikilas soon. And who knows, maybe someday I’ll release my inner child and leave my inner Carrie Bradshaw — and thus my shoes — at home. 

****UPDATE**** I did get the shoes for my birthday (Yay for a good man who listens when I yell, "Get me these shoes!!" everyday for a month). I had quite an experience trying to get used to running in them. Of course I blogged about it, so I guess I'll have to post that one soon! 

Hi, I'm Holly, and I might just be crazy!

In high school, I quit the soccer team because I hated running.

Perhaps the name of this blog gave it away, but things have changed. 

I would never have believed I would become a runner. I always thought a runner was somebody who eagerly bounced out of bed at 4:30 a.m., threw on his/her running shoes and skipped out the door, grinning in anticipation of the upcoming 10-mile jog. 

I thought these people were all designed to run and that it came easily. I thought these people would rather run than do anything else in the world. I thought these people were crazy. 

Now, at age 29, I have three marathons, seven half-marathons, three 15Ks, and a handful of both 10Ks and 5Ks under my belt ... and many more races on the way. 

It never occurred to me that people might actually have to work to become a runner. I learned that I am definitely not the runner I mentions above. There are days that I get really excited about running, but there are also days that I absolutely dread running. And, I can count the number of 4:30 a.m. runs I've done on one hand, with fingers to spare.

I am, by no means, an expert. I took to treadmill running during college in a blatant effort to avoid the freshman 15 and actually — gasp — began to love running. If you were to tell this to 17-year-old me, you would have definitely been laughed at, probably followed with an exaggerated eye roll and a "whatever." Yes, I was that girl. 

My first race was in 2005, when my then boyfriend (now fiance), Terry, convinced me to run the Bolder Boulder 10K with him. I agreed to do the race, not even batting an eyelash at the elevation of the course, which reaches nearly 5,400 feet. 

We finished the race at 57:59. I didn't really understand — or care about, for that matter — the hype that surrounded race times. For me, the desire to finish a race in a decent amount of time has only recently surpassed the desire to finish the race period. Now, I'm in awe of the elite runners, who can finish a 10K in half an hour without even having to spend the rest of the day in the medical tent. 

The following year, I began training for the craziest race yet — motherhood. It's by far the best job I've ever had! My son Luke is now 5. He is tons of fun, but he tends to cut into my training schedule a bit. Throw in a full-time job and I'm spent! But, I guess he's worth it. 

            Just look at this face ...      

... and he loves his mama, too!

The most important thing I've learned while juggling my family, my job and my training schedule over the past few years is that it can be done. Sure I might miss a couple runs here and there, or even a couple hours of sleep, but it can be done. 

I've also learned that I've come to depend on running in an attempt to maintain some sort of sanity in my crazy life. My runs are reserved as my "me time." When I miss a run or two, I tend to get a bit cranky. Now, there are days that running comes easily to me. There are days when I'd rather run than do anything else in the world. And there are days that I'm pretty sure I'm crazy!