Click below for the report!

http://barefootrunner.org/pbruns/06pbrun.htm

Happy New Year!

BR

What a great year! Once again, I am reminded of how grateful I am to be
a recovering shod runner!

http://www.barefootrunner.org/05review.htm

Cheers and still having a blast!

Barefoot Rick

"Have Yourself A Merry Barefoot Christmas"

Have yourself a merry barefoot Christmas
And your foot strike light
From now on our injuries will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry barefoot Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
From now on our sneakers will be far away

Once again as in primal days
Happy golden days of yore
Barefoot friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

Through the years, barefoot we'll be running
If the fates allow
Hang a RBF ornament from the highest bough
And have yourself a merry barefoot Christmas now

Once again as in primal days
Happy golden days of yore
Barefoot friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Merry Christmas ya'll!

BR

Believe me, you didn't miss out on anything as a recovering alcoholic
except for maybe needing grace more than the regular guy.

Thanks for the comments. Have fun in Boston in '07!

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Jerry Griffin" <jerryg@c...>
wrote:
>
> Rick,
>
> According to all the reformed alcoholics in my family (brother,
son,
> daughter -- I seem to have missed all the fun!) the day you got
> sober is like your other birthday!  So congratulations on your
> birthday birthday and also on nearly fourteen years sober!!!
>
> -- Jerry
>
> (P.S.  Speaking of Age Groups:  the 65-69 AG can qualify for
> Boston with a 4:15 -- another great benefit for us older guys. I'm
> turning 66 in January and looking forward to Boston in April 2007.)
>
> On 20 Dec 2005 at 13:10, Barefoot Rick wrote:
>
> Although there are some fast guys in the 50 to 54 AG around here
> also
> :O !
>
> I am so astounded and grateful that I made it to 50 years old! The
> way
> I abused my body with alcohol (been sober nearly 14 years) it is a
> wonder I am still alive!
>
> Will probably go out and run an easy 3 to 5 miles later today. Have
a
> good one Masters!
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo!
> Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
> http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/3nUolB/TM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
~-
> >
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Jerry Griffin  -- CFO On Call  --  4 Sheppard Place  --  Granville,
OH
> 43023
> jerryg@c...  --  web site:  www.cfo-on-call.com
> Office: 740-321-1188  --  Home: 740-587-3368  --  Fax: 740-587-
> 1612
> Mobile:  740-403-6399
>

Rick...
   Next time you want to run barefoot in the snow try this instead..

http://www.bikeforest.com/tread/index.php

Rick,

According to all the reformed alcoholics in my family (brother, son,
daughter -- I seem to have missed all the fun!) the day you got
sober is like your other birthday!  So congratulations on your
birthday birthday and also on nearly fourteen years sober!!!

-- Jerry

(P.S.  Speaking of Age Groups:  the 65-69 AG can qualify for
Boston with a 4:15 -- another great benefit for us older guys. I'm
turning 66 in January and looking forward to Boston in April 2007.)

On 20 Dec 2005 at 13:10, Barefoot Rick wrote:

Although there are some fast guys in the 50 to 54 AG around here
also
:O !

I am so astounded and grateful that I made it to 50 years old! The
way
I abused my body with alcohol (been sober nearly 14 years) it is a
wonder I am still alive!

Will probably go out and run an easy 3 to 5 miles later today. Have a
good one Masters!





------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
--------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo!
Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/3nUolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-
>


Yahoo! Groups Links








Jerry Griffin  -- CFO On Call  --  4 Sheppard Place  --  Granville, OH
43023
jerryg@...  --  web site:  www.cfo-on-call.com
Office: 740-321-1188  --  Home: 740-587-3368  --  Fax: 740-587-
1612
Mobile:  740-403-6399

Although there are some fast guys in the 50 to 54 AG around here
also  :O !

I am so astounded and grateful that I made it to 50 years old! The way
I abused my body with alcohol (been sober nearly 14 years) it is a
wonder I am still alive!

Will probably go out and run an easy 3 to 5 miles later today. Have a
good one Masters!

Not much this week. Still in recovery mode. Resorted to the treadmill
the past couple of days.

A whopping 12 miles this week!

http://barefootrunner.org/05weeklymileage/weekending12-18-05.htm

Featuring the Shoeless Slug just 2 weeks back from his successful
Barefoot Las Vegas Marathon!

Enjoy!

http://barefootrunner.org/reports/05santarun/05santa.htm

(NOTE: The following is not for the squeamish! It contains text and
graphics that might offend the sensibilities of some readers. I take
full responsibility for my lack of judgment in this matter, and no
responsibility whatsoever regarding any person who would attempt to
duplicate my errors, either wittingly or otherwise.)

http://barefootrunner.org/reports/05dwrm/05dwrm.htm

BR

Yeah, I met Jack at around mile 9, right before the Lake. I asked him
if he knew you and he enthusiastically said "SURE DO!""

Thanks Jerry!!

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Jerry Griffin" <jerryg@c...>
wrote:
>
> Hey Rick, I understand you and my friend Jack Becker met during the
> Dallas White Rock.  He said you looked great in your bare feet and
> Santa Claus hat!!  (Jack is a great asset to the Pose website, where
> he consistently helps people find their way to a new running style. He
> also advocates barefoot running as often as possible, although I don't
> think he has done a marathon in bare feet.)
>
> -- Jerry
>

Hey Rick, I understand you and my friend Jack Becker met during the
Dallas White Rock.  He said you looked great in your bare feet and
Santa Claus hat!!  (Jack is a great asset to the Pose website, where
he consistently helps people find their way to a new running style. He
also advocates barefoot running as often as possible, although I don't
think he has done a marathon in bare feet.)

-- Jerry

So last night I am practicing newly learned barefoot technique on my
treadmill in my heated sunroom. I'm staring out the window at the 10
inches of snow falling and watching the windows freeze over from the 6
degrees outside. My faithful trainer, Dokie the Dachsund, and my
crewchief wife Oki (yeah...Okie and Dokie) are snoozing on the couch.
Usually Dokie is barking at the constant runners visible on the
running trail just outside the sun room. But not tonite... no one is
running.

  And then I think... Barefoot Rick is out running in Santa hat!!


On a different subject I think this site needs a slogan.... something
like  "Saving Soles with God's Shoes"

So BR... go get em in Dallas

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
> It seems to me that with the higher
> cadence your heart rate would go significantly higher and your
> endurance would go down.

I have some thoughts on this...

It is also is easier to walk, than to run. However, the line between
how much work it is to run with a slow stride or a fast stride is
less clear.

Some of the extra percieved work of running with a faster cadence, is
simply because we are used to running with a slow cadence.

As we become used to running with a faster cadence, we should notice
that it is more work to drop to a slower cadence.

Can you curl 5 pounds, at a high rate for a longer time? Or 20 pounds
at a slower rate, for an even longer time? The long slow stride uses
more fast twitch muscles to launch the body higher into the air to
overcome the fact that there is more time between each foot-landing
to accelerate back to earth. Not only is this more work, and slower
running, it also results in harder impact!

Running with a slower cadence uses different muscles than running
with a faster cadence.

Ultimately, it comes down to the question, "Is it easier to lift our
body, using leg muscles, or is it easier to lift our legs, using the
larger core muscles in our body?"

Have FUN!
-barefoot ken bob

Here comes Barefoot Santa!

Now all you need is a white beard. Mine is getting there!

Ho! Ho! HO!

Have fun,
-barefoot ken bob

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Barefoot Rick"
<barefootrick@b...> wrote:
...
> Actually, today was my first day to wear tights when I ran. A long
> sleeved red Boston Marathon shirt over a white turtle neck and my
> santa hat. I was a sight!!!!
>
> BR

I knew you could put it in simple terms, BKB! Thanks for replying!

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Ken Bob Saxton" <Ken@R...>
wrote:
>
> There are a couple reasons your calves hurt. First of all, they
> aren't used to running 26.2 miles. And certainaly not used to
landing
> ball of foot first for 26.2 miles!
>
> The ball of foot landing tightens up the lower end of the calf.
>
> Tension = pain!
>
> A bent knee at the top of the calf releases the tension, equally or
> perhaps more. Practicing running with the knees bent. It WILL seem
> weird until you are used to it, but it's way better than what I
> call "Pogo Stick" running, in which people land with the leg
> straight, and hope the impact will launch them into the air.
>
> Relax, relax, relax,
>
> Have fun,
> -barefoot ken bob
>
> --- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
> wrote:
> > BR do you have tightness in the calves after marathons?
>

There are a couple reasons your calves hurt. First of all, they
aren't used to running 26.2 miles. And certainaly not used to landing
ball of foot first for 26.2 miles!

The ball of foot landing tightens up the lower end of the calf.

Tension = pain!

A bent knee at the top of the calf releases the tension, equally or
perhaps more. Practicing running with the knees bent. It WILL seem
weird until you are used to it, but it's way better than what I
call "Pogo Stick" running, in which people land with the leg
straight, and hope the impact will launch them into the air.

Relax, relax, relax,

Have fun,
-barefoot ken bob

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
> BR do you have tightness in the calves after marathons?

This was a day of winter barefoot running I will probably not try to
repeat. The temp was 10 degrees with a windchill of -6 degrees F. The
video below shows the blowing snow as we already had gotten about 2
inches of snow. I think it was the combination of the very cold temps
and the snow which made me lose feeling early on in the run. I only ran
3 miles this day. After the first mile, my feet were a little numb but
I was feeling okay. After the run, I could tell I was going to have
some problems because a couple of toes were frozen! It was just too
much exposure for such extreme temps with the snow combined. Yesterday,
I ran 4 miles with the temps at 14 degrees (no snow on the ground) and
my feet were fine afterward. The snow was the huge factor on today's
run. Note to self: DO NOT RUN IN SNOW WHEN THE TEMPS ARE BELOW 20
DEGREES!

http://www.barefootrunner.org/winter/05winter1.wmv

Having a brrrrr of a blast!

BR

Shoeless,

What Rick has nicely described for you is codified as a running
technique called Pose -- check out www.posetech.com.  Another option,
less rigorously developed, IMH, is Chi Running.

As soon as your body is used to the higher cadence, etc. (a matter of
a few weeks given your fitness), your HR will drop to below its old
levels because you will be running more efficiently.

-- Jerry Griffin

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...> wrote:
>
>  This is really good feedback... why I like this forum and why I
> finished Vegas.  Gives me something to work on.
>
> In short I need to shorten my stride and increase my cadence. Try to be
> like those short-legged Japanese female marathoners whose legs you cant
> even see because the RPM is so high. And you are correct I do land
> forward more on the balls.
>
> Do you wear a heart rate monitor when you run?  If so what is your avg
> BPM when you run a marathon?  It seems to me that with the higher
> cadence your heart rate would go significantly higher and your
> endurance would go down.
>
> I try to keep my BPM right at 135 during a marathon and even train on a
> spin bike to sustain 135 over 4-5 hours.  If you are going higher than
> that then I should probably up that to maintain the cadence, wouldnt
> you think?
>

I don't know anything about my heart rate. I have never used one. I
just know when I am running right and then try to stay in that "zone".

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
>  This is really good feedback... why I like this forum and why I
> finished Vegas.  Gives me something to work on.
>
> In short I need to shorten my stride and increase my cadence. Try
to be
> like those short-legged Japanese female marathoners whose legs you
cant
> even see because the RPM is so high. And you are correct I do land
> forward more on the balls.
>
> Do you wear a heart rate monitor when you run?  If so what is your
avg
> BPM when you run a marathon?  It seems to me that with the higher
> cadence your heart rate would go significantly higher and your
> endurance would go down.
>
> I try to keep my BPM right at 135 during a marathon and even train
on a
> spin bike to sustain 135 over 4-5 hours.  If you are going higher
than
> that then I should probably up that to maintain the cadence,
wouldnt
> you think?
>

This is really good feedback... why I like this forum and why I
finished Vegas.  Gives me something to work on.

In short I need to shorten my stride and increase my cadence. Try to be
like those short-legged Japanese female marathoners whose legs you cant
even see because the RPM is so high. And you are correct I do land
forward more on the balls.

Do you wear a heart rate monitor when you run?  If so what is your avg
BPM when you run a marathon?  It seems to me that with the higher
cadence your heart rate would go significantly higher and your
endurance would go down.

I try to keep my BPM right at 135 during a marathon and even train on a
spin bike to sustain 135 over 4-5 hours.  If you are going higher than
that then I should probably up that to maintain the cadence, wouldnt
you think?

Yes, sometimes I have tightness in my calves after marathons. After
Gobbler Grind Marathon 2.5 weeks ago I experienced more quad soreness
which, for me, is an indication that I am running a little faster
than my normal 9 minute pace when I train. The calf soreness is
usually from overextending a bit too much and having your foot
implant a little too far in front of you rather than vertical with
your torso. In other words, you might have been over-striding a bit
and landing too much on the ball of the foot rather than making a mid-
foot strike which spreads the energy of the foot strike to the entire
foot. Think about the strut on a car. You want to lightly touch the
rear side of the ball of the foot and then immediately rock back on
the mid-foot which is like a pyramid-shape of a strut. That will
release the energy in a more even way rather than pushing off with
the ball of the foot. That is what causes the calf strain.

If you stand in one place and stretch your calves by pushing upwards
on the balls, you feel the stretch. Same way with running. You
probably didn't notice it much when running because it is not as
exaggerated as when you stand and stretch. Step after step, however,
if there is over-extension then there will be some soreness after
26.2 miles.

A good way to train to avoid this is to try to increase your cadence.
A quicker turnover will force your foot to fall more directly under
your torso and you won't be pushing off as much.

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
> So why are my calves stiff???  I've run 6 marathons this year; 5
with
> shoes.  My calves never came out stiff before running the LV
marathon
> shoeless.
> Before LV the longest I had run barefoot was 15 miles and dont
recall
> any issues with the calves.
>
> On the other hand, I have no problems with any other muscle group,
> unlike the shoed marathons. And here is the satisfying part.  my
> Plantar Fascia problems are totally gone. PF was the reason I
started
> reading this website and running barefoot.  This site was the last
> resort before quitting running.
>
> My best friend, Dr Tom, massaged and examined my feet at the LV
finish
> line  and was amazed at how good they looked.  He noticed extreme
> tightness in the calves but said the PF looked great.  Doc is a
sports
> medicine doctor affiliated with Emory University and a longtime
> ultracyclist who is quite familiar with extreme sports. He examines
> dozens of runners a week so knows what to look for.  I think he left
> LV thinking of recommending barefooting to some of his clients.
>
> BR do you have tightness in the calves after marathons?
>

However, barefoot running across America might take a bit longer.
Don't think I could get that much time off from work with a paycheck
coming in. The wife is a pretty good sport about what I am doing
right now. I could just hear her reply when I said, "Honey, I need to
take a few weeks off from work to hoof across America".

We could do it. It would just take money.

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
> --- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Barefoot Rick"
> <barefootrick@b...> wrote:
> >
> > We would need some serious sponsorship for that type of
commitment!!!
> >
>  Nah... you can do it on the cheap.  In 2000 the first Slovenian
> cyclist to do Race Across America, Fredi Virag, had 4 big Slovenian
> guys in one Subaru Outback. All the other racers spent the night
> before the race in comfortable beds at the Holiday Inn. Fredi spent
> the night on the grass next to the Outback.  Other racers had nice
big
> luxury RVs and 2-3 other vehicles. Fredi just had the Outback and I
> dont think anyone on his crew even spoke English. Imagine 9-10 days
> 24/7 in a crowded Outback doing 15 mph staring at a guys butt and no
> chance for a shower.
>
> Fredi ran out of gas money in Alabama and his support crew was
spotted
> panhandling for money to finish the race.  He did so and remains my
> hero to this day.
>
> Contrast this with his fellow countryman Jure Robic who spent
$40,000,
> had a class A luxury motor home, 3 follow vehicles and a support
crew
> of 13.  Jure won the race in 2004 and 2005... beating my rider Mike
> Trevino in 2004 in an unseemly fashion.
>
> If I do RAAM again... it is the Fredi method, Fredi always has a
smile
> while Jure is always such a stone face.
>

So why are my calves stiff???  I've run 6 marathons this year; 5 with
shoes.  My calves never came out stiff before running the LV marathon
shoeless.
Before LV the longest I had run barefoot was 15 miles and dont recall
any issues with the calves.

On the other hand, I have no problems with any other muscle group,
unlike the shoed marathons. And here is the satisfying part.  my
Plantar Fascia problems are totally gone. PF was the reason I started
reading this website and running barefoot.  This site was the last
resort before quitting running.

My best friend, Dr Tom, massaged and examined my feet at the LV finish
line  and was amazed at how good they looked.  He noticed extreme
tightness in the calves but said the PF looked great.  Doc is a sports
medicine doctor affiliated with Emory University and a longtime
ultracyclist who is quite familiar with extreme sports. He examines
dozens of runners a week so knows what to look for.  I think he left
LV thinking of recommending barefooting to some of his clients.

BR do you have tightness in the calves after marathons?

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Barefoot Rick"
<barefootrick@b...> wrote:
>
> We would need some serious sponsorship for that type of commitment!!!
>
  Nah... you can do it on the cheap.  In 2000 the first Slovenian
cyclist to do Race Across America, Fredi Virag, had 4 big Slovenian
guys in one Subaru Outback. All the other racers spent the night
before the race in comfortable beds at the Holiday Inn. Fredi spent
the night on the grass next to the Outback.  Other racers had nice big
luxury RVs and 2-3 other vehicles. Fredi just had the Outback and I
dont think anyone on his crew even spoke English. Imagine 9-10 days
24/7 in a crowded Outback doing 15 mph staring at a guys butt and no
chance for a shower.

Fredi ran out of gas money in Alabama and his support crew was spotted
panhandling for money to finish the race.  He did so and remains my
hero to this day.

Contrast this with his fellow countryman Jure Robic who spent $40,000,
had a class A luxury motor home, 3 follow vehicles and a support crew
of 13.  Jure won the race in 2004 and 2005... beating my rider Mike
Trevino in 2004 in an unseemly fashion.

If I do RAAM again... it is the Fredi method, Fredi always has a smile
while Jure is always such a stone face.

We would need some serious sponsorship for that type of commitment!!!

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
> --- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Barefoot Rick"
> <barefootrick@b...> wrote:
> >
> > These are some hellacious stats on you Byron. I don't know ...
this
> > seems pretty "out there" to me!
> >
> >
>
> Gosh ... at least pick the year we won the 2 man relay race, 2003.
That
> was the year we decided to just have fun and not wear shoes all the
> way!! I think I was the only racer without swollen feet.
>
> So if they bring back the now defunct  Run Across America how about
> doing it as a 2 man barefoot relay team.  That will certify both of
us
> as "way out there"
>

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Barefoot Rick"
<barefootrick@b...> wrote:
>
> These are some hellacious stats on you Byron. I don't know ... this
> seems pretty "out there" to me!
>
>

Gosh ... at least pick the year we won the 2 man relay race, 2003. That
was the year we decided to just have fun and not wear shoes all the
way!! I think I was the only racer without swollen feet.

So if they bring back the now defunct  Run Across America how about
doing it as a 2 man barefoot relay team.  That will certify both of us
as "way out there"

Snow will only provoke me to get out the Sony Handycam and the digital
camera to document the first barefoot snow run of the year!!!

BR

--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
>  Ya know...   my co workers think I am nuts cuz I race bicycles
> barefoot non-stop across the US and now run barefoot marathons but
they
> all agree you are further out there than even I.
>
> Will tomorrow's snow storm finally drive you indoors???
>

These are some hellacious stats on you Byron. I don't know ... this
seems pretty "out there" to me!

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/files/raam2000/riders2000/byronrieper.h
tml

BR


--- In BarefootRick@yahoogroups.com, "Shoeless Slug" <brieper@k...>
wrote:
>
>  Ya know...   my co workers think I am nuts cuz I race bicycles
> barefoot non-stop across the US and now run barefoot marathons but
they
> all agree you are further out there than even I.
>
> Will tomorrow's snow storm finally drive you indoors???
>

Ya know...   my co workers think I am nuts cuz I race bicycles
barefoot non-stop across the US and now run barefoot marathons but they
all agree you are further out there than even I.

Will tomorrow's snow storm finally drive you indoors???