I was once running along the waterfront loop in downtown Portland,
Oregon. Another well meaning runner warned me to look out for glass. I
asked him to point some glass out to me. He couldn't see any, so I
invited him to run with me and help me look for glass. We must have
run over a mile before he finally spotted a very small shiney piece.
He triumphantly said, "There's one!" I intentionally stepped right on
it and kept on going. After taking a few steps further, he wanted to
see the bottom of my foot that had stepped on the glass. Nothing was
there. I then told him the danger of glass is over-rated and with
proper form, its not as much trouble as people think.

Another time I was running in a neighborhood and came up to a
home-daycare. There were about a dozen young kids playing in the front
yard. When they saw me, they said, almost in unison, "Look out for
needles!" That's the thing they must be warning kids about these days.
Its a sad commentary on our society. By the way, I have only seen one
needle in all my running - I didn't step on it.

Ryan



--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "mizzzkittykat"
<ex.e_ge_ses@...> wrote:
>
> --- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "Nick L." <nycparamedic@> wrote:
> >
> > I run three times weekly in the Bronx's Van Cortlandt Park. I used
to wear
> > flip-flops to the park in the early spring, when the weather was
cooler.
> > They were put away in a small, lightweight trail running pack when I
> > arrived.
> >
> > I feel sillier wearing flip flops in running shorts than I do
barefoot.
> >
> > Now that the weather is much warmer I just walk barefoot to the
park in the
> > afternoons. Much of the glass from the previous nights drinking and
> > debauchery have already been pounded down by my obese and shod
neighbors. I
> > always look ahead and look for the sparkles. But if I were to
start running
> > earlier in the morning, I'd be *much* more careful.
> >
> > As for the park, not much glass on the gravel parade ground track
--so far.
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> >
> I regularly attend Bball games at Van Cortlandt it is a beautiful park.
>
> Sparkling pavement in the afternoon light is a dead giveaway for
glass debris. My block
> has more than usual due to two bars and a bodega between my door and
the intersection.
> Silly, yeah, but between glass and the remnants of dog walking... as
a beginner I feel
> better.
>
>
> ... I am of the none-too-svelte set. Running and being more active
makes me feel good,
> the get back in shape part is only a bonus. I am an example of being
active, if not skinny,
> to my newly sedentary friends... running barefoot and ultimate
frisbee is about getting us
> out and exited about something.
>