I have been using Orthotics for about 6 months now and I was wondering
if its possible to go from orthoitcs to running barefoot. I mean does
any have any experience with this?

I have been wearing orthotics for years. I found very little
discomfort when I first began to run barefoot.  A slight pain in my
arch.  I'm assuming my muscles were beginning to be used properly but
it soon went away quickly.  I also took my time building up my
distance.  I would run a mile every other day for a week then increase
gradually from there. I also ran on grass for the first month just so
I took it easy on my feet as they adjusted.

Mike

>I'm guessing that outside of running, you still wear
> shoes.

by the way, other than being barefoot while doing all of my running,
i wear flip flops.  i haven't worn normal shoes in a while.  flip
flops do not give all of the benfits of bare feet, but they still let
the feet air out and prevent them from becoming sweaty.  and the
sunlight could hit the feet, too.


> The most natural way to prevent bacterial growths on feet is to
expose
> your feet to sunlight.

how could sunlight get in between toes...toes are not exposed to
consistent sunlight because they're on the floor part of the time and
they block each other from allowing sunlight in.

i also mentioned this to the doctor and she said that although
sunlight is important, this infection had nothing to do with a lack
of sunlight.

as for the rarity of flesh-eating diseases, they are pretty rare.
but the chance of catching one is much greater with bare feet.  life
is obviously full of risks no matter what one does do be safe, but
maybe in the case of barefoot running, the risks outweigh the
benefits.  people did survive without shoes, and people are faster
and smoother without them, but who knows...maybe i can't because i
lived with shoes for so many years and my feet and immune system are
not perfect.

finally, i am not throwing some undeserved blame of barefoot running.
it's pretty obvious that whatever bacteria i picked up in my feet is
from barefoot running. i ignored it for a while, kept going barefoot
while running, and never wore real shoes, but the problem just got
worse and worse.  the fact is barefoot running did cause these
problems.

--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, Barefoot Ted
<tedmcdonald@g...> wrote:
> I suggest you give us your doctor's contact information.  I really
> want to hear him defend what you say he said.
>
> Give us his office contact information, or, ideally, his email
> address.  This should make for a VERY interesting conversation.


that's a good idea.  i'll post her contact info in the next few days.

do it gradually - like 5 minutes every other day for a
couple weeks, then 10 minutes for a couple weeks, then
push it up little by little.


--- Big Al <bigal1500us@...> wrote:
> I have been using Orthotics for about 6 months now
> and I was wondering
> if its possible to go from orthoitcs to running
> barefoot. I mean does
> any have any experience with this?
>
>
>

~Gene Gugliotta

My web sites http://thinnmann.com
My photo albums http://thinnmann.fotki.com
SEND ME SOME PHOTOS by email to thinnmann+send@...
My blog http://thinnmann.blogspot.com
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MSN Messenger: thinnmann@...

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Hey,

Just joined this group and wanted to tell my story.  I
am up to 34% of my mileage barefoot (that is out of
20-60 miles per week, depending on the season).  I
still prefer grass when I am shoeless, though I have
been crossing roads more and more.  I am a fairly
serious competitive masters runner in NJ.  45 years
old; running for 31 years.  I fell into barefoot
running a year ago when I realized that most of my
injuries were from falling off the elevated heels of
my running shoes.  I chronically twisted my ankles.
I went on a rampage and purged most of the running
shoes from under my bed - anything with over-built
heels and too many motion control devices.

In addition to twisting ankles, I have also suffered
from plantar faciaitis and achillies tendonitis.  Not
since running barefoot, though!

I began mixing barefoot running into my training
routines a little bit at a time.  5 minutes per day,
every other day, adding 5 more every week.  Now I run
up to an hour barefoot, both distance and intervals.

Running barefoot has changed my footstrike from heavy
heel striking to one where my entire outside edge
strikes at once and my heel is only down for a
nanosecond.  I have been able to race faster with less
intervals and speedwork.  I can't run on any grass
surface anymore without thinking, "I should be
barefoot."  I constantly seek out parks and other
large grassy areas where I typically do repetitive
long laps as part of my longer workouts that start and
end with shoes.  I am kind of addicted.  It just feels
good and right.

Many other runners in my running club have seen me
running barefoot now and we talk about it.  I tell
them how it has changed my running style and has
banished injuries.  I tell them I don't fear glass,
that some of the stuff that falls off trees can hurt
so I stay out from under them, but 99/100 steps are
pure pleasure.  Some are using barefoot running as
part of their cool-down after hard runs and track
workouts.

Now, when I buy training shoes, I look for shoes with
little or no difference in sole height at the toe and
heels.  I run in racing flats and retro-shoes a lot -
that is how I got through the NJ winter while
retaining barefoot running feet.  I also have the
advantage of a summer job running a pool so I can be
barefoot all day.

So though I am not a 100% barefoot runner, I am
convinced that it is an extremely important part of a
well designed training program.

~Gene Gugliotta

My web sites http://thinnmann.com
My photo albums http://thinnmann.fotki.com
SEND ME SOME PHOTOS by email to thinnmann+send@...
My blog http://thinnmann.blogspot.com
AIM and Yahoo! Messenger: thinnmann
MSN Messenger: thinnmann@...

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y0natany,
Thanks for providing more info.

--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "y0natany" <y0natany@y...>
wrote:
> as for the rarity of flesh-eating diseases, they are pretty rare.
> but the chance of catching one is much greater with bare feet.

If you buy two lottery tickets, you double your chance of winning.
But, it's still more likely you'll be hit by lightening! Like my
department chair says, "being a mathematician, I just can't justify
buying lottery tickets".

Actually, I don't know much about the flesh-eating bacteria. Do you
know the statistics? Have more barefooters been struck by it than
shoe-wearers? Has anyone done a statistical study comparing the risk
of catching the flesh-eating virus while barefoot and while wearing
shoes?

> maybe in the case of barefoot running, the risks outweigh the
> benefits.

Perhaps for you, but for myself, the risk of wearing shoes is much
higher than going barefoot.

>...how could sunlight get in between toes...toes are not exposed to
> consistent sunlight because they're on the floor part of the time
> and they block each other from allowing sunlight in.

Yes, sunlight will have a hard time getting between the toes, because
your toes are squeezed together from years of shoe-wearing. Try
practicing spreading your toes when you're out in the sunlight (toe
yoga) and even exposing the bottoms of your feet to sunlight. Take
some time to relax outside, not just run. Just a few minutes of
exposure to sunlight each day will go a long way to controling many
micro-organisms.

And yes, your immune system probably isn't used to responding to your
feet being exposed to the different types of bacteria that live
outside of shoes. But the bacteria INSIDE a shoe, even on the sole or
toe strap of a flip-flop is going to be just as bad, if not worse
than anything I've ever encountered on the roads or trails. And I've
run through all sorts of crap! (literally)

> finally, i am not throwing some undeserved blame of barefoot
> running. it's pretty obvious that whatever bacteria i picked
> up in my feet is from barefoot running.
> i ignored it for a while,

Again, I wouldn't be so quick to blame barefoot running, when you
admit you ignored the problem for a while. Countless people who wear
shoes more than either of us, have also suffered from infections on
their feet. In fact, such problems are rare in societies where people
don't wear shoes. And, often, they actually are running through more
crap than us.

It's really important to pay attention to your feet, especially if
they have been used to being in shoes for a long time. Actually,
people wearing shoes, would do well to pay more attention to their
feet, rather than hiding them away and ignoring them all the time.

> i wear flip flops.  i haven't worn normal shoes in a while.  flip
> flops do not give all of the benfits of bare feet, but they still
> let the feet air out and prevent them from becoming sweaty.  and
> the sunlight could hit the feet, too.

I wear flip-flops, only for short periods of time. They really make
my feet sweaty and icky between the toes and on the soles. I wash, or
at least dry them, as soon as possible after wearing any kind of
shoes, sandals, etc.. That infection wouldn't be between the large
toe and the second toe, by any chance, would it?

> ...mentioned this to the doctor and she said that although
> sunlight is important, this infection had nothing to do with a lack
> of sunlight.

Now wait a minute, she doesn't even know what the infection is yet.
How does she know sunlight would not help control it?

> ... maybe i can't because i
> lived with shoes for so many years and my feet and immune system
> are not perfect.

Oh, to have a perfect immune system! I've never had an infection on
my feet. Not to say I have a perfect immune system. I had a sore that
got infected once, on top of my head. Well that was once in nearly 50
years of living. But, by your doctor's reasoning, I should wear a
helmet the rest of my life? After all what's a little daily
discomfort and sweat filling my helmet and dripping down my forhead
and neck every day of my life, to prevent the remote possibility of a
week or two of dealing with another infection?

I do wear a helmet, for about half an hour, twice a day, when I bike
to work, and it does get pretty sweaty inside. And it's pretty well
ventilated. If I had to wear it all day long, I'm certain it would
become a disease factory, just like the shoes and gloves of people
who wear them all day long.

Have fun,
-barefoot ken bob

http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic332.htm

Necrotizing Fasciitis also known as flesh-eating bacteria,

* In the US: Since 1883, more than 500 cases have been reported in the
literature.

A quick reading of the information located at the above link will
makes it seem VERY doubtful that you had what you claim.

B, BT



--
One foot at a time.  One sole at a time.  One hell of a good time.

Barefoot Ted's Adventures
www.BarefootTed.com

Great story.  Best of luck in your training and continued improvement.

Best, Barefoot Ted

--
One foot at a time.  One sole at a time.  One hell of a good time.

Barefoot Ted's Adventures
www.BarefootTed.com

Perhaps this hardly needs saying, but any given doctor may be an idiot on a 
given topic.  I say this out of a lot of experience with docs.  my wife is a
doctor, a smart one, top schools, board certified, lots of experience --and dare
I say it -- there are many things she does not know.  She may have instincts,
sometimes correct, and because she's a good doctor, she checks the ltierature. 
Many of her colleagues, who I talk to, are less than stellar in their approach
to problems.  they liek to project an air that they know everything.  Same as
lawyers.  Not me, of course, I project a friendly ai of openness, but
others...just cause your docto ventures an opinion, it may be based on
absolutely nothing.  Also keep in mind, if a doctor is presented with somethin
weird, their primary concern may be liability.  Like if I told my doctor I just
love licking toads.  Just love it.  The doctor may have no diea whatsoever what
the risks are , if any.  But from a liability standpouint, why take
  the chance?  if I'm in an hmo, the doc has 8 minutes to deal with me.  not
enough tiem to read the toad lit.  Just say no, from the doc's point, and
document in file.  then if I keep licking toads, I can't turn arounda nd say,
but my doctor told me id be fine licking toads!  Might be the same gut reaction
among medical practitioners to barefootin.  who needs the headache. by the way,
for the record, i don't lick toads, my wife is a good and competent doctor, and
many other doctors are too.  But in an hmo setting, one usually gets the lowest
common denominator of medical care even when you ahve a readily discernible,
middle-of-the-road problem.  come in with something weird, unique, and see what
happens!  there's no time to deal with such nonsense.  im not bashin doctors, i
use them when i need them, but to count on one's doctor as an all-knowing oracle
and sage is, well, a little foolish.   just my two cents...


Richard L. Briones-Colman
Murrieta, California

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Much agreed in many ways, but our skin is really more of a membrane
rather than armor.  It allows different substances to go in and out of
it fairly freely.  Our body doesn't just spontaneously start producing
bacteria, they are a foriegn substance somehow allowed into our body
through ingestion, skin or a myriad of other possibilities.  I think
my advice would rather be (and maybe this is what you meant):

Make sure you are treating the inside of you very well.  Then, your
body (and skin) will have the nutrients and biomechanism you need to
ward off whatever types of bacteria or other toxin may enter your body
by any means.  The less toxin you put in your body (i.e. chemicals,
pesticides from food, household cleaners, etc.), the more easily your
body is able to remove them without symptom.

peace

kddubb

--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, michae legault
<heymichae@y...> wrote:
> in my observations and evaluations,
>
> infections come from inside the body, never outside.
> a lifetime of bad food choices. or even one day of bad
> food choices.  or environmental hazards that affect
> the organs of elimination.  skin is an organ of
> elimination, and any rash is from poisons being
> disgarded by Body through the skin, unless some some
> observable external stimulus such as soaking Foot in
> some nasty chemical.
>
> how chemical free are you???   soap, shampoo,
> pesticide residues on food and in the air, chemical
> additives to food, etc, on and on...
>
> things aren't always as they appear, and skin one of
> the biggest deceptions. it doesn't grow from the
> outside in, it grows from the inside out.  whats in
> your body is way more important than whats outside...
>
> and on to Mind.  skin is armor.  protection.  if one
> feels vulnerable, quite often that can affect the
> skin. mental holes in the armor, that become sores,
> rashes, etc.
>
> body chemistry imbalance...
>
> in my thinking if a dermatologist isn't bringing these
> things up for discussion, they're not worth trusting
> for my health.
> although i imagine that they are excellent in treating
> trauma like burns and massive wounds.
>
> happy running
> michae
>
>
>
>
> --- y0natany <y0natany@y...> wrote:
> > i went to a dermatologist today for what i thought
> > was athlete's
> > foot.  it turned out to be a bacterial infection in
> > my feet.  i think
> > barefoot running is the right thing to do, but on
> > the other hand,
> > i'm still waiting for lab results to see what the
> > infection is....the
> > doctor said i'm lucky and it could have been much
> > more serious.
> > and she's right....if i got this infection, what
> > would stop a deadly
> > fleshing eating bacteria to get into my feet. the
> > doctor said if i
> > keep running barefoot i could catch something that
> > would
> > require having amputations.  i've got a problem here
> > because i
> > will not run in shoes but barefooting obviously
> > isn't working.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Yahoo! Mail Mobile
> Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone.
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On Tue, 31 May 2005, Ken Bob Saxton wrote:

> Richard and Yanni,
> I loved both your comments about shoe addictions;
> http://www.runningbarefoot.org/?name=Addicted
>
> But Richard, I'm a little confused...
> If going barefoot is like being sober, and
> If one should be sober at a funeral, Then,
> doesn't it logically follow that one should be barefoot at a funeral?
>
> That's OK. I guess we can't depend on the rest of the world,
> especially while mourning, to understand logic!
>
> Hopefully, many decades from now, I hope no one shows up at my
> funeral wearing shoes... that would not be any sign of respect for
> me ... or not having fun??? Ha, you had all better be laughing at my
> funeral! Out of respect, naturally.

With the healthy lifestyle you live, you will probably outlive us all!

--
Mark

On Tue, 31 May 2005, Preston Curtis wrote:

> Just a quick update from the Northeast.
>
> Mark and I both ran separate 5K's this weekend.
>
> I ran in Portsmouth NH in the state's 2nd largest 5K
> Sunday with nearly 1200 good runners. I was the only
> barefoot runner and had a PR. I finished top 25%.
>
> The further north I run, I find more people amazed by
> me and even some who have never "heard" of running
> barefoot. I want to test Rhode Island now.
>
> Mark ran a 5K on Saturday in Norwood and kicked but.

If you can call coming in 67th out of 153 overall and 26th out of 41
in my age group "kicking butt", that is.  :-)  I'm not disappointed
with my 23:53 finish (not a PR) for an overall pace of 7:42, though.

Oh, and they left off the "barefoot" I had put on the form, and misspelled
my last name, though that last bit can be attributed to my poor penmanship.
Here's the link to the results on coolrunning:

     http://www.coolrunning.com/results/05/ma/May28_3rdAnn_set1.shtml

(I'm getting *way* behind on my "race reports";  I have *lots* of pictures
   from the Great Bear Run races, but have had too full a life to get around
   to writing a report to go along with them!  :-)

Tonight, Preston and I will be in Arlington for the weekly 3 mile "fitness
run".

--
Mark

Sockit to'em.

B, BT

--
One foot at a time.  One sole at a time.  One hell of a good time.

Barefoot Ted's Adventures
www.BarefootTed.com

My .02 Statistically I think you are much more likely to die from a virus or
bacterium that gets in through your nose or mouth, especially via your own
hands. If being barefoot was that dangerous then the human race would have died
out long ago.

I've had some skin issues myself and they were all immune related. Do you live
in a polluted place or near polluting industry of some sort? Do you have hay
fever? Are you under stress? Many foods can also make your immune system work
harder. Is your home/work environment one of the newer air tight types? Do you
spend lots of time in traffic? I can add more but these are all things that
weakened my immune system and led to skin problems.

I wish you and your feet a speedy recovery.
   ----- Original Message -----
   From: y0natany
   To: RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com
   Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 16:48
   Subject: [RunningBarefoot] infection


   i went to a dermatologist today for what i thought was athlete's
   foot.  it turned out to be a bacterial infection in my feet.  i think
   barefoot running is the right thing to do, but on the other hand,
   i'm still waiting for lab results to see what the infection is....the
   doctor said i'm lucky and it could have been much more serious.
   and she's right....if i got this infection, what would stop a deadly
   fleshing eating bacteria to get into my feet. the doctor said if i
   keep running barefoot i could catch something that would
   require having amputations.  i've got a problem here because i
   will not run in shoes but barefooting obviously isn't working.





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   http://RunningBarefoot.org
   shop
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

That was me--I'll see you around.

--- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "Ken Bob Saxton" <ken@r...> wrote:
> Hi Dan,
> Are you the one who said you were up to two miles barefoot?
> Glad to meet ya. Look forward to seeing you in more local runs in
> future.
>
> Have fun,
> -barefoot ken bob
>
> --- In RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com, "bonesheal" <ddkeech@y...>
> wrote:
> > Ken Bob,
> > I met you after the race.  I told you I couldn't make 13 miles
> > barefoot, and you said you couldn't have done it in shoes.  I've
> > learned a lot from your sites and your exploits, so it was good to be
> > able to shake your hand.
> >
> > Dan

go team boston!!!
michae



--- yahoo@... wrote:

> On Tue, 31 May 2005, Preston Curtis wrote:
>
> > Just a quick update from the Northeast.
> >
> > Mark and I both ran separate 5K's this weekend.
> >
> > I ran in Portsmouth NH in the state's 2nd largest
> 5K
> > Sunday with nearly 1200 good runners. I was the
> only
> > barefoot runner and had a PR. I finished top 25%.
> >
> > The further north I run, I find more people amazed
> by
> > me and even some who have never "heard" of running
> > barefoot. I want to test Rhode Island now.
> >
> > Mark ran a 5K on Saturday in Norwood and kicked
> but.
>
> If you can call coming in 67th out of 153 overall
> and 26th out of 41
> in my age group "kicking butt", that is.  :-)  I'm
> not disappointed
> with my 23:53 finish (not a PR) for an overall pace
> of 7:42, though.
>
> Oh, and they left off the "barefoot" I had put on
> the form, and misspelled
> my last name, though that last bit can be attributed
> to my poor penmanship.
> Here's the link to the results on coolrunning:
>
>
>
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/05/ma/May28_3rdAnn_set1.shtml
>
> (I'm getting *way* behind on my "race reports";  I
> have *lots* of pictures
>   from the Great Bear Run races, but have had too
> full a life to get around
>   to writing a report to go along with them!  :-)
>
> Tonight, Preston and I will be in Arlington for the
> weekly 3 mile "fitness
> run".
>
> --
> Mark
>




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Hi Mark,

Just barely noticed you in this picture of the race.

http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0042.jpg

The purple guy blocked you except for your feet!

_peter

yahoo@... wrote:
On Tue, 31 May 2005, Preston Curtis wrote:

> Just a quick update from the Northeast.
>
> Mark and I both ran separate 5K's this weekend.
>
> I ran in Portsmouth NH in the state's 2nd largest 5K
> Sunday with nearly 1200 good runners. I was the only
> barefoot runner and had a PR. I finished top 25%.
>
> The further north I run, I find more people amazed by
> me and even some who have never "heard" of running
> barefoot. I want to test Rhode Island now.
>
> Mark ran a 5K on Saturday in Norwood and kicked but.

If you can call coming in 67th out of 153 overall and 26th out of 41
in my age group "kicking butt", that is.  :-)  I'm not disappointed
with my 23:53 finish (not a PR) for an overall pace of 7:42, though.

Oh, and they left off the "barefoot" I had put on the form, and misspelled
my last name, though that last bit can be attributed to my poor penmanship.
Here's the link to the results on coolrunning:

     http://www.coolrunning.com/results/05/ma/May28_3rdAnn_set1.shtml

(I'm getting *way* behind on my "race reports";  I have *lots* of pictures
   from the Great Bear Run races, but have had too full a life to get around
   to writing a report to go along with them!  :-)

Tonight, Preston and I will be in Arlington for the weekly 3 mile "fitness
run".

--
Mark


To support this group and
http://RunningBarefoot.org
shop
http://RunningBarefoot.biz




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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ooops...found you!

http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0154.jpg
http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0155.jpg

yahoo@... wrote:
On Tue, 31 May 2005, Preston Curtis wrote:

> Just a quick update from the Northeast.
>
> Mark and I both ran separate 5K's this weekend.
>
> I ran in Portsmouth NH in the state's 2nd largest 5K
> Sunday with nearly 1200 good runners. I was the only
> barefoot runner and had a PR. I finished top 25%.
>
> The further north I run, I find more people amazed by
> me and even some who have never "heard" of running
> barefoot. I want to test Rhode Island now.
>
> Mark ran a 5K on Saturday in Norwood and kicked but.

If you can call coming in 67th out of 153 overall and 26th out of 41
in my age group "kicking butt", that is.  :-)  I'm not disappointed
with my 23:53 finish (not a PR) for an overall pace of 7:42, though.

Oh, and they left off the "barefoot" I had put on the form, and misspelled
my last name, though that last bit can be attributed to my poor penmanship.
Here's the link to the results on coolrunning:

     http://www.coolrunning.com/results/05/ma/May28_3rdAnn_set1.shtml

(I'm getting *way* behind on my "race reports";  I have *lots* of pictures
   from the Great Bear Run races, but have had too full a life to get around
   to writing a report to go along with them!  :-)

Tonight, Preston and I will be in Arlington for the weekly 3 mile "fitness
run".

--
Mark


To support this group and
http://RunningBarefoot.org
shop
http://RunningBarefoot.biz




---------------------------------
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    To visit your group on the web, go to:
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RunningBarefoot-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yep, them's me, coming up to the finish line!  And in the first pic (154),
just to the left of Mr. 157 (Robert Joseph, according to the results),
you can see Sandy (barefoot, naturally :-) wearing my runningbarefoot.org
T and taking photos with my camera.

FYI: you can also see me in a pic taken earlier in the race, albeit in
the background:

     http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0039.jpg

A few photos later (DSC_0042.jpg), I am directly behind runner # 121 (John
Petrolini), and in the next photo (DSC_0044.jpg), you can see my right elbow.
I wonder what happened to DSC_0043.jpg?


On Wed, 1 Jun 2005, Peter wrote:

> Ooops...found you!
>
> http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0154.jpg
> http://jimrhoades.com/05/norwood5k/images/DSC_0155.jpg
>
> yahoo@... wrote:
> On Tue, 31 May 2005, Preston Curtis wrote:
>
>> Just a quick update from the Northeast.
>>
>> Mark and I both ran separate 5K's this weekend.
>>
>> I ran in Portsmouth NH in the state's 2nd largest 5K
>> Sunday with nearly 1200 good runners. I was the only
>> barefoot runner and had a PR. I finished top 25%.
>>
>> The further north I run, I find more people amazed by
>> me and even some who have never "heard" of running
>> barefoot. I want to test Rhode Island now.
>>
>> Mark ran a 5K on Saturday in Norwood and kicked but.
>
> If you can call coming in 67th out of 153 overall and 26th out of 41
> in my age group "kicking butt", that is.  :-)  I'm not disappointed
> with my 23:53 finish (not a PR) for an overall pace of 7:42, though.
>
> Oh, and they left off the "barefoot" I had put on the form, and misspelled
> my last name, though that last bit can be attributed to my poor penmanship.
> Here's the link to the results on coolrunning:
>
>    http://www.coolrunning.com/results/05/ma/May28_3rdAnn_set1.shtml
>
> (I'm getting *way* behind on my "race reports";  I have *lots* of pictures
>  from the Great Bear Run races, but have had too full a life to get around
>  to writing a report to go along with them!  :-)
>
> Tonight, Preston and I will be in Arlington for the weekly 3 mile "fitness
> run".

--
Mark

>they liek to project an air that they know everything.
That reminds me of an old joke in the UK amongst medics:
Q: "what's the difference between god and a surgeon?"
A: "God doesn't think he's a surgeon."

As in any profession, in medicine there are bad, mediocre, good and
exceptional practicioners.
Here's a personal example:
I was extremely fortunate with my family doctor growing up the 1970's,
since I was prone to bronchitis, having inherited this weakness from
my asthmatic family.  Every time I got ill with a chest infection and
fever, instead of instantly prescribing anti-biotics, our doctor
suggested alternative treatments.  He explained that my immune system
would build up naturally by fighting off each bout.  On the one
occasion when it did get dangerously high, he came over at midnight
equiped with the antibiotics to treat me.
I thank this doctor for his restraint, especially at a time when he
was swimming against the tide: anti-biotics were handed out like
sweets back then.  Come to think of it, they still are by most
practitioners....

That said, we have a different (dare I say more civilised? - No
offence meant ;-)  ) system here in the UK whereby medical bills are
paid by the state rather than the individual, so even the the poorest
people get access to some of the world's best medicine that is our
National Health Service. Actually, you can pay, but all that means is
that you get to jump the queue to get your ingrowing toenail surgery:
you still get treated by the same practitioners using the same facilities.

Yanni.
Barefoot runner since December 2004.

I found this old pagan verse, translated into modern English.  It is
attributed to a pagan priest, a kind of shaman,  who helped build
Stone Henge....

Its concrete proof that the ancients also had a hard time running with
shoes.

"Toad Spirit"

Yesterday, sandals adorned, I ran.
Possessed by a toad spirit:
Bloated, with poisonous sweat and squat legs.
But today my plain bare feet take me far and fast,
I'm a red deer, now a soaring albatross.

Yanni.
Barefoot Runner since December 2004.

PS I penned this spoof when I figured that an anagram of "Podiatrist"
is "Toad Spirit"!! The things we do when stuck on public transport..

I remember being possessed by the "toad-spirit" when I used to run
wearing trainers.

I've been hearing about this group from a few close friends of mine
and I was just curious about this whole new way of running. I have one
question though, isn't it possible to get a foot infection since
you're always running barefoot. Plus there so much crud on our streets
today is there anyway you can avoid that stuff?

Thanks,

Ryan

When I recently asked my doctor about an athelete's foot type of redness,  he
asked me if I used any kind of public shower room and confirmed that at least
  fungal nasties are mostly to be found in locations favorable to their growth
and  not out on the open air public streets.

With regard to erratics in the way, most of us have to give up looking so
much and constantly at the passing scenery and be more aware of the ground  in
front of our feet (though, after a while, it becomes second nature for our
peripheral vision to help us be aware of what we're about to step on even while
we're mainly looking up way up ahead of us at other  scenery).  Unfortunately,
there are probably other parts  of most communities which should be avoided
because they  are treated like toilets and garbage recepticals by some members
of  the public.

-jon

In a message dated 6/1/2005 12:13:01 PM Pacific Standard Time,
runneenfastt@... writes:

I've been hearing about this group from a few close friends of mine
and I was just curious about this whole new way of running. I have one
question though, isn't it possible to get a foot infection since
you're always running barefoot. Plus there so much crud on our streets
today is there anyway you can avoid that  stuff?

Thanks,

Ryan






To  support this group and
_http://RunningBarefoot.org_ (http://runningbarefoot.org/)
shop
_http://RunningBarefoot_ (http://runningbarefoot.biz/)





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

It is actually an old way of running. You figure feet have been around more
than 100 years.



"I have one question though, isn't it possible to get a foot infection since
you're always running barefoot." Anything is possible. Bear attacks, hit by
lightening, shark attacks, winning the lottery.



What kind of crud? Grime and dirt? Easily wash off with soap and water. When
you run with shoes (assuming you have taken a slow steady preparation) you
will actually be feeling the ground. This "feeling" is well designed to help
you avoid all kinds of debris and obstacles.



Welcome to the group.



Focus on how you can enjoy running barefoot and less on obstacles.



Marc



-----Original Message-----
From: RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of runneenfastt
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 12:07 PM
To: RunningBarefoot@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [RunningBarefoot] Hello everyone...new here



I've been hearing about this group from a few close friends of mine
and I was just curious about this whole new way of running. I have one
question though, isn't it possible to get a foot infection since
you're always running barefoot. Plus there so much crud on our streets
today is there anyway you can avoid that stuff?

Thanks,

Ryan






To support this group and
http://RunningBarefoot.org
shop
http://RunningBarefoot.biz





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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I've run about 900 miles through the streets of San Francisco barefoot
in the last year.  I've stepped on some glass maybe a dozen or so
times, stubbed my toe a few times, but so far, no infections.

I try not to look down, unless I know I'm running near a lot of broken
glass (shattered car windows produce a lot of broken glass).

I'm also nearsighted, but I don't wear glasses or contacts when I run.

We live with a great deal of fear about the natural world.  I've found
that confronting that fear can be liberating.

Welcome to the group

Asatar


On Jun 1, 2005, at 12:06 PM, runneenfastt wrote:

> I've been hearing about this group from a few close friends of mine
>  and I was just curious about this whole new way of running. I have one
>  question though, isn't it possible to get a foot infection since
>  you're always running barefoot. Plus there so much crud on our streets
>  today is there anyway you can avoid that stuff?
>
>  Thanks,
>
>  Ryan
>
>
>
>
>
>
> To support this group and
> http://RunningBarefoot.org
>  shop
> http://RunningBarefoot.biz
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>  •  To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunningBarefoot/
>  
>  •  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> RunningBarefoot-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>  
>  •  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service.
>
>
______________________________________________
Asatar Bair, Ph.D.
Economist and Teacher
City College of San Francisco, www.asatar.net
Institute for Applied Meditation, www.appliedmeditation.org
______________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I would tend to think that wearing flip-flops could cause more of an infection
than barefoot.  I had a pair of sandals that caused red dots on the sides of my
feet , where the straps were attached to the leather soles.

Obviously I do not wear them anymore.  The balls of my feet sweat really bad in
flip flops.  Some flips flops have an inner sole of bamboo material from Asia. 
I wonder how dis-infected that material really is...  Also this sole is
multi-part so the bacteria can live below the cracks in the sole of the
flip-flop.

15 years ago, I lived in an apartment complex with two ponds and 100 ducks and
some geese.  Other residents, including me (who did not have pets) starting
getting flea bites.  I wore long pants and shoes outside.  We got an
exterminator in and he found over 50 of the 192 units had fleas, with about 40
of those apartments being retired people with few visitors and no pets.

A local vet pointed out that ducks and geese have fleas and we discovered the
grass and sidewalks were loaded with fleas.  We just collected them on our
clothing walking from the parking lot to the door.  The management started
"spraying the grass with some kind of  flea killer" monthly and bug bombed the
units and no more fleas...

Also, recently with the warmer weather, I started getting small blisters on my
fingers and ichy palms.  I noted that last year at same time, had same thing. 
Got to looking and discovered a crack in my steering wheel outer cover.  The
interior foam gets greasy in warm weather.  I must be allergic to the chemicals.
I taped the spot and installed a steering wheel cover from Wal-Mart.  No more
blisters after two days.





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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

While I totally agree with you about the natural world, I dont think the
"streets of San Francisco" qualify. Having said that, dont fear the
unnatural world so much either. Its really not as bad as you think it is.

This weekend I went hiking in the "natural world" there were little,
sharp rocks strewn across the trail. Much more excruciating than
anything Ive run on in the not so natural world.

Welcome to the group and relax, relax, relax (sorry to steal your
thunder Ken Bob :))

r

Asatar Bair wrote:

>I've run about 900 miles through the streets of San Francisco barefoot
>in the last year.  I've stepped on some glass maybe a dozen or so
>times, stubbed my toe a few times, but so far, no infections.
>
>I try not to look down, unless I know I'm running near a lot of broken
>glass (shattered car windows produce a lot of broken glass).
>
>I'm also nearsighted, but I don't wear glasses or contacts when I run.
>
>We live with a great deal of fear about the natural world.  I've found
>that confronting that fear can be liberating.
>
>Welcome to the group
>
>Asatar
>
>
>
>
>
>

Over the Memorial day weekend, from Friday at 5pm to Tuesday at 9am I was
barefoot the entire time.

I have never been barefoot this long before, except in the baby crib!

It felt wonderful!!!!.

I went day camping with the family, visited a beach/swimming, hiking, shopping
for groceries and other shopping and several other activities all barefoot.  I
tried a little running on the beach and also on some really good grass.  I still
need to loose about another 20 pounds before I do much more running or else I
need to get a bra for my belly....  I did over 12 miles of walking and hiking,
too.

We had one restaurant greeter state that I needed shoes.  I replied: It is not
against health codes, I have checked.  I've done over 125 miles of barefooting
this spring, AND I will take my business elsewhere.  We started to leave and I
got an apology and we were invited to stay and eat, with me being barefoot.

Also, found out from a store owner, that I live about 15 miles from a person who
is a 24/7 barefooter, even goes to church barefoot.  I am going to try and meet
that person!

Also, I decided that I am going to go to my next church service barefoot and see
what comments, if any, I get.  People go in shorts and flip flops so I don't see
much difference except I will make no noise walking...



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cool.

Best, Barefoot Ted

--
One foot at a time.  One sole at a time.  One hell of a good time.

Barefoot Ted's Adventures
www.BarefootTed.com